Maryjane Bates has been a Riverside resident for over a decade, where she lives with her husband and their two young children. She holds a degree in History of Art and Architecture from DePaul University and is passionate about making the arts accessible and meaningful for young learners. In addition to serving on the Riverside Arts Center Board, she volunteers as Vice President of Communications for the Central Elementary School PTO and chairs the school’s Cultural Arts Program. In 2024, she led a comprehensive overhaul of the program’s curriculum to include a broader range of classic and contemporary artists, introduce students to new art forms, and offer more support for parent presenters. Maryjane’s professional background is in customer experience leadership within the tech industry.