Our Mentors

Anika Tené
Executive Director

In her role as Executive Director for the Arlington Children’s Chorus, Anika Tené is responsible for program management, development and communications, financial management, operations and marketing of the chorus.

In her full-time work, Anika serves as WESTAF’s director of social responsibility and inclusion. At WESTAF, she informs and develops a range of equity-centered learning experiences and grants programs that work to build a more inclusive arts and culture sector. Previously, she was a manager of national education initiatives at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where she ensured that arts professionals were equipped with relevant professional learning and support as they sought to provide equitable access to the arts among public school students. Anika has led arts programming, in the U.S. and in South Africa, as a music and arts director, stage manager, producer, gallery coordinator, and subscriptions sales associate.

Anika is a member of the Arts at Mason Board for the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University, former chair of the Arlington County Commission for the Arts, and former chair of the Arts Administrators of Color Network. An alum of artEquity’s inaugural BIPOC Leadership Circle, she worked with arts leaders from across the nation to develop social justice leadership models.

Anika earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Howard University and a master’s degree in arts management from George Mason University, where her capstone focused on the need for diversity in arts organization leadership. She also holds a master’s degree in public anthropology from American University and a postgraduate degree in management from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.

A choir kid in her own right, Anika was in the Oakland Children's Chorus and toured Canada, Jamaica and Florida in middle school and high school. She was an alto in the Howard Gospel Choir for her entire undergraduate student career. She has written, performed on and produced two live albums and video productions. She is passionate about mentoring and supporting young artists to achieve their goals in whatever career path they choose.

Anika lives in Arlington with her two daughters - both performing and visual artists - and their dog.