August 2023 | Columbus, OH

The Board of Directors of the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus is pleased to announce the selection of Katy Coy as its new CEO. A committed leader with deep experience in arts administration, Coy is perfectly positioned to champion Jazz Arts Group’s mission to advance and celebrate the art of jazz through performance and education.

“We are delighted to welcome Katy Coy as CEO of Jazz Arts Group,” said Gil Gradisar, Board of Directors Chair. “She is an innovative and proven leader whose depth of experience and vision will lead our organization into its next 50 years of the celebration of America’s original music.”

Coy joins Jazz Arts Group after serving as the Executive Director at Valley Symphony Orchestra in McAllen, Texas. During her five-year tenure, she oversaw a period of administrative growth and community expansion, driven by the Orchestra’s move to the McAllen Performing Arts Center, a state-of-the-art 1,775-seat performance hall that opened in 2018. In the immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Coy designed a televised and streamed concert series that mitigated the loss of charitable revenue and preserved playing opportunities for the Orchestra’s core musicians.

Prior to joining the Valley Symphony Orchestra, Coy served as Executive Director of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and worked in leadership and strategy roles at both the University of Chicago and the State of Ohio, eTech Ohio Commission, as well as The Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Coy is a graduate of Western Michigan University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, and of DePaul University, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Leadership.

Coy brings to the role nearly two decades of arts administration experience, a fluency in connecting institutions with new audiences to grow revenue and increase impact, and a deep appreciation for the uniquely American art form of jazz.

“Jazz Arts Group’s 50-year-strong commitment to artistic excellence and lifelong learning is an inspiration and I am grateful to be joining as the next 50 years commence,” commented Coy. “I am honored and excited to partner with Byron Stripling in his role as Artistic Director, to work with the outstanding JAG staff and board, and am eager for my family and I to return to Columbus, which is home.”

As the organization’s chief executive, Coy will oversee Jazz Arts Group’s operations and play a critical role in steering its strategic direction; she will be vital to fundraising, advocacy, community collaboration, educational and performance program management, and stakeholder relations. Under Coy’s guidance, the organization will grow to touch the lives of more students and delight audiences for decades to come.

Coy succeeds Press Southworth, who has served in the role since 2012. Southworth is looking ahead to his retirement and will remain an active supporter of Jazz Arts Group. Coy will assume the CEO role on September 11, 2023.