Janet Rollé Leads The Future Of ABT As New Executive Director

Janet Rollé, the current General Manager at Parkwood Entertainment, the media and management company founded by entertainer and entrepreneur Beyoncé, has been appointed CEO and Executive Director of American Ballet Theatre, announced Andrew Barth, Chairman of the Board of Governing Trustees of the ballet company.

“After a thorough search, Janet emerged as the right leader to usher in ABT’s next chapter,” said Barth. “Her extensive experience as a business leader and marketing strategist, combined with her life-long passion for dance, perfectly positions her to lead our organization. She is brimming with ideas to lead ABT into the next decade, all while respecting Ballet Theatre’s history and legacy. I am confident that Janet’s accomplished background in business operations and development, strategic partnerships, and brand management will be a tremendous asset.”

Effective January 3, 2022, Rollé – a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance graduate from the State University of New York at Purchase and MBA graduate from Columbia University Graduate School of Business – will be responsible for leading ABT forward after the resignation of Kara Medoff Barnett, the current woman who holds the position as Executive Director.

“When my dear Mom, an immigrant from Jamaica, took me to my first dance class at the age of eight at the YMCA in Mount Vernon, New York, she set me on the path that would provide the foundation of my career. Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process. These lessons have always been at the core of my professional life and work. It is therefore a singular privilege to be entrusted by the Board to preserve and extend the legacy of American Ballet Theatre, and to ensure its future prosperity, cultural impact, and relevance. To come full circle and be in a position to give back to the art that has given me so much is a source of unbridled and immense joy,” said Rollé.

I am honored to welcome Janet on board to lead ABT into the future. Over the past several years, our Company has renewed its commitment to strengthening the foundation of what ABT has always stood for – artistic excellence, expanding audience engagement and growth, and cultivating a team of teachers, innovators, and visionaries who will represent ABT for generations to come. Janet’s experience as an executive, with a background in dance, as well as her management of the multi-layered business of one of the most successful recording artists in history, bodes well for ABT’s continued success.