Meet Aviva Kapust – Mural Arts’ New Chief Advancement and Impact Officer

Visionary leader to grow support, deepen engagement, and amplify mission

In today’s nonprofit landscape, where organizations are expected to deliver meaningful impact despite limited resources, the role of Chief Advancement and Impact Officer (CAIO) has never been more essential. This hybrid position—spanning fundraising, brand strategy, and mission storytelling—ensures that organizations secure critical support and communicate their value clearly and compellingly. By aligning vision, voice, and resources, the CAIO helps mission-driven institutions thrive in an increasingly complex environment.

This is why Mural Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Aviva Kapust as its new Chief Advancement and Impact Officer. A nationally respected nonprofit executive, designer, and cultural strategist, Kapust brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of arts, equity, and community development to one of Philadelphia’s most celebrated civic and cultural institutions.

In this executive leadership role, Kapust will oversee the strategic direction of—and strengthen integration across—Mural Arts’ fundraising, earned revenue, and institutional communications, supporting its mission to use art as a catalyst for social change. She will serve as a key member of the Executive Team, guiding the organization’s advancement strategy to increase financial sustainability, expand public engagement, and elevate Mural Arts’ visibility in Philadelphia and beyond.

Prior to joining Mural Arts, Kapust served as Co-Executive Director of the Culture & Community Power Fund, a $13.2 million philanthropic collaborative advancing community-led cultural transformation. From 2013 to 2023, Aviva served as Executive Director of The Village of Arts and Humanities, where she secured more than $35 million in funding, significantly increased unrestricted revenue, and catalyzed institutional growth emphasizing equity and community empowerment.

Kapust’s professional background also includes national recognition as a public speaker, a former adjunct professorship at Temple University, and an early career as a Creative Director at major advertising firms in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she was a Civic Scholar, and a BFA in Graphic Design and Photography from the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford.

“Aviva’s career reflects an unwavering commitment to community and a strong commitment to the arts,” said Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts. “She has a proven record of leadership that includes resource development, strategic thinking, and building innovative partnerships and programs.  This is not an easy time to be a nonprofit, and I am confident that Aviva’s leadership will be a catalyst for progress. After all, we want to ensure that Mural Arts remains healthy, mission-driven, with an eye on impact and positive social change. I am confident that, with her professional experience and strong moral compass, Aviva will be an important addition to the very dedicated team at Mural Arts.”

“It’s an honor to join Mural Arts at a time when creativity is urgently needed—not as decoration, but as a driver of systems change,” said Aviva Kapust. “I believe everyone has the right to shape the places and conditions they live within, and that art—both in process and outcome—is one of the most powerful tools we have to do that. I’m proud to join a team of visionary artists and cultural strategists at an institution that has long recognized creativity as essential to equity, belonging, and public imagination.”

With deep roots in Philadelphia’s arts and social justice landscape, Kapust’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Mural Arts, which continues to grow its programs and presence at both the local and national levels.