Kathleen Felder

Kathleen Felder joined the Wexner Center for the Arts in 2023 as a producer in the performing arts department and currently serves as its co-interim head. In addition to producing music, theater, dance, and multidisciplinary programs, she works with the performing arts team to curate thought-provoking and culturally relevant events with a particular focus on music within the jazz spectrum. As a member of the Wexner Center’s executive management team, she is part of a cross-departmental group of senior leadership that advises the executive director on strategic planning and implementing center goals.

Felder has built a career in the nonprofit performing arts world as a producer, tour manager, educator, and arts administrator for over a decade. She spent many years managing touring operations for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, all the while gaining insight into working with hundreds of venues including the Sydney Opera House, the Barbican Centre, and the Hollywood Bowl.

During the pandemic Felder produced independently, focusing on large-scale projects including Etienne Charles’s multimedia commission San Juan Hill: A New York Story. She also held an interim position at University of Iowa’s Hancher Auditorium, where she led their programming and public engagement team, managed special projects, and worked to increase programming focused on inviting in new and diverse audiences.

Felder holds both a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music from Michigan State University, where she focused on double bass performance and jazz studies. During her time as a Spartan, she had the honor of studying under world renowned bassist and educator Rodney Whitaker.