Executive Board

Robin Fisher, Master of Arts in Community and Teacher Leadership

Robin Fisher is a life-long arts educator and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Integrative Curriculum Design, and a Master of Arts in Community and Teacher Leadership. Robin is an award-winning educator, dancer, artist, and community change agent. Robin’s professional journey began when she opened her dance school, Fisher Dance Center (FDC) in 1987. Following the launch of FDC she recognized inequity in artistic opportunities for diverse students and believed it was important to offer dance and the arts to all children including those in underserved communities and in underfunded public schools. In 1993 with a group of friends and like-minded community leaders, we began The Dance Foundation (TDF), an Illinois not-for-profit and 501c3. During her twenty-five years as Executive Director of FDC and TDF Robin had the privilege of providing life changing opportunities for diverse students from all cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.

Robin Fisher’s learning environment has always promoted growth, empowerment, equality, and a sense of family. Through the decades, Robin has reached an educational pinnacle, implementing, among many things, a welcoming atmosphere in and out of her classroom and dance studio. She uses her own life lessons as a bridge, inviting students to cross over, then encouraging them to create bridges of their own. She is an inspiring educator. Her students know they are important—something that Robin instills in them every day.

Robin is excited to take this next step in this season of her life to continue her work giving back and making a difference in the lives of children, teens, and teachers in the city that she loves. Robin is so proud to be working alongside esteemed educators, professionals, and artists to bring Arts For Empowerment programming to underfunded Chicago Public Schools. Robin is a longtime Chicago resident. She is the mother of a 17-year-old daughter, who, like mom, also is a dancer.

 Greg Davis

Gregory L. Davis, affectionately called “Greg” Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois is an entrepreneur in the true sense of the word. Greg is the President and Founder of Photos by Greg, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. His services include, but are not limited to superior quality photography, digital imaging, graphic design, photocomposition and graphics preproduction for public relations, corporate communications for commercial and multi-media use. Greg’s continued enthusiasm, stellar work-ethic, mentoring of other photographers, quality service and professionalism has landed him a long list of corporate and celebrity clients. Greg enjoys serving on the Arts For Empowerment (A4E) Board and empowering CPS students through A4E educational programs, and his years of experience in entrepreneurship and the art of photography.

Dr. Valerie Gruss, PhD, APRN, NP-BC, FAAN, Professor, University of Illinois Chicago

Dr. Gruss’ career trajectory spans education, mentorship, clinical practice, and research.  In decades of work as an educator and researcher her innovative solutions have created advanced educational and workforce training programs, student fellowship programs, new models of care and copyrighted mTechnology to address the needs of our global population. This work was accomplished through multiple grants. As PI and Co-PI, she has obtained over $9.8 million dollars in grant funding and collaborated on another $4.6 million dollars in grant funded projects as a Co-Investigator. In 2021 as Co-PI of two federal grants she secured $500,000 annually in scholarships for UIC diverse students with the goal to diversify the workforce in rural and underserved areas.

Her academic leadership is demonstrated as Director of Interprofessional Education (CON) and service on the Vice Provost’s Interprofessional Education Steering Committee and Strategic Planning Committee.  She has a long history of collaborative work with interprofessional colleagues in a variety of settings and serves on international Board of Directors, Task Forces and Committees, Editorial Boards and various professional organizations.  Dr. Gruss has numerous publications in peer reviewed journals and has presented her work at international, national and regional conferences.

She is the recipient of many awards for education, research and practice and including the Dean’s Faculty Catalyst Award (CON), I-TEAM Award (UIC), Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing (Hartford), Excellence in Education (GAPNA), Judith Storfjel Distinguished Award for Scholarly Practice (CON), Excellence in Research (GAPNA), Teaching Recognition Award (UIC), Foundation Research Award (GAPNA), Faculty Practice Award (CON Nursing Service Plan) and Best Career in Long-Term Care (AMDA).