Akron – The Board of Directors of the Akron Art Museum has appointed three new members– Roxia Boykin, Tracy Burt, and Diane Davis-Sikora. After an orientation period, their work will begin in earnest at the March Board Meeting.
Of the additions, Board President Drew Engles said; “We are delighted to have added three new members to our Board of Directors. Each comes to the Boardroom with a unique skill set that will enable us to amplify the creative work that our staff is engaged in.” The Board Transformation Task Force reached out to community leaders to help find candidates for the Board. The selection process focused on finding individuals with a history of public and/or community service to strengthen our bonds with our Akron neighbors and partners. Engles added, “When we asked community leaders, there was resounding consensus that these were individuals that were making a difference and stellar candidates for our Board. While the Board’s Transformation began last summer and will continue, these individuals signal an important moment in the Board’s continuum of growth and improvement. I am looking forward to serving alongside them.”
Roxia Boykin’s community involvement spans several different professional and civic organizations, and she has worked tirelessly to transform organizations to be more community-centered. As a Certified Diversity Executive, Boykin has been very active in Diversity and Inclusion initiatives throughout the community. After a forty-year career in healthcare and hospital administration, Roxia retired from Summa Health System, where she had served as the Vice President, Community Benefit and Diversity, from 2007 until 2014.
Tracy Burt is an experienced public relations professional currently serving as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Akron Community Foundation. Prior to her work in the non-profit realm, Tracy was a successful account director for a public relations and marketing agency. In addition to her expertise in brand management, Burt has a keen understanding of the Akron community.
Diane Davis-Sikora brings experience in the areas of architecture and higher education as a licensed architect and Associate Professor in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State University. Davis-Sikora has lectured nationally and internationally. She has produced the award-winning architectural documentary ‘Structures of Air’ and her architectural works have been exhibited at the Denver Art Museum, the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center, Chicago Athenaeum, and the 2019 IASS Form & Force Expo in Barcelona, Spain.
The Museum plans to add additional members of the Board in June as the transformation process continues. The Board of Directors of the Museum looks forward to expanding its knowledge of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion and implementing more initiatives that support those efforts. The Board is committed to the Museum’s Transformation Plan and making progress for the benefit of the Museum and the community.