Nicole Upton, an NIU graduate who earned her bachelor of arts in comprehensive theatre studies from the School of Theatre and Dance has been promoted to managing director of Ingenuity.
Ingenuity is an organization founded in 2011 to increase arts education access, quality and equity in Chicago Public Schools in direct response to decades of arts divestment. They believe Chicago has a once in-a-generation opportunity to make change within the arts on a scale that matters.
Upton had previously served as Ingenuity’s director of partnerships and professional learning beginning in 2015. In her new role she is responsible for the strategic and operational progress toward Ingenuity’s mission of ensuring every CPS student has access to a high quality arts education.
Prior to joining Ingenuity, Upton worked in the CPS Department of Arts Education where she oversaw projects, programs and initiatives for students, teachers, principles and community stakeholders.
She also worked as the senior director of education at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, where she launched ArtsXChange, a collaborative professional development program for classroom teachers, and directed Hands Together, Heart to Art, an arts-based summer camp for children who have experienced the death of a parent. Upton also has experience as a director and stage manager and as a high school theater teacher.
In addition to her BA in comprehensive theatre studies from NIU, she has a master of arts in educational theatre from New York University.
