Krystal Prime Banfield Named Vice Chair of Boston Arts Academy

Boston Arts Academy (BAA) has named Krystal Prime Banfield as vice chair of its board of trustees. Banfield, who serves as Berklee's vice president for Educational Outreach and Social Entrepreneurship, brings her extensive experience in music education and community educational programming to her role as vice chair, where she will work both internally and externally to advance the missions of the academy.

“We could not be more thrilled to have Dr. Banfield as vice chair of the Boston Arts Academy Board of Trustees,” said Anne Clark, head of school for Boston Arts Academy. “Krystal has been a dedicated school board member and an invaluable partner for many years. We know she'll continue to be a great champion for our students and our mission in her new role as vice chair.”

Banfield has served as director of education for VocalEssence and the American Composers Forum, where she initiated and produced educational programs representing people and communities across the country. She has worked as a voice instructor at St. Paul Conservatory of Music, as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas, and has performed as a soloist and chorister at the American embassy in Havana, Cuba, and in Bavaria, Germany. 

Since 2006, Banfield has held several positions at Berklee, including dean of Berklee City Music, where she launched a training program for teachers working with youth in Cape Town, South Africa; Bogotá, Colombia; Santiago, Chile; and Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2016, Banfield received the Amtrak Pioneer Award, created in celebration of Black History Month to honor African American leaders who have made impactful contributions to the city of Boston and the greater community. That same year, Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester presented her with the New England Women’s Leadership Award. 

A Detroit native, Banfield holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Howard University, a Master of Music from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a Doctor of Education with concentrations in curriculum development, critical pedagogy, and educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas-Minneapolis.