As graduates of the School of the Arts, our Executive Committee shares a deep, personal connection to the transformative power of arts education in Rochester. Each of us—Jerris Wade (President & Co-Founder), Kory Samuels (CFO & Co-Founder), Bernice Torbitt (Vice President of Community Engagement for DEI), and Stephanie Bancroft (VP, Strategic Development)—brings that experience into our leadership at SAF. Having walked the same halls and creative spaces as the students we serve today, we hold a firsthand belief in the confidence, belonging, and cultural discovery that arts engagement fosters.

United by our shared roots, we are deeply committed to building equity within the arts from the earliest stages of learning. We champion inclusive programming designed for youth from under-resourced and historically underrepresented communities across Rochester. Our collective expertise—in financial stewardship, strategic growth, community engagement, and cultural inclusion—ensures that SAF delivers resources, mentorship, and opportunities that truly reflect the talents and potential of our city’s young artists.

Together, we lead SAF with conviction, serving as living proof to students that arts education can inspire personal growth and collective empowerment. Our story and our present purpose converge in the belief that when youth are given equitable access to creativity, the entire community thrives.