Thomas West

Background

About Thomas West

With over six years of experience in the arts and nonprofit sector, I am passionate about creating and supporting programs that promote peace, justice, and social change. Currently, I serve as the Executive Director of The Peace Studio, where I primarily oversee the daily operations of the organization and lead our fundraising efforts to ensure we can serve more and more artists and journalists each year. I also play a key leadership role in executing our programs for artists, in developing strategic internal and external communications, and in leading our board development and strategic planning efforts. I am driven by the mission of The Peace Studio to inspire, educate, and empower artists and storytellers to use their creativity as a catalyst for positive change in the world. My work as an artist, producer, and social entrepreneur over the past decade has been multi-faceted and taken me all the way to Kigali, Rwanda for a collaboration between American and Rwandan performing artists to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi to serving as Executive Producer for a conversation series distributed by PBS All Arts and NowThis News. The series included my arranging of the first ever public conversation between Dr. Bernice A. King, Kweku Mandela, and Arun Gandhi, the direct descendants of fabled peacebuilding leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi. I come to this work originally as a musician and Opera singer and maintain a steady singing career alongside my nonprofit work. Most recent singing engagements include performances with The New York Festival of Song, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and the Rome Chamber Music Festival. Additionally, I am employed as the Bass section leader at Church of the Redeemer in Chestnut Hill, MA, the only church in all of Massachusetts that offers Evensong every Sunday throughout the year.