We are pleased to announce that janera solomon has been elected as our new Board Chair at the December Board of Trustees meeting. She succeeds Ann Dugan.

We are thrilled to have a leader like janera to help guide us as we grow our impact in the region. janera is a creative thinker who embodies TIP’s values and is passionate about building strong communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

janera solomon is a writer, producer, curator, and creative strategist based in Pittsburgh. She is recognized for her creative energy, wide breadth of experience, and transformative community leadership. For more than a decade, janera served as executive director of the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, a cultural anchor in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood, successfully managing its expansive growth by developing a wide range of programs to inspire and engage diverse audiences. janera is a provocateur known for her passionate commitment to creative and cultural expression as powerful tools for dialogue, collaboration, and social change.

In addition to her Trade Institute Board service, janera currently serves as a Public Trustee of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and as a member of the Carnegie Museum of Art Advisory Board, where she chairs the Equity and Engagement Committee.

janera has a long-standing commitment to community service. She has also served on committees for Pittsburgh All in Cities Equitable Initiative and the county-wide immigrant inclusion initiative, All for All. In 2014, janera formed the August Wilson Center Recovery Committee to rescue the Center from bankruptcy and restore it to vibrancy.

janera has been widely recognized for her leadership, having received the following awards: Pittsburgh Business Times Women of Influence, Girl Scouts of SWPA Women of Distinction, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Women of Distinction, and the YWCA Racial Justice Award. janera was also named one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful People in Pittsburgh.

All of us at TIP are excited to launch into the new year with janera's guidance and leadership. There are exciting plans in the works for 2022, and we look forward to impacting our region in a big way.

With Gratitude,

Donta Green
Executive Director