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Kim Kern, Managing Director and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Kim Kern selected to join TYA/USA’s Board of Directors 

(Cincinnati) The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is pleased to announce that Kim Kern, TCT’s Managing Director and CEO, has been elected to the National Board of Directors of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (TYA/USA), a membership organization that serves and represents the national field of theatre for young audiences.

The TYA/USA board is comprised of highly skilled leaders, administrators, artists, and educators from across the country dedicated to advancing professional TYA theatre. The TYA/USA Board is responsible for supporting the vision, operations, and financial stability of the organization.

TCT’s Producing Artistic Director, Roderick Justice said, “Through the recent growth of one of the leading Children’s Theatres in the nation, Kim’s leadership of TCT makes her a perfect candidate for the board of TYA/USA. I am thrilled for Kim as she will carry TCT’s mission beyond Cincinnati and will impact, inspire, and ignite a love of theatre in young people throughout the entire country.” 

In just six short years, Ms. Kern has catapulted into the role of Managing Director and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) and has laid the literal foundation of the next iteration of the 100-year-old organization with the purchase and renovation of a new facility on Red Bank Road.

Scott Stubbins, current TCT Board Chair and Managing Director of STIFEL | Public Finance, said, “Ever since I met Kim she has been focused on growth.  She has grown the capabilities of our staff, grown our offerings to young audiences, grown the reach of our organization and grown the name of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati around the country.  I am excited to watch her continue to grow on the TYA/USA board.”

Incoming TCT Board Chair, Gregory L. Adams, Esq., of Croswell & Adams Co., L.P.A., said, “I’m pleased Kim is joining the TYA/USA national board of directors.  They will benefit from her involvement, just as The Children’s Theatre has profited from her leadership over the past five years.”

First, some background…Ms. Kern is a native Cincinnatian and graduate of the Cincinnati Country Day School (’87).  Kim left Cincinnati to attend Vanderbilt University (’91) where she received a Bachelor of Science in Education, and then quickly returned to Cincinnati which she and her family continue to call home.

Kim assumed the role of Managing Director of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati in September of 2013.  Her expertise spans non-profit management, fund raising, strategic planning, market media development, public relations, special events, grant acquisition, and major gift acquisition.  Her title and duties at TCT broadened to Managing Director and CEO in October of 2015.

Prior to joining The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, Kim worked as the President of the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National MS Society, as the Director of Major Gifts for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and prior to that as the Director of Market Development for Local 12 WKRC-TV and Clear Channel Broadcasting. She served as the Executive Director of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and spent time operating her own consulting company, advising both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in the area of special events, board building, marketing, corporate sponsorship, public relations, fundraising and promotions.

“I am thrilled to be part of an organization as well respected as The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati,” Ms. Kern said, “and to have the opportunity to learn from, and to share with other amazing such organizations through TYA/USA”

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is the oldest children’s theatre in the country and is the only professional theater in the region that devotes its entire MainStage season to children.  The organization brings almost 103,000 people downtown to the Taft Theatre annually and reaches more than 83,000 students through touring productions and workshops.  In addition, TCT Academy offers arts training to children in a variety of disciplines. The company is helping to create the arts patrons and performers of our city’s future.

In December of 2015, when The Children’s Theatre moved into the new facility on Red Bank Road, the company saw a growth of 340% in the TCT Performing Arts Academy. With the new facility, TCT is now offering expanded programming and increased ticket subsidy for schools with 50% or more of their students who participate in free or reduced lunch programs. While growing a child’s interest in and skill in performing arts, TCT looks to always to further develop the child as a whole as well. For example, a child becomes a better speaker by taking an acting class, which increases their self-esteem, allowing them to become a leader in another field.

For the first time in history, thanks to Ms. Kern’s resourceful, enthusiastic and visionary efforts, the company has a true home, is seeing incredible growth, and the future has never looked brighter.

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