Robert Chambers and Kirk Taylor

The Boston Arts Academy Foundation (BAAF) will host its 10th annual Champion Reception on March 19 to celebrate civic leaders who advance equitable arts education.

Robert Chambers, vice president and chief of staff at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and current BAA board chairman, will be honored for championing student success and equity. His leadership at several institutions embodies BAAF’s commitment to developing “artists, scholars, and citizens.”

Chambers, a seasoned higher education leader, became chief of staff and later vice president at MassArt in 2021. He serves on the Quincy College Board of Governors.

He has distinguished himself as vice president for community, government and auxiliary relations at Berklee College of Music; chief of staff at Cambridge College; and vice president and dean of students at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He also served for 17 years at MassArt in leadership roles focused on housing, resident life, and government and community relations.

Chambers’ service also extends to the boards of Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services and the South Shore YMCA.

Alongside celebrating Chambers, the BAAF is thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Kirk Taylor to its Board of Directors. As president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Taylor’s visionary leadership in biotechnology and steadfast commitment to diversity will further strengthen the foundation’s mission.

Taylor’s role will involve guiding strategic fundraising efforts beyond the arts, supporting academic tutoring and mental health programs, and mentoring alumni. As event chairwoman Kristen Standish noted, “Talent is distributed evenly, but access is not.” Through the dedication of leaders like Chambers and Taylor, the BAAF not only recognizes achievement but actively expands pathways to equity and opportunity, empowering Boston’s creative youth who shape the city’s future.

Taylor was named president and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center in October 2024, following nearly three decades in the biotechnology sector with such companies as Pfizer, Biogen, and Sanofi-Genzyme. Through his career, Taylor has worked to increase diversity in the field. He holds a medical degree from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University