Tag: Leadership Change

Episode 109: To Change an Org’s Culture, Rip Off the Band-Aid

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Last November, we spoke with Michael J. Bobbitt, Artistic Director of New Repertory Theatre, about approaching major change in an organization. He shares ways to identify organizational culture, support staff work/life balance, and keep a board focused.

Michael Bobbitt. Photo: DJ CoreyMichael J. Bobbitt is the Artistic Director of New Repertory Theatre. He is an arts leader, director, choreographer, and playwright. Prior to New Rep, he served as Artistic Director for Adventure Theatre-MTC in Maryland, where he led the organization to be a respected theatre/training company in the DC region and a nationally influential professional Theatre for Young Audiences.

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Episode 103: Enhancing the Visibility of Professionals of Color

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Last fall, we spoke with Audrey Seraphin, Membership and Capacity Building Manager at ArtsBoston, about how to get more people of color working in cultural organizations and about their Network for Arts Administrators of Color (or NAAC Boston). NAAC Boston enhances the visibility of professionals of color in Greater Boston’s arts and culture sector, and widens the leadership pipeline while highlighting opportunities for professional and personal growth in the field.

Audrey SeraphinAudrey Seraphin is an artist and arts administrator who works in the Boston theatre community as an actor, director, stage manager, and community organizer. By day, she is the Membership & Capacity Building Manager at ArtsBoston, where she runs the Network of Arts Administrators of Color (NAAC) Boston. Audrey moonlights as the Community Engagement Director at The Front Porch Arts Collective, a Black theatre company dedicated to eradicating racial injustice in Boston.

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Episode 88: Navigating the Board Relationship

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Juliet Feibel, Executive Director of ArtsWorcester, discusses some secrets for success and longevity in a small organization, including how to be a real partner with her board. She says their onboarding protocol clarifies expectations so that by the time a member is serving they already have an understanding of their role and responsibilities.

Juliet FeibelA native of St. Louis, Missouri, Juliet Feibel has worked across nonprofit management, membership organizations, the arts, and higher education. Leading ArtsWorcester since 2011, she previously served as Director of Education for the Ann Arbor Art Center and as Associate Director of Imagining America, a national arts and humanities project, and worked for non-governmental organizations in Vietnam and Thailand.

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Episode 78: Following in a Founder’s Footsteps

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How do you follow in the footsteps of an organizational leader — especially a beloved, well-respected founder? Margaret Keller, Executive Director of Community Access to the Arts (CATA), discusses the transition process for her taking the helm at CATA five years ago when founder Sandy Newman retired, and offers tips for board members on how they can prepare for bringing in new leadership.

Margaret Keller portraitMargaret Keller is Executive Director of Community Access to the Arts (CATA), an arts organization that nurtures and celebrates the creativity of more than 800 people with disabilities across Berkshire County. Over the past five years, she has led CATA through a dramatic period of growth, increasing the number of CATA artists by 50% while also expanding community partnerships and public programs.
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Episode 22: Leadership Change Needn’t Be A Crisis

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There’s an enormous amount of generational leadership change that’s happening in our arts and cultural organizations. And while people may liken succession planning to a form of disaster preparedness, Old Sturbridge Village – the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast – sees it differently.

Jim Donahue, President and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village, discusses their intentional processes around leadership change – how it’s not just about the end of a person’s tenure, but about sustaining a strong organization (even if nobody leaves).

Jim Donahue, President and CEO of Old Sturbridge VillageJim Donahue is highly regarded in the non-profit sector as a collaborative visionary. He is recognized as one of the top non-profit executives in New England with an impressive background in leadership, education, and fund-raising.
Prior to taking the position as President and CEO for Old Sturbridge Village, Donahue was the CEO of the Bradford Dunn Institute for Learning Differences in Providence, RI.  The Institute operates a network of high-quality programs that include The Hasbro Center for Teaching Excellence, the RI Tutorial and Educational Services, and the CVS Highlander Charter School, which Donahue founded in 2000. Donahue negotiated the merger between the Bradford Dunn Institute and CVS Highlander Charter School in 2004. During his seven year tenure as the director of the charter school, he led the renovation of two campuses for the school and the establishment of several key capacity-building partnerships.
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