Orlando Ballet Announces Cheryl Collins as New Executive Director

Orlando Ballet has announced Cheryl Collins as the company's new Executive Director.

Jonathan Ledden, Orlando Ballet Board President, provided the following statement:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Orlando Ballet, I am pleased to announce that Cheryl Collins will be Orlando Ballet's Executive Director effective immediately. Cheryl was appointed by unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee and vote of the Board.

Cheryl was selected from a competitive pool of eight candidates identified by Management Consultants for the Arts, a national recruiting firm in the performing arts and which conducted a detailed national search for candidates from ballet, performing arts centers, theaters and symphonies. Cheryl's strong sense of integrity and solid judgment, success in building our donor base over the last four years, along with her strong leadership during the interim period solidified our decision.

Cheryl joined Orlando Ballet in December 2016 as Director of Development after over 15 years with Orlando Health Foundation. She was instrumental in Orlando Ballet's resurgence, growing Contributed Income 117 percent since 2016 and concurrently raising $13.5 million to build Harriett's Orlando Ballet Centre. Cheryl effectively built a professional fund-raising effort in an organization that historically struggled with inconsistent leadership and a limited number of donors. Cheryl worked hand-in-hand with board leadership to cultivate and recruit a new Board that is now 19 strong.

Reflecting her passion for the community, Cheryl has worked tirelessly to expand funding for the STEPS program which brings dance to disadvantaged schools and Boys & Girls Clubs. Under Charmaine Hunter's leadership, this program has grown from serving seven locations in 2018 to 44 in 2020 with 718 graduates from a 10-week dance program.

As Search Chair, I would like to thank the Committee for its hard work in selecting the right candidate to lead Orlando Ballet: Board members Skip Kirst, Jennifer Socarras, Tim Kashani, along with Robert Hill, Phillip Broomhead and Katherine Fabian from the OB Staff.