The Nash Names New Managing Director

The Nash and its parent nonprofit organization, Jazz In Arizona, Inc., today named Kate Hastings as its first managing director. Beginning July 1, she will join Executive Director Joel Robin Goldenthal in this newly-created position to form a management partnership for the Phoenix performance and education center that Downbeat Magazine has named "one of the top jazz venues in the world."

A Phoenix resident, Hastings has a long history of leadership in the nonprofit and arts administration sectors. Her diverse disciplinary experience covers program development, organizational management, marketing and communications, business development, fundraising, volunteer systems, and membership development. In 2004 she became vice president of marketing and business development for Downtown Tempe Community, Inc. and eight years ago she was named managing director of the Tempe Festival of the Arts. She previously served as the director of marketing, audience development, and arts education for the Topeka Performing Arts Center where she was instrumental in creating and presenting the Topeka Jazz Festival and the Topeka Jazz Festival All-Star Academy masterclass and residency programs. She is a long-time jazz enthusiast and patron.

"I'm thrilled to welcome Kate as a partner as we work together to fulfill the mission of The Nash," said Joel Robin Goldenthal, Executive Director. "Her experience, knowledge, and passion for jazz will be instrumental in helping us realize the goals of our new strategic plan." Under Goldenthal's leadership, Jazz In Arizona, Inc. has undergone a dramatic transformation and in April 2012 the organization opened The Nash, its performance and education center located on Roosevelt Row near downtown Phoenix.

"I'm honored to work alongside Joel Goldenthal, whose vision and steadfast hard work have been key in creating this wonderful venue and program. It's a dream come true for me to be chosen to work in a place that I already love," said Kate Hastings.

"Speaking on behalf of The Nash's board, we are excited to have Kate join our management team," said Susan Dwyer, President of Jazz In Arizona, Inc. "She is known for her love of jazz and her consistently successful track record in managing nonprofits and arts organizations. We're confident that her leadership will help us realize our new strategic goals."

The creation of the new managing director position and the formation of the management partnership signal action on capacity building recommendations stemming from The Nash's newly-adopted strategic plan, funded by a Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust grant. The plan, "Embracing the Future for Jazz," recommended hiring a managing director as an instrumental step toward building capacity for the future of the organization to further develop its business structure, fundraising and marketing programs.

The Nash is named for "the most valuable player" in jazz (Modern Drummer Magazine) and Phoenix native, drummer Lewis Nash.Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix on "Roosevelt Row," The Nash offers a full calendar of live performances and ensures the future of the iconic art of jazz through its educational and outreach programs. The Nash hosts classic jazz and new music concerts; performances by student musicians, local pros and touring artists; weekly jazz jam sessions; workshops; master classes; and clinics. Educational programs offer programs to develop emerging jazz musicians and public appreciation for this original American art form. Find more information on The Nash's programs and performances online at www.thenash.org or on Facebook and Twitter.

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