Lewis S. Ranieri, Chairman of American Ballet Theatre’s Board of Trustees, announced the appointment of Rachel S. Moore to the position of Executive Director, effective mid-April. Moore, a former dancer with American Ballet Theatre, had served as Director of the Center for Dance Education at Boston Ballet since 2001.

As Executive Director of American Ballet Theatre, Moore will direct the overall administration of the Company and will collaborate with Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie on long-term planning, building upon ABT’s status as a leading force in classical ballet to enhance its current programs and fully develop the Company’s future potential.

“We are happy to have Rachel join our senior leadership team at ABT,” said Lewis S. Ranieri. “She has a firm grasp on the practical realities facing the arts world, substantial administrative experience and an understanding of the business plan needed to carry this organization forward.”

Kevin McKenzie added, “It’s terrific to have one of my former colleagues join me in leading this great organization. In many respects, I feel her appointment mirrors my own more than a decade ago in that it’s a real homecoming. I am confident that she will bring to the job both the skills and the passion for the art that is so important. Rachel’s proven leadership experience combined with her love of the art of ballet is a great formula for success.”

Commenting on her new appointment, Moore said: “I am delighted to be able to return to ABT. Both on stage and off, the Company has accomplished much in recent years to support its unique artistic vision. Our common task is to build upon ABT’s great strength as one of the world’s preeminent dance companies and to realize a truly extraordinary future. I am very excited to join in this ongoing effort. ABT is a unique and wonderful place and the opportunity to work with Kevin, the board, staff and dancers to realize this vision of excellence is thrilling.”

A former member of ABT’s corps de ballet from 1984-1988, Moore most recently served as Director of Boston Ballet’s Center for Dance Education (2001-04), a
$4.5 million organization with 75 full and part-time employees. Moore was also a member of the senior management of Boston Ballet and, for six months, served as interim co-leader of Boston Ballet along with its director of artistic operations. During this time, she participated in contract negotiations with the dancers’ union and worked to deliver a balanced budget for fiscal year 2002. As Director of the Center for Dance Education, Moore was instrumental in bringing about new management systems, revenue generating programs and crucial organizational changes.

Prior to Boston Ballet, Moore served as Executive Director of Project STEP (1998-2001), a classical music school for minority students in Boston. Since 1994, Moore has held senior positions at leading dance and arts organizations including Managing Director of Ballet Theatre of Boston (1998), Director and Coordinator of the Center for Community Development and the Arts at Americans for the Arts (1995-97) and Development Officer for the National Cultural Alliance (1994-95), both in Washington, DC. In addition, she served as adjunct faculty in the dance department at Emerson College and in the Graduate Program in Arts Administration at Boston University.

Moore holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University, Phi Beta Kappa, Honors (1992) and pursued post-graduate studies in Arts Administration at Columbia University (MA, 1994). In 2002, she was a Fellow at the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders in Arts at Stanford University’s Business School.

A native of Davis, California, Moore was named a White House Presidential Scholar in 1982. She has served on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts, was an advisor to the Diversity Committee at Boston Symphony Orchestra and continues to serve on the Board of Project STEP. During her performing career with ABT, she served as a member of the dancer’s union committee and chair of the Dancers’ Emergency Fund.

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