CircEsteem Announces
New Executive Director
We are very excited to announce the promotion of Maribeth Joy to Executive Director of CircEsteem effective January 1, 2010. As many of you know, Maribeth has been with CircEsteem since its infancy and has been integral to our growth. She started working for CircEsteem as a volunteer juggling instructor over 6 years ago. She quickly stepped up and created a new position for herself as Managing Director. Her organizational skills as well as her ability to problem solve with grace and confidence quickly made her an invaluable asset to CircEsteem. She has worn many hats in this circus, and in 2007 she was promoted to the position of Program Director overseeing all of our outreach programs and performance opportunities.
During her tenure, Maribeth has been our staff photographer, capturing much of CircEsteem's history through beautiful images. She has mentored and taught hundreds of participants in classes and workshops over the last 6 years. In addition, she has taken our young performers on trips across the United States to California, Wisconsin, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and a 10-day tour across the Midwest. She has also led two tours to Germany and most recently a trip to Switzerland where she represented the United States of America as the U.S. Head Judge at the Gym Wheel World Championship in Baar.
In addition to Maribeth's new job, we are please to report an incredibly successful year-end fund raising campaign that included a $5,000 Board of Director's matching grant and over $11,000 from Brookfield Investment Management Inc., and its employees. We are deeply thankful and touched that so many of you contributed financially during a year which saw a steep drop-off in private donations to non-profit organizations.
We have a very exciting 2010 planned including:
- A CircusYoga workshop & teacher training February 12-14th at Alternatives
- Brave New Circus-Our first ever entirely youth created and produced performance by our CircusTeens on February 28th at 4:00 p.m. at Alternatives
- 50 kids will have the opportunity to see Cirque du Soleil's Alegria on March 3rd thanks to a kind donation by Cirque du Soleil
- Our 9th Annual Spring Circus at Francis Parker School on May 21st & 22nd
- 6 weeks of CircEsteem Summer Camp from June 21st-July 31st
- A 3-week tour to Germany in August to work with our sister circus, Circus Pimparello for the third time
- A 2-week U.S. tour bringing the Chicago Youth Circus to a town near you
- Performances at Navy Pier, Millennium Park, the Chicago Children's Museum and with the Chicago Sky
