Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC), a Tony Award-honored nonprofit, has announced that Elz Cuya Jones, currently serving as managing director of special campaigns for North Star Fund, has been named executive director of BAC. Jones will officially join the organization on Sept. 23, replacing Robb Nanus, who exited the nonprofit in June.
“I believe that storytelling is our greatest power, which is why I am thrilled to join the team at Broadway Advocacy Coalition,” said Jones in a statement. “At BAC, artists and activists create a culture that values our communities, encourages dialogue and activates our empathy. I won’t remember every detail of a 76-page policy paper, but I will never forget a young person’s poem about her parents’ immigration, or a letter written by an incarcerated elder, or the song of a mother whose son was murdered by the police — because those stories didn’t just raise my awareness; they moved me to act.”
“Seven years of working with Robb Nanus, our first executive director of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, gave us great success and laid a strong foundation, preparing us for the opportunity to partner with a leader like Elz,” added Britton Smith, president and artistic director of BAC. “Her unwavering commitment to equity and the intersection of arts and advocacy is evident in both her expertise and her impressive history in ethical fundraising and leadership. Elz’s vibrant vision and passion for our next phase are the driving forces we need to guide us through our next step of growth. I couldn’t be more excited for what lies ahead with her leadership.”
Jones is a storyteller, fundraiser and parent with 20 years’ experience in nonprofit leadership. Before joining Broadway Advocacy Coalition, Elz led the all-women-of-color development team for North Star Fund, a community foundation that supports grassroots organizing for social justice movements in New York. Today, she serves as vice chair of Advocacy Institute, an organization that supports the legislative and policy work of community leaders working for equity and justice.
Founded in 2016, BAC’s mission is to use arts and storytelling to build a more equitable society — and build the collective capacity of individuals, organizations and coalitions to do the same. In 2021, BAC received a special Tony Award for providing an unparalleled platform for underrepresented members of the theater community and tools to help the industry move toward a more equitable future.
