We’re pleased to welcome Rob Lehr to GAR Foundation. As program officer, Rob works to advance the Foundation’s mission of helping Akron become smarter, stronger and more vibrant. Rob will be reviewing and evaluating grant inquiries and applications with a focus on the Foundation’s community grantmaking in the areas of basic needs, arts and culture, and nonprofit sector advancement.

A life-long Akron resident with a strong background in the arts, Rob comes to GAR with fifteen years of experience in program management, research, and community engagement. His career has been dedicated to the nonprofit sector, recently working as the Marketing Director at the Canton Museum of Art and the Gallery Director at Summit Artspace.

Rob earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Akron’s Myers School of Art where he was awarded a fellowship to the Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy. He has served on the COG grantmaking committee for Artists of Rubber City and the Masque of the Red Death fundraiser committee for the Akron Civic Theatre.

For over ten years, Rob has worked as a freelance arts consultant for organizations such as ArtsNow, CAN Journal, Akron Art Museum, Kent State University, and others. In 2016, he co-founded a monthly arts administration and nonprofit meet-up at Mustard Seed Cafe in Highland Square. He currently lives in Akron where he can be seen collecting new music from Square Records or viewing the latest indie film at the Nightlight Cinema.