Chris Fornadel is a Cleveland, Ohio based arts administrator and fundraiser. His professional focus and passion is building genuine and equitable relationships, while fully engaging audiences through personal outreach, sustainable data drive engagement strategies, and meaningful programming. Chris holds a B.A. in Theatre Studies and a Master of Business Administration from Kent State University.

Before joining Piano Clevleand, Chris served as Director of Development at Cleveland Playhouse, Director of Philanthropy for the College of the Arts at Kent State and spent nine seasons in a variety of marketing and philanthropy roles at Great Lakes Theatre.

Chris is the current Board President of Zygote Press, Inc. and is a freelance fundraising and event consultant, and charity auctioneer. He co-founded the popular Cleveland Citizens Voice Social Media Account @IntheCLE, voted “Best of Cleveland” in 2016 and 2017 by Scene Magazine. He has previously served as a Downtown Cleveland Alliance City Advocate and a member of the Kent State University School of Theatre and Dance Advisory Board.

An avid outdoor adventurer, Chris enjoys back-country hiking and trail running.