Silkroad, the music nonprofit founded by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, has appointed KATHY FLETCHER as executive director. The announcement comes as Silkroad—parent organization of the Silkroad Ensemble—enters its third decade of collaborative, international music-making. Fletcher was most recently director of Creative Leadership Initiatives at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and will continue as a senior advisor. Fletcher has experience in fundraising, communications, and management in private, non-profit, and government settings, with a personal focus on social justice. Fletcher co-founded Turnaround Arts under First Lady Michelle Obama; the program works to bring high-quality, integrated arts education to help address tough educational challenges. Fletcher expanded Turnaround Arts from a pilot project in eight schools to a program used at more than 80 schools. Under her leadership, Turnaround Arts transitioned from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to the Kennedy Center.
Posted November 5, 2019
