Dana Wier
President & CEO
Tucson Youth Music

Facts about Dana:
• Master’s degree in organizational communication and a bachelor’s in communication.
• Long-time Tucson resident, with a career in the nonprofit world.
• Dana’s expertise is in working with nonprofit Boards of Directors on issues of organizational transformation and recovery, board governance, program and policy development, marketing, communication, administration, fundraising, and strategic planning.
• Dana has been working with Tucson Youth Music since 2018.
• She previously was a Vice President with the University of Arizona Foundation, serving the UA Foundation for more than 20 years.
• She has developed and directed both focused and institution-wide fundraising campaigns, with goals up to $1 billion.

Tucson Youth Music:
• The Mission of Tucson Youth Music is to enrich the lives of under-served youth in the Greater Tucson Area through quality music education.
• We have been offering music lessons free of charge to under-resourced and under-served youth since 1952.
• Over the course of more than 70 years, TYM has delivered music education to thousands of Tucson’s young people.
• Students are provided with group and/or private instruction as appropriate, music books, necessary supplies, and loaner instruments.
• For the 2023 Spring Semester, TYM is providing more than 70 classes each week to more than 200 deserving young musicians.
• This translates to more than 1,300 music lessons this semester alone.

What’s so important about Music Education:
• Regardless of economic status, children who have the benefit of music education perform better in school, work better in teams, and are better prepared for college or post-secondary training.
• Music education contributes to the learning processes in math, science, reading, technology, and the arts.
• As students perform in front of others, their confidence and empathy for others grows.
• Engaging in music promotes critical thinking, cultural awareness, time management skills, and personal responsibility.

The End Result:
• More engaged family members and citizens.
• More reliable and effective employees.
• A stronger community for everyone.

Some scenes from our April 14 meeting.