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staff
Keira Amstutz took the helm of the Indiana Humanities Council in April, 2008, as president and CEO. A lawyer with experience in public policy and fund development, Keira is passionate about developing creative humanities programming that encourages Hoosiers to think, read, talk and connect. Prior to joining the Council, Keira served as chief counsel and director of policy for the City of Indianapolis. She led the city’s successful Cultural Development Initiative, a public-private collaboration launched to elevate the city’s cultural profile. Keira serves, or has served, on a variety of community boards including the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association, Indy Hub, White River State Park, Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Series Advisory Committee, Herron School of Art and Design Dean’s Advisory Council and Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. She has served on strategic committees for many community organizations and events including the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art and the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four. A Hamilton, Ind., native, Keira graduated from DePauw University with a degree in political science and served as a fellow in the office of former Indiana governor Evan Bayh. She earned a J.D. from the Indiana University School of Law–Indianapolis and graduated from the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Series. In 2006 the Indianapolis Business Journal named her one of Indianapolis’ “40 under 40.” Keira is married to Shawn Mulholland and has two daughters, Chase and Elise.
Nancy Nakano Conner serves as the Council's Director of Grants. Her responsibilities include grant counseling and administration, working on collaborations with libraries and historical organizations and special projects. Nancy received her Ph.D. and M.A. in English from the University of California at Los Angeles, where she was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and a Chancellor’s Teaching Fellow, and her A.B. in literature from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She was an assistant professor of English at Purdue University and Iowa State University before coming to the Indiana Humanities Council in 1982. She recently completed an M.A. in history at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Her professional and volunteer activities include serving as a member of the Indiana Council for History Education, the Association of Indiana Museums Advisory Council, the Rivers Institute at Hanover College Advisory Board, and the African American Landmarks Committee of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. She has also served on the Indiana State Library Advisory Committee, the Lincoln States Bicentennial Task Force, and the Japanese American Citizens League board. Nancy was born in Chicago and grew up in Los Angeles. She has been married to Joel T. Conner for 36 years. Their daughter, Anjela Frances Bugher, and son-in-law, Grant Bugher, live in the Seattle area.
Kristen Fuhs Wells joined the Council as communications director in early 2009. Kristen graduated from Butler University and holds a journalism degree in integrated communications. She recently returned to Butler to begin work towards an MBA in marketing. She’s a member of the Hoosier chapter of Public Relations Society of America and the Young Alumni Board at Butler University. A Spencer, Ind., native, she’s a Lilly Community Scholar and is active with the Owen County Community Foundation, where she serves on its advisory board. She also writes a monthly column called “Where are they now?” for the Spencer Evening World that catches up with former Owen County residents. Kristen lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Ben, and their English bulldog, Bronx.
Kristin joined the Council in 2010 as a graphic designer and Food for Thought ambassador. As the ambassador for the two-year program, Kristin will be traveling with the Council's traveling exhibit across Indiana and documenting the experience at FoodforThoughtIndiana.org. She has a bachelor’s degree in visual communications and Spanish from Butler University, and enjoys bringing a creative perspective to address local and global issues of hunger, nutrition, food production, obesity, food security and safety. Kristin quickly fell in love with the Indiana food scene during a year-long art exhibition about farmers' markets that was featured at the 2009 FoodCon, a program of the Indiana Humanities Council and the Harrison Center for the Arts. When she's not with the traveling exhibit, Kristin enjoys working with Made for Each Other to support Indianapolis community art projects.
Michael Kaufmann, Programming Director Having hopped coasts most of his life, Michael finds himself and his family happily residing in Middle America, and working as Programming Director for the Council. Michael studied film and video theory as an undergrad at Bucknell University where he also began experimenting with music and installation art, later exhibiting alongside such prominent artists as Jessica Stockholder and Robert Rauschenberg. After college, Michael interned at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, and then worked as a film archivist at the Donnell Media Center of the New York Public Library. Michael has lectured on the subject of experimental music and art at several universities including Bucknell University, Butler University, University of Redlands, Calvin College and the University of California San Diego. He finished his graduate work in library and information science at San Jose State University. Since 2002, Michael has worked for Asthmatic Kitty Records (Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond, DM Stith, Fol Chen, etc.) doing A&R, project management and label development. Michael currently serves on boards of the Spirit and Place Festival, IndyHub, Pecha Kucha and Butler University's Center for Urban Ecology. He also is a member of Indianapolis' CEO's for Cities and is currently teaching a course in music management at Butler University.
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Keira Amstutz, President and CEO
Nancy N. Conner, Director of Grants
Kristen Fuhs Wells, Communications
Director
Kristin Hess, Food for Thought Ambassador/Graphic Designer