Amy Sananman Appointed Executive Director of the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety

Dear Groundswell friends and supporters,
 
I am writing to share that I will be joining the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice as the Executive Director of the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety. It is an opportunity to take the collective impact lessons we have demonstrated at Groundswell and put them to the test to address neighborhood safety at target NYCHA developments across the city though a coordinated set of programs and physical environment and infrastructure improvements. I am honored and humbled to continue to serve and support justice and equity in and for the communities that I have worked with for over 25 years.
 
While it was very difficult to decide to leave Groundswell, it is made easier knowing the incredibly talented artists, extremely effective, devoted staff, brilliant youth, and strong, committed board will lead Groundswell into its 20th and beyond with creativity, collaboration, compassion and a critical mind.
 
Groundswell will now embark on a critical transition from a founder-led organization to one with a board selected leader. There is no better moment for Groundswell to embrace this pivotal step as a transformative, productive, generative opportunity. Programs and impact are steadily deepening; the budget is stronger than ever; and staff, artists, youth, partners, board and supporters are poised for growth. Groundswell has a robust plan in place developed by Groundswell's broad set of stakeholders that guides its programmatic and organizational growth through our 20th Anniversary in 2017. Groundswell's innovative Scaffold Up!TM model anchors our commitments to our stakeholders and our programmatic impact. 

Taking the reins on August 7th as Interim Executive Director is Rob Krulak. Rob served as Groundswell's Board President from 2004-2009- and as Groundswell's Interim Executive Director in 2010, during which time he oversaw the fundraising, leasing, renovation and move to our current office. He holds an MBA from Case Western and Masters in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania. He brings over 20 years of experience including key development positions at NY Live Arts, the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Along with a board-led search committee, Rob will support a leadership recruitment that will kick off in the new year. 
 

We welcome your leadership, commitment and ambassadorship in supporting the continuity of our vision among both internal and external stakeholders. 
 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the tens of thousands of youth and artists who have blessed this city with hundreds of stunning public art monuments to social justice issues since we started in 1996. I'd like to thank the staff, volunteers and board - past and present - who have shaped and built an internationally recognized model. I'd like to thank our partners who number in the hundreds - in the nonprofit, private and public sector, who have been our allies in leveraging art as a tool for change. And last but not least our supporters - those who invested when no one else would, and those who helped us scale out. I am grateful and indebted to each and every one of you. 
 

I will be watching, cheering and supporting now from a new vantage with pride and anticipation. Art has created a strong Groundswell community; and that growing community will continue to make change across our city and beyond. 
 
Sincerely,                                                                                                       
Amy Sananman
Executive Director