Wexford Festival Opera announces appointment of Suzanne Nance as new Executive Director
The board of Wexford Festival Trust today announced the appointment of Suzanne Nance as its new Executive Director. Suzanne Nance will take up the role on 1 January 2026, following the conclusion of Loughlin Deegan's term as Interim Executive Director in December. Suzanne joins WFO following 8 years as President and CEO of the Global Media Arts Network All Classical Radio based in Portland, Oregon, where she oversaw a period of unprecedented growth, with record-breaking audience expansion and a significant increase in global digital reach.
An award-winning broadcaster and highly respected arts leader, and arts ambassador, Suzanne Nance brings a distinguished track record of visionary leadership in public media, the arts, and community engagement. Most recently, she led an extremely successful capital campaign for All Classical Radio to build a state-of-the-art media arts centre and performance hall in Portland, which opened its doors in 2024. In 2019, she led the launch of the International Children’s Arts Network, a pioneering platform dedicated to arts and educational programming for young audiences.
The creator of the Emmy Award-winning television series MaineArts!, Suzanne has also been a guest presenter on RTÉ lyric fm and the voice of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s internationally syndicated radio broadcast series. She holds a Master’s Degree in Music (Opera) from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and advanced executive leadership degrees from Harvard University and the University of Oxford.
Speaking about her appointment, Suzanne said “I am deeply honoured to join Wexford Festival Opera as Executive Director, especially as we prepare to celebrate 75 extraordinary years of artistic excellence in 2026. There is a distinct and enduring magic to Wexford - rooted in the warmth of its people and their profound commitment to the arts. The unwavering support of the local community, the Board, and the Arts Council has been essential to the Festival’s enduring success. As the home of the National Opera House, Wexford holds a cherished place not only in Ireland, but on the international stage. I am thrilled to be part of this remarkable legacy and to help amplify Ireland’s rich contributions to opera and the arts.”
Paul Cleary, Chairman of the Board of Wexford Festival Trust, commented:
"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Suzanne Nance to Wexford Festival Opera. Suzanne is a dynamic and visionary leader whose deep passion for opera and proven track record in arts leadership make her the ideal choice to guide the company into its next chapter. Under her leadership, I have every confidence Wexford Festival Opera will continue to thrive and grow."
Suzanne Nance joins Wexford Festival Opera at an exciting time as the organisation looks ahead to building on its rich heritage and further expanding its international reputation. The organisation will reach a significant milestone in 2026 when it celebrates its 75th Festival.