Americans for the Arts Unveils Interim Leadership

Beginning June 1, Suzy Delvalle and Jamie Bennett will serve as Interim Co-CEOs of ​Americans for the Arts while a national search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is underway. Both Ms. Delvalle and Mr. Bennett have extensive experience and proven track records of leadership in the arts & culture fields. They will report to the Americans for the Arts Board of Directors led by Chairman Edgar Smith, after a planned transition from current CEO Nolen Bivens at the end of May.

The CEO Selection Committee, led by AFTA board members Kristina Newman-Scott and Theo Edmonds, is a diverse group of nationally recognized leaders in the arts & culture sector. Koya Leadership Partners, based in Chicago, Illinois, has been engaged to conduct the nationwide search, which is projected to last between six to nine months, during which Ms. Delvalle and Mr. Bennett will not be put forth as candidates for the permanent role.

The Board of Directors expressed to Koya Leadership partners its desire that the new CEO of Americans for the Arts lead the organization in the service to the arts & cultural communities as guided by the recent Strategic Realignment Process (SRP) conducted in partnership with the field. Equitable advocacy, thought leadership, cutting edge research, communications, and convenings were the key outcomes of the SRP, and are the foundation on which AFTA expects its next leader to build upon and work towards during their tenure.

ABOUT SUZY DELVALLE

Suzy is a seasoned advisor who has leveraged her expertise to drive strategic growth and stability in arts organizations, most recently through interim leadership roles at A Blade of Grass, Artadia, Socrates Sculpture Park, and United States Artists. With a proven track record of success, she previously led Creative Capital and was one of the architects of Artists Relief, a $25 million initiative that provided emergency support to artists during the COVID-19 pandemic.  She was the founding executive director of The Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling following tenures at El Museo del Barrio and American Composers Orchestra.

ABOUT Jamie Bennett

Jamie has been providing strategic advice through a partnership with Lord Cultural Resources to clients that include the American Museum of Natural History, the Barr Foundation, the BIG We Foundation, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the MacArthur Foundation, PolicyLink, Starfish Accelerator, and Walk With Amal.  Previously he ran ArtPlace America and worked at the National Endowment for the Arts as a political appointee in President Obama's administration and at the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs during Mayor Bloomberg's administration.