School of the Art Institute of Chicago Welcomes Five New Members to Board of Governors

CHICAGO—The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), a global leader in art and design education, is pleased to announce the appointment of five new members to its Board of Governors who began their service in the 2024–25 academic year: Nika Levando Birman, Christy MacLear, Philip Mercado, Marcel Munoz, and Patti Tuomey. These accomplished individuals bring deep expertise in medicine, the arts, civic engagement, technology, and education, and their leadership will help guide the School into its next era of innovation and impact.

Nika Levando Birman
Nika Levando Birman (MA 2010) is vice president and chief of staff to the president of the Civic Committee and the Commercial Club of Chicago. Previously, she spent over a decade at the University of Chicago’s Office of Civic Engagement, most recently as executive director for Innovation and Strategic Initiatives. Her work has advanced inclusive economic growth, STEM education, and workforce development through partnerships with national labs and higher education institutions. Birman holds both a Master of Arts in Art History from SAIC and a bachelor of arts from Loyola University Chicago.

Christy MacLear
Christy MacLear is president of Good Chaos, an R&D studio working at the intersection of philanthropy, investing, and storytelling to imagine new models of impact. She has served as the founding executive leader of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, the Phillip Johnson Glass House, and Superblue. A graduate of Stanford University and the Wharton School, MacLear is a board member at Stanford, Sotheby’s Institute, and the Municipal Art Society of New York. She brings a visionary approach to cultural leadership, with a passion for art, innovation, and outdoor adventure.

Philip Mercado
With more than three decades of experience as a frontline surgeon, health care executive, and medical educator, Philip Mercado served as chief of General Surgery at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center and Regional Chief of General Surgery for Southern California Permanente Medical Group, overseeing care for more than million members. He is a clinical assistant professor at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard Tyson School of Medicine and a gubernatorial appointee to the California Arts Council. A dedicated advocate for the arts and public service, Mercado has held leadership roles at the Hammer Museum and Los Angeles County Museum of Art and is a member of the national finance teams for the Democratic National Committee. He resides in Hollywood, California, with his husband Todd Quinn and their three children.

Marcel Munoz
A technology executive and entrepreneur, Marcel Munoz is vice president of Product at RPM Labs, a leader in in-store retail media technology. He was previously chief technology officer and co-founder of Thanx Media, serving top-tier e-commerce retailers with cutting-edge digital solutions. Munoz is also an active supporter of Chicago’s arts community as Advisory Council chairperson at SAIC’s Siskel Film Center and as an executive producer on independent film projects. He lives in Chicago’s Printer’s Row neighborhood with his wife and three children.

Patti Tuomey
Patti Tuomey is currently a consultant and board member in the healthcare sector and serves as adviser and the past president and CEO of Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart in Chicago. Prior to joining Josephinum Academy, she served as president and CEO of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. With more than 25 years of management experience in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, she is skilled in strategic planning, program management, financial planning, marketing, and fundraising. She has held leadership positions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and the Field Museum. She has also spent several years teaching management and marketing courses at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Northwestern University.

For more information about SAIC’s Board of Governors, visit saic.edu.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
For nearly 160 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers, and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program ranked number two in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago museum, on-campus galleries, and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world, and adults, teens, and kids in our Continuing Studies classes have the opportunity to explore their creative sides, build portfolios, and advance their skills. Notable alumni and faculty include Georgia O’Keeffe, Nick Cave, David Sedaris, Cynthia Rowley, Michelle Grabner, Richard Hunt, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Jeff Koons.