Hudson Valley Shakespeare Appoints Martha Pearson as Director of Development and Kirsty Gaukel as Director of Marketing and Communications
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is pleased to announce that Martha Pearson has been appointed Director of Development and Kirsty Gaukel has been appointed Director of Marketing and Communications by Hudson Valley Shakespeare (Davis McCallum, Artistic Director; Kendra Ekelund, Managing Director) in Garrison, New York following our extensive searches led by Brenna Thomas.
As shared in a release from the company, "I am absolutely delighted to join the HVS team," said Martha Pearson. "Davis and Kendra’s shared commitment to our thriving cultural community here in Phillipstown and the Hudson Valley resonates deeply with me both as an audience member and a local resident. I have always believed in the power of live performance, and I am eager to contribute to the creative work and capital investments that the team, board, and generous supporters are making possible.”
“Martha’s passion for advocating for the arts and deepening community engagement, plus her dedication to sustainability in all fundraising efforts are perfect compliments to HVS,” said Artistic Director Davis McCallum in the company’s statement. “Martha’s knowledge of our community, combined with her vast experience in the non-profit theater world, will be instrumental as we move forward with our recently launched public phase of our capital campaign. I am thrilled to have her join our team at this moment, as we ramp up to the opening of the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in 2026.”
Kirsty Gaukel stated as part of the release: "Hudson Valley Shakespeare is a cultural gem in the Hudson Valley and I could not be more elated to join the team at such an exciting moment in the company's growth. Davis and Kendra have put forth an ambitious and inspiring vision and I am energized to engage audiences in this spectacular new venture."
“Kirsty will be a wonderful addition to Hudson Valley Shakespeare and I am looking forward to working alongside her to help bring our new home to life, and to share that with both returning and new audiences,” said Managing Director Kendra Ekelund in the company’s statement. “Kirsty brings an impressive range of experience in arts marketing, communications, and press relations, and I am excited for her to lead us in telling the story of our transition from a seasonal festival to a cultural anchor and arts destination, both regionally and nationally.”
TOCG Search Consultant Brenna Thomas added “It was an honor to work with Hudson Valley Shakespeare at this momentous time in the organization’s history and to help them identify what would be most crucial for these important roles. I couldn’t be more excited for both Martha and Kirsty to be a part of this transformational period. They have both benefited from years of experience in the performing arts, in both the Hudson Valley region and around the country, and they will bring enthusiasm and a collaborative spirit to this team.”
About Hudson Valley Shakespeare
Located eighty minutes north of Manhattan, Hudson Valley Shakespeare (HVS) is a professional non-profit theater company that presents a rotating repertory season of both Shakespeare and more contemporary plays and musicals in an open-air theater overlooking the Hudson River. Founded in 1987, HVS’s critically acclaimed body of work is forged from the most essential of elements – actors, audience, language, and landscape. The company’s spectacular 98-acre campus serves as a vibrant hub for the local community, a cultural and educational anchor for the region, and a national model for environmental sustainability in the performing arts. It encompasses publicly accessible spaces where visitors can picnic and walk, rehearsal studios and production shops where artists carry out creative work, and also houses a successful for-profit restaurant and event space, called The Garrison, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the non-profit theater company. After 38 years of performing in a seasonal tent, in the summer of 2026, HVS will welcome audiences to its first-ever permanent home – the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center, designed by the celebrated architecture firm Studio Gang. Protected from the elements but open to the landscape, the Scripps Theater Center will be the first purpose-built LEED Platinum theater in the United States.
About Tom O’Connor Consulting Group
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is a NYC-based consultancy that supports arts institutions and leaders with two integrated services: organizational strategy and executive search. Consulting specialties include marketing, strategy, assessment, and organizational development. Founded in 2015, TOCG is a fully remote company with team members spanning the country and the globe.
Select clients have included Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Carnegie Hall, Cincinnati Opera, Huntington Theatre Company, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, Next Chapter Podcasts, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, SPACE on Ryder Farm, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and more.
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