Partnering for a Re-Imagined St.Louis.
Our Mission: We partner with St. Louis communities to strengthen neighborhoods through arts and civic engagement.
Vision: Our vision is to support the cultural artistic fabric of our community by working with residents to address neighborhood needs through the creative use of skill and skillful use of creativity.
Our Founder
Sandy Brooks
President
I am a board-certified pediatric physical therapist with a Master’s in Pediatric Physical Therapy and Doctorates in Education and Public Policy. My pediatric rehabilitation practice was groundbreaking, being the largest in the country and the first Medicare-certified pediatric agency. The treatment techniques I pioneered for pediatric neurological disorders are now widely adopted, benefiting both children and adults. Following a disability, I retired from physical therapy and channeled my passion into establishing the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce.
Meet the Board of Directors
Candace Bingham
Board Member
Candace Bingham brings extensive experience in professional purchasing, with a career defined by strategic partnership development, operational excellence, and process improvement. After beginning her career in the commercial sector, she transitioned to the nonprofit space, where she currently serves as Director of Procurement and Supplier Engagement at the Saint Louis Zoo.
Candace is deeply committed to fiscal stewardship and inclusive economic development, working to advance equitable and sustainable outcomes for both her organization and the St. Louis region. A graduate of FOCUS Leadership St. Louis, she serves on the Board of Directors for the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce, as Membership and Public Relations Chair for the St. Louis Supplier Development Professionals Network, Advisor to the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council, and is an active collaborator within Greater St. Louis Inc.’s SupplySTL ecosystem supporting wealth-building strategies and expanded supplier access across the region.
Deanna Cotton
Board Member
Senior Strategist leading matrix teams, research strategy and influencing firm-level strategic initiatives while partnering with leaders at various levels. Adept at building strong relationships and providing solutions that drive empathy building. Exercise strong critical thinking and sound judgment while independently making decisions and providing consultative leadership.
SKILLS
– Relationship building and influencing decision-
making.
– Strong attention to detail and ability to lead
large, complex tasks and projects.
– Provide thought leadership and work effectively in a matrixed team.
– Effectively communicate in verbal and written venues to present strategic opportunities.
Jason Vasser-Elong
Chair of Board
Dr. Jason Vasser-Elong is a poet and a seasoned higher education professional with over ten years of collegiate experience as a faculty member, workshop developer and researcher, with additional expertise in diversity and community arts training. Dr. Elong has experience in creating inclusive, engaging learning programs and in leading writing workshops. He recently presented his research on arts-based pedagogy at the American Anthropological Association’s annual meeting.
Vanessa Kim
Board Member
Vanessa Kim is a graphic and visual design professional that believes in the power of thoughtful design to create tangible positive impacts within communities.
Her background in visual storytelling and marketing, she uses design to strengthen communication, clarify ideas, and foster deeper connections between organizations and the communities they serve. Her experience spans branding and digital design, with a focus on creating work that is human-centered and visually compelling.
Maria Rosario
Chair of Board
Maria Rosario serves as a marketing and development leader in St. Louis. She brings her experience of active board membership with the Puerto Rican Society, along with a wealth of marketing knowledge and experience.
James Spell
Board Member
James Spell is a Contemporary painter who works in acrylic, oils, and mixed media to express the often-unspoken nuances and complexities of life through abstract impressionism. A transplant from Texas and raised in Saint Louis, James has been painting since 2002 but began his professional art career in 2020. He has a bachelor of art history from UM-St Louis and graduate credits in architecture from Washington University.
Mark Spykerman
Board Member
James Spell is a Contemporary painter who works in acrylic, oils, and mixed media to express the often-unspoken nuances and complexities of life through abstract impressionism. A transplant from Texas and raised in Saint Louis, James has been painting since 2002 but began his professional art career in 2020. He has a bachelor of art history from UM-St Louis and graduate credits in architecture from Washington University.
Meet the Team
Jane Robinson
Financial Development Volunteer
Jane Robinson is a dynamic leader with a diverse background spanning education, music, and business. Her 20 years of experience in editorial development, marketing strategy, and administration have honed her creative thinking and strategic planning skills. Jane has successfully led and melded siloed managers into a team that thrives because of healthy communication and shared vision. With a gift for seeing the high-level strategy needed as well as anticipating places for communication breakdown and changes needed in the original plan, she is often chosen to lead major organizational change. Now, as Assistant Director of the St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce, Jane is dedicated to serving the St. Louis community through initiatives that foster creative placemaking, engaging events, and impactful mentoring programs. Her strengths of excellent communication and discerning opportunities for every individual to make positive contributions fit well with the organization’s position of completing big projects by coordinating many diverse organizations. Having completed a Graduate Certificate in Fundraising and Development, Jane will graduate in March, earning a Master’s in Nonprofit Management with a Fundraising Concentration.
Raymond Hui
Web Developer
Front End Web Developer experienced with many modern web technologies such as React, Firebase, ES6, BootStrap, Node.js, MySQL, jQuery and more.
Special thanks to all of our lovely resident volunteers!
A heartfelt thank you to our amazing volunteers! Your time, energy, and creativity bring our projects to life and make our neighborhoods brighter and more connected. We couldn’t do this without you, and we’re so grateful for everything you do to make our community thrive.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Thank you to our wonderful sponsors, who have supported our journey in creative placemaking and connecting with communities through the use of art.
