Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Names Anne Abrams Director of Marketing and Patron Services

Following an extensive nationwide search, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts (LBC) announced that Bay Area marketing consultant Anne Abrams will join the organization as Director of Marketing and Patron Services effective August 31, 2017.

"We are delighted to have Anne join the staff at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts," said LBC President and CEO Rick Nowlin with this announcement. "It was exciting for us to realize, as we met with many competent candidates from across the country, that actually the best and most qualified one for LBC was right here in Sonoma County. We knew and respected Anne from her previous work as a member of our public relations consulting group and reached out to see if she would consider becoming more deeply engaged with the Center. With extensive experience in major markets across the country and in all aspects of marketing, public relations, publicity and patron services, we knew she would be a complement to the organization and bring a fresh perspective to LBC. An added benefit is that, as a Sonoma County resident, Anne has a connection to and personal understanding of this market. All of us at the Center are excited and look forward to working with her."

Ms. Abrams added, "I am thrilled at this opportunity to become part of the team at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. During the time I previously worked with the organization, I was proud to be the media representative and share the many stories of the Center's commitment to its role as an integral part of the community it serves. As Director of Marketing and Patron Services, I will now have the chance to connect even more deeply with the community and participate in the programs and events that define the Center's mission to enrich, educate and entertain. I look forward to working with their dynamic staff, Board and volunteers."

Ms. Abrams is a seasoned marketing consultant who has most recently served year-round on-going clients throughout the Bay Area including San Francisco's Stern Grove Festival, Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen, Sonoma's Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Transcendence Theatre Company's "Broadway Under the Stars" in wine country, Sonoma County Tourism, among others. She was previously media representative for "Uncharted: The Berkeley Festival of Ideas," worked with renowned Wine Country restaurateur Sondra Bernstein, and was a public relations consultant with Charles Zukow Associates, to Luther Burbank Center for the Arts.

Previous to her consultancy work, Ms. Abrams' professional experience ranged from her tenure in the Bay Area as Vice President of Communications for SHN Theatres and the Broadway series in San Francisco, to New York City agency work publicizing and marketing numerous Broadway premieres and across North America representing national touring shows. Before being recruited by SHN Theatres, she was the Director of Marketing and Communications for Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, was a principal partner in The Avila Company, a marketing/management firm with offices in Los Angeles and Seattle specializing in lifestyle, arts and entertainment projects. Ms. Abrams served as the West Coast public relations representative for The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, produced and promoted festivals for the Cultural Arts Department of the City of Los Angeles, and managed sales and marketing development for BowWow Meow and Treatoria Food Company in Seattle. Ms. Abrams currently serves on the Advisory Board for San Francisco Arts Education project.

The Director of Marketing and Patron Services at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts serves as a direct connection between the Center and the public. It is a vital part of the strong leadership team working with a dedicated Board of Directors, volunteers and other staff at LBC to fulfill the vision of LBC as the community's premier arts center that makes the northern California region vibrant through live performance and visual arts, and serves as a central gathering place.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts is home to world-class performances, nationally recognized education programs, contemporary visual art, and many popular events. The Arts Center is located in the heart of the Sonoma wine country and ranked among California's top performing arts presenters. Together with its resident companies, the Center presents more than 100 performances in music, dance, theater, renowned speakers, and comedy; provides education programs serving 37,000 children and adults; and hosts more than 1,000 community events a year. Owned and operated by the Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, the Center relies on charitable community donations to achieve its mission-to enrich, educate, and entertain.

Photo by Ray Mabry

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