California State University, Northridge has appointed Chad Hilligus as the new executive and artistic director of the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, known as The Soraya, a nationally recognized performing arts venue. Arts Consulting Group (ACG) extends its congratulations on his appointment.
Nestled on the southernmost part of California State University, Northridge (CSUN), The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) welcomes the world to CSUN and fosters the creativity, curiosity, and intellectual development of its students, faculty, and staff. The Soraya serves as a premier cultural hub for CSUN, the San Fernando Valley, and the greater Los Angeles region. Its mission is to offer diverse, inclusive, and world-class performances that enrich the cultural and educational fabric of the region, while supporting CSUN’s educational mission. The Soraya is committed to supporting both established and emerging artists and fostering campus and community engagement through the transformative power of the arts.
A performing arts leader with more than 20 years of experience as an artist, producer, director, and fundraiser, Chad Hilligus brings a distinctive perspective shaped by both creative practice and executive leadership. Building on his current role as Chief Executive Officer of the Gallo Center for the Arts, he has led artistic programming and overseen operations, finance, education, and advancement, curating more than 100 multidisciplinary performances annually and strengthening the center’s reputation for diverse and high-quality programming.
A former professional performer, Chad brings an artist’s lens to his leadership approach. He toured internationally as a member of The Ten Tenors and starred as Tony in the 50th anniversary world tour of West Side Story, experiences that continue to inform his commitment to artistic excellence and audience connection.
His broader experience reflects a career spanning performance, production, and institutional leadership, positioning him to bridge artistic vision with organizational strategy. Through this work, Chad has demonstrated a deep understanding of how the arts connect communities across cultures, generations, and lived experiences, while advancing access and relevance within the institutions he serves.
Through a career rooted in both stage and leadership, Chad has shown a strong commitment to expanding the role of the performing arts as a space for shared experience, learning, and cultural exchange. His work reflects a focus on building organizations that are artistically ambitious, operationally strong, and responsive to the communities they engage.
Chad holds a background in performance and arts leadership, informed by extensive professional experience across the performing arts sector. He will begin his tenure on June 15, 2026.
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.