Katherine “Kathy” E. Brown is Executive Director of New York City Ballet and the David H. Koch Theater, overseeing the management and administrative functions of the Ballet and the Theater, and managing a budget of approximately $89 million.
Prior to assuming her position at NYCB in 2009, Ms. Brown was the Chief Operating Officer of WNYC Radio, overseeing all non-programming areas of the nation’s largest public radio station, including development, finance, marketing/public relations, digital operations, legal, engineering, human resources and administration. She led a number of the organization’s special initiatives, including the launch of its Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, and helped manage its acquisition of the classical music station WQXR.
Ms. Brown served in various capacities at Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) from 1997-2007. As Executive Director from 2005 to 2007, she was responsible for oversight of all aspects of the organization’s operations, including JALC year-round concert, touring, media and educational activities and the operations of Frederick P. Rose Hall. As Vice President of Development from 1997-2004, she led a capital campaign raising $132 million to design and construct JALC’s new home, Frederick P. Rose Hall.
From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Brown served as a manager of major gifts for The New York Public Library, where she directed the major gifts portion of a $700 million capital campaign. From 1988 to 1993, she worked as the Director of Individual Giving for New York City Ballet, and from 1976 to 1987 served in various capacities at the National Endowment for the Arts including Acting Director of the Dance program.
She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Dance/USA and serves as its Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair. She is past Chair of Dance/USA’s Audit Committee and its Managers Council made up of the country’s largest dance companies. Ms. Brown has served as a dance panelist for the Department of Cultural Affairs, and has been a frequent commentator on business and the arts on various media outlets such as CNN, Bloomberg News, Fox Business Network, Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, among others. In 2017 Brown was named by Dance Magazine as one of the most influential people in dance.
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