Christopher Rapisarda

Staff • Managing Director of Instructional Programs

Christopher Rapisarda is thrilled to join Urban Gateways during the spring of 2023.  His career has been spent at the intersections of education, equity, and community.  Most recently he worked at UIC doing diversity, equity, and inclusion work as well as curriculum planning for student dialogue courses.  Prior to this, Christopher was a Director in the Violence Intervention and Prevention Services (“VIPS”) department at UCAN.  Combined with a lifelong passion for the arts, he is happy to find a new home at Urban Gateways.

Christopher attended the University of Michigan, studying Afro-American Studies and Sociology.  He stayed at Michigan for a Master’s in Social Work focused on Community Organizing.  The arts were integrated throughout Christopher’s education: from facilitating theater workshops in state prisons, joining an improv troupe, and taking classes on film, theater, and dance.

Christopher says he grew up on the stage, mostly in musical theater.   Although never in a full-time capacity, the arts have remained central to his personal and professional identity.  Writing, karaoke, and dance are his chosen artistic outlets now, though he is willing and interested to view and learn others.  Outside of work, Christopher can be found with family, playing board and card games, or adding to his ever-growing, incredibly-outdated CD collection.