Brooklyn Public Library President Johnson to guide SFH as it expands reach

SING FOR HOPE announced this week that LINDA E. JOHNSON has been elected Chair of the Board by unanimous board vote. “We are thrilled to welcome Linda E. Johnson as Chair of the Board of Sing for Hope,” say Sing for Hope Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors Camille Zamora and Monica Yunus. “Linda’s passion for equal access to creative resources for all people is a hallmark of her work on the Sing for Hope board as well as her transformational leadership of Brooklyn Public Library. As Sing for Hope continues to drive new solutions for social cohesion through the arts, from the Sing for Hope Pianos that enliven our cityscape to our youth arts and healing arts programs in under-resourced areas, there is no one more equipped than Linda to help guide our next chapter.” Linda E. Johnson responds, “I deeply believe in the leadership of Monica, Camille, and the Board of Trustees, and in the mission of Sing for Hope. New York City has arguably more cultural resources than any city in the world, and it’s imperative that all New Yorkers have access to them.” As President and CEO of BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY, one of the country’s largest library systems, Linda has overseen the transformation from an analog to a modern library with state-of-the-art technology available for free to all patrons. Under her leadership, the Library’s impact in the community has expanded beyond the confines of its 59 branches to an additional 200 off-site locations, with services in 552 outreach sites, including schools, homeless shelters, senior centers, and correctional facilities. Brooklyn Public Library’s extraordinary community outreach recently garnered the nation’s highest honor for libraries, the Institute for Museum and Library Services’ National Meda. Linda succeeds Sing for Hope Co-Chairs David Miller, CEO of Minnetonka Moccasins, and Margie Loeb, formerly of Time, Inc., both of whom will remain on the board (the latter joining Andrea Jung as Vice-Chair). Under David and Margie’s leadership, Sing for Hope expanded its New York City-based arts outreach programming across the five boroughs to its current reach of 16,000+ patients and caregivers in 25 healthcare facilities, 80,000+ students and community members in 180 NYC public schools, and 2 million New Yorkers and visitors annually through the Sing for Hope Pianos. The organization also formed successful partnerships with international corporations including MINI and Chobani, and initiated successful programs beyond the borders of the five boroughs, including cultural partnerships with the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates and the Global Social Business Summit, and a new program co-led with El Sistema Greece to serve refugee camp populations in and around Athens, Greece. Serving on Sing for Hope Board of Directors are key cultural leaders including Andrea Bocelli, Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Jon Batiste, Ann Ziff, Damian Woetzel, and 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus. Sing for Hope’s Artist Partner Roster features artists from almost every artistic discipline: actors, musicians, dancers, choreographers, composers, designers, directors, and more. The dedicated involvement of these Artist Partners allows Sing for Hope a vast scope, reaching millions of people each year. Since 2006, SING FOR HOPE has harnessed the power of the arts to create a better world. Through dynamic education, healthcare, and global initiatives, Sing for Hope activates creativity in schools, hospitals, refugee camps, and public spaces for millions of people worldwide. We champion art for all because we believe the arts have an unmatched capacity to uplift, unite, and heal.