Meet the Team!

Jane Kittendorf

Executive Director

Jane has worked most recently in Chicago as a teaching artist with a variety of students. She found her passion for teaching at Fourth Wall Theatre Company, an organization that specializes in drama therapy for neurodivergent individuals. After receiving her B.A. from Michigan State University, she moved to Chicago to experience the theatre scene and went on to work with theatres such as: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Auditorium Theatre, Emerald City Theatre and Chicago Children’s Theatre. A Traverse City native, she is grateful to return home and join Arts for All as the Executive Director.

Melissa Johnson

Program Director

Melissa has been with Arts for All for one year, after serving as Executive Director for Blackbird Arts for seven years. She holds a B.S. and M.A. in Anthropology from Loyola University and the University of Illinois-Chicago and spent 10 years in archaeology and cross-cultural studies. While working as an exhibit developer/writer for The Field Museum, she found herself in city classrooms and fell in love with teaching and the power of communal learning. She was introduced to the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) program pursued a Masters in Education at DePaul University. She has spent the last 15 years teaching and integrating the arts into people’s lives and exploring how the arts strengthen communities. She has been committed to inclusive arts education and in finding new ways to engage the community through the arts.