Miami City Ballet Appoints Scott Altman as Executive Director
Seasoned Arts Leader Brings National Perspective, Strategic Vision, and Record of Growth to the Company
Miami City Ballet (MCB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Altman as its new Executive Director, reporting to the organization’s Board of Trustees. Altman will assume the role this summer, joining Artistic Director Gonzalo Garcia at a defining moment for the company. He brings more than 25 years of executive leadership across the nonprofit arts sector, with a distinguished record of advancing institutional growth, strengthening financial sustainability, and expanding audience engagement. MCB partnered with DHR Global and Philip DeBoer on this national search.
In his role, Altman will work in close partnership with Garcia, the Board, and staff to advance the MCB’s strategic priorities, including deepening community impact, expanding audiences across South Florida and beyond, and supporting a bold artistic vision that reflects Miami’s dynamic cultural landscape.
“I am honored to join Miami City Ballet at such an exciting and pivotal moment,” said Altman. “The company’s extraordinary artistic excellence, combined with its deep connection to the community, creates a powerful foundation for growth. I look forward to working alongside Gonzalo, the Board, and the entire team to build on this momentum, broaden our reach, and ensure a vibrant and sustainable future.”
“Scott’s appointment marks an important step forward for Miami City Ballet,” said Board Chair Jeff Davis. “He brings a rare combination of financial acumen, artistic understanding, and community-minded leadership. His track record of building organizations, launching transformative initiatives, and strengthening long-term sustainability positions him to guide the company into its next chapter with confidence and ambition.”
About Scott Altman
Scott Altman is the newly appointed Executive Director of Miami City Ballet. He has over 25 years of executive nonprofit arts management experience with a proven record of delivering outstanding results in strategic planning, entrepreneurial scaling, and team building. Through successful capital campaigns, operational fundraising, brand elevation, and marketing, he has significantly increased impactful programming, expanded audiences, launched community engagement initiatives, and strengthened cultural institutions around the country.
Prior to joining Miami City Ballet, Scott was President & CEO of Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC). During his tenure, LAMC expanded its international profile by touring to Paris, Brussels, and Taipei, as well as securing representation with Opus 3 Artists. The ensemble reached new artistic milestones, including its debut performances at the 97th and 98th Academy Awards, and winning three Grammy Awards for Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución diamantina (2025) and two additional Grammy Awards for Ortiz’s Yanga (2026), including Best Choral Performance. Both projects were collaborations with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel. Scott deepened engagement across Los Angeles’ dynamic and diverse communities, introducing a new series of concerts and partnerships with local venues that brought choral music into neighborhoods across the city. He championed an expanded LAMC education footprint with the launch of Youth Chorus LA, an inclusive choral initiative for students in grades 3–7. He also launched an endowment campaign to build a strong foundation for the future and oversaw the organization’s first major office renovation. In January 2025, the Master Chorale’s Lift Every Voice concert marked the first major performance to welcome and honor first responders in the wake of the devastating wildfires.
Prior to joining LAMC, Scott was President & CEO of Cincinnati Ballet. Under his visionary leadership, Cincinnati Ballet more than tripled its assets to over $75M, experienced 67% operational growth, achieved record-breaking ticket sales, launched a new Family Series, and increased Academy and community programs. Accommodating for expansion, Cincinnati Ballet completed a $31M capital campaign resulting in a new state-of-the-art ballet center, the 62,000 sq. ft. Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance, which had its grand opening in September 2021. Scott has been honored for four consecutive years, 2019–2023, by Cincinnati Magazine in its Cincinnati 300—a compilation of the city’s top 300 executives—and has served as a Trustee on the Board of Dance/USA and as Executive Managers Council Chair; a Trustee on the Board of Creative Ohio; and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.
Scott has been a featured guest speaker for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Americans for the Arts, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. He brings over three decades of experience in nonprofit administration and the performing arts. Prior to his roles in administration, Scott enjoyed a 20-year career as a professional opera singer and performed 40 opera roles internationally. He has held leadership positions as General Director at both Arizona Opera and Opera New Jersey, which he co-founded, as well as Executive Director of Ballet West. He is an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music as well as the State University of New York at Purchase and taught voice for three years at Princeton University. Scott earned a certificate from Stanford University’s Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders, was a Utah Business 2016 CEO of the Year Honoree, and is a three-time recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Citation of Excellence Award.
About Miami City Ballet
Miami City Ballet is one of America’s premier ballet companies, recognized nationally and internationally for its artistic excellence, vibrant style, and innovative spirit. Founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin, the company has earned its place as a leader in the field, nurturing new choreographic voices, forging bold collaborations, and championing greater inclusivity in classical ballet. Its artistic leadership has included Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella (1985–2012), Lourdes Lopez (2012–2025), and current Artistic Director Gonzalo Garcia. Rooted in the legacy of George Balanchine while embracing a wide-ranging repertory of more than 100 works, Miami City Ballet performs for nearly 125,000 audience members annually across South Florida and on tour. The Miami City Ballet School annually serves over 1500 students from around the world,
and the company’s community engagement programs reach approximately 20,000 people each year, using the power of dance to inspire, educate, and connect. Miami City Ballet is based in Miami Beach at the Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca Center, designed by the internationally acclaimed architectural firm Arquitectonica.