ASCEND
by ACG
Career Advancement PROGRAM for Arts Professionals
A six-session professional development program built from what boards, hiring panels, and search committees look for in candidates for senior roles.
ACG has placed senior leaders across arts and cultural organizations throughout North America. We know what distinguishes candidates who advance.
ASCEND by ACG translates that perspective into a structured program designed to strengthen judgment, presence, and strategic positioning for the next stage of leadership.
Applications close April 20, 2026
6
Virtual Sessions of 90 minutes each,
biweekly Thursday evenings | Starting May 28, 2026
Limited
Carefully selected cohort,
designed for maximum engagement
5–12
Ideal years of participants'
professional experience
2
Private 30-minute coaching sessions
included for every participant
"For leaders who want to be ready before the opportunity arrives."
WHY ASCEND BY ACG
Built from what we have learned,
not from what we assume.
ACG's active search work gives ASCEND something no one else can offer.
Through active work across performing arts organizations, museums, and cultural institutions, ACG sees how boards assess leadership, how search committees evaluate readiness, and how strong professionals can identify ways to become even stronger.
By reflecting how leadership decisions are actually made, ASCEND by ACG equips participants to engage with confidence, clarity, and credibility across contexts.
Rather than focusing on theory alone, the program helps participants develop their ability to operate, translating experience into strategic judgment, governance fluency, and institutional perspective.
Four Things That Set ASCEND Apart
THE CURRICULUM
Six sessions. Twelve weeks.
Outcomes: Insight and Improved Readiness
Each 90-minute session focuses on applied judgment, using real cases, peer exchange, and frameworks drawn from leadership transitions across arts and cultural organizations, led by respected industry leaders.
Co-facilitated by Nagham Wehbe and Laura Zucker
01
Managing Up, Across, and Leading with Presence
28 May 2026 | Guest Practioner: Deborah F. Rutter
Strengthen your ability to influence without formal authority and communicate with clarity and credibility across contexts, from board interactions to cross-functional collaboration.
You will be able to: Show up in leadership settings with greater presence.
02
Navigating Uncertainty and Decision Making
11 June 2026 | Guest Practioner: Mario Garcia Durham
Frameworks for navigating ambiguity, setting priorities under pressure, and aligning day-to-day decisions with broader institutional direction.
You will be able to: Take a more structured approach to decision making and articulate your thinking
03
Strategic Thinking Beyond Daily Operations
25 June 2026 | Guest Practioner: Emil J. Kang
Shift from execution to institutional thinking, understanding how priorities are set, how organizations make trade-offs, and how to position your work within a larger strategic narrative.
You will be able to: Contribute to broader organizational conversations with clarity.
04
Managing Teams in a Changing Workforce
9 July 2026 | Guest Practioner: Hywel Sims
Address the realities of people management today, including performance, accountability, burnout, and leading across evolving workplace expectations and team dynamics.
You will be able to: Lead with clearer expectations and stronger accountability.
05
Governance and Organizational Fluency as Leadership Tools
23 July 2026 | Facilitator: Laura Zucker
Build the ability to engage meaningfully with governance structures, contribute to board-level discussions, and understand the distinction between management and governance.
You will be able to: Engage in governance conversations with clarity.
06
Career Navigation and Leadership Identity
6 August 2026 | Facilitator: Nagham Wehbe | Guest Practioner: Josyanne Roche
Clarify your path through a deeper understanding of how the sector operates, how leadership is assessed, and how to position your experience for advancement.
You will be able to: Articulate your leadership approach and take intentional next steps.
Who Should Apply
Designed for Arts and Culture professionals
operating in the critical middle.
ASCEND by ACG is designed for professionals who are already managing teams, projects, or functions, and are beginning to operate beyond execution into broader organizational responsibility.
Participants ideally have five to twelve years of experience working in arts and cultural organizations and are increasingly involved in decision-making, cross-functional collaboration, and shaping institutional direction.
Senior Managers and Directors
You lead teams, functions, or initiatives and are preparing to take on broader organizational scope, either within your current institution or across the field.
Identified for Advancement
You are seen as a future leader within your organization and are being trusted with increasing responsibility, visibility, or strategic input.
Five to Twelve Years of Experience
You have developed strong professional capability and are now focused on expanding your perspective, judgment, and readiness for senior leadership roles.
Co-Facilitators
Co-facilitated by Nagham Wehbe and Laura Zucker, bringing together advisory insight and real-world leadership experience across the sector.
Nagham Wehbe
President, Arts Consulting Group
A strategic leader in arts and culture with a multidisciplinary background spanning consulting, media, and organizational leadership, Nagham Wehbe brings extensive experience in strategic planning and leadership transitions. She brings a clear understanding of how organizations evolve, adapt, and sustain impact over time, shaping the ASCEND experience for current and future leaders and those navigating complex leadership journeys today.
Laura Zucker
Senior Advisor, Arts Consulting Group
Former Executive Director, Los Angeles County Arts Commission
A widely respected figure in American arts administration, Laura brings decades of experience navigating complex organizational and cultural issues, creating and scaling arts programs, and mentoring the next generation of talent in the field. As former Director of the Masters in Arts Management Program at Claremont Graduate University, her perspective on what institutions and communities genuinely need from their senior staff, and what staff need to thrive, is foundational to the ASCEND experience.
GUEST PRACTITIONERS
Practitioners who have lived
the decisions you are preparing to make.
Sessions are further enriched by renowned guest practitioners, offering diverse perspectives and real-world insights from across the field.
Deborah F. Rutter
Vice Provost for the Arts, Duke University
Former President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
A globally recognized arts executive with nearly five decades of leadership across premier cultural institutions, Deborah F. Rutter brings extensive experience in institutional growth and artistic programming. She brings a clear understanding of how organizations evolve, expand impact, and center artists, shaping the future of cultural leadership.
Mario Garcia Durham
Senior Advisor, Arts Consulting Group
Former President and CEO of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP)
A respected arts leader with more than three decades of experience across policy, strategy, and organizational leadership, Mario Garcia Durham brings extensive experience in institutional alignment and sector advocacy. He brings a clear understanding of how organizations navigate complexity, strengthen governance, and advance equity, shaping leadership approaches that drive sustainable impact and sector-wide progress.
Emil J. Kang
Senior Advisor, Arts Consulting Group
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Yale Cultural Innovation Lab
Former Program Director for Arts and Culture at The Mellon Foundation
A nationally recognized cultural strategist working across arts, philanthropy, and public policy, Emil J. Kang brings experience in institutional transformation and creative ecosystem development. He understands how organizations align vision, equity, and investment to expand access, strengthen artists, and advance change
Hywel Sims
Senior Advisor, Arts Consulting Group
Former CEO of Musica Viva Australia
A strategic leader across arts, social impact, and organizational leadership, Hywel Sims has extensive experience in human-centered strategy and institutional growth. He brings a clear understanding of how organizations align mission, people, and impact, shaping leadership approaches that strengthen culture, advance equity, and sustain long-term organizational resilience.
Josyanne Roche
Vice President, Arts Consulting Group
Executive Search Practice Leader
An accomplished executive search specialist with experience across the arts, higher education, and nonprofit sectors, Josyanne Roche brings a strategic lens to leadership recruitment and talent strategy. She understands how organizations assess readiness and make critical hiring decisions, helping shape leadership that strengthens teams, advances equity, and drives long-term impact.
PROGRAM FORMAT
Structured to deliver meaningful progress through a focused commitment.
Cohort Sessions: Six biweekly interactive sessions delivered live over twelve weeks in a virtual, facilitated format.
Private Session: Two 30-minute individual coaching sessions provided for each participant.
Recordings: Session recordings made available to enrolled participants for a limited period following each session.
Office Hours: Scheduled co-facilitator office hours (advance RSVP required)
MUTUAL COMMITMENT
Your Commitment to ACG
- Actively participate in sessions and contribute meaningfully to discussions
- Contribute to peer learning with openness, honesty, and generosity
- Complete brief reflection exercises between sessions to reinforce learning
- Apply key insights and frameworks within your organizational context
- Respect and maintain the confidentiality of all cohort conversations
ACG's Commitment to You
- Curriculum grounded in real-time executive search intelligence
- Facilitated by practitioners with senior leadership experience across the sector
- Two private coaching sessions tailored to your career trajectory
- Practical frameworks informed by decades of consulting and placements
- Session recordings available for a limited time after each session
- A thoughtfully curated peer cohort with long-term professional value
The next level doesn't wait.
Neither should you.
Applications for the inaugural cohort close April 20, 2026.
The cohort is intentionally limited to support meaningful engagement, strong peer exchange, and direct access to co-facilitators and guest practitioners throughout the program.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE