SFJAZZ has named Gabrielle Armand as the new Chief Executive Officer, and Arts Consulting Group (ACG) extends its congratulations on her leadership appointment. She will begin her tenure on July 1, 2025.
SFJAZZ is a nonprofit organization that presents the finest jazz artists from around the world through concerts, educational programs, and community outreach. Its mission is to promote jazz as a living art form and to inspire and engage audiences through dynamic programming and performances.
Armand joins SFJAZZ from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City where she served as Chief Marketing Officer & Vice President Brand, Sales, and Marketing, overseeing the Marketing & Sales, PR & Communications, Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships, Audience Development, Content Development, Creative Services, and Intellectual Property teams. In addition, she led the development of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s growing media initiatives that included an in-house record label, national radio program, streaming channel, live webcasts, and award-winning longform nationally broadcast video productions.
In her role at SFJAZZ, Armand will oversee all aspects of the organization’s business functions, including education, finance, contributed and earned revenue, business operations, as well as support artistic vision and programming. In partnership with Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, Armand will lead the dynamic SFJAZZ team, ensuring that the organization’s mission is fulfilled in a financially sustainable and artistically excellent manner.
With over 30 years of experience within the entertainment industry, not-for-profit, and cultural arts landscapes, Armand has strategically designed and managed multi-layered partnerships with major global brands including Coca-Cola, MasterCard, P&G, Brooks Brothers, Disney, Bloomberg, HSBC, Qatar Airways, and General Motors. She has an affinity for media and music-related programs and is known for resourcing and leading high-performing teams.
Prior to joining Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2009, Armand was the Executive Director for Marketing & Communications for the United Nations Association of the USA, where she formed a groundbreaking strategic partnership focused on gender-equity and improving the lives of children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Gabrielle spent the first ten years of her professional career in the recording industry, working with a host of Grammy Award-winning artists and shepherding the commercial release of more than 1,500 records at divisions of Universal Music and Sony Music.
“I’m excited and honored to take on this role at SFJAZZ and to make San Francisco my new home. I have long admired this organization’s profound impact on the local and national arts community and the countless musicians it has presented and supported,” said Armand. “Jazz has been a guiding principle for much of my life, both personally and professionally, and I look forward to continuing to expand audiences for this uniquely American music and celebrate its ongoing contributions to the global cultural landscape.”
ACG is the leading provider of hands-on interim management, executive search, revenue enhancement, strategic planning & community engagement, and facilities & program planning and research services for the arts and culture industry. ACG consultants are located in communities across the United States and Canada to best serve the needs of our clients. ACG team members have decades of combined senior leadership experience in every artistic and cultural discipline and area of functional management expertise.