Tzu Ying (Cara) Cheng (DUAL ’27) is a curator and arts administrator pursuing a dual MA in Arts Administration & Policy and Modern and Contemporary Art History at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. With a background in photography, her curatorial work explores East Asian identity, diaspora, gender, and the politics of representation. She approaches curating as cultural translation and ethical care, emphasizing collaboration and community engagement. Recent projects in Chicago, including Drown-Proofing at Epiphany Center for the Arts, highlight her commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices. As an international student, she brings a critical transnational perspective to cultural storytelling. Her photographic practice has been recognized internationally by PhotoVogue, the Tokyo International Foto Awards, and NTUA’s Mediart Awards. She is currently developing curatorial strategies that center collective memory, process, and translocal solidarity.

Selena Wolfe (MAAAP ’26) is a Chicago-based arts administrator and writer. She earned her BA in Communication and Media, as well as a certificate in grant writing from DePaul University. Selena began her career in the nonprofit sector as marketing and development coordinator at the Junior League of Chicago and as a freelance grant writer for organizations such as SWOP Chicago and the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center. More recently, Selena served as marketing manager at the One of a Kind Show, a large-scale market and celebration of handmade art held twice a year at Chicago’s historic Merchandise Mart. In this role, Selena managed the show’s social media, oversaw the creation and execution of show marketing campaigns and materials, and worked closely with sponsors and partner organizations like Marwen and the Old Town School of Folk Music to facilitate their show programming and ensure a successful and seamless festival experience.

Moving forward in her career as an arts administrator, Selena is especially interested in continuing her work in the nonprofit space by creating and facilitating programming and events, identifying and pursuing development opportunities, and working directly with the communities being served to create meaningful progress and lasting change.

Jai Williams (MAAAP ’26) is a photographer and filmmaker. Previously a freelance photographer in Washington, D.C., her work has been featured in both domestically and internationally. Recently receiving her MA in Southern Studies and MFA in Documentary Expression, Jai focuses on the erasure and reclamation of Black land ownership and the spiritual connection of the African diaspora within the Southern landscape. As a current Arts Administration and Policy graduate student, Jai aspires to not only look through an ethnographic lens concerning Black culture, but to contribute and create policies for art equity and equality for all.

Seth Perry (MAAAP ’26) is an arts administrator and occasional artist from North Carolina particularly interested in administration as a creative, collaborative process to connect people and resources. Before relocating to Chicago, Seth held positions at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum, and the Catherine J. Smith Gallery. Since moving to the city, they have collaborated on projects with Walls Turned Sideways and Public Media Institute, and they now serve as the Director of Administration at SITE Galleries. Seth holds a BFA from Appalachian State University and is currently pursuing an MA in Arts Administration & Policy at SAIC.

Maggie Borota (MAAAP ’26) (she/her/hers) is an arts administrator and artist from eastern Iowa, currently residing in Chicago and working toward her masters in Arts Administration & Policy at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At the moment, Maggie is especially interested in exploring how visual design, comics, and independent publishing can act as creative tools for arts administrators. Previously, she has held positions as an Advertising & Photoshoot Assistant, as an Education Assistant Intern at the Figge Art Museum, and as a Gallery Assistant at the Buena Vista University Art Gallery, where she also earned her BA in Visual Arts Management. At SAIC, Maggie has collaborated on projects with Navy Pier and The Chicago Cluster Project and serves both as a Gallery Assistant in SAIC Galleries and as a Graduate Assistant for the Graduate Division.