COCA Named Hope Abramov as Board President

St. Louis-based arts organization sets leadership for the 2026-2027 term to guide its next operational chapter.

Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in People

COCA Named Hope Abramov as Board President

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The Center of Creative Arts (COCA) appointed Hope Abramov as its new Board President. The transition includes new appointments to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the 2026-2027 year.

Why it matters

These appointments are intended to sustain the organizational momentum and provide strategic guidance as the non-profit navigates its next chapter. Governance changes of this nature are critical for non-profits looking to align board expertise with long-term operational sustainability.

The leadership term spans the 2026-2027 period, following Abramov's four-year tenure leading the organization's HR Committee. The board also integrated four new members alongside the updated Executive Committee.

The players

Hope Abramov

The new Board President of COCA and a Partner at the law firm Thompson Coburn LLP with 25 years of litigation experience.

Suzanne Johnson

A long-term member of the COCA Board of Directors who has served the organization since 2018.

Tamyka Perine

An associate board member at COCA who has served the organization since 2022.

The details

Hope Abramov, a Partner and Co-Chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at Thompson Coburn LLP, brings 25 years of litigation experience to the role. The governance shuffle is designed to ensure continuity for the St. Louis arts group as it enters a new fiscal cycle. The organization is balancing this transition alongside ongoing board participation from long-term members like Suzanne Johnson, who joined in 2018.

Hope Abramov joined the board in 2021.
Tamyka Perine began serving on the associate board in 2022.
The new leadership term covers the 2026-2027 cycle.

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Market Landscape

This appointment follows the standard industry pattern of using rotational board cycles to refresh organizational leadership. The shift mirrors common governance practices for regional non-profits aimed at sustaining operational momentum.

Operators should review their own board rotation policies to ensure they align with upcoming strategic milestones. Evaluate whether your organization’s HR and governance committee tenures provide enough fresh perspective for the next 12 to 24 months.

The takeaway

Effective non-profit governance requires balancing long-term institutional memory with fresh leadership input. Monitor the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal performance metrics of the organization to gauge the success of this transition.