This message is coming out mid-month because we decided to hold the E-Magazine until we could make some very important public announcements.
Last month, I wrote The Ebell is on a the cusp of making leadership changes. Now, I am very delighted to announce that Stacy Brightman will be joining as our first ever Executive Director, marking a change in direction for the club. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome her.
Stacy is an engaging, energetic executive with a solid track record of leading and managing teams at a number of prestigious LA community institutions throughout her career. And, Stacy is a an Ebell member!
Stacy, is an LA native, growing up not far from The Ebell in the Rampart neighborhood. She started her career in live theatre as the Associate Director at the Shakespeare Festival/LA where she served as Associate Director at Theater LA handling operations, fundraising, marketing and advertising. She has a keen understanding of project and event management, including soliciting funding support and working closely with board members.
Since 2000 Stacy has managed LA Opera’s acclaimed education and community programs serving more than 220,000 students and family, training members annually through in-person and online programs. She has an extensive network in LA built through partnership building in all areas of education and philanthropy. She has experience managing a staff of 12 as well, 300 contracted staff members, hundreds of volunteers and a multi-million-dollar budget. During her tenure, she has demonstrated consistent growth, increasing the number of constituents served annually from 29,000 to more than 200,000.
Stacy served as an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandizing for the past 10 years where she taught theatrical history with an emphasis on analysis for costume design. She was also Adjunct Faculty at the Thornton School of Music at University of Southern California for eight years, where she taught a survey of the management of non-profit and for-profit arts organizations with emphasis on funding, donor development, tax status and promotion.
Stacy loves historic buildings. She is a Trustee of the Michael White Adobe in San Marino. She is on the steering committee of the Women’s Opera Network (Opera America), and is a mentor for numerous women leaders in the arts. She graduated from Pomona College with a BA in Theatre and Religious Studies. She earned a Ph.D. in Dramatic Arts and Theatre Research from University of California, Davis. She’s is currently enrolled in a Masters Degree program for Non-Profit Management.
Stacy’s extensive experience in non-profit management as well as theatre, special events and women’s studies struck us as the combination of skills and interests to lead us into the next chapter in The Ebell’s history.
You can get to know Stacy a bit better thanks to Lizzie’s interview and I think you will see why we are so excited that she will be joining our Ebell team.
Alas, our excitement about the future is tempered with some sadness as we bid Philip Miller, our General Manager, goodbye. Philip is retiring after 16 years of excellent stewardship of The Ebell. We are delighted to share a message from Philip to Ebell members in this edition of the E-Magazine as well.
I also want to officially welcome our new Board Directors who were installed at our Semi-Annual Business Meeting on June 23rd: Madelyn Murray, Director of Finance; Denise Parga, Director of Historic Collections; Christy McAvoy, Director of House, Theatre & Grounds; Lizzie Blatt, Director of Publications; Liza Ameen, Director of Public Relations & Marketing; Stephanie Kaiser, Director of Rest Cottage Association; Elizabeth Yeo, Secretary; and Anne Lynch, Director of Scholarship. Also sworn in were new members of the Nominating Committee: Nancy Castillo, Dia Schuldenfrei, Fazie Yakub, Deniz Olgac and Helene Seifer.
