EISMA Board
Executive Director
Daniel Crane joined EISMA as Executive Director in June of 2022. Daniel began his career as a full time musician, and has over 20 years of experience in the creative industries, performing, teaching and curating. He has spent fifteen years performing with a variety of groups and teaching private drum lessons and group classes in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, and has built legacy programs at the Midwest’s largest tourist destination Navy Pier, won international grants with his company Story7 Inc., and is currently building digital tools and infrastructure for creative entrepreneurs as Program Director for the Center for Creative Entrepreneurship. Daniel loves to design programs that elevate culture and help sustain creative careers, while supporting artistic expression and facilitating the chance for people to connect, learn and get in touch with their own humanity. Born and raised in Evanston, he is passionate about continuing to build culturally rich communities that help push society into equitable and diverse spaces while supporting the creative sector.
Board of Directors
Ellen Frolichstein - President
Former Development Manager, Institute for Therapy Through the Arts; Cellist, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic; District 65 parent (Haven & Lincolnwood Schools); Documentary film producer
Jen Martensen - Treasurer
Founder of Backline Business Consulting; District 65 parent (Lincoln School); Former Founding Partner/General Manager, Conscience Records
Heather Butz - VP Development
Fundraising and Development Professional, formerly at Children's Home + Aid, PennDesign and The Metropolitan Opera; District 65 parent (Haven and Kingsley)
Krista Fabian DeCastro
Professional Arts Manager, currently at Creative Capital; District 65 parent (Nichols & Washington); Former Cultural Arts Chair, Lincoln Elementary; Active in School and District-wide Equity Initiatives
James Janossy
Instrumental music teacher, District 65; Musician, Church Music Director, Vocalist
Matthew Smith
Matt Smith teaches music at King Arts Lab School and directs an after school rock ensemble. He also teaches guitar privately and has been preparing the EISMA teachers’ guides since fall 2017.
Chris Greene
Saxophonist, composer and bandleader of the Chris Greene Quartet. Evanston native; spent his formative years in the award-winning Evanston High School Wind and Jazz Ensembles. As a teenager he began to play professionally with many local pop/rock and jazz bands.
Daniel Crane joined EISMA as Executive Director in June of 2022. Daniel began his career as a full time musician, and has over 20 years of experience in the creative industries, performing, teaching and curating. He has spent fifteen years performing with a variety of groups and teaching private drum lessons and group classes in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, and has built legacy programs at the Midwest’s largest tourist destination Navy Pier, won international grants with his company Story7 Inc., and is currently building digital tools and infrastructure for creative entrepreneurs as Program Director for the Center for Creative Entrepreneurship. Daniel loves to design programs that elevate culture and help sustain creative careers, while supporting artistic expression and facilitating the chance for people to connect, learn and get in touch with their own humanity. Born and raised in Evanston, he is passionate about continuing to build culturally rich communities that help push society into equitable and diverse spaces while supporting the creative sector.
Board of Directors
Ellen Frolichstein - President
Former Development Manager, Institute for Therapy Through the Arts; Cellist, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic; District 65 parent (Haven & Lincolnwood Schools); Documentary film producer
Jen Martensen - Treasurer
Founder of Backline Business Consulting; District 65 parent (Lincoln School); Former Founding Partner/General Manager, Conscience Records
Heather Butz - VP Development
Fundraising and Development Professional, formerly at Children's Home + Aid, PennDesign and The Metropolitan Opera; District 65 parent (Haven and Kingsley)
Krista Fabian DeCastro
Professional Arts Manager, currently at Creative Capital; District 65 parent (Nichols & Washington); Former Cultural Arts Chair, Lincoln Elementary; Active in School and District-wide Equity Initiatives
James Janossy
Instrumental music teacher, District 65; Musician, Church Music Director, Vocalist
Matthew Smith
Matt Smith teaches music at King Arts Lab School and directs an after school rock ensemble. He also teaches guitar privately and has been preparing the EISMA teachers’ guides since fall 2017.
Chris Greene
Saxophonist, composer and bandleader of the Chris Greene Quartet. Evanston native; spent his formative years in the award-winning Evanston High School Wind and Jazz Ensembles. As a teenager he began to play professionally with many local pop/rock and jazz bands.