Chris Duerr standing near a shelf holding framed photos and books.AEC Welcomes Chris Duerr

AEC is pleased to welcome Chris Duerr as our new manager of operations! In this role, Chris will be supporting AEC’s work by overseeing our budget, developing and monitoring grant-funded projects, making connections with vendors, and interfacing with the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, AEC’s fiscal sponsor. Chris joins us from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, where, as a post-award manager, he was responsible for coordinating the grant award process, submitting information on awarded grants, and organizing events.

Chris’s interest in arts education stems in part from his creative writing background. Chris studied creative writing and literature as a University of Pittsburgh undergraduate, and he completed an MFA in creative writing at Chatham University in 2014. “I wanted to find a position that brought together my passion for art with the administrative skills I’ve developed,” Chris says. Chris’s family background—both of his parents are teachers—also gave him firsthand experience of the education system growing up.

AEC is looks forward to working with Chris as we strive to improve arts education and connect stakeholders throughout our region. For more information on Chris, please check out our About page. We hope you’ll join AEC in welcoming Chris Duerr!