Experience

Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project & Research Consultant

  • Dec 2019 - Present

  Provide design and implementation support for region- and county-wide projects with a focus on equity and transformative collaboration. Currently focused on supporting the Collective Action for Equity (CAFE) community of practice. Provide design and implementation support for region- and county-wide projects with a focus on equity and transformative collaboration. Currently focused on supporting the Collective Action for Equity (CAFE) community of practice.



John Cusano

• United States
• Medical Practices

• Principal

  • Nov 1987 - Present

  John Cusano pursues creative partnerships with organizations that aspire to navigate this century’s cascading and interconnected challenges with mindfulness and empathy. His approach, informed by the nature of self-organizing systems, expresses a commitment to collective learning through the principles of inquiry, equity, and awareness. Cusano’s role, more like a coach or partner than an outside expert, includes recommending key associates who add pertinent guidance and support. Organizational collaborations are designed to: – Expand collective awareness toward an insightful understanding of the intricacies of context and the interrelationships between history, current circumstances, and conditions, – Listen to and learn from a diversity of voices, feedback, and experience toward building trusting relationships and making sense of relevance through multiple lenses, – Assess the influences and effects of current frameworks (day-to-day structures and processes) toward considering viable structural change, and – Generate planning strategies collectively guided by values-wayfinding, purpose, and the desired future. All activities are grounded in inquiry and equity, employ collective processes, and may involve dialogic practice, individual and group reflection, mapping exercises, Three Horizons planning, and expanded community engagement. A diversity of experience underpins Cusano’s work, including state service (Community Development Coordinator at the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Department of Community and Economic Development), nonprofit executive director, and consultant to nonprofits and municipalities. His art gallery was the first tenant in the SoNo redevelopment (South Norwalk, CT). Currently, he is a Civic Ambassador with Everyday Democracy and recently co-designed and -facilitated the ‘Facing Racism in Stamford’ public dialogue series. He has a Bachelor’s in Industrial Design and a Master of Arts in Consciousness Studies. Show less



Ferguson Library

• United States
• Libraries
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Dialogue Design & Facilitation

  • Sep 2018 - Nov 2019

  Dialogue design support plus small- and large-group facilitation for the public workshops series (four series which ran once per week for 6-7 weeks) titled, "Facing Racism in Stamford." The project was supported by Everday Democracy and operated at four different sites throughout the city. Dialogue design support plus small- and large-group facilitation for the public workshops series (four series which ran once per week for 6-7 weeks) titled, "Facing Racism in Stamford." The project was supported by Everday Democracy and operated at four different sites throughout the city.



Compass Youth Collaborative

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Member Board of Directors

  • Apr 2005 - Jun 2016

  Compass is a social benefit organization serving youth in the Hartford region through Peace Builders (anti-gang violence) and Community School & after-school programs. Past President of the Board. Compass is a social benefit organization serving youth in the Hartford region through Peace Builders (anti-gang violence) and Community School & after-school programs. Past President of the Board.



CT Office of the Arts, Office of Culture and Tourism

• Community Development Coordinator

  • May 2005 - May 2016

  Collaboratively developed and inaugurated a statewide network of cultural service agencies with a focus on collective impact (cross-sector + arts partnerships) and community development, especially cultural activities that resulted in positive social impacts. Designed & managed various grant programs, provided professional development. Collaboratively developed and inaugurated a statewide network of cultural service agencies with a focus on collective impact (cross-sector + arts partnerships) and community development, especially cultural activities that resulted in positive social impacts. Designed & managed various grant programs, provided professional development.



Farmington Valley Arts Center

• United States
• Retail
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Executive Director

  • May 1998 - Jun 2003

  Led organizational restructuring, managed budgets, expanded and evaluated programs, wrote and supervised grants. Partnered with schools and nonprofits, developed key relationships with municipal leadership and the business community, worked with foundations and private funders. Hired, managed and evaluated staff, advanced educational and community programming (outreach education, community school of the arts, artist studios, galleries). Led organizational restructuring, managed budgets, expanded and evaluated programs, wrote and supervised grants. Partnered with schools and nonprofits, developed key relationships with municipal leadership and the business community, worked with foundations and private funders. Hired, managed and evaluated staff, advanced educational and community programming (outreach education, community school of the arts, artist studios, galleries).



Bridgeport Artisan Center

• Gneral Manager

  • Apr 1996 - Feb 1998

  Led a social service organization (Action for Bridgeprot Community Development, Inc.) in the start-up of a federally-funded entrepreneurial work training and job creation program for artisan owned micro-enterprises. Partnered with government agencies and developed relationships with local businesses and municipal leadership. Led a social service organization (Action for Bridgeprot Community Development, Inc.) in the start-up of a federally-funded entrepreneurial work training and job creation program for artisan owned micro-enterprises. Partnered with government agencies and developed relationships with local businesses and municipal leadership.



Cooperative Educational Services

• United States
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Program Project Manager

  • Mar 1994 - Aug 1996

  Analyzed and designed program expansion of the Regional Center for the Arts. Conducted needs assessment, led collective planning, provided design recommendations for reorganization, provided on-going support, managed relocation and supported a multi-year partnership with the General Electric Fund. Also designed and managed an interdistrict grant program: Developed, directed and evaluated interdistrict (15 towns) middle school grant program. Designed and facilitated review process and authored criteria and guidelines. Expanded cross-sector partnerships, provided curriculum design assistance to grantees. Managed state grant award. Show less