Laura Conrad Mandel is an artist, social entrepreneur, and public art advocate. Before it merged with the Boston Jewish Music Festival to become JArts, Laura directed NOW—the young adult program of the New Center for Arts and Culture in Boston. Laura grew up in Newton, MA, and after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in Art and English, Laura worked at the Hillel JUC of Pittsburgh and Hadassah Southern California. She is the Chair of the Council of American Jewish Museums, co-chair of the Lyric Stage Advisory Committee, and serves on the MASSCreative Advisory Council, and the JCRC Boston Council. Laura is the author of the monthly Art D’var blog on JewishBoston.com.