- Community School
- Music lessons, classes, and programs for all ages and skill levels
- The Academy
- A comprehensive program for advanced pre-college musicians
- Creative Arts Therapy
- Expressive art therapies for children, adults, and families
- Cultural Events
- Concerts series and events in the critically acclaimed Nichols Concert Hall
- Executive Office
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Sel Kardan | President/CEO; Artistic Director, The Academy
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Edward W. Horner Jr. | Executive Vice President
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Sue Polutnik | Assistant to the President; Administrative Director, The Academy
- Community School
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Emily Abraham | Dean/VP Academic Affairs
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MM, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; BM, Wheaton College Conservatory of Music; additional training with Toshio Takahashi at the Talent Education Institute (Matsumoto, Japan) and with Alain Marion and Andras Adorjan at the International Summer School of Music (Nice, France); further Suzuki training at institutes in Canada, Colorado and Tennessee; student of Mary Stolper and Brooks de Wetter-Smith; master classes with Ransom Wilson, William Bennett, Alexa Still, Peter Lloyd, Julius Baker and Samuel Baron; performances with Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonia, Metropolitan Arts Orchestra and West Suburban Symphony Orchestra; presenter, Suzuki Association of the Americas Conference; faculty, American Suzuki Institute (Stevens Point, WI).
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Christine Aznavoorian | Assistant to the Dean
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Nora Takagi | Academic Communications Coordinator
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Gregory Diethrich | Campus Director & Associate Dean, Highland Park
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PhD, University of Illinois, Musicology; MM, San Jose State University; conducted field research in India, Trinidad, and the U.S. and presented work in many professional publications and international conferences; held visiting faculty positions at Carleton College, University of Illinois, and DePaul University; currently a Lecturer at Lake Forest College; over 15 years of active teaching experience and performer of many styles of music.
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Lisa Griffith | Campus Director & Associate Dean, Lake Forest
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Clark Carruth | Campus Coordinator, Lincolnshire & Winnetka
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Timothy Mah | Campus Coordinator, Evanston-East & West; MIC Children's Choir Coordinator
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Gilda Barston | Dean Emeritus
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MS, BS, Juilliard School of Music; student of Leonard Rose and Channing Robbins; former principal cellist and founding member, Chicago String Ensemble; former member, American Symphony Orchestra, Mu Phi Epsilon Trio and Lyric Trio; recitals and broadcasts throughout U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, and Israel; faculty member, Northwestern University, American Suzuki Institute, Fairbanks Suzuki Institute and Ithaca Suzuki Institute; guest clinician, Australian Pan Pacific Suzuki Conference, Korean Suzuki Association Winter Camp, 14th Suzuki World Convention, Turin, Italy; guest soloist, International Suzuki Teachers’ Conference in Matsumoto, Japan; founder, Chicago Junior Cello Club; Board Member of the International Suzuki Association (Chair emeritus); recipient of a Distinguished Service Award from the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
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Marilyn Biasiello | Reception, Highland Park
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Eliza Reed | Reception, Winnetka
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Anne Slovin | Reception, Evanston-East
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Ruthann Stoliar | Reception, Winnetka
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Rose Vakili | Reception, Wilmette & Winnetka
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Sentoria Williams | Reception, Evanston-East
- The Academy
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Robert N. Levin | Artistic Advisor
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Nicole Perrin | Academy Coordinator; Reception, Evanston-East
- Institute for Therapy through the Arts
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Ted Rubenstein MFA, RDT, PsyD | VP of Creative Arts Therapy; Clinical Director, ITA
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ITA Clinical Director, received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, his Master of Fine Arts degree from DePaul University and his Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University. Ted is an assistant professor of Clinical Psychology in the Child and Adolescent Track at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He is a professional actor, director, and playwright with TV, stage, and radio credits; a former dramaturg and faculty member for the Raven Theatre; the Director of Project START; and Director for Eclipse Theatre. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Illinois Psychological Association, and the Central Region representative to the Board of the National Association of Drama Therapy.
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Leslee Pollakoff Goldman MA, ATR | Practice Director; Art Therapist
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Leslee received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and her Master of Arts in Art Therapy from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is certified to teach art, kindergarten to grade 12, and completed the Teacher Education Program at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis. A member of the American Art Therapy Association and the Illinois Art Therapy Association, Leslee has been practicing art therapy for over 25 years.
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Amber Bond | ITA Operations Manager
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Leslie Hull | Reception, ITA & Evanston West; Facility Rentals
- Development
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Adrienne Hirsch | VP of Development
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Amy Greenwood | Assistant VP of Development
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Elyse Fineman | Corporate & Foundation Relations Manager
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Madalyn Kenney | Annual Fund Manager
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Kathleen McTaggart | Development Associate; Academy Orchestra Manager
- Marketing and Public Relations
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Erin Fusco | Marketing & Public Relations Manager
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Mike Canale | Staff Photographer
Image courtesy Mike Canale
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After military service in the United States Marines and several years as foreman for a construction company, Mike took a change of direction toward the performing arts. Mike’s performing experience included dancing in “The Blues Brothers” movie, the John Hughes film “She’s Having a Baby” and the Lyric Opera of Chicago world première of “Paradise Lost”. In addition, Mike performed acting roles in Chicago and North Shore community theatre productions and sang with the once popular group “The North by Northbrook Singers.” These visually inspiring experiences led to formal study of photography at the Ray–Vogue School of Design. Since 1980, Mr. Canale has owned & operated Mike Canale Photography creating professional headshot, marketing and advertising photography for individuals, agencies, companies and organizations. Mike’s photographs have graced the cover of arts related magazines, accompanied editorials and reviews and continue to support performing artists and business professionals with audition, marketing and self-promotional images. Mike is proud to be a member of the Music Institute of Chicago. As staff photographer with a photography studio at the Dempster Street Campus, he supports the Music Institute of Chicago’s commitment to providing the foundation for a life-long enjoyment of music; as well as their philosophy that enjoying and understanding music and developing the skills to create and perform music, enhance the quality of life and nourish the human spirit.
- Finance and Operations
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Rick Rohrer | VP of Finance & Operations
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Nancy Schultz | Director of Enrollment; Accounting Manager
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Mitzie Friedland-Stell | Accounting Associate
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Barbara Mehaffey | Human Resources Consultant
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George Strack | General Maintenance
- Performance Activities
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Fiona Queen | Director of Performance Activities
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Samuel Nordlund | Assistant Director of Performance Activities
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale
Image courtesy Mike Canale