Rusty Hernandez-Sanfilippo

Rusty Hernandez has been an advocate for the arts, LGBTQ equality and youth issues; he has been involved with numerous organizations in a wide range of capacities. Most recently his focus has been with arts organizations, children’s health causes, and dance education for young men.

He has been serving on numerous boards and committees over the years, for a multitude of philanthropic causes utilizing his background in event and production management, as well as fundraising.

Most recently, Rusty has been involved with Chicago based Pride Films and Plays as Board Secretary and chairing on various committees. He is also in the Sanfilippo Family Foundation.

His love of dance has brought him from admiring spectator, to feeling very strong about the need for exemplary dance education programs for young men and his involvement with The Chicago Academy for the Arts.

In the past, Rusty was involved with the Boys Can Dance Too summer program at the Barrington Dance Academy, as well as having toured with Riverdance – the tour in the late 1990s.