ArtWorks, The Naomi Cohain Foundation Announces New Executive Director

ENGLEWOOD, N.J. - Dec. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- ArtWorks, The Naomi Cohain Foundation is pleased to announce that Amy Sokal has joined the organization as its Executive Director as of December 1, 2014. Ms. Sokal brings with her more than a decade of non‐profit experience, working most recently as Development Director at Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, which promotes early literacy to more than 250,000 children annually. Sokal assumes her leadership role at ArtWorks on December 1, 2014 with the support of Founding Executive Director, Daniela Mendelsohn, who will immediately join ArtWorks’ Board of Directors.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors of ArtWorks, we are delighted to welcome Amy Sokal as the organization’s new Executive Director,” shared Board Members Adam Hirsch and David Kaufthal. “We are confident Amy will be an impactful leader of ArtWorks and a passionate advocate of the arts in healthcare. Amy’s extensive experience in the non‐profit sector, coupled with her warm and vibrant personality, will serve ArtWorks well as she leads it into a new chapter of significant growth and continued success.”

Amy has focused much of her career on development and she has a diverse, successful background in non‐profit fundraising. Prior to working at Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, Sokal served as Development Director at Urban Dove and also worked in the development offices of the American Jewish Historical Society and Planned Parenthood of New York City. Ms. Sokal has a Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Purchase and is completing her Masters of Public Health at Hunter College.

As Executive Director, Sokal will manage ArtWorks’ collaborations with forty partner hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout New York and New Jersey that benefit more than 17,000 children annually. Sokal will also spearhead a multitude of meaningful new programmatic and organizational initiatives designed to build upon ArtWorks’ strong record enriching the lives of its young constituents. “I am truly honored and excited to join ArtWorks, a program that touches the lives of children on so many levels," Sokal said. “I look forward to working with the Board, staff, partners and families to increase access to this amazing creative and performing arts program that encourages the use of the artistic process as a vehicle for healing. Although I can never replace ArtWorks founder, Daniela Mendelsohn, it is a privilege to continue the ArtWorks legacy in honor of Naomi Cohain with Daniela's support."

For more information on ArtWorks please visit www.artworksfoundation.org or Amy Sokal at amy@artworksfoundation.org.

About ArtWorks: Founded in 2002, ArtWorks, The Naomi Cohain Foundation provides children and young adults suffering from chronic and life‐threatening illnesses, and their siblings, access to creative and performing arts programming and materials, encouraging the use of the creative process as a vehicle for healing, communication, self‐expression and personal development. ArtWorks seeks to empower, validate and honor these children by offering them hands‐on experience, supplies to create and the opportunity to publicly share their artistic accomplishments.