Alumni Awards: Christopher Kendall Award

2026 Recipient

James Leija (BFA ’02, musical theatre; BA ’02, sociology, LSA; MFA ’07, art & design, Stamps)

Jim Leija is deputy director for public experience and learning at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA), where he leads education, engagement, and visitor experience in support of the museum’s mission as a welcoming, dynamic public space. His work over the past two decades has been grounded in civic engagement, inclusive programming, and a deep belief in the arts as a force for community connection.

During his 12 years at the University Musical Society (UMS), Leija designed and implemented dozens of artistic residencies in Ann Arbor with nationally and internationally renowned performing artists, building sustained relationships among artists, the campus, and the broader public. His work included landmark initiatives such as UMS’s 2019 partnership with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, culminating in a “Day of Action” in Flint, Michigan, and the creation of the 21st Century Artist Internship, a fully funded, year-long professional internship for undergraduate artists from the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. At UMMA, Leija’s creative leadership has supported ambitious projects including Machine Dazzle: Ouroboros alongside ongoing initiatives such as Hey, We Need to Talk, a program addressing political polarization. He served for 11 years as an elected trustee of the Ann Arbor District Library and currently serves on the board of Detroit’s InsideOut Literary Arts.

Leija is a proud member of Detroit’s PRISM LGBTQ Chorus, performing with both the full chorus and its auditioned small ensemble, Men of Note. With PRISM, he has performed for Governor Gretchen Whitmer; at the 2024 GALA Festival in Minneapolis; at Motor City Pride; and for the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Tigers Pride Nights.

Leija holds an MFA in art and design, a BFA in musical theatre performance, and a BA in sociology from the University of Michigan, and he lives in Ann Arbor with his husband of 16 years, Aric Knuth, and their rescue dog, Freya.