For Kara Sanders, the journey toward volunteer leadership in the arts began at age four in Eden Park. "My mom, sister and I spent an afternoon at the Art Museum, followed by a Livingston Taylor concert outside, where he signed dollar bills for us. My family talks about it to this day," she remembers, though she admits that the story lives on in family lore for more than just a great performance: "I insisted on wearing a yard sale mink stole...all day in the heat and sticky humidity."
Seasonally inappropriate attire aside, the stage was set for Sanders to become a lifelong appreciator of the arts. As the years passed, her mom took on a second job to make sure her kids could experience the arts, including Kara's personal favorite: attending Cincinnati Ballet performances at every opportunity.
Today, Kara Sanders is the craftforce development executive at Messer Construction Co. She has worked there 16 years. All the while, she's kept up with her love of the arts. She joined the ArtsWave Pride Steering Committee in 2019. She chaired the Pride Grant review panel twice and served in ArtsWave's Campaign Cabinet from 2021-2023. "I am a lifelong arts appreciator and wanted the opportunity to learn more about this community," she says. "Cincinnati is truly the best little big city you could hope to call home."
Another lifelong Cincy resident, Tim Giglio describes himself as someone with "a passion for the performing arts, but zero talent." His many talents, to be more accurate, lie in other fields. Giglio kicked off his financial career in 1991 at a small, conservative local investment firm. The nature of the workplace prevented him from living as he would have liked: Out and Proud. "I stopped going to gay bars. [I was] afraid of running into someone who would report back to the office," he explains. Eventually, UBS acquired the firm, bringing progressive changes to the culture. Over time, Giglio found a new freedom to bring his true self to work.
Today, Giglio is UBS's first vice president of investments, and a member of the UBS Pride group. He brings a unique perspective to the firm about specific LGBTQIA+ financial concerns. Because his talents skew toward analytical work, he feels he can best serve his passion for the arts by being an ambassador and volunteer leader. He has served on multiple arts boards, including as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's Board treasurer for the last 15 years. He co-founded the CSO's LGBTQIA+ organization, Spectrum.
Tim Giglio has served on the ArtsWave Pride Steering Committee since 2021. This year, ArtsWave welcomes him, along with Kara Sanders, as co-chairs of that committee. We look forward to seeing what their combined vision will add to ArtsWave's fastest-growing networking and affinity group in the coming year.