Melissa Brookes

Before joining Crane + Peters as a team member, Melissa was a client, so she carries a unique understanding of our programs and processes, along with more than 20 years of wide-ranging, deep-diving experience in the nonprofit sector, arts administration, and education. With broad experience in program management, communications and branding, and school leadership, Melissa has built a true insider understanding of independent education. Her tenure as the Managing Director of the Arts Schools Network was a time of extraordinary growth and success—for Melissa, for the organization, and for its members. She has also served as the Director of the Downtown Program at Gallery 37, which under her leadership became an international model for arts education and jobs training programs, and was the previous Director of Admissions and Global Partnerships and Marketing at The Chicago Academy for the Arts. Melissa holds an MA in Public Policy and Nonprofit Management from DePaul University and a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Michigan State University. She is also a certified life coach, bringing patience and perspective to every client engagement.