Kathleen Spehar

Kathleen oversees all COCA strategic and business initiatives, board development, operations, funding, and programming. She has served the arts in many leadership roles, including director, manager, educator and advocate, in organizations throughout the Midwest, Florida and Japan. Her experience includes the creation of strategic community partnerships, marketing, communications and sales campaigns, community engagement events, project grants and fund development initiatives, and business and administrative operations. She has presented and produced a variety of performances by national and local artists, and managed collaborative projects between the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Kathleen has served in advisory and board capacities for organizations including the New England Foundation for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Theatre Alliance, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and the Arts Leadership Certificate program, University of Minnesota. She has been a leadership fellow with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the Shannon Institute. Kathleen holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, and a master’s of liberal studies from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She’s a flautist, enjoys entertaining, and loves to garden and travel.