Staff Bios
Eric Delli Bovi - Executive Director
Prior to joining Urban Gateways in 2012, Eric Delli Bovi served as the Old Town School of Folk Music’s Director of External Affairs where he led its most recent capital campaign and unprecedented growth in fundraising for education and performance initiatives. Mr. Delli Bovi also served as an interim director in 2006, supervised its extensive marketing and retail operations for four years, and directed its education outreach programs until 2004. He is also a professional drummer and worked as a teaching artist for many years. Prior to his career as an arts executive, he was a school teacher in both high school and elementary school settings. Mr. Delli Bovi was named a Chicago Community Trust Fellow in 2010 and was elected to the Emerging Leaders Council for the Americans for the Arts in 2005. Mr. Delli Bovi holds an M.A from the School for New Learning at DePaul University with a focus in directing and developing community arts education organizations, and a B.A. from Ithaca College in Social Studies/Secondary Education.
Ellie O’Hagan - Executive Assistant
Ellie O’Hagan is a Chicago native who has been Executive Assistant with Urban Gateways for two years. She has a degree in Philosophy and Painting from Northwestern University, and has had painting exhibitions is Chicago, Ohio, Oregon and California. She has been a waitress, a deli clerk, a short order cook, a flower shop owner, a Marketing & Public Relations Director, a Logic and English tutor, and a bookseller. She has two children and three grandchildren.
Brian Foster - Director of Marketing & Sales
Brian J. Foster, a Chicago resident, is a graduate of Whitney M. Young High School and Illinois State University with his Bachelor of Science degree in Communications. He has worked in the not-for-profit world previously serving as the Ounce of Prevention Funds Communications Associate and at the Community Renewal Society as the Manager of Advertising and Promotions. Most recently he has served as the Director of Marketing for CollectiveQwest Entertainment and Marketing working with such high profile clientele as the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls and Burger King as well as several local businesses. He has been responsible for Strategic Communications, Program & Campaign Management, Targeted Public & Media Relations, Event & Fundraiser Coordination and Social Media & Web Content Development. An avid music, movies and sports enthusiast, Brian enjoys traveling, playing and participating in various sports and taking in all the culture and beauty the city has to offer.
Sherre Jennings Cullen - Director of Development
Sherre Jennings Cullen, Director of Development, joined Urban Gateways in 2009. Prior to Urban Gateways, Sherre led the development efforts at Writers’ Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Previously, she was the Vice President of Development and Communications at the Music Institute of Chicago for seven years where she oversaw the campaign to purchase and renovate the new education and performance facility in Evanston. Sherre currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Chicago Chapter and she is the Co-chair of its Peer Mentoring Committee. She lives in Evanston with her husband Joe and their son Ethan. Sherre was a theatre major in college. She and her family enjoy taking advantage of the many cultural opportunities Chicago has to offer.
Jill LeCesne Potter - Director of Education
Jill LeCesne Potter has a diverse and proven background in arts education, program management and promotions. In 2004, she joined Urban Gateways as a program coordinator; supporting such programs as the PEN/Faulkner Writers-in-Schools Program, Musical Instrument Bank Program and the Art Options program. Currently, she is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating all school-hour based educational programs, as well as managing the artist-in-residence and performance programs. Her previous professional experience has included the Contemporary Art Center of New Orleans, New Orleans Museum of Art, The Richard Thomas Art Gallery, The New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network and Citadel Broadcasting Corporation. Jill received her B.A. in Art History from the University of New Orleans.
Kristy Conway - Associate Director of Development
Kristy Conway, Associate Director of Development, joined Urban Gateways in 2008, bringing expertise in community building, social services, and child development, and holds a Masters level education in social work and psychology. As a lead grant writer and event planner at Urban Gateways, Kristy is motivated and inspired to fundraise by the New Arts Forum members she has had the pleasure to work with, and her personal belief and passion that the arts enrich the human experience. Kristy and her musician husband enjoy traveling, outdoor activities, and practicing and appreciating a variety of art disciplines.
Britton Bertran - Educational Programs Manager
Britton Bertran is the Educational Programs Manager at Urban Gateways. Also an independent curator, his recent curatorial projects where exhibited at the Loyola University Museum of Art and the Hyde Park Art Center. Britton is also an instructor at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Arts Administration and Policy Department teaching courses on museum theory and the business of the art world. Previously he owned an art gallery in the West Loop and was a consultant for the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Britton earned an MA in Arts Administration from SAIC and a BA in Studio Art and Art History from Hobart College. Originally from Syracuse NY, he is a brand new dad happily putting down roots in his adopted home town of Chicago.
Scott Boscapomi - Community Programs Manager
Scott Boscapomi, Community Programs Manager, earned his B.A. in Psychology from DePaul University in 1999. After graduation, he signed up for two years of service in Americorps NCCC serving his first year based out of Charleston, SC. His second year, he served as a team leader based out of Perry Point, M.D. During his 2 years with Americorps, Scott worked with Habitat for Humanity, The American Red Cross, National Parks and Forestry Services, YMCA’s, and various other service programs. He earned the 2001 Team Leader of the year award for the Northeast Region. Scott has spent the past ten years designing, developing, and implementing after school programs at the Middle School and Elementary level. These programs not only focused on academics and recreation, they also involved social skills and whole-person development.
Albert Cooper - Program Sales and Community Partnerships Manager
Albert Cooper directs and coordinates all program sales at Urban Gateways. He is also Urban Gateways’ community advocate, and he directs and oversees extended community engagement. Albert graduated from Roosevelt University in Chicago with a Master of Business Administration in Finance and has served the nonprofit sector for several years in various capacities.
Tarah Ortiz Durnbaugh - Performance Programs Manager
Tarah Ortiz Durnbaugh has been part of Urban Gateways since 2007. Her arts background spans many disciplines, including almost two decades of dance training, a Theatre degree from Northwestern University, as well as mastering “Hot Cross Buns” on the flute in elementary school. Her passion for the arts began in the 90s with a backyard Ace of Bass cover band and continues to grow today as an instructor and choreographer for the Kaleidoscope Dance Ensemble; director of the Kaleidoscope Krew youth hip hop group; ensemble member and choreographer for Be the Groove; and company member of the Joel Hall Dancers. Tarah’s work with Urban Gateways includes managing the performance programs with the goal of bringing the best arts experiences to students across the Chicagoland area.
Carrie Rosales - Documentation Manager
Carrie has a degree in music and theatre and has been working on the administrative side of the arts since 1999. She found her way into education by working in Spain as an ESL teacher, using theatre as a vehicle for language acquisition. Now, as the Measurement and Documentation Manager at UG, she uses data and evaluative processes to measure success throughout the organization. Currently she’s studying Educational Research Methodolgies at UIC, and during study breaks she’s riding her sweet new road bike, cheering on the St.Louis Cardinals to another World Series victory, or planning some epic overseas adventure.
Anna Joranger - Marketing & Development Assistant
Anna is excited to be working in development and marketing at Urban Gateways, where her interests in communications/writing, nonprofit work, and the arts happily intersect. Anna attended Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing and Anthropology in 2010. Post-graduation, she spent a year teaching English in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a glimpse into the world of education which has come in handy at Urban Gateways. Her personal passions cover everything from fiction and songwriting to cross-cultural studies and travel. As a newbie in Chicago, her utmost current goal is to 'build her city' (a concept borrowed from a friend) to completion.