Phillip Bahar is deeply committed to the role museums play in inspiring, educating, and considering the vital issues of our time. His passion is creating community and connection through art and the visions of artists, performers, and singular thinkers.
Phillip has been a cultural leader his entire career, bringing a wide experience in museums, the live arts, and humanities institutions to the MSU Broad Art Museum. Most recently, he served as president and executive director of Chicago Humanities, which presents seasonal festivals featuring the most compelling authors, artists, policymakers, and thought-leaders of our time. Under his leadership, Chicago Humanities became a year-round presenter, doubled participation and membership, expanded its presence across Chicago neighborhoods, and deepened its university and institutional partnerships. Presenting 100+ events annually, during his tenure Chicago Humanities featured artists such as Marina Abramović, Theaster Gates, Miranda July, Sally Mann, Patti Smith, Hebru Brantley, and Ai Weiwei, alongside initiatives highlighting Chicago artists, communities, and concerns.
Phillip was previously chief of operations and administration at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN), where he oversaw the visitor experience and led the Walker’s operations and administrative functions, as well as food service and the Walker Shop. He served as a primary liaison with the City of Minneapolis, neighborhood and community associations, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board—the Walker’s partner on the iconic Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. He has also held leadership roles with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Performing Arts Chicago, and the Kitchen Center for the Arts (New York, NY).
Phillip has served on the Board of Arts Alliance Illinois and co-founded the Art Museum Marketing Association (2008). He has been an active volunteer leader with the American Alliance of Museums (serving on the annual conference host committee, national program committee, and as chair of the public relations and marketing committee) and the Economic Club of Chicago (serving on the membership and questions committees). He is an alumnus of the Getty Leadership Institute and National Art Strategies CEO Program, and teaches courses in museum studies as a lecturer with Johns Hopkins University.
He holds an M.A. in Arts Management (Columbia University) and a B.A. in Art History/Psychology (Brandeis University).
We have a service opportunity at the Greater Lansing Food Bank on Wednesday, May 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. located at 5600 Food Ct., Bath Township. Please let Jason Brunette know if you can help: Jason.Brunette@martincommercial.com
A total of $40,000.00 was approved by the Rotary Club of Lansing Foundation Board for International Grants from the committee. Each week we will highlight one of the non-profits receiving our checks.
Rotary Club of Ajijic
The Wise Girls Workshop is a 10-hour, culturally sensitive, body-positive menstrual education program that was born in Lakeside Chapala and has now reached more than 6,000 girls in rural and underserved communities across Mexico and beyond. It equips girls with a clear understanding of their menstrual cycle, teaches them how to care for their bodies, and provides the skills and confidence to manage their periods with dignity and autonomy using a sustainable menstrual kit. In June 2025, the Rotary Club of Ajijic completed a Rotary Global Grant using Ninas Sabias workshops to educate 760 girls in local schools.
Building on this impact, Wise Girls Moms: Guiding Mothers to Raise Healthy, Safe, and Wise Daughters is a new online educational experience designed specifically for mothers. This culturally sensitive program empowers women to become informed, aware, and confident guides in their daughters' menstrual journeys.
Designed especially for mothers whose daughters participate in the Wise Girls Workshops, the program will be offered free of charge to these families - ensuring that menstrual education extends beyond the girl and into the home. It will also be available for purchase to the wider Spanish-speaking community, making it an important component of Ninas Sabias A.C.'s long term sustainability strategy.
This project responds to a clear need consistently observed during Wise Girls Workshop implementation. While mothers attend the opening and closing sessions, many express a strong desire to learn the full content themselves. Although the girls' workshop is intentionally a safe, girl-centered space, it is evident that mothers also seek knowledge, support, and the opportunity to heal their own experiences around menstruation.
Supporting this project enables the creation of a dedicated educational experience for mothers - one that strengthens the menstrual well-being of their daughters and helps break long-standing cycles of silence, shame, and misinformation passed down through generations.
Rotary Club of Ajijic was awarded a grant of $2,500.00 and Heidi McNaughton was the sponsor. The picture at the left is from the visit that Heidi just completed in Mexico, ladies on the end are from the Wise Girls Workshop and the lady next to Heidi is Jeanette Monosoff from the Ajijic Rotary Club.
President Swope brought the meeting to order with a ring of the Rotary bell and led all assembled in reciting the always-relevant four-way test. Craig Stiles offered a reflection, and voices united to sing The Star-Spangled Banner.
Brianna Schneider facilitated the introduction of several visiting Rotarians and guests. In the absence of any alternative news, the club’s health is deemed excellent.
Special Music for the day was by Rick Hansel - vocals & guitar - introduced by Terry Terry. For more like this, pop into an open-mic night at Urban Beat.
Announcements included the news that our club won 2nd prize in the District 6360 Raffle - we donate $1000 to support this effort each year - and we won back $500. Lesson learned: be generous and good things come back to you (sometimes).
The DEI committee will meet on March 13 immediately following the luncheon meeting. Daylight savings time begins this weekend – don’t forget to SPRING FORWARD. Jenny Marr provided the February Birthday totals; $925 was given with 100% participation. The birthday question was around cozy winter day activities; ironic as temps are expected to be 60-68 over the next few days. Save the ideas shared – we’ll be back in the 40s next week. Singing ensued.
Bill Frysinger shared an update on Scouting USA and their commitment to continuing their work; all are welcome. See Bill with questions or to learn more.
Laurie Baumer, Chair of the Month/Day, introduced the TOD (topic-of-the-day) “The State of Homelessness in Lansing” and our two speakers, who are deeply dedicated to this topic.
Shelbi Frayer is CEO at Holy Cross Services/New Hope Community Center and The Nest Lansing, a new homeless shelter she recently founded.
Shelbi touched on the history and financial stability of the organizations, the impact on our community daily, and the challenges she and her team are digging into daily. Serving families that include dads and older teens is just one component of the critical services they provide – from navigating critical documents to health care, serving meals, providing safe spaces, shower access, and more, they are invested in a wide variety of services that those in our homeless community need. They are excited about their new building, not only for the staff who work there, but for those they serve. She’s happy to give tours if anyone wants to see it.
Mark Criss has been the Executive Director at the City Rescue Mission for more than 20 years; the Mission recently moved to a new 37,000+ square foot, $10.6M adult shelter. 2026 marks 115 years of the Mission’s service to the Capital area.
Mark gave a shout-out to Mayotte for their incredible design and engineering on their new building. They sheltered 325 people last night at their two locations: adults in one, families in another. He’s excited that The Nest will be moving closer to their Kalamazoo location; shared commitment and partnership in this space is helping meet more needs. They provide food. Shelter. Hope. Things we all need and all deserve.
An interactive Q&A covered topics from case management to financial audits, getting mail, volunteer opportunities, shopping for clothes, funding for veteran needs, and more. The stories of their impact are heartbreaking, eye-opening, and emotional. To learn more about how you can help, visit bearescuer.org or Holy Cross Services.
Next week’s meeting (on Friday the 13th) will be SCARY GOOD with Phillip Bahar, Executive Director of the Broad Museum, as our speaker. (No relation to past-president Rebecca.) *Disclaimer – Editarian was a virtual attendee of this meeting; errors or omissions are entirely probable and blamed on an over-scheduled calendar fueled by excessive coffee and over-optimism.
Phillip Bahar is deeply committed to the role museums play in inspiring, educating, and considering the vital issues of our time. His passion is creating community and connection through art and the visions of artists, performers, and singular thinkers.
We have a service opportunity at the Greater Lansing Food Bank on Wednesday, May 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. located at 5600 Food Ct., Bath Township. Please let Jason Brunette know if you can help: 
The Wise Girls Workshop is a 10-hour, culturally sensitive, body-positive menstrual education program that was born in Lakeside Chapala and has now reached more than 6,000 girls in rural and underserved communities across Mexico and beyond. It equips girls with a clear understanding of their menstrual cycle, teaches them how to care for their bodies, and provides the skills and confidence to manage their periods with dignity and autonomy using a sustainable menstrual kit. In June 2025, the Rotary Club of Ajijic completed a Rotary Global Grant using Ninas Sabias workshops to educate 760 girls in local schools.
