With deep experience in arts education, nonprofit leadership, and community development, Dr. Sarah B. Cunningham brings a passion for student success, faculty support, and organizational excellence to NBSS.

Prior to NBSS, Sarah served as Vice Provost for Strategic Partnerships at Rhode Island School of Design, responsible for careers, research, and academic-industry partnerships. From 2011-2019, she served as first Executive Director for Research at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, leading efforts in arts and medicine, faculty research development, and transdisciplinary initiatives. Previously, Sarah served for 6 years as the Director of Arts Education at the National Endowment for the Arts.

Sarah serves on the board of the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project and is a working group member of the Academic Network of the Neuroarts Blueprint Initiative. She has a PhD in philosophy from Vanderbilt University where she conducted research on the epistemology of orienting a life. Read more about Sarah.