The Stissing Center has announced Brett Bernardini as its new Executive Director. Brett brings with him extensive executive and artistic experience, including creating and directing a Performing Arts Program at the Norwich Free Academy in Connecticut. He was also founder and director of a professional theatre that he ran out of a converted 1907 firehouse for 17 years in the Norwich community.
Brett was born and raised in Minnesota, but his mother had family roots in Omaha, where he spent a lot of time growing up at a lake surrounded by farms. “I found my first visit to Pine Plains incredibly healing, and it made me realize how much I had missed the beautiful rural setting of my youth,” says Brett.
As for his plans for his new role at The Stissing Center, Brett looks forward to immersing himself fully in the community. “I will take as much time out of every day as is necessary to meet with whoever wants to meet with me. I like meeting people where they are. I like hearing people’s stories, what they care about, and about their aspirations.”
Brett understands that every larger community includes smaller groups, but says, “The world is full of labels, but I’m not a big fan of them. I’m more interested in what people can accomplish collectively”. That will require a diversity of thinking and a diversity of programming, but he’s not interested in his own vision for the space, but rather imagines a shared space “for the community, by the community, of the community.”
Brett looks forward to partnering with the schools, local organizations, and local businesses to figure out how to pool resources and support each other. “I have seen what the arts can do. I look forward to working with anybody and everybody who is interested in using the arts to energize, uplift, and empower Pine Plains and our region.”
If you’d like to know more about Brett Bernardini, give him a call. He’d like to know more about you too.