Mary Ruth Coffey, MBA, JD, comes to American Theater Company from the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, where she served as the Director of Institutional Giving. In that capacity, Ms. Coffey was responsible for all institutional revenue development, including foundation, corporate and government relations for both operating and capital expansion needs. She successfully increased revenue in all areas, researching and submitting funding proposals to an expanded list of potential sources, and working closely with the board of directors to increase corporate and individual sponsorship support.

Prior to her work at the Old Town School, Mary Ruth served in executive capacities for twelve years in several Chicago area nonprofit organizations. She was the Executive Director of Connections for the Homeless in Evanston, Sarah’s Inn, and Friends of Battered Women & their Children (now ‘Between Friends’). In her executive capacities, Mary Ruth led the organizational strategic planning processes, board development, fundraising, financial management, human resources and operations. She also created special fundraising initiatives that combined mission with art, such as Sarah’s Inn’s “Survival as Art: Twenty-Four Portraits of Domestic Violence.”

Mary Ruth has served on several boards of directors, including as the Treasurer of Woman Made Gallery, and the fundraising chair of Illinois Women’s Funding Federation. She holds her Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School and her Master of Business Administration from Dominican University. Mary Ruth was also a professor of Organizational Behavior and Organizational Analysis & Design in the MBA program at Dominican. Her published writings include “From Comparison to Paradox to the Dichotomous Nature of International Human Rights and Feminist Perspectives of Female Circumcision as a Violation of the Human Rights of Women”, DePaul University International Law Journal; and “Manna From Heaven”, Sangam Literary Magazine. Her stage performances include charity productions of The Vagina Monologues at DuSable Museum, Park West, and Triton College.

Mary Ruth is a lifelong Chicagoan, hailing from the Southwest side. She now resides in the community of the American Theater Company and is also a yoga teacher in the neighborhood.

Of the American Theater Company and her new post, Mary Ruth shares, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to such a fine cultural institution as American Theater Company. It is exiting to join the artistic team and board of directors at this time, the organization’s 25th anniversary year. The 26th artistic season is unsurpassed in quality and diversity, and ATC’s educational outreach programs in Chicago schools demonstrate its commitment to ensuring that arts and theater are lifelong opportunities for everyone in our communities. These programs promise to expand in breadth and number as ATC moves forward with its untiring, committed and talented ensemble, staff, board, interns, volunteers and supporters, and it is an honor to join in partnership with them.”