Rachel Shane has spent over 25 years leading a range of nonprofit and educational organizations in developing impact, potential, strategy and identity. Currently, Rachel is the chair and associate professor of the Department of Arts Administration at the University of Kentucky. She oversees the department's three degree programs, the BA, MA, and PhD in Arts Administration, as well as the Graduate Certificate in Fundraising and Development and professional development offerings. She also teaches a variety of courses in the degree programs. In Kentucky and nationwide, she has worked with a variety of arts organizations, artists and nonprofits to increase capacity, improve systems and build brands.
Prior to her work in academia, Rachel was the managing director of the Elm Shakespeare Company in New Haven, Conn., where she designed the organization’s first marketing plan, website and promotional materials, and increased the Company’s organizational capacity by 24 percent through an expansion in programming and an increase in contributed income. Additionally, she created and launched a college internship program and educational touring component. As the associate director of education at the Delaware Theatre Company, Rachel designed and implemented sales strategies, fundraised, directed and produced the annual Delaware Young Playwrights Festival, planned an annual educator conference, and served as a primary instructor for educational programs. She is also the cofounder of Masterminds Inc., a national nonprofit consulting firm.
Rachel has earned a doctorate in cultural policy and arts administration at The Ohio State University. She also earned a Master of Science in arts administration from Drexel University, a Bachelor of Science in theatre from Northern Arizona University, and an Associate of Arts from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.