Interim Boss Announced at Alaska Center for the Performing Arts
Photo Credit: Alaska Center for the Performing Arts
The nonprofit contracted by the Municipality of Anchorage to operate the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (ACPA, better known as the PAC) has a new boss. With the departure of Codie Costello, who served as President and COO for seven years, ACPA selected Kathy Cronen to be in charge on an interim basis.
Cronen brings more than forty years of business and executive leadership experience. She has spent recent years providing interim CEO and business expertise to Alaska. A patron of the arts, she has served on many nonprofit boards including the Anchorage Opera.
Board Chair Sarah Jefferies says, “We are excited for Kathy to join the ACPA team. Her expertise and nonprofit background will guide us through the critical period ahead, as we continue contract negotiations with the Municipality of Anchorage and plan for a major capital campaign, to ensure our building can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
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October 2026
Cronen also takes on Costello’s role as General Manager of Broadway Alaska, a partnership with Nederlander that began producing top-flight shows at the PAC in 2023. The season was suspended in March; Costello said the pause was needed to address “the long-term health of our organization and the quality of experience we provide to both artists and audiences.”
Cronen says, “It is an honor to be selected as the interim leader of ACPA at such a critical time in their history. I look forward to working with the board, staff, and Codie to ensure a smooth transition and a successful future.”
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