Rachel Watts Steps Down as Executive Director After 22 Years of Service 

Board Appoints Dionne Thornton and Keith Kaminski as Interim Co-Executive Directors During Organization’s Search for Next Mission Champion 

NEW YORK, NY – August 25, 2026 – ArtsConnection today announced that Executive Director Rachel Watts will conclude her tenure with the organization this September after 22 years of service spanning 1998-2026, including the past six years as Executive Director. Watts will be the next Executive Director of DreamYard, the Bronx-based arts and social justice organization. 

Since joining ArtsConnection in 1998 as a Program Manager, Watts helped shape the organization’s growth and impact. She contributed to the decades of federally funded research at the core of ArtsConnection’s current liberated learning framework, expanded opportunities for young people through robust teen programs focused on exposure to creative career pathways, and evolved its mission to center high-quality, research-back learning experiences. As Executive Director, she strengthened ArtsConnection’s infrastructure, advanced systems to support program quality and evaluation, and increased financial resilience during a period of unprecedented challenges for the nonprofit sector.

ArtsConnection’s programs, partnerships, and strategic initiatives will continue uninterrupted following the Board’s appointment of Keith Kaminski, Deputy Director of Strategic Operations, and Dionne Thornton, Director of Development & Communications, as Interim Co-Executive Directors, effective Monday, August 3, 2026. Dionne, who joined the organization in 2020, and Keith, who joined in 2022, both have over 20 years of nonprofit experience across New York City’s arts, culture, and education sectors.

“Rachel’s service to ArtsConnection over the years has left an indelible mark on our organization and community. The Board and staff are deeply grateful for her vision, dedication, and commitment to arts education,” said Board Chair Debra Kleeman. “As both her exciting new chapter and our search begins, the Board is confident that Keith and Dionne will guide ArtsConnection successfully through this transition. Together they will ensure continuity while advancing the mission and values that have defined ArtsConnection for nearly five decades.”

The Board has formed an Executive Search Committee that is committed to a thoughtful search process which will build on ArtsConnection’s strong foundation and position it for continued impact in the years ahead.

“ArtsConnection has been, and will be, in my bones,” said Watts. “I am grateful to have worked with such an amazing group of individuals who have inspired me and challenged me to learn and grow. I will forever be an advocate for and supporter of all things ArtsConnection. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

Inquiries can be sent to .

About ArtsConnection 

CELEBRATING 47 YEARS OF LINKING LEARNING AND THE ARTS—ArtsConnection’s mission is to address the educational challenges of our times and create socially just learning environments that strengthen the diverse voices of NYC’s children and youth, cultivating their artistic and academic skills for success in a changing world. www.artsconnection.org 

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