Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts Appoints New Board Member

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County announces the appointment of a new member to the Performing Arts Center (PACT) Board of Directors: Kristin Podack, Secretary for the Board of Florida Grand Opera.

Kristin Podack has held the position of Secretary for the Board of Florida Grand Opera for the past three years. The Board focuses on overseeing the Florida Grand Opera company, which is the oldest performing arts organization in Florida and a resident company at the Arsht Center. Podack is also on the board of the Dranoff Two Piano Foundation and a volunteer on behalf of Marina Radiushina, who is the Artistic Director of the Miami Chamber Music Society and Mainly Mozart Festival.

From 2012 to 2013, Podack served as President of the Young Patronesses of the Opera, which she joined in 2003. She was also the chair of the St. Hugh Steinway Concert from 2013 to 2015.

Podack is a past President and Honorary Member of the Medical Faculty Association (MFA) of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She served for 15 years as chair for the Endowment, Gifts and Awards Committee for the MFA and currently serves as the MFA's liaison to the faculty.

Earlier, Podack spent 15 years in the field of basic medical research where she met her late husband, Eckhard Podack, MD, PhD, and was part of his research team for more than 10 years. Dr. Podack was a renowned immunologist known for his work on the Pore Forming proteins, Poly C9 in the Complement system, Perforin 1 and Perforin 2, which are fundamental to the cure of cancer, autoimmune and infectious disease.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

Set in the heart of downtown Miami and designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is one of the world's leading performing arts organizations and venues. Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has emerged as a leader in presenting innovative programming that mirrors South Florida's diversity as well as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area. Spotlighting legends and serving as a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage, the Center presents nearly 500 events each year across its eight flexible, state-of-the-art performance spaces. The Center programs 12 signature series, including the largest jazz series in South Florida, the biggest flamenco festival on the East Coast, and a robust program of new theatrical works as well as free programming for the community and an arts education program that serves nearly 30,000 children each year. As Miami's new Town Square, the Arsht Center also houses BRAVA by Brad Kilgore,a fine dining restaurant; the Café at Books & Books in the historic Carnival Tower and a weekly Farmers Market. Visit www.arshtcenter.org for more information.