Executive Placements

Dana Knapp President & CEO ArtsKC Executive Search Executive Placement Arts Consulting Group

ArtsKC Names Dana Knapp as President & CEO

14:22 12 July in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

ArtsKC has selected Dana Knapp as President & CEO, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She has served as Interim President & CEO since January 1, 2017 and will begin her new role immediately. Ms. Knapp has served as Director of Programs for the Mid-America Arts Alliance for nearly four years, overseeing all regional and national programs, including grant making, touring exhibitions, and professional development for arts professionals. She also led the development of a new strategic plan, establishing a revised repertoire of regional programs that serve arts organizations and artists. For nearly 20 years, she worked at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art as Director of Planning. During her tenure, she led the Bloch Building construction and the renovation of the Nelson-Atkins building, including oversight of the capital expansion and associated planning. She also served as leader of the exhibition design team and as a practicing...

Community Music Center of Boston The Music Center Lecolion Washington Executive Director Executive Placement Arts Consulting Group

Community Music Center of Boston Appoints Lecolion Washington as Executive Director

19:54 05 July in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Community Music Center of Boston (the Music Center) has selected Lecolion Washington as Executive Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure in September 2017, succeeding David Lapin, the Music Center’s Executive Director for a record-breaking 34 years. An advocate for music as a means for social change, Mr. Washington currently serves as Co-Founder and Executive Director of the PRIZM Ensemble, a Memphis-based organization that builds a diverse community through chamber music education, youth development, and performance. Under his leadership, PRIZM has created community engagement and youth development programs such as the OMusic Project, a music program in the first African American neighborhood to be built by African Americans. He also oversaw the PRIZM in the Schools program and the PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival. Mr. Washington was later invited to join the Memphis Music Initiative (MMI) as Director of In-School Programs....

Gavin Farrell Executive Director Powers Music School Executive Placement Arts Consulting Group

Powers Music School Announces Gavin Farrell as Executive Director

19:47 07 June in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Powers Music School, located in Belmont, Massachusetts, has selected Gavin Farrell as Executive Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure in August 2017, succeeding current Executive Director Helen Clapp Stevenson, who announced her retirement last fall. Dedicated to supporting music and arts within the community, Mr. Farrell brings 18 years of experience in teaching, financial management, program development, and operations to Powers Music School. He most recently spent two years as Executive Director of the Peabody Institute's Preparatory Division in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Farrell previously held various roles within the organization, including Interim Executive Director of the Preparatory Division and Academic Services Administrator. He also served on the faculty, teaching music theory. During his tenure at the Peabody Institute, he helped develop Pathways to Peabody, a program that provides financial aid to talented and dedicated musicians. Additionally, he worked with the...

Anna Tobin D’Ambrosio Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute MWPAI President Executive Search Arts Consulting Group

Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Names Anna Tobin D’Ambrosio as President

14:43 25 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute (MWPAI) has selected Anna Tobin D’Ambrosio as President, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure in August 2017, succeeding current President Anthony Spiridigloizzi, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Since 2012, Ms. D’Ambrosio has served as Museum of Art Director and Chief Curator at MWPAI. First joining the organization in 1989 as Curator of Decorative Arts, over the course of her career she has helped draw visitors to the Museum by staging numerous well-reviewed exhibitions and bringing world-renowned artworks to the Utica region. Prominent exhibitions have included “Shadow of the Sphinx: Ancient Egypt and Its Influence,” “Monet to Matisse,” and “The World Through His Lens: Steve McCurry Photographs.” She has also enhanced programming, actively engaged the community, significantly increased visitation, drawn new audiences, and helped educate thousands of school children. A nationally recognized scholar in 19th-century American decorative...

Dr. Ryan Garrison Artistic Director Children’s Chorus of San Antonio CCSA Executive Search Arts Consulting Group

Children’s Chorus of San Antonio Appoints Dr. Ryan Garrison as Artistic Director

14:42 25 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Children’s Chorus of San Antonio (CCSA) has selected Dr. Ryan Garrison as Artistic Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). The second artistic director in the organization’s 34-year history, Dr. Garrison has vast experience as a professional choral singer, conductor, and educator. He will begin his tenure in July 2017. Dr. Garrison most recently served as the Choral Director of Arizona School for the Arts in Phoenix, a school acknowledged as a national model for exemplary education gained through intense emphasis on studies in the performing arts. Dr. Garrison has also maintained an active schedule of clinic and guest conducting appearances in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming. A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Dr. Garrison has been a singing member of the Phoenix Chorale since 2005. With the ensemble, Dr. Garrison is credited on four albums garnering six Grammy nominations and two Grammy wins, including “Best Choral Performance”...

Samuel Scott Executive Director BMFI Bryn Mawr Film Institute Executive Search Arts Consulting Group

Bryn Mawr Film Institute Announces Samuel Scott as Executive Director

14:40 25 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI) has selected Samuel Scott as Executive Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). He will begin his tenure on June 15, 2017. Succeeding BMFI Founder and Executive Director Juliet Goodfriend, Mr. Scott has served as the organization’s Chair of the Board of Directors for the past seven years. During his 12-year tenure on the board, he has helped BMFI increase members, raised more than $10 million, and assisted in the building and renovation of multiple theaters. Mr. Scott previously held the role of President and CEO of The Johnson-March Corporation, a diversified manufacturing and consumer products company. His formal activities in the film industry began with his studies and work with the late James Card, founder and former curator of the world-renowned motion picture archive of the George Eastman House (now The Eastman Museum) in Rochester, New York. Mr. Scott serves...

Handel + Haydn Society Sally Bradford Vice President of Marketing and Communications Executive Search Arts Consulting Group

Handel + Haydn Society Names Sally Bradford as Vice President of Marketing and Communications

19:43 23 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

The Handel + Haydn Society has selected Sally Bradford as Vice President of Marketing and Communications, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She will begin her tenure on June 5, 2017. Ms. Bradford joins the Handel + Haydn Society after spending the past five years as Marketing Communications Manager at Hemenway & Barnes in Boston. During her tenure, she oversaw all marketing efforts, including annual planning, budgeting, messaging, and project management. She also worked with management committee and practice group chairs to outline strategic marketing priorities and organized special events, ranging from a gala for hundreds to luncheon seminars with marquee speakers. While at Hemenway & Barnes, Ms. Bradford also helped institute and manage a thought leadership public relations campaign, which received coverage in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Forbes. Prior to joining Hemenway & Barnes, Ms. Bradford served as Principal at Bradford...

Mari Riddle Grand Performances Executive Director Executive Search Arts Consulting Group

Grand Performances Appoints Mari Riddle as Executive Director

19:40 23 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Grand Performances has selected Mari Riddle as Executive Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on May 22, 2017, replacing Michael Alexander, who will retire after nearly 30 years of service. Ms. Riddle has more than 25 years of executive management experience at nonprofit performing arts and social service organizations. Most recently serving as Program Director at Community Partners in Los Angeles, she was responsible for developing new business and overseeing a portfolio of projects and programs. Prior to joining Community Partners, Ms. Riddle held the President and CEO position at Centro Latino for Literacy as well as Executive Director roles at The Friends of the Levitt Pavilion–Macarthur Park, Telacu Community Capital, and Coalition for Women’s Economic Development. Over the course of her career, Ms. Riddle has developed and implemented new programs, launched special initiatives and events, and cultivated board and staff....

Jacksonville Symphony JoLynne Jensen Vice President & Chief Development Officer Executive Search Arts Consulting Group

Jacksonville Symphony Announces JoLynne Jensen as Vice President & Chief Development Officer

19:33 23 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Jacksonville Symphony has selected JoLynne Jensen as Vice President & Chief Development Officer, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on April 28, 2017, leading the fund development department and spearheading the Vision 2020 campaign, a $50 million campaign that will ensure Jacksonville Symphony’s artistic excellence, financial stability, and community engagement. Since 2009, Ms. Jensen has worked as a consultant guiding nonprofit organizations in their capital campaigns, infrastructure, board development, governance, strategic planning, and comprehensive fundraising plans. Prior to her consulting work, she served as Executive Director of The Advisory Board of the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. During her tenure, she successfully planned and implemented a $32 million capital campaign to renovate and rebuild the Arts Magnet High School and fund student and faculty programs. For 15 years, Ms. Jensen held several roles at...

Susan Lape Executive Director Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Executive Search Executive Placement Arts Consulting Group

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras Selects Susan Lape as Executive Director

16:37 01 May in Executive Placements by Amanda Bertone

Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) has selected Susan Lape as Executive Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). Succeeding former Executive Director Joshua Simonds, her appointment comes as CYSO celebrates its 70th anniversary this season. She began her tenure on March 1, 2017. Ms. Lape most recently served as Executive Director of the Lake Forest Symphony, the only fully professional orchestra in Lake County, Illinois. Since 2012, she has overseen the organization’s masterworks, salon, family, and educational concerts and was responsible for all development, civic engagement, and educational outreach initiatives. During her tenure, Lake Forest Symphony and WFMT Radio Network produced “The Search,” an audio documentary that detailed the symphony’s international search for a new Music Director. Ms. Lape’s career in arts management also includes positions at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, and Stanford Institute for Creativity and the Arts. She was named Executive Director...