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= Sonya M. Halpern = Sonya M. Halpern (born October 11, 1967), is an American arts advocate, political activist, cultural entrepreneur and founder of Whiskey in a Teacup Consulting. She is a former advertising sales and marketing executive for ESPN, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, and Cox Enterprises. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Children’s School, YMCA of Metro Atlanta, Public Broadcasting Atlanta , South Arts and is an advisory board member for the DeVos Institute of Arts Management. She previously Chaired the board of directors for the National Black Arts Festival, and the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington DC.

Personal Life
Sonya was born in 1967 and raised in upstate New York. She moved to Atlanta in 1998 where she currently resides with her husband, Daniel Halpern and three children.

Career
Halpern’s sales and development career began in New York City while working at the Institute of International Education. From there she moved into media sales where she has over a decade of experience in cable television, print and digital media. During her tenure at some of the country’s largest media organizations, she held positions of responsibility in all aspects of media sales including local and national business development, sales management, strategic planning and analysis, inventory control and sales training. She decided to leave Corporate America in 2003 at the birth of her first child but evolved her career to focus on her passion for the arts, politics and education.

In 2011, President Obama appointed Halpern to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (where three years later she was appointed Chair). She was the first Georgian and first African-American to be appointed as Chair of PACA since its inception.

In 2017, she became a member of the Women’s Leadership Forum of the DNC. During that time, she also founded the Electing Women Alliance Atlanta.

In 2018, Halpern founded WIAT Consulting, a global arts and culture consultancy focused on democratizing art and empowering creatives and communities.

Civic Engagement
Halpern has been a long time community advocate with a particular passion for the arts, education and women’s issues:


 * Board member, Public Broadcasting Atlanta/WABE90.1 and ATL PBS30 (2017-present)
 * Founding member, Electing Women Alliance Atlanta (2017)
 * Grant Panelist/Music and Theatre, City of Atlanta Contracts for Arts Services (2017)
 * Host committee, "Pass on Blessings" Awards, Andrew J. Young Foundation (2014 and 2015)
 * Grant Panelist/Art Works I, National Endowment for the Arts (2014)
 * Executive committee member, Jack and Jill Inc/Atlanta chapter (2013-2015, Member 2012-present)
 * Women's Solidarity Society member, National Center for Civil and Human Rights (2010-2013)
 * Vice Chair, Mayor's Masked Ball, United Negro College Fund (2010)

Education

 * Masters of Business Administration / Marketing from the University of Hartford/International MBA Program in Paris, France and Hartford, CT
 * Bachelor of Arts / Mass Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Recognition

 * Women Who Pay It 4Ward, BMW USA (2017)
 * Sandra Anderson Bacchus Legacy Award, National Black Arts Festival (2016)
 * Top 100 Black Women of Influence, Atlanta Business League (2015 and 2016)
 * Honorary Chair Gala, Georgia Lawyers for the Arts (2014)