(Trenton, NJ) - The New Jersey State Council on the Arts has sworn in Chris Foglio as the newest member of the Council Board. Ms. Foglio took her oath – administered by Council Ex-Officio Member Senator Tom Kean - during the Council’s public meeting on Tuesday, May 18th.

In speaking about her new role on the State Arts Council, Ms. Foglio said: “I have had a passion for the arts in New Jersey, and believe they are an essential element in the economic recovery of the State. I look forward to bringing my economic development experience to the board in order to have community and State arts organizations benefit and participate in the strategic recovery of the NJ economy.”

Christiana Foglio is Founder & CEO of Community Investment Strategies, Inc. Prior to founding CIS, Chris was executive director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, serving under two governors. In that role, she was responsible for more than $1 billion in multi-family bond financing and created the state’s Housing Policy. She also chaired the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing.

As the former president of the not-for-profit New Brunswick Development Corporation, Chris spearheaded that city’s economic rebirth by implementing $300 million worth of urban renewal projects, including the creation of the New Brunswick Cultural Center. Chris has also served as a member of the board of the State Museum, Ellarslie Museum, and Business Council for Grounds for Sculpture. Read Chris’s full bio here.

During yesterday’s meeting, State Arts Council Chair Elizabeth Mattson touched on the perfect timing of Chris’s appointment: “Chris’s passion for the arts, combined with her more than 30 years of expertise in building partnerships to strengthen communities comes at a crucial time for the Council, as we adapt our programs and services to better serve all New Jerseyans. We are thrilled to welcome Chris as the Council’s newest Board Member.”

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About the New Jersey State Council on the Arts

The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council receives direct appropriations from the State of New Jersey through a dedicated, renewable Hotel/Motel Occupancy fee, as well as competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about the Council, please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov.