Sandra E. Davis Named Director of Development At The Public

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that Sandra E. Davis has been named Director of Development. Davis is currently the Director of Leadership Gifts and Special Campaigns at the Metropolitan Opera and was previously the Director of Development at Seattle Opera. She will assume her new position at The Public, beginning October 12.

Among her many responsibilities as Director of Development, Davis will spear-head The Public's current Capital Campaign, launched last March, to renovate and revitalize the historic Astor Place building. The renovation plans include an expanded and refurbished lobby; an exterior entrance staircase with two ADA-accessible ramps and a glass covered canopy; a complete restoration of the theater's historic brownstone façade; a complete upgrade of the theater's heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; an increase in restroom facilities by 350%; an expanded and centrally located box office; a new mezzanine level including a community room/lounge with a capacity for 150 people; improved and expanded concessions service; the incorporation of energy-efficient technology; and improved street visibility including six new poster boxes and exterior lighting.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sandra to The Public family. She immediately struck us as an extremely intelligent, hard-working, passionate ambassador for the performing arts," said Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson. "She brings decades of development experience to an institution that has shown tremendous growth over the past five years. We look forward to working with Sandra as The Public realizes the dreams and ambitions that Joe Papp created for this New York City institution."

"I am thrilled to join a company that has given so much to the people of New York and has made so many important contributions to the history of American theater," said Sandra E. Davis. "Oskar Eustis and Andy Hamingson have exciting plans to expand upon the theater's mission in the coming years, and I look forward to helping them realize their vision."

SANDRA E. Davis has 20 years of non-profit fundraising experience. The last 15 years of her career were spent with three leading non-profit performing arts organizations: the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera and the New York Philharmonic. Most recently she held the position of Director of Leadership Gifts and Special Campaigns at the Metropolitan Opera, where her responsibilities included managing the 125th Anniversary Fund, which raised $170 million in celebration of the company's 125th Anniversary. Prior to that, she served as Director of Development at Seattle Opera where she oversaw all fundraising activities and achieved significant growth in individual, institutional and special events fundraising. During her tenure at Seattle Opera she directed the launch of a major comprehensive campaign. Two of the largest gifts in Seattle Opera's history were in response to the campaign.

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