ICA USA Names Lesley Showers as Interim Executive Director to Lead in the New Year

​The Institute of Cultural Affairs USA (ICA USA) is pleased to announce Lesley Showers as Interim Executive Director starting on January 3, 2022. Working in progressive roles at ICA USA since 2010, Ms. Showers has a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. She is skilled in program evaluation, conflict resolution, management and facilitation. 
 
Ms. Showers’ career with ICA began in 2010 as Property Manager charged with restoring GreenRise, the organization’s headquarters and a historic 1921 Chicago Landmark. The 166,000 sq. ft. terracotta building houses 19 different nonprofits and social service agencies making it the largest non-profit social service center in the Midwest. She was instrumental in the installation of the second largest array of solar panels in Chicago’s non-profit community (485 panels) and 25% of GreenRise’s energy is solar. As a result, the building has become a sustainable, energy efficient living learning laboratory. Recognizing Ms. Showers accomplishments in restoring the building and making it a leading model in Illinois, she was promoted to become the Chief Operations Officer of ICA USA in May 2019.
 
“The Board of Directors is thrilled to have Lesley as our new Interim Executive Director,” said Margaret Gergen, incoming President. “She brings over a decade of service and experience with ICA and the Green Rise Project, as well as a wealth of professional knowledge and training. We are fortunate to have Lesley leading our ICA team into exciting new ventures and look forward to working with her to realize our vision to “build a just and equitable society in harmony with planet Earth.”
 
Ms. Showers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and Communication from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah and a Bachelor of Architecture focused on Interior Architecture from School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
 
ICA USA is well positioned for growth in 2022 thanks to the leadership of Philip Waitzman MBA, MPH, MA, LSW who has been serving as Interim Executive Director since mid-2020. Mr. Waitzman focused the organization in revenue growth and fundraising, cost savings, website marketing, refocusing the mission, board development, programming and GreenRise management. His modernized approach to leading and coaching leaders breaks the mold and moves to a strategic proactive business minded approach to leading mission centered organizations.
 
About Institute of Cultural Affairs USA
Social justice has been a constant in the Institute of Cultural Affair’s mission and has always told its story within the context of the “moral issue of our times.” When it first began in 1962, the major moral issue across the United States was civil rights. Today, awakened persons know that global climate change confronts sensitive and responsible people everywhere with a huge moral dilemma. ICA USA’s current mission statement, approved by its Board of Directors in 2013, combines the two: “to build a just and equitable society in harmony with Planet Earth.” 
 

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