Arts United’s board of directors appointed Dr. Julie Hill as President & CEO. Dr. Hill succeeds Dan Ross, who is retiring in early September.

Dr. Julie Hill is an internationally respected music educator, performer, scholar, and nonprofit leader with extensive experience spanning K–12 and university teaching, arts administration, and nonprofit executive leadership. She most recently served as the President, CEO, and Co-Founder of Global Citizen Adventure Corps (GCAC), a Tennessee-based nonprofit organization committed to expanding access to global service-learning for rural students and community members.

“After a comprehensive search with our partner Charitable Advisors, the board of directors unanimously selected Dr. Hill as the next President & CEO,” said Carmen Tse, chair of the search committee. “Her proven track record as a holistic nonprofit arts leader makes her well-positioned to guide Arts United into its next chapter.”

A dynamic and sought-after speaker and artist, Dr. Hill has delivered hundreds of workshops, concerts, and lectures around the world, with a research focus on social mobility through music—particularly championing women of color and underserved youth in Northeastern Brazil. Her excellence as a teacher-scholar has been recognized through numerous accolades, including the University of Tennessee President’s Educate Award (inaugural recipient), the UT Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award, the Cunningham Outstanding Teacher/Scholar Award, and the Hardy Graham Distinguished Professorship.

Dr. Hill holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Music in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Currently, she is Principal Percussionist with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra and serves as Co-Editorial Director of Percussive Notes, the scholarly journal of the Percussive Arts Society. She also is an artist and clinician for Yamaha, Zildjian, Remo, Innovative Percussion, and Grover Pro Percussion.

“Dr. Hill is stepping into her role at Arts United at a pivotal time,” said Dave Haist, Arts United board chair. “As Arts United embarks on its strategic planning process, she will help lead the future of the organization. We are excited to witness the future impact of Arts United on all of Northeast Indiana.”

“I am thrilled to join Arts United,” said Dr. Hill. “What drew me here is this inspiring region that doesn’t just value the arts—it invests in them as an engine for workforce retention, economic development, and civic engagement. My first priority is to listen: to the nearly 50 organizations Arts United serves, to the artists and audiences across Northeast Indiana, and to the staff, board, and surrounding community who built Arts Campus Fort Wayne into something genuinely remarkable. I look forward to honoring the relationships already in place while building new ones, in service of a place where arts and culture are present every day, everywhere, for everyone.”

Dr. Hill will officially begin her role as President & CEO on September 21, 2026.