Board of Directors

The Edgewater Artist in Motion (EAIM) Board is comprised of all non-paid volunteers. There are five members at this time.

Rae Ann Cecrle, President

Rae Ann has been involved in Chicago real estate development and investments since 1982. She and her husband own and operate B & R Developers. She owns multiple properties in the Edgewater area and is committed to community development and sustainability. She previously owned and operated a hair salon for 25 years which closed in 1987. She began volunteering in the Chicago Edgewater community in 1986 dedicating efforts to community improvements and enhancing the quality of life within the community. She is currently President of the Edgewater-Uptown Builders Association and has been for 6 years (board member 17 years); past president of the Edgewater Community Council (3 years and board member for 12 years); board member of the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce for 7 years; Commissioner on the Special Service Area (SSA) #26 for 7 years; and board member of Care For Real Food Pantry for 6 years. She has developed a unique understanding of the needs of the local business and residents of my community throughout her residency and volunteer experiences.

Valeria Basso, Vice President

Valeria is the owner of Symphonic Communications Consulting, which provides marketing and branding strategies for small businesses and non-profit organizations. She has worked in marketing communications and public relations for different companies in the travel, sports, entertainment (Paramount Pictures) and luxury designs industries, both in the US and Italy. She previously served as a communications consultant and Vice President for Harambee USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding educational programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and changing the Western world’s narrative on Africa. She earned a BA (honors) in International marketing from Nottingham Trent University, UK and a MBA in Media Management. She also received a MA in Media Psychology and Social Change. Valeria has been involved in supporting the arts scene in Chicago’s Edgewater community since she moved here in 2011.

Patricia Levine, Secretary/Treasurer

Patricia retired from Federal service in 2008 and has lived in Edgewater for 25 years. She currently volunteers 20 hours per week as a tutor and mentors essential literacy skills in Chicago Public school. Patricia is also a fiber artist, designing and creating unique knitted and crocheted wearables. She sells at craft fairs and thru consignment at local boutique stores. She was a Senior Executive with national and inter-governmental responsibilities. During the last 10 years of her federal service she was responsible for the development, coordination and oversight of disability policy for the Social Security Administration, Veterans Administration and Dept. of Defense where there was common interest.Previously she was executive director for a component comprised of 8000 employees with an operating budget in excess of $900 million. Her responsibilities included agency strategic planning, five-year budget formulation and execution for Congressional approval, performance and results tied to budgeted line items and agency information technology strategies.

Bob Solomon, Director

Bob is retired. For 32 years he was the owner of Skyline Productions, an Edgewater based video production company. Prior to starting Skyline Productions, Bob worked as a sound editor at CBS WBBM Newsradio 78 and a video editor at CBS WBBM Television Channel 2 News here in Chicago.  For the past 16 years he has also been "managing" his son's music career (son is a pianist and singer-songwriter who has been performing professionally since age ten), marketing and securing performance opportunities and handling negotiations and back end business.  Bob is a life long resident of Edgewater.  A graduate of Edgewater's public schools, Swift Elementary and Senn High School.  He has been involved over the years in many of Edgewater's organizations including the Edgewater Historical Society, the EPIC Block Club and the Edgewater Art Fair. As board member he recruits performance art, musicians and students for the annual Edgewater Arts Festival. Entertainment is a key ingredient to a successful event so he maintains knowledge of local popular acts and knowledge of current events in the city. ​

Karen Ami, Board Member

Karen was born in Chicago, raised in Indiana and Illinois. She attended The Boston Museum School, Tufts University (BFA, 1986) and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA, 1995) majoring in ceramics and sculpture. In 2005, she founded The Chicago Mosaic School the first and only first Not-For-Profit school for Mosaic Arts Education outside of Europe. She is President Emeritus of The Society of American Mosaic Artists, teaches and lectures internationally and is also a sought after curator of contemporary mosaics. She exhibits her own artwork in venues both here and abroad. She was awarded first prize in the Prix Picassiette International Exhibition in 2014, and recently The Museum of Biblical Art (Dallas, TX) acquired her mosaic work, “TEN”, for their permanent collection. 

Management

Big Buzz Idea Group

Big Buzz Idea Group (BBIG) is a boutique management agency that excels in powering nonprofit organizations to fuel positive change in the world. BBIG provides operational support (administrative, accounting, communications, database management, and event planning services) to nonprofit organizations that require the immediate attention to day-to-day office activity but don't have the time to oversee the routine details and tasks associated with operations. BBIG delivers peace of mind to its clients throughout this otherwise stressful process by remaining goal-oriented and purpose-driven so the real goals of the organization can be addressed and met.
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