Profile Theatre Names Suzanne Raether as New Managing Director

Profile Theatre has announced new Managing Director Suzanne Raether - a position made possible through a three-year, $263,000 capacity-building grant from the Murdock Trust.

“The stories that Profile features are a beacon of light” says Raether. “Its mission to broaden our perspective on the world and deepen our collective compassion through storytelling is so incredibly powerful. I am thrilled to steward this mission alongside Artistic Director Josh Hecht, and to work towards deepening Profile’s core values of vulnerability, curiosity, courage, and imagination. These are values that I know can lead us into a more kind and loving world.”

Raether comes to Profile Theatre with nearly 15 years of experience in stewarding non-profit organizations towards sustainable futures, having raised over $16 million across 26 organizations since 2011. Originally from Louisiana, Suzanne led the New Orleans based organization The Roots of Music as Executive Director, and worked to expand music education programming across the city. “I know first hand how effective the arts are in weaving communities together,” says Raether, “I saw it for myself in New Orleans’ continued post-Katrina rebuilding. Portland of 2025 has its own unique challenges, but Profile has the same opportunity to harness the power of theatre to bring people back together and foster a sense of belonging.”

Suzanne Raether steps into their role in the midst of the 2025-2026 Season, and off the heels of Profile’s massively successful run of Witch by Jen Silverman, directed by Artistic Director Josh Hecht. “Like many organizations, the pandemic and the years immediately following have been among the most precarious in our theatre (and the sector's) history” says Hecht. “In 2025, we've finally begun to see audiences return to pre-pandemic levels (Witch was 95% sold out!). Now with Suzanne’s experience and leadership by our side, the future is bright indeed for Profile and I feel more hopeful than I’ve felt in years.”

“I think we all need that hope and inspiration right now” Raether continues. “That’s why it’s especially exciting to produce works by Jen Silverman and Mike Lew this season – their voices are the type of medicine our hearts crave.”

In its 28th season, Profile Theatre is one of the longest-running professional theatres in Portland, Oregon, and one of the only playwright-focused theatre companies in the country. Each two-year cycle features two contemporary playwrights, each of whom receive three productions - an older play, a more recent play, and a world premiere or commission. “We are here to warm your heart, pique your curiosity, and lead you to not just envision a new world, but have the community, determination, and inspiration to create it,” Raether says, “we can heal what hurts your heart and give you the space to believe your dreams matter. Come play with us, you’ll feel better.”