Kentucky Performing Arts Announces New Members To Its Board Of Directors And Foundation Board Of Directors

Kentucky Performing Arts announced a new appointment to its Board of Directors and several new appointments to its Foundation Board of Directors.

Governor Andy Beshear has appointed a new member to the KPA Board of Directors, Ryan Sadler. Sadler is CEO and Plan President of Passport by Molina Healthcare, managing Medicaid services for nearly 300,000 Kentuckians. Prior to Molina, he held positions at Centene Corporation (Corporate Vice President of Sales), CEO and Plan President of Nebraska Total Care, and others. Sadler began his career practicing law at Adams and Reese LLP, focusing on corporate defense litigation and contract lobbying. Sadler replaces Dr. Rahul Reddy.

Preston Copley is a seasoned Media Executive with over a decade of leadership in arts & entertainment organizations. Most recently, as Head of Performance at Audible (Amazon), he oversaw their pop-culture podcasting, music, sports, and live-stage ventures. With experience spanning Disney Theatrical Group, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and independent producing across film, TV, and theater, Preston is a versatile arts & entertainment operator at the intersection of commercial and not-for-profit arts institutions.

Dr. Douglas Craddock is the Vice President of Community Engagement at the University of Louisville (U of L), dedicated to strengthening the university's ties with the local community by cultivating partnerships and enhancing collaborative efforts with various organizations. He focuses on developing impactful programs and initiatives that address community needs while effectively leveraging the university's resources and expertise. Overseeing several key programs that reflect his commitment to fostering positive social change and improving community relations, Dr. Craddock aims to empower both the university and the community, creating a symbiotic relationship that benefits all stakeholders. Through his leadership, he inspires active engagement and promotes a culture of service within the university.

Jonathan Ojany is a dual US/Kenyan citizen who has worked around the world garnering multi-functional and multi-industry experience in strategic and operational initiatives resulting in sustainable, transformative growth. Ojany is currently Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy and Transformation for KFC-US. Prior to this position, he spent eight years at The Coca-Cola Company. In 2023, Jonathan became a Presidential Leadership Scholar, an initiative jointly run by George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson's presidential libraries.

Elizabeth Rounsavall is a real estate and venture capital investor with more than fifteen years of experience working with entrepreneurs and startups. Currently a partner at Rounsavall Investments and vice president at industrial real estate firm DRP Services, she spent 10 years at Chrysalis Ventures, then Kentucky's largest venture capital firm, and prior to that was a management consultant with Booz & Co (now part of PwC). Rounsavall is a former president of The Actors Theatre of Louisville board of trustees and has been involved in the Vogt Awards, Marker Faire, and other entrepreneur ecosystem endeavors. She currently serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Louisville and on the advisory board for Lexington-based Awesome Fund.

Claire Simms is currently Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Churchill Downs Incorporated. Simms began her career in various roles at Fund for the Arts and has since spent six years managing charitable giving for LG&E and KU.

Nadareca Thibeaux is the executive director of the Louisville Medical and Education District (LOUMED), with 30 years of leadership in large-scale hospital systems and healthcare initiatives. With expertise in operations, program management, and overseeing complex construction projects, she guides LOUMED's mission to elevate the city's leading healthcare and education corridor—and most concentrated economic engine—serving Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and beyond.

ABOUT KENTUCKY PERFORMING ARTS

Bringing world class performances to Kentucky, connecting artists with the community, and providing arts education opportunities, Kentucky Performing Arts lives its statewide mission of connecting and inspiring through the arts. Kentucky Performing Arts has a significant impact on the Commonwealth's tourism and local economy, contributing $26.3 million in an average year, including $15.8 million in direct economic impact with our patrons spending an additional $10.5 million annually.  As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet, Kentucky Performing Arts, along with the other agencies, seeks to preserve and promote the history, heritage, and arts of the Commonwealth.

Three locations in Louisville make up the family of venues under the Kentucky Performing Arts umbrella:

• The Kentucky Center at 501 W. Main St.
• The Brown Theatre, 315 W. Broadway
• Old Forester's Paristown Hall, 724 Brent St.

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