After nearly 7 years of transformational leadership, Maida R. Milone, the President and CEO of The Center for Emerging Visual Artists™ (CFEVA), the premier artist services organization in the region, has stepped down. “Maida set ambitious goals for CFEVA and exceeded them all,” says Bonnie Barnes, CFEVA’s Board Chair. “She and her staff transformed the organization into a significant community asset, and Maida is anxious now to take on new challenges. We will miss her greatly.”

We are delighted to welcome Maida Milone’s successor, Holly Lentz Kleeman, who comes to us from Duane Morris LLP, a global law firm with corporate headquarters in Philadelphia, where she served as Senior Marketing Manager. In addition to legal marketing, Lentz Kleeman spent thirteen years in higher-education administration while also working as an illustrator and designer. "Holly brings essential new talents to her role as CEO,” says Barnes, “which complement perfectly CFEVA’s strategic ambitions over the next several years. Building upon Maida’s legacy of stabilization and growth, Holly comes at the perfect time to lead us in expanding our role in the community and promoting CFEVA’s name and mission to wider audiences throughout and beyond Philadelphia.” Lentz Kleeman has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, as well as a Specialist degree in Higher Education from Middle Tennessee State University. She also holds a Master of Science degree from Texas A & M University.

Milone came to CFEVA in 2002 with twenty years of diverse experience in for-profit and nonprofit settings as a leader, senior manager and attorney. Tapped from the Board of Directors, she put her life-long passion for the arts and her strong financial and management skills to work to move CFEVA (formerly Creative Artists Network) from the founder’s personal vision to an organization with diverse, relevant programming and a sustainable mission. Milone believes the organization benefitted greatly from her training in the for-profit world and hopes that the movement of executives from the for-profit to the nonprofit world can be more welcomed and fluid. “The nonprofit community has much to gain from people with strong business and legal skills who have been tested in the for-profit world,” says Milone. “We are committed individuals who want to share our experience and expertise with other people who have dedicated their lives to serving the needs of the public.”

“It has been one of the great privileges of my life to work with CFEVA’s staff and Board and the many visual artists of this region in transforming The Center for Emerging Visual Artists into the dynamic organization it is today. And I plan to continue to support the organization in any way I can in the coming years,” says Milone. “I am so glad Holly has come aboard. The transition process has been smooth and I can see that Holly has great respect for what we have built while bringing fresh ideas that will only enhance CFEVA.”

“Maida has been amazing during the transition,” says Lentz Kleeman. “At our most recent board meeting everyone unanimously elected Maida as an honorary board member. The commitment and support that I have felt from the artists, staff and board is incredible. I am humbled to take on this leadership role and look forward to continuing the good work already in progress.”