It is with great pleasure that the Canadian Dance Assembly (CDA) announces Kate Cornell as its new Executive Director.
 
“The CDA is thrilled to welcome Kate Cornell. As an arts manager and dance advocate, she brings to the role a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and dedication. Kate’s background in policy research and advocacy will serve Canada’s dance community well”, says Board President Jeff Herd.

Kate Cornell is a dance education specialist and directs the scholarly organization the Canadian Society for Dance Studies. Over the past twenty years, she has managed projects for numerous arts organizations including: Dance Ontario, the CanAsian International Dance Festival, the CanDance Network, Toronto Dance Theatre, and the National Ballet of Canada. In 2008, Kate earned a PhD in Communications and Culture with a focus on federal cultural policy for dance.  Her research has been published widely in journals, magazines, anthologies, newspapers, and online.

In recent years, Kate has actively advocated for dance as part of the CDA’s Strategic Advocacy Committee and as a member of several Boards of Directors including the Professional Arts Organizations Network for Education (PAONE) and the international Society for Dance History Scholars (SDHS). Kate Cornell comes to the CDA from DanceWorks, Toronto’s oldest contemporary dance presenter.

Kate takes over the organization from Interim Executive Director, Aviva Fleising. The National Council wants to sincerely thank Aviva for all her hard work during this transition.
 
Please join Kate and the rest of the staff at the CDA’s national conference in Vancouver, November 19th-20th.  She can be contacted at the main office: (416) 515-8444 or [email protected]