Kentucky Performing Arts Reveals New Board Appointment

Kentucky Performing Arts has announced an addition to its Board of Directors. Sean Higgins brings to the table 30 years experience as an entrepreneur and technology executive with an expertise in branding, marketing, and sales. His background in leadership, in whichhe fostered positive attitudes and enthusiasm, has enabled him to build teams, forge partnerships and increase shareholder value. He was appointed byGovernor Andy Beshear to replace outgoing board member Laura Barnum.

His accomplishments include:

- Founded and brought to market Mint Julep Experiences servicing Louisville, Kentucky and Nashville, TN providing leisure travelers curatedadventures including the Ky. Bourbon Trail, private horse farms and Louisville/Nashville experiential tours

- Created strategic partnerships for startup with 4G industry leaders Verizon, Ericsson and Clearwire Communications

- Grew three diverse startup companies with successful exits in the areas of technology, tourism and commodity imports

In his role in developing the Kentucky market for Cisco Systems he balanced responsibilities for global sales and marketing in the enterprise space. His clientsincluded UPS, GE, Humana and YUM! His role involved Sales/Marketing divisional growth, executive leadership alignment, technology best practices and implementing global business solutions.

He’s served on the Trinity Foundation Board, Pediatric Neurology Foundation, Visually Impaired Preschool, Special Olympics, founded the Youth BBQ for the homeless, The Hildegard House and was the 2008 Bell Award winner. Both his philanthropic and professional experience have primed him to improve transfer pathways, increase gateway course success and support students’ basic needs.

Higgins is well-suited to close educational attainment gaps among low-income,

first-generation, adult learners and students of Color because of his business acumen and history of serving on benevolent boards.

Governor Beshear also reappointed Stephen Owen, Louisville, and William Henry Jones, Prospect, to the KPA Board of Directors.

Additional KPA board members are:

Gregory Joe Bubalo, Louisville – Chair

Robert M. Klein, Louisville – Vice Chair

Mary R. Nixon, Louisville – Secretary

Philip John Lynch, Louisville – Treasurer

JP Davis, Louisville

Hannah Louise Drake, Louisville

Dr. Maryanne Honeycutt Elliott, Louisville

Paula Harshaw, Louisville

Kate Shapira Latts, Prospect

Joseph David Leavell, Louisville

Patricia Ann Mathison, Louisville

James Kennedy Murphy, Louisville

Dr. Rahul Reddy, Louisville

Lindy Street, Louisville

Rev. Dr. Valerie Janet Washington, Louisville

Sarah Yarmuth, Louisville

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