Orlando Museum of Art Board of Trustees appoints Cathryn Mattson as Interim Executive Director and CEO

ORLANDO, Fla., April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce Cathryn Mattson as the Interim Executive Director and CEO of the Orlando Museum of Art, effective May 1, 2023. Mattson was chosen, by unanimous vote of the Trustees, after a substantive search and vetting process; she will be responsible for the overall leadership of the Museum. 

"We are delighted to appoint Cathryn as the Interim CEO of the Orlando Museum of Art," says Mark Elliott, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. "Cathryn's deep history as a senior executive and commitment to the arts make her our clear choice to lead the Museum. We look forward to supporting her as she builds collaboration, sharpens our strategic focus, and works with the trustees and the community to ensure a sustainable economic future for the Museum."

Mattson comes to the Orlando Museum of Art as a seasoned executive who has worked domestically and globally across various industries and sectors. She has held executive leadership positions at Bestfoods and Unilever in strategy, government relations and business management. Additionally, she has served as Chief Operating Officer for leading nonprofits, including the Bridgespan Group and Women's World Banking.

Through her executive coaching and consulting practice, Mattson Coaching, she has worked with professionals and teams for the last decade to help them fully develop their leadership potential, strengthen their communication and interpersonal skills and lead more balanced, satisfying lives.

Before founding her own business, Mattson was a Partner and Chief Administrative Officer for the Bridgespan Group, a leading social impact consultant and advisor to nonprofits, NGOs, philanthropists, and investors.

"The Orlando Museum of Art provides inspiration to all who visit," says Mattson. "I am honored to accept this position and look forward to working with the staff and board to continue building on the strong legacy of the Museum. A major art museum is essential to a vibrant city, as it is a place where the community can come together, grow, create, and share experiences that inspire and bring joy. I am delighted to be able to serve this wonderful institution."

Mattson holds an MBA in marketing and strategy from the Columbia Business School and a BA with honors in English and Spanish from Tufts University. She is a certified coach and has completed leadership programs at the Aspen Institute and The Center for Creative Leadership.

Cathryn Mattson Biography 

Cathryn Mattson is a seasoned executive who has worked domestically and globally across various industries and sectors. She has held senior leadership positions in Fortune 100 companies and leading nonprofits throughout her career.

In 2013, she launched Mattson Coaching, an executive coaching and consulting practice. Through this practice, Cathryn has guided clients in developing their full leadership potential, strengthening their communication and interpersonal skills, and leading more balanced, satisfying lives.

Before founding her own business, Cathryn was a Partner and Chief Administrative Officer for the Bridgespan Group, a leading social impact consultant and advisor to nonprofits, NGOs, philanthropists, and investors. She led all operating functions of the firm and critical strategic initiatives, including re-branding and improvements to financial systems/reporting and human resources processes. In addition, Cathryn spent twenty years with Bestfoods and Unilever Bestfoods after their merger. She was Senior Director of Strategy and Business Intelligence, Corporate Director of Government Relations, and Corporate Director of the Values and Policies Office.

She has also served as Chief Operating Officer for Tiger21, a premier learning group for high-net-worth investors, and Women's World Banking, a global network of microfinance institutions dedicated to providing financial services to low-income women for entrepreneurial activity. She emphasized collaboration, sharpening strategic focus, and ensuring a sustainable economic infrastructure in both organizations.

She began her career in education and the arts as a Program Director for the South Carolina Arts Commission. Then, she relocated to New York City to become the Artistic Director for NY Young Audiences, which provided concerts and artist residencies for the NYC public schools. She later became the Executive Director of the Theater at St. Peter's, an off-Broadway Theater.

With her deep love for and commitment to the arts, Cathryn has championed programs that promote equal access to arts experiences in diverse urban and rural communities. She has served on the boards of various arts organizations, most recently the Board of Overseers of the Boston Ballet, where she was a member of the Education/Community Outreach and Finance committees. 

Throughout her career, Cathryn has focused on building strong, high-performing teams and driving for strategic outcomes while fostering a positive, collaborative work environment. In each role, she committed to nurturing the professional development of others, which she believes is vital to optimizing organizational performance.

Cathryn's educational background includes an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the Columbia Business School, an MAT in English from Converse College, and a BA magna cum laude in English/Spanish from Tufts University. Additionally, she has completed leadership programs at the Aspen Institute and the Center for Creative Leadership and received her coaching certification from the Newfield Network.

Cathryn enjoys attending visual and performing arts events in her leisure time as well as pursuing her own music as a singer and pianist. 

About the Orlando Museum of Art

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) is a regional asset, a member organization of the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), Blue Star Museum, and a catalyst for life-long learning in service to the central Florida community and visitors from around the globe.

The Orlando Museum of Art's mission is to inspire creativity, passion, and intellectual curiosity by connecting people with art and new ideas. Our vision is to be a creative change agent for education and the center for artistic engagement, as well as a place for civic, cultural, and economic development. For more information, please visit www.omart.org.

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SOURCE Orlando Museum of Art