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Kaufman Music Center taps Interlochen alumni for leadership roles
Jonathan Slawson joined the music education and performing arts venue as chief development officer and Claudie Mabry as director of social innovation.
New York City’s Kaufman Music Center announced this week that two Interlochen alumni have taken on key roles. Jonathan Slawson (IAC 03) joined the 69-year-old music education community and performing arts venue as chief development officer and Claudie Mabry (IAC 05-07) as director of social innovation.
Slawson and Mabry remain involved with Interlochen as volunteers and members of the Interlochen Engagement Council. They connected further through the Interlochen network in New York, and Slawson introduced Mabry to the job opportunity at Kaufman Music Center.
Slawson, who was elected president of the Engagement Council earlier this year, has spent the past 12 years raising money for nonprofit organizations large and small in the arts, education, and social justice space. He previously worked for Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Blair Academy, and the League of American Orchestras. He is also a limited partner at J-Ventures, a community-driven global venture capital fund. Jonathan received his B.M. in music education and arts administration from Westminster Choir College and an M.S. in nonprofit management from The New School. He began his arts training in sixth grade, where he traveled the world performing with the former American Boychoir School.
Of his new role, Slawson said, "My passion for the arts began at a very young age, thanks to several key people who helped unlock my potential. I subsequently spent my career in philanthropy, helping to ensure that others have the opportunity and access to realize their talent and purpose. I am deeply inspired by the Kaufman Music Center leadership team—Board and staff—and their relentless commitment to this work."
In her role as director of social innovation, a newly-created position at Kaufman Music Center, Mabry will work across the Center's programs to envision and strategize social impact opportunities that reach the entire Kaufman community, while cultivating and sustaining equitable community-based partnerships and public engagement. Mabry said, "This opportunity is special and personal for me. I began my journey as a young musician, before finding love in civic life and the wellbeing of all communities. This position at Kaufman Music Center is a true synergy of both identities, allowing me to connect music to community in accessible, collaborative, and accountable ways."
Before joining Kaufman Music Center, Mabry worked as a strategy and engagement consultant in partnership with government agencies including the NYC Department of Health, the New York City Housing Authority, and the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. She has also worked with community nonprofits across the five boroughs. Her work has provided her the opportunity to build community capacity, strengthen cultural equity, and prioritize social justice. In addition to her consulting practice, Mabry previously held roles at esteemed non-profit organizations including the Center for Court Innovation, the Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts (NOCD-NY), and Groundswell Community Mural Project. She has an M.S. in urban policy from The New School.
Kaufman Music Center Executive Director Kate Sheeran said, "The breadth and depth of experience that Claudie and Jonathan bring will be a fantastic asset to Kaufman Music Center as we continue to broaden the impact of our programs, develop community-based partnerships and build for our future."
