About

Mary Ittelson founded Ittelson Consulting to provide strategic planning, governance, and entrepreneurship counsel to arts, cultural, and business organizations. Her clients include museums, theaters, dance companies, media corporations, universities, foundations, and government agencies. Her previous consulting experience was with McKinsey & Company where she served a variety of Fortune 100 companies.

Ms. Ittelson is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where she teaches arts leadership and founded the Art + Business Lab. Previously she was a lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business where she co-developed the arts leadership curriculum. Ms. Ittelson has authored and directed numerous business school case studies. She is a frequent guest lecturer on arts management and on creativity in business.

A leader in the cultural sector, Ms. Ittelson served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and is a Life Trustee. Before her MCA board service she was the museum’s Associate Director, responsible for all business aspects as well as for overseeing the new museum building and expansion project. Ms. Ittelson has served on numerous boards and was a three-term member of the Chicago Cultural Advisory Council. She serves on the Stanford University Arts Advisory Council and on the Board of Directors of Parliament Collective Intelligence.

Prior to her management career, Ms. Ittelson was a professional dancer and choreographer. She was Executive Director of Crossroads, Inc., a New York-based company of dancers and musicians. Her choreography garnered a Music and Dance Fellowship at the American Dance Festival, and was performed at The Juilliard School, New York University, Northwestern University and Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors. Ms. Ittelson was Assistant Professor of Theatre at Northwestern University where she taught dance technique, history, and choreography, and was elected to the Faculty Honor Roll.

Ms. Ittelson was a Fellow at the Stanford Distinguished Career Institute. She earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a BA in Choreography from New York University, and studied dance at The Juilliard School.