Leadership transitions at AS220
AS220 Co-Executive Directors Anjel Newmann (L), Shauna Duffy (R).
I am writing to you today with both bittersweet and exciting news for the future of AS220.
AS220’s Co-Executive Director, Shauna Duffy, has informed the Board of Directors that she will be stepping down from her role after 11 years of service. Shauna has been participating at AS220 for nearly 30 years, first coming to shows as a teenager, then serving on our board, and eventually leading the organization as a Director since 2015. We can’t thank her enough for her leadership, helping AS220 to navigate many unprecedented events on the local, national, and world-wide levels. We know that Shauna will be a part of the AS220 family and community forever.
It is my privilege today to announce that the board has unanimously affirmed AS220 Co-Executive Director Anjel Newmann as AS220’s next Artistic Director. Anjel has been a driving force at AS220 for over two decades, including co-directing with Shauna since 2021, serving on AS220’s Leadership Team since 2019, and working as the Director of AS220 Youth since 2014.
We are grateful to Anjel for taking on this new role to lead AS220 into its next chapter, and are excited to see her vision of racial justice and equitable access to the arts continue to take shape. Anjel has mentored thousands of young people, and invested in generations of staff and community partners, at AS220 and beyond. She is a visionary leader who balances the patience to authentically bring collaborators into the process with the urgency to realize necessary change.
Shauna will continue her work here until an anticipated leadership transition date of June 30th. We will soon be hiring for positions that will serve as a strong leadership team to support Anjel, and ensure that Shauna’s responsibilities are all in capable hands.
We thank you for your continued belief and investment in AS220, as we take steps to ensure that our organization remains a strong, resilient, and stable home for the arts in Providence.
Thank you,
Janella Watson
Chair, AS220 Board of Directors
PS - You can help support AS220 and this transition by donating here or through 401 Gives next week!
