American Contemporary Ballet Unveils Strategic Board Expansion

Los Angeles' American Contemporary Ballet (ACB) announced the addition of four new members to its board, charged with strengthening governance and accelerating the company's growth from a small artistic powerhouse to a major artistic force in Los Angeles and beyond. The company plans to add three more board members in the near future. 

The announcement comes at a transitional time for ACB, which enters its 15th season in Los Angeles in October. Established by Artistic Director Lincoln Jones in 2011 as a small group of dancers with a limited performance schedule, ACB — through live music, groundbreaking stagings and acclaimed programming — has built a new model and fast-growing audience for the artform in L.A. The company has grown to 20 dancers with a year-round performance schedule of more than 60 performances and a fervent following drawn by stagings that combine the best elements of popular entertainment with the depth and transcendence of classical works. In addition to supporting the company's growth and artistic vision, the board will guide the company's search for a new executive director and permanent L.A. performance venue, as well as the establishment of an ACB company school. 

“ACB delivers a rare fusion of artistic rigor, imagination, and immersive performance, and this expansion positions us to engage visionary supporters whose philanthropic investment can propel the company into its next era,” said ACB's new board president Suzette Ramirez-Carr. 

“ACB is not a typical arts organization,” said ACB Founder/Director Lincoln Jones. “Our trajectory and goals require not just stewards, but leaders with an aptitude for innovation and rapid growth. These are big-vision thinkers who are willing to do what it takes to create a bright future for our city and our culture.” 

ACB presents original ballets by Jones, the ballets of George Balanchine and historical masterworks. Jones' collaborations with composers including the late Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Wuorinen and British composing prodigy Alma Deutscher have attracted new audiences to ballet and prompted KUSC's Jim Svejda to call ACB “one of the world's most adventurous and exciting ballet companies.” 

New board members: 

Suzette Ramirez-Carr, Board President, American Contemporary Ballet Suzette Ramirez-Carr is a strategic advisor with more than 25 years of experience guiding organizations through growth, cultural transformation, and leadership change across industries including finance, entertainment, academia, and the arts. She has held chief human resources officer roles at TKO Group Holdings, Beautycounter, United Talent Agency, Oaktree Capital Management, and Southern Methodist University. Ramirez-Carr has also served on the boards of Hope Street Friends Early Education Center and the Arlington Museum of Art.

Erica Laurén Hay is a distinguished global leader in luxury real estate, design and construction, currently serving as vice president at I-Grace Builders and Advisors. She previously served as the national director of project development at Shawmut Design and Construction, managing landmark hospitality, luxury retail, and residential commissions nationwide. Hay has served on the boards of Los Angeles Headquarters, Ralston College, and American Society of Interior Design. 

Lane Merrifield is a renowned entrepreneur and innovator in the digital and educational technology sectors. He co-founded Club Penguin, the largest social network and virtual world for children, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2007. As executive vice president at Disney Online Studios, he played a pivotal role in expanding the company's digital presence. Merriwether is also the founder of Wheelhouse and the Innovation Centre, which houses and invests in early-stage tech companies and entrepreneurs, and the co-founder of FreshGrade, an educational assessment and communication platform that was acquired in 2021. He supports and guides a number of education, arts, technology and community programs through the Merrifield Family Foundation. 

Jay Snider is an entrepreneur, executive and philanthropist, and the founder and chairman of UNIT Solutions. Through The Jay and Terry Snider Foundation, he is active in preserving our nation's original enlightenment values as captured in the Declaration of Independence. He is chairman of the board of Civilization Works and a board member of the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem. He also served as president of the Philadelphia Flyers NHL franchise and president of Spectacor, a diversified sports, entertainment and media company. 

ACB's mission is to create unparalleled, transcendent and immersive live performance that elevates and deepens the human experience.