About Mary Ittelson
MARY ITTELSON is a professor, consultant, arts advocate, and frequent guest speaker on creativity, leadership and strategy. Her work is grounded in the belief that art is essential for a rich life, vibrant communities, and a civil society. Spurred by the cultural, health, economic, and technological upheavals of recent years, Ms. Ittelson founded the Art + Business Lab. In the Lab, artists and business leaders collaborate to envision and build new ventures that foster flourishing in individuals, organizations, and communities.
Throughout her career, Ms. Ittelson has taught at major universities. Currently she is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Strategy at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where she teaches MBA classes including Arts Leadership and the Art + Business Lab Class. At Booth she founded the Arts and Creative Enterprise Program where she serves as Strategic Director. Prior to joining the Booth faculty, Ms. Ittelson developed and co-taught Leadership in the Arts and Creative Industries at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Ms. Ittelson’s firm, Ittelson Consulting, provides strategic planning, governance, and entrepreneurship counsel to arts, cultural, and business organizations. 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 clients.
Ms. Ittelson has held numerous leadership roles in the cultural sector, including Chair of the Board and Associate Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art where she is a life trustee. She serves on the Stanford Arts Advisory Council, is a former member of the Chicago Cultural Advisory Counsel, and was previously on the boards of the Old Town School of Folk Music, Ingenuity, and 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 earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a BA in Choreography from New York University, studied dance at The Juilliard School, and was a Fellow at the Stanford University Distinguished Career Institute.
