Thodos Dance Chicago Welcomes New Board President, Sharon Lear
After eight years of faithful commitment and service to the mission of Thodos Dance Chicago, Elaine Rosenfeld Margulis has stepped down from her position as Board President and we are happy to announce the election of her successor, Sharon Lear!
Sharon has been involved with Thodos Dance Chicago for over seven years beginning when her daughter joined the Thodos Dance Chicago Youth Program. Her belief in our mission brought her to the TDC Board of Directors in 2013 and we are thrilled to now welcome her into a new position of leadership with the organization.
Sharon Lear is a specialist in healthcare philanthropy with a stellar track record in directing and managing capital campaigns. The majority of Sharon’s career in Chicago was spent with Northwestern Memorial Foundation where she played a significant management role in developing and executing campaign strategies for Prentice Women’s Hospital and Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. Sharon attributes much of her success in the philanthropic arena to her earlier experience in sales and sales management with McGraw Hill Publications and Crain Communications’ Advertising Age.
“Dance is the ultimate form of artistic human expression. It incorporates music, art, storytelling, passion, grace and physical strength to convey a message. It transports me. I marvel at how hard the dancers and choreographers work athletically and intellectually to produce a performance. It is a privilege to be a part of Thodos Dance Chicago and I am excited to collaborate with the incredible Melissa Thodos and our board to take the company to new heights of artistic achievement, educational excellence and recognition.” -Sharon Lear, Board President
Thodos Dance Chicago Announces Laura Gates as Artistic Associate
It’s with great honor and excitement that we welcome Laura Gates onto a brand new role with Thodos Dance Chicago as Artistic Associate!
Laura began her career with TDC as a dance artist in 1998. After retiring from performing in 2004, Laura was immediately welcomed into the TDC Artistic Staff. Since retiring from the stage, Laura has flourished with the Company in the roles of Ballet Mistress, Rehearsal Director, and New Dances Project Manager.
“Laura has been an extremely valued member of Thodos Dance Chicago for almost two decades and her trajectory beginning as a featured dancer and evolving into roles as ballet mistress and rehearsal director has been invaluable in our growth as a Company. I am so honored at this time to welcome Laura in her enhanced role as the Artistic Associate of Thodos Dance Chicago as we work together to support our mission.” -Melissa Thodos, Founder and Artistic Director