Ragdale and its Board of Trustees announced that after an extensive national search, Paul Sacaridiz has been appointed as the organization's new Executive Director. He will succeed Board President and Interim Executive Director, Beth Boyd, as he leads the organization into an exciting new phase of growth and opportunity. His tenure will begin on April 1, 2024.

Sacaridiz brings 25 years of experience to Ragdale, with a background that includes art making, teaching, administration, and leadership in higher education and the nonprofit sector. His wealth of experience in creative programming, collaborative partnerships, and fundraising will ensure the success of Ragdale as it looks towards the future and plans for its 50th anniversary in 2026.

With a distinguished career in the arts, Sacaridiz has made significant contributions to the fields he has worked in. Most recently, he was the Maxine and Stuart Frankel Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he increased fundraising, grew staff capacity, and set mission and vision for the noted graduate program of art, architecture, and design. Previously he served as Executive Director of Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, the influential craft school and artist residency program, located in Deer Isle, Maine. While there led the organization through the development of a comprehensive strategic plan with a focus on equity and launched a longrange campus planning process to increase accessibility, historic preservation, and sustainability. During his time at Haystack, he spearheaded innovative initiatives and partnerships, increased fundraising, developed fellowships to support artists from diverse backgrounds, and grew the endowment to historic levels. Prior to his role at Haystack, Sacaridiz held the positions of Professor and Chair of the Department of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Associate Director of the Wonspok Kim School of Art at Illinois State University. His extensive involvement with nonprofit boards, including the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) and the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+), highlights his commitment to supporting working artists, and the organizations that serve them.

“The talent pool we saw in our executive search was very strong,” said Beth Boyd, Ragdale’s Board of Trustees President. “Paul, with his experience, approach and enthusiasm for Ragdale, was top among them. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Paul as our new Executive Director. We have done a tremendous amount of work at Ragdale over the past few years to better and more equitably serve our mission and our artists. We are confident that Paul will help us fine-tune that service and broaden our reach, further strengthen our partnerships, and chart creative strategies for long-term sustainability.”

Sacaridiz is also a highly regarded sculptor and ceramicist, with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been shown at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, and the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, among others. As a speaker, he has lectured nationally through the Artists Communities Alliance, American Craft Council, College Art Association, International Academy of Ceramics, and the Smithsonian Institution. He is also the recipient of numerous artist residencies including the Archie Bray Foundation, the Arts/Industry Program at Kohler Company, the Ragdale Foundation, and the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts.

“I first came to Ragdale twenty-five years ago as an artist in Residence, and the experience was truly transformative,” said Paul Sacaridiz. “The opportunity to now return as the Executive Director is coming full circle and I am grateful for the opportunity to help shape the future of the organization. At the core, I believe leadership is an inherently collaborative and creative act that requires deep and careful listening to ensure we remain responsive to the people we serve. It also hinges on a culture of transparency to create an environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences feel seen, supported, and valued. We are living through one of the most complex times in recent history, and we need artists now more than ever. Their work helps us to see the world in new ways, and has the power to bring joy, compassion and understanding to our lives. Ragdale provides the backdrop for these ideas to take shape and serves as a model for how communities can form. I am thrilled to work alongside the board and staff as we imagine the next chapter in Ragdale’s history.”

The Board of Trustees, friends, supporters and all the artists at Ragdale look forward to working with Paul as he assumes his role as Executive Director continuing the legacy of artistic and cultural creative excellence.

For Media inquiries, please contact:

Martha Machuca

Development & Communications Associate

martha@ragdale.org 847.234.1063 x 29