YA Mourns the Passing of Trustee, Liz Fillo

We mourn the passing of Liz Fillo, a Trustee since 2010. Liz was a devoted volunteer who committed her time, resources, and network of supportive friends to the cause of arts education for children. She was a passionate advocate and fan of YA’s numerous teaching artists, attending our annual showcases for the sheer delight of engaging in the arts. Throughout her tenure, Liz played critical roles, including serving as development committee chair for 5 years. Always up for anything to help the organization, Liz stepped into the role of gala chair in 2012 when YA launched its fundraising event Dazzle Mad Hot Ballroom. Liz continued to chair the event for several years. She nominated numerous dancers, emceed the festivities, and took on tasks large and small to make the event a success. “I met Liz when I became a Dazzle dancer. She made everything she did fun and energizing. Her excitement for what YA brings to students, her love of the artists themselves, and the teamwork she encouraged—she was a leader in all ways,” shared Stacy Mattia, YA Board Vice Chair.

Liz’s most impactful contribution to YA was her work on the Build a Better Child Capital Campaign that established YA’s endowment, raising over $3.1 million over 5 years.

In addition to her numerous roles on the board, Liz created her own fundraisers for YA, most notably hosting two concerts, where she drew upon her talents as a cabaret singer to delight friends, family, and YA supporters with her talents. Her last project was to be her 85th birthday concert scheduled for September 22, 2021, that was cancelled due to COVID.

Liz brought her enthusiasm, tireless work ethic, humor, spunk, and love of the arts to every interaction with the artists, staff, and board of YA. YA Board Chair Colleen Foy shared, “Liz’s commitment was so inspiring to me when I first joined the YA Board.  She brought so much joy and energy to our team—you couldn’t find a more passionate advocate and cheerleader for YA. Her contributions are immeasurable, and we will miss her greatly.”

For her last act of generosity to YA, in her obituary she requested that donations be made to Young Audiences.