Karisa Antonio works to advance a just and equitable world where all people can create, thrive, and be valued as the experts in their own experience. She is a strategic and adaptive leader with a strong ability to work collaboratively with people from many walks of life. Systems of evaluation are a critical element of her approach. Using the tenets of Results-Based Accountability™, Karisa builds intentional performance measures to support the understanding of program impact.
At present, Karisa is the Vice President of Social Innovation and Learning at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO). At the DSO, Karisa leads the development and implementation of the organization’s Detroit Strategy Process, engaging Detroiters and community-serving organizations through listening and equitable collaboration. Through Detroit Strategy, the DSO has engaged over 300 organizations in partnership and thousands of community members through listening sessions and richly connective co- created cultural experiences.
Karisa uses an innovative, participant-centered approach to strategic design, with a focus on trust, accountability, and generative learning. To support this work, she builds internal systems and processes that foster respect, efficiency, agency, and creativity. At the DSO, Karisa recently led a 17-month Education Strategic Planning process, engaging 1,658 stakeholders from 29 constituent groups. The result is a detailed five- year strategic plan spanning 12 objective areas, reflective of student voice, built on partnership, and centered on youth well-being, belonging, and artistic development.
Karisa was the founding Director of Arts and Culture at Lantern Community Services, a supportive housing and shelter provider in New York City. During her six years at Lantern, she established arts, culture, and movement programs for over 2,000 clients in 17 buildings. She focused on celebrating the artistry and resilience of individuals and families who had experienced homelessness, youth aging out of the foster care system, and individuals with chronic mental and physical health conditions. Karisa designed and built Lantern’s Arts and Culture program from the ground up, resulting in the annual creation of more than 300 original works of visual art, music, poetry, digital photography, and dance. She produced over 200 special events each year, and built strong partnerships with major cultural institutions in New York City.
Prior to working at Lantern, Karisa was the Assistant Director of Arts and Education at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, where she managed a portfolio of over 70 arts and education classes per week for a membership of over 3,000 New Yorkers. She produced 40 concerts annually and built new cultural partnerships with Carnegie Hall, the Whitney Museum, the Manhattan School of Music, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many others.
Karisa got her start in urban program design and implementation while working for the New York City Parks Department, where she collaborated in the rollout of a new citywide wellness program, Shape Up NYC, a partnership with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
She has presented on strategy and program design for:
– League of American Orchestras
– Kennedy Center
– George Walker Center for Equity and Inclusion—Context Conference
– Americans for the Arts National Convention
– Supportive Housing Network of New York Annual Conference (3x)
– Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance
– Janian Medical Care Project for Psychiatric Outreach to the Homeless
– Association of Vocational Rehabilitation in Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
– National Health Care for the Homeless Annual Conference
– Manhattan School of Music
