Alaska Dance Theatre Selects New Executive Director
The new Executive Director of Alaska Dance Theatre (ADT) is Cari Boltz Zawodny, a nonprofit leader who has served as program director for the League of Women Voters’ Anchorage Youth Vote since 2012.
In her new position, Zawodny is responsible for honing partnerships, identifying and growing funding opportunities, and engaging broader community participation.
Chosen from a diverse field of candidates in a nationwide search, Zawodny brings more than twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, youth advocacy, and community building. Zawodny received a bachelor’s degree in media and theater arts/film from Montana State University in Bozeman. She already contributes to the arts as a facilitator for Alaska Youth Orchestras and a mentor for Alaska Teen Media Institute.
“I am thrilled to join the ADT team,” Zawodny says. “Working every day at the intersection of art and youth service is an incredible opportunity. I envision an inclusive dance center that is celebrated for breaking down barriers to participation in the performing arts.”
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May 2026
ADT has a staff of six supporting more than twenty instructors. Each year, more than 400 dancers, from toddlers to adults, participate in classes and performances in a variety of styles, including creative movement, pre-ballet, ballet, pointe, jazz/Broadway, tap, hip-hop, and dance acrobatics.
ADT board chair Lori Moore says, “We are excited to welcome Cari as our new executive director. Her leadership of and experience with nonprofit organizations, combined with her passion for positive youth development in the arts, will be a tremendous asset to ADT as we continue to provide outstanding instruction, artistry, and entertainment in our community.”
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