Staff and Board of Directors

Skip to main content Staff and Board of Directors Staff Board of Directors Michael Bosarge Vice President of Finance & Operations Michael Bosarge Vice President of Finance & Operations [email protected] 404.874.7244 x819 Contact Michael for finance, operations, and human resources.Michael is an experienced finance and operations professional. He has exemplified years of successfully helping lead organizations in high-level accounting, budgeting and audit compliance. His keen understanding of accounting procedures and software systems is evident in his work. Several times throughout his professional career, he assumed additional responsibilities and was promoted internally. His thought leadership is blended with his compassion for the well-being of other people, which has also helped him excel in human resource director roles throughout his career. He has also helped lead information technology strategic planning and general operational strategies and compliance. Michael graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama. While attending college, he was active and held various student leadership positions including President of the Student Programming Board, Financial Director for the Student Programming Board, Student Government Senator for the College of Business and President of the campus chapter of Circle K International, which is a collegiate service organization that is a leadership program of Kiwanis International.Michael has over ten years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector as a member of the executive management team at South Arts and previously at Technology Association of Georgia. With both organizations, he has served as the executive officer for the finance and operations sectors of the organizations. Taylor Dooley Burden Director, Traditional Arts Taylor Dooley Burden Director, Traditional Arts [email protected] 404.874.7244 x828 Taylor holds a MA in Folk Studies and BA in History and Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University. Taylor has served as an academic appointee with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and done contract work for Traditional Arts Indiana. She was a 2022 Archie Green Fellow at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for her project, "Occupational Lives of Religious Workers in Kentuckiana" and is the Reviews Editor for the Journal of Folklore and Education.Taylor is a musician and songwriter. A Kentuckian at heart, Taylor lives in southern Indiana with her husband and daughter where they are preserving their 1861 Gothic Revival home. Hillary Crawford Interim Vice President, Programs Hillary Crawford Interim Vice President, Programs [email protected] 404.874.7244 x830 Hillary has been working as an arts administrator for over twenty years. She has an extensive background in cultural grants administration. Formerly the Grants Manager at the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA), the local arts agency for Tallahassee/Leon County, she implemented a grants management system and policies to address equity and allow broader access to public funds. As an Arts Consultant at the Florida Division of Arts & Culture, Hillary served as the statewide local arts agency coordinator, working to assist with the development of LAAs in rural areas, and developed a professional development initiative for Florida LAA leaders. She has also worked as a curator at Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum and the Center for Craft.Hillary believes passionately in the ability of the arts to transform individuals and build strong and healthy communities. Hillary holds a Master's Degree in Arts Administration from Florida State University. Hillary is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Tallahassee, working to support the basic needs of children and families in Leon County. Nikki Estes Director, Arts Engagement Nikki Estes Director, Arts Engagement [email protected] 404.874.7244 x816 Contact Nikki for Arts in Community, Arts in Rural Places, Professional Development for Arts Organizations, and Cross-Sector Impact grants. Nikki Estes, Arts Engagement Director at South Arts, has worked in the Atlanta nonprofit arts community for over 30 years. She joined South Arts in May 2003 and manages several grant programs that award over $600,000 annually to presenters within a nine-state region. She also managed special initiatives that supported the presenting and touring dance field – Momentum (a network of five Southern dance companies) and the Dance Touring Initiative (a network of 25 Southern dance presenters). Prior to her work at South Arts, Nikki was the Grants Supervisor at the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA). While at the OCA, Nikki also assisted with the management of the youth arts program and music festivals. Nikki has participated as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Georgia Council for the Arts, Kentucky Arts Council, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Mississippi Arts Commission, South Carolina Arts Commission, Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, Fulton County Arts Council, and Woodruff Arts Center. Nikki has served on the Board of Trustees for Dance/USA, the Board of Directors for Atlanta Celebrates Photography, and the Advisory Board for the Atlanta Foundation Center. Nikki holds a BA in Arts Administration and an MPA in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University. Hilena Haileselassie Marketing & Communications Manager Hilena Haileselassie Marketing & Communications Manager [email protected] 404.874.7244 x835 Contact Hilena for marketing, communications, media inquiries, and storytelling across South Arts programs and initiatives.Hilena Haileselassie is the Marketing and Communications Manager at South Arts, where she leads storytelling, brand strategy, and audience engagement across the organization’s programs, initiatives, and regional partnerships. With a background spannin