Chief Operating Officer University of Michigan, University Musical Society | Ann Arbor, Michigan We are pleased to announce that University Musical Society has selected Karen Brown to serve as the next Chief Operating Officer, effective July 9, 2026.A seasoned performing arts executive, Karen Brown has spent more than 20 years in a variety of roles at the Celebrity Series in Boston (recently renamed Vivo Performing Arts), progressing over her tenure to her current role as Chief Operating Officer, in which she oversees a variety of programmatic initiatives. She brings expertise in program design, evaluation and operational management, strategic planning, community engagement, and team leadership to UMS.Early in her career, Karen held positions at IMG Artists, an artist management company, and with the Tanglewood Music Center at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. As a volunteer, she served eight years on the Board of Directors for the Arlington Center for the Arts in Massachusetts, serving as Board Chair from 2019-2022. Karen holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College and has a certificate in Social Impact Strategy with a focus on Arts and Culture from the University of Pennsylvania.You can read the full press release here.Ben Tobin led this search with Nella Young and Alaine Small.
