The Regional Arts Commission is dedicated to fostering, promoting and growing the arts in the St. Louis region. For more than three decades the publicly-funded organization has allocated more than $100 million to individual artists and arts organizations, keeping the region a cultural hub that’s admired nationwide. Vanessa Cooksey is the President and Chief Executive Officer of RAC, joining the organization after a career in corporate philanthropy. HEC Media President Dennis Riggs interviewed Cooksey about her passion for the arts, her vision for the future, and the challenges she faces post-pandemic.