Makayla Santiago Froebel

She/Her/Hers

Change Manager

Office of the Executive Vice President

About Makayla

Makayla Santiago-Froebel is the change manager at Chautauqua Institution, having over a decade of experience working in arts and cultural institutions, most recently, having held the role of the art marketing specialist for the Performing and Visual Arts, Chautauqua Opera Company & Conservatory and Chautauqua Theater Company. She previously worked at the institution with roles in dance and ticketing operations. In addition, her tenure includes communications and development experience from the Center for Elder Law & Justice in Buffalo, New York, Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn, New York, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, Canisius College, Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet, and serving as house manager and ticketing agent for the State University of New York (SUNY) Fredonia’s Rockefeller Arts Center. With a passion for lifting the voices of those so often left unheard, she founded the Chatty Carmens podcast in 2020 with a simple vision, that female-identifying change-makers in the black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities deserve a platform to share their stories.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in music business and a bachelor’s degree in arts administration with a concentration in communication, both from the SUNY at Fredonia. She also holds a master’s degree in communication and leadership, non-profit organizational behavior from Canisius College. In addition, she holds a diversity and inclusion certificate from Cornell University.

Why did you choose to work at Chautauqua? What do you like about working at Chautauqua?

There is no place like Chautauqua. Where else would I have the opportunity to work within so many different art forms?

Current and Former Volunteer or Board Roles

• Board Member- Infinity Visual & Performing Arts, Inc., Jamestown, New York
• Board Member- Create Change Project, Dunkirk, New York

Personal Interests

Podcasting, watching movies, seeing live music, hanging with my dogs