David Schmitz Named Interim Executive Director of American Conservatory Theater

American Conservatory Theater has appointed David Schmitz as Interim Executive Director of American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.). Schmitz will serve in this role while the Board continues its search for a permanent Executive Director.
 
“We are fortunate to have David as our Interim Executive Director, “said Minick. “He will help us build upon A.C.T.’s tremendous legacy within the American Theater and the Bay Area communities we serve. In coordination with Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon, his extensive experience provides our team at A.C.T. valuable leadership as we begin a thorough search for our next Executive Director.”
 

David Schmitz

is an accomplished nonprofit leader who has proven success in strategic financial management, relationship-based fundraising, leading through an equity lens and advancing an organization's mission. He has had consistent achievements in fundraising, financial management, negotiation, strategic real estate management and development, identifying and motivating superior talent, relationship building, transferring theatrical productions to Broadway and beyond, and strategic management. David is passionate about organizational culture, excellence, strong financial management, innovation, and risk as methods to achieve artistic excellence and organizational sustainability.
 
Schmitz is the lead advisor for Amplify Leadership Advisors, a consulting firm focused on creating success stories for arts organizations by providing interim Executive/Managing Director services, management coaching/thought partnership, and project execution that strategically evolves arts organizations in changing times. David has led organizations through leadership transitions, including as an Interim leader and as a project-based consultant. His leadership transition clients have included Stages Theatre in Houston, People’s Light, Kansas City Repertory, Geva Theatre, and Lookingglass Theatre Company. Other clients have included Center Theatre Group, Living Arts Detroit, the Midwest Tennis Association, McCarter Theatre Center, National Housing Trust, Producers Association of Chicago Area Theatres, and TheatreSquared.
 
Before founding Amplify Leadership Advisors, David worked as the fourth Executive Director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), where he helped  usher the 86-year-old organization through the COVID pandemic and the Almeda wildfire. During his tenure he helped to found and run the national professional nonprofit theatre coalition, which collaborated across various industry verticals to secure $16 billion for the performing arts sector. Schmitz collaborated with organizational leadership to reimagine OSF’s season model, including revising the company’s dynamic pricing strategy, season structure, and donor model.
 
Before working at OSF, Schmitz spent 15 years at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, serving in various capacities, including Director of Finance and Administration, General Manager, Managing Director, and, for the last five years, as Executive Director. At Steppenwolf, Schmitz led a staff of 200 full and part-time folks and was responsible at the executive level for strategy and execution of all fundraising, marketing, and business-related activities. His work ensured the world-famous ensemble had the resources and institutional support to achieve its present and future creative ambitions. He has also served as the General Manager at Lookingglass Theatre Company, Associate Artistic Director of Stage Left Theatre and Business Manager at the entertainment agency Adair Performance. Schmitz has served on the board of The House Theatre of Chicago, Theatre Communications Group, Ashland and Lincoln Park Chambers of Commerce, Arts Alliance Illinois, the League of Chicago Theatres, and was a founding member of Enrich Chicago, a cohort of arts organizations working to end racism in Chicago arts.
 
He holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado, an MFA from the Theatre Conservatory at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University, a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Roosevelt University, and completed the Chicago Management Institute, an executive education program through the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

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