Tessitura announced today the new Chair and Officers of the company’s Board of Directors.

As a nonprofit member-owned cooperative, Tessitura is governed by leaders of the arts and cultural organizations who use the company’s technology. 

Joe Carter, Director of Sales and Customer Experience at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, takes on the role of Board chair. Michael Ockwell, Chief Executive of the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton, UK, is the Vice Chair. Entering the role of Treasurer is Christina Robinson, Chief Financial Officer at Georgia Aquarium. Nancy Yao, President of the Museum of Chinese in America, returns to the role of Secretary.

The officers represent a cross-section of Tessitura users: performing arts and admissions-based organizations; small, medium and large annual budgets; all across a broad geographic area. Tessitura serves arts and cultural organizations in ten countries, from North America to Europe to Australia and New Zealand.

“We are thrilled to welcome our new Officers, led by Joe Carter as Tessitura’s new Board chair,” said President & CEO Andrew Recinos. “It is an honor to work with these leaders in the arts and culture industry. I look forward to working side-by-side to move the sector forward.”

“Tessitura is a unique non-profit corporation that focuses on the needs of its clients, who are also non-profit arts institutions,” said Joe Carter. “Aiding in the effort to ensure arts are as accessible as they can be in all the communities that they reach, Tessitura supports those institutions to fulfill their missions and expand the human spirit. As a board member, it is my honor to help Tessitura in its efforts to be the best it can be for the future of our arts community.”

Michael Ockwell noted: “I am proud to serve on the Tessitura board. As a leader of a values driven organisation, I look to partners who share the same ethos and approach to business. Tessitura is a core partner in our development and I am passionate about helping both our organisations reach their full potential.”

“Interacting with my fellow board members and the Tessitura team — an incredible collective group of spirited individuals and global advocates — is a fast-paced, high output, and high intrinsic value opportunity,” said Nancy Yao Maasbach. “There is no pretense or closed spaces. Tessitura creates wide avenues for learning, sharing, and growing.”

The Tessitura platform brings together industry-leading CRM with transactional capabilities, so that ticketing works hand-in-hand with fundraising, membership, marketing, education, and front of house. Christina Robinson noted that at Georgia Aquarium, “Tessitura has revolutionized our ability to customize our customer journey on the web and enhance our process to deploy streamlined pricing and promotional strategies.” 

About the Officers of the Board

Chair
Joe Carter
Director, Sales and Customer Experience, Los Angeles Philharmonic

In his current role, Joe Carter oversees all aspects of sales and customer service including strategic planning, retail and sales operations.Under Carter's direction, the Los Angeles Philharmonic employs about 80 full- and part-time sales and marketing professionals as well as two contracted telesales operations. In his time with the organization, sales have grown in part through his successful efforts to redefine pricing and package offerings.  Carter has also implemented new systems that have helped streamline processes, clarified internal communication and improved the overall customer service reputation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Previously, Carter was Ticket Sales Director at Center Theatre Group (CTG). He particularly engaged CTG into transforming its various sales departments, ensuring a better level of communication and customer service. Because of these changes, in 2006 CTG received the Outstanding Box Office Award from the International Ticketing Association (INTIX). 

Carter has also been adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California (USC) for four years. He sits on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of INTIX as Past Chair. In 2015, he was awarded INTIX’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also participated in the Los Angeles theatrical community as a Board Member of the Boston Court Performing Arts Center as well as other philanthropic activities. Before joining CTG, he was an executive with Macy’s New York. Carter holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Miami University. 

Vice Chair
Michael Ockwell
Chief Executive, Mayflower Theatre

Michael has been Chief Executive of Mayflower Theatre since October 2012. He started as an actor, appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in several TV shows, before moving into theatre management when he became House Manager at the London Palladium. Michael has worked in UK regional theatre since 1999 and came from the Grand Opera House in Belfast to join Mayflower Theatre.

Michael is responsible for the overall strategy of the theatre and also selecting the productions that appear at Mayflower Theatre. He therefore travels extensively in the pursuit of bringing the very best shows to Southampton. He also directs Mayflower Theatre’s summer youth production and has been involved in 11 youth productions enabling over 2,000 young people to appear on the stages of some of the best regional theatres in the UK.  

Michael is a Trustee of Culture Southampton; Chair of Mayflower 400, the Southampton-based project team delivering the cultural programme to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower ship; and Chair of ZoieLogic Dance Company. 

Michael has produced several regional shows. At Grand Opera House he produced Richard Dormer’s award-winning production of Hurricane directed by Rachel O’Riordan, and A Night in November by Marie Jones at Belfast Grand Opera House and Ireland tour. At Mayflower Theatre he produced the UK Tour of The Santa Trap and Here Be Monsters and was an Associate Producer on Titanic The Musical and Fiddler on the Roof.

Treasurer
Christina Robinson
Chief Financial Officer, Georgia Aquarium

Christina D. Robinson, CPA, serves as Chief Financial Officer of Georgia Aquarium. She oversees all aspects of the Aquarium’s accounting, ticketing, forecasting, reporting, promotions analytics and budgeting.

Ms. Robinson joined Georgia Aquarium in 2014 in revenue and marketing analytics. She started her career with Ernst & Young in Richmond, Va. as an external auditor before joining Cox Communications as an internal auditor. Robinson also served as an internet business manager in Charlotte, N.C., regional business manager in Washington, D.C., and accounting manager and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis in Phoenix, Ariz., with Cox Communications. She then went to work with Comcast and served as the senior director of business operations in Nashville, Tenn., and the senior regional director of finance of the Big South region in Atlanta, Ga.

She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from West Virginia University and her Master of Business Administration with a specialization in International Business from Arizona State University, and is also a certified public accountant. Ms. Robinson lives in Atlanta with her son and is SCUBA certified

Secretary
Nancy Yao
President, Museum of Chinese in America

As the President of Museum of Chinese in America since February of 2015, Nancy Yao has the unique privilege of combining her experiences in managing organizations, professional interests in promoting arts and culture as a bridge between people, and research focus on examining the role of Chinese Americans in U.S.-China relations. On her journey, Nancy has lived in several Chinese communities, including Flushing, Chinatown NYC, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. Prior to MOCA, Nancy served in leadership roles at the Yale-China Association, Council on Foreign Relations, and the Center for Financial Research and Analysis. She also values her time at Goldman Sachs & Co. in Hong Kong and New York. Nancy received her MBA from Yale School of Management and her AB from Occidental College. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

About Tessitura

We are Tessitura, a nonprofit tech company dedicated to helping arts and cultural organizations thrive.

CRM lies at the heart of our mission and our technology platform. Ticketing works hand-in-hand with fundraising, membership, marketing, education, and front of house. Intuitive tools help uncover business insights and turn data into action. And features like timed admission, integrated streaming, and contactless scanning help build a sustainable future. With Tessitura in their toolkit, organizations can achieve their goals with ease.

The Tessitura community includes over 750 arts organizations and cultural attractions in ten countries. Our staff provide 24/7 support and offer guidance to grow revenue and build lifelong engagement.

For more information, please visit www.tessituranetwork.com or contact communications@tessituranetwork.com.