Hermitage Welcomes Stacia Lee as Managing Director

April 12, 2023 – Sarasota

Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, announced today the organization has welcomed Stacia Lee as its first Managing Director, following a national search that commenced earlier this season. Lee joins the Hermitage team after serving as the publisher for Sarasota Magazine and overseeing the Florida and Texas operations for SagaCity Media. In her new role, Lee will serve as a right hand to Sandberg in overseeing the management and daily operations of the company. She will be responsible for implementing core strategies and systems, overseeing marketing and strategic partnerships, and executing the vision of this rapidly expanding organization. As the Hermitage continues on its growth trajectory, Lee will work closely with Sandberg and the Hermitage team to broaden the reach and impact of this leading national arts incubator.

            “We are incredibly excited to welcome Stacia to the Hermitage family, and I am confident she will be a vital addition to our already extraordinary team of driven and dedicated professionals,” said Andy Sandberg. “I have had the pleasure of working with Stacia through the Hermitage’s partnership with Sarasota Magazine, and her breadth of experience, her passion, and her unique background will be invaluable to the continued growth and stability of the organization in the coming years.”

            Sandberg, who assumed his role as Hermitage Artistic Director and CEO in January of 2020, emphasized the importance of hiring someone who can execute confidently and creatively on the mission and vision of the organization. “Everyone on our team is working tirelessly to realize the Hermitage’s full potential – for the benefit of our world-class artists, our community, and the broader arts landscape. As we continue to launch new initiatives and programs, it can be challenging to execute on all of the exciting ideas. One of Stacia’s greatest strengths is that she does not come from a traditional arts background yet has a deep appreciation for the goals and values of the Hermitage. She understands that the ‘show must go on’ even as new ideas and initiatives are percolating.” In addition to his role at the Hermitage, Sandberg is a director, writer, and producer currently developing projects in New York and London; Lee will play a critical role in furthering the management and operations and of the organization when Sandberg is otherwise engaged in rehearsals.

            Lee joins a team that also includes Amy Wallace as Development Director, Elizabeth Power as Operations Director, and James Monaghan, who was recently promoted to Programs Director. Over the past two seasons, the Hermitage team has expanded to include Sydney Ladendecker (Executive Assistant and Residency Coordinator), Whitney Stone (Grants Coordinator), Kaitlin Smith (Artist Alumni Coordinator), Adrienne Hill (Development Coordinator), and ‘Chef’ Jordan Moore (Events and Hospitality Assistant). Full staff bios can be found at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/Staff.

            “I am honored and privileged to join the extraordinarily talented team at the Hermitage Artist Retreat,” said Stacia Lee about her new role. “The energy and enthusiasm that these professionals have for the work is unmatched. The growth of the organization is equally impressive. What I’m most excited about is sharing the artistic process and the influence of the arts on our community, and seeing the larger national impact of the Hermitage.”

            Beyond serving as the publisher for both Sarasota Magazine and Houstonia Magazine at SagaCity Media, Stacia Lee (formerly Stacia King) was responsible for building and sustaining partnerships with key businesses, vendors, and non-profits across the Southeast. Prior to her move to lifestyle magazines, Lee’s career in news media has given her the opportunity to lead multimillion-dollar operations across the country with Gannett (publisher of the Sarasota Herald Tribune), Lee Enterprises, and McClatchy. Her career in management and leadership has encompassed marketing, communications, branding, and organizational development.

            In addition to this newly filled role, the Hermitage is seeking a Marketing & Communications Manager, and an additional role on the development team will be posted soon. Interested applicants can view the job descriptions and learn how to apply at HermitageArtistRetreat.org/Jobs.

The Hermitage is a leading national arts incubator, and the only major arts organization in Florida’s Gulf Coast region exclusively committed to supporting the development and creation of new work across all artistic disciplines. The Hermitage hosts artists on its Gulf Coast Manasota Key campus for multi-week residencies, where diverse artists from around the world and across multiple disciplines create and develop new works of theater, music, visual art, literature, dance, and more. As part of their residencies, Hermitage Fellows participate in free community programs, offering audiences in the region a unique opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading artists and to get an authentic “sneak peek” into extraordinary projects and artistic minds before their works go on to major galleries, concert halls, theaters, and museums around the world. These free and innovative programs include performances, lectures, readings, interactive experiences, open studios, school programs, teacher workshops, and more, serving thousands in our regional community each year.

For more information about the Hermitage and upcoming programs, visit HermitagArtistRetreat.org.