President and Chief Executive Officer
Driven by his lifelong love for the arts, for his hometown, and for connecting with people from every background, Greg Cameron leads The Joffrey Ballet as President and Chief Executive Officer, responsible for organization-wide administration and strategy. Under Cameron's partnership with The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, the Joffrey has set new records at the box office and built the strongest financial foundation in its history.
His 2013 appointment was the culmination of three decades of work in arts administration and philanthropy. “I always loved art, but I wasn’t a great artist,” he says. “I could paint by numbers, or I could connect the dots. I realized early on I was a good dot connector. I could connect people to each other and help them get involved with the things they believe in.”
As a child in suburban Chicago, Cameron ran a makeshift theater out of his garage and sold more mints than anyone else for his local his local YMCA. And as an adult, he turned those passions into a career raising funds for the cultural organizations he loves. At the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Museum of Contemporary Art, where he rose to the role of Deputy Director and Chief Development Officer; and WTTW/WFMT, where he served as COO, Cameron dedicated himself to supporting art and artists and to creating meaningful experiences for others.
“The Joffrey brings it all together for me,” he says. “It’s about collaboration, partnership with the community, honoring and supporting artists, and telling stories that truly move people.”
Today, Cameron leads the Joffrey’s efforts to support unforgettable productions and new commissions, reach out to organizations and communities across Chicago, and open up world-class ballet for audiences from all backgrounds. And he continues to throw himself into the community around him, volunteering for a wide range of nonprofit organizations and civic committees including Enrich Chicago, Forefront, and the UIC Chancellor’s Leadership Board, as well as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Fashion Committee, the UIC Visiting Committee—College of Architecture and the Arts, Chicago Community Trust LGBT Committee, Terra Foundation's Art Design Chicago Advisory Committee, and Choose Chicago. Cameron also serves as a State Street Commissioner.