Left to right: Jean Cook (photo by Stefano Giovannini); Jilian Cahan Gersten (photo by Brigitte Lacombe); Amani Olu (photo by James Adams)
Please join us in welcoming three new MAP Board members: Jean Cook, Jilian Cahan Gersten, and Amani Olu! They bring unique perspectives and valued voices to our organization. We are excited to begin a new chapter of collaboration and discovery alongside these leaders in the field. Discover more about Jean, Jilian, and Amani below.
Jean Cook is an artist, producer, and advocate for musicians. From 2005-2015, she directed research, education, and advocacy initiatives at the intersection of music, copyright, and technology for Future of Music Coalition. Jean held one of the first artist seats on the Board of the Association for the Performing Arts Professionals from 2014-2023, and also served on the founding Steering Committee for Music Workers Alliance. As a musician, she has performed on over 100 albums and concert films, including two Grammy nominations, and has toured over 1,000 dates on four continents with various groups including Art Ensemble of Chicago, William Parker, Jon Langford, Beauty Pill, and Ida. She is a member of the Music Policy Forum Action Network and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Anthony Braxton’s Tri-Centric Foundation. She was appointed to the Office of the Vice President of US Programs at the Ford Foundation as Director in February 2023.
“There are so many major gaps in basic infrastructure and support for artists in the US,” Jean said. “The MAP Fund has always centered visionary artists, and I appreciate how they seek to continue to be in service to that community in a meaningful and thoughtful way.”
Jilian Cahan Gersten is currently Chief Development Officer at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, having previously served in its Education and Development departments. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Philanthropic Initiatives at Brooklyn Org (formerly the Brooklyn Community Foundation). Her previous experience includes various programming and fundraising roles at Brooklyn Arts Council, LUMBERYARD Contemporary Performing Arts, BRIC, The After-School Corporation (now ExpandED Schools), Theatre for a New Audience, The New Victory Theater, and Ballet Tech. She is the current board chair of Ballet Tech; was a founding board member of Headlong Dance Theater in Philadelphia, PA; served for 12 years on the board of Danspace Project; and has served as a panelist for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and New Jersey After 3.
“As someone who has always worked to support access to art and culture, and cares about artists’ ability to make work and thrive, it thrills me to join MAP Fund while the organization undergoes a transformative moment,” said Jilian.
Amani Olu is the founder of Olu & Company, a consultancy that partners with cultural institutions, mission-driven organizations, and creative enterprises to strengthen organizational sustainability through capacity building, strategic marketing, and business development. With over 20 years of experience in the cultural sector and creative economy, Olu’s client work spans major cultural institutions (Ford Foundation Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit Institute of Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU, Aperture Foundation), luxury brands (Bottega Veneta, Gucci), corporate innovation partners (Michigan Central, Newlab Detroit, Dolby Laboratories), and national nonprofit organizations (Americans for the Arts, Knight Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts).
“MAP Fund has played a defining role in supporting artists whose work expands the possibilities of performance,” Amani shared. “Having worked with MAP through Olu & Company, I’ve seen the organization’s deep commitment to artists and cultural equity. I’m honored to join the Board and support MAP’s continued investment in artists shaping a more vibrant and equitable society.”
Get to know MAP’s full Board here.
