When Anne Calabresi, Jean Handley and Roslyn Meyer founded the Festival in 1996, their aim was to gather world-class artists and thinkers from around the globe, showcasing the city and the state as a major arts destination. Our mission, as set by our founders, is to create an internationally renowned festival in New Haven of the highest quality with world-class artists, thinkers, and leaders, attracting and engaging a broad and diverse audience celebrating and building community and advancing economic development.

Pearls Encouraged, Black Tie Optional

Special Events Committee Co-Chairs

Dr. Deborah Dyett Desir

Gypsy Garcia

Special Events Committee

Lizzy Donius

Deborah Fried

Kim Healey

Babz Rawls Ivy

Christine Kim

Lucy Nalpathanchil

Betsy Sledge

Anne Tyler Calabresi

Founding Director, Community Leader

Anne Tyler Calabresi was born and grew up in New Haven, Connecticut. She has helped found important New Haven institutions. In the summer of 1986, Anne started an afternoon track program, 9 Squares Neighborhood Youth League, with the Olympic coach James Barber of Southern Connecticut State University. Starting in 1991, she helped found LEAP (Leadership, Education, Athletics in Partnership) a youth leadership and community service program, serving more than 1000 children in five neighborhoods in New Haven. In 1994, she helped establish the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, a two week festival celebrating theater, music and dance from around the world along with the involvement of local artists and neighborhood groups, to both celebrate the rich diversity of culture in New Haven and to bring artists from around the world to draw people to the Green and New Haven. In 2015, in cooperation with Liberty Community Services, she opened the Sunrise Cafe, which provides a free nutritious hot breakfast five mornings a week for 150-200 people, served entirely by volunteers. For the 100 regular guests, Sunrise Cafe has become a reliable place of community, offering fellowship, a once a week clinic and opportunities for housing and other social services.

Dr. Roslyn Milstein Meyer

Founding Director, Psychologist, Photographer

Roslyn Milstein Meyer is a Psychologist, Artist, Advocate and Philanthropist. A long time resident of New Haven and Guilford, she currently serves on the Boards of LEAP (Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership) and the International Festival of Arts and Ideas which she co-founded. She is also the Co-Chair of Smilow Cancer Center and Treasurer of Lost in New Haven, a new not for profit museum opening in New Haven in late 2023. She has chaired and served on many not for profit boards, over the years and in 2008 was awarded the Yale Medal, Yale’s highest honor. Roz was in the first class of undergraduate women to graduate from Yale University in 1969, and has always been a trail blazer. She received her PHD in Clinical Psychology from Yale in 1977 and was on the Clinical faculty of the department of Psychiatry for many years. She is an ardent believer in the power of education and the importance of equity and social justice. She is married to Jerry Meyer, Psychoanalyst and Artist, and has three children and two grandchildren each of whom give her tremendous joy.