OKC Allied Arts President, who led non-profit to become $6.6M organization, set to retire

After more than two decades with Allied Arts, Deborah McAuliffe Senner is retiring later this year as president and CEO of the Oklahoma nonprofit arts organization.

Senner, 61, told The Oklahoman in an email that she plans to retire as the head of Allied Arts following the end of the organization's 2022 campaign.

“My tenure at Allied Arts has been amazing,” Senner said in a statement. "Fundraising is not easy, but I was never in it alone. I’m most grateful for the incredible team at Allied Arts, a strong, committed board, and all of the arts and cultural organizations that make our state a great place to live. I’m confident there is someone out there ready to take on this role and lead Allied Arts to even greater heights.”

Based in Oklahoma City, Allied Arts is a United Arts Fund that provides critical funding and increased awareness for more than 40 Oklahoma arts and cultural organizations.

Allied Arts member agencies include the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Lyric Theatre, deadCenter Film, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City Ballet, Science Museum Oklahoma, Arts Council Oklahoma City, Red Earth, Canterbury Voices and Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

Due to escalating COVID-19 case numbers, Allied Arts earlier this year delayed the start of its annual campaign to March. The invitation-only kickoff event now is planned for March 10 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center.

The plan is to wrap up the campaign by the end of June, Senner said.

“Deborah is one of Oklahoma City’s most energetic and passionate leaders and Allied Arts has benefited enormously from her many years of service,” said OKC Mayor David Holt in a statement. “We applaud her unique ability to sell the importance of the arts to everyone. Our city is grateful for her visionary leadership for the arts.”

Senner joined Allied Arts in 2001

Senner started her career with Allied Arts in September 2001 as the organization's director of development, later earning a promotion to vice president.

After previous President and CEO Donna Rinehart-Keever retired from Allied Arts in 2009 after 10 years, Senner was named her successor following a national search.

Under Senner’s leadership, Allied Arts has grown from a $1.3 million organization to a $6.6 million organization.

It has expanded the number of arts organizations under its umbrella from 20 to more than 40, increased endowments from $1 million to more than $5 million and expanded its service area from central Oklahoma to all 77 counties statewide.

Since the spring 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, Allied Arts has worked to bolster nonprofit arts organizations hard-hit by the pandemic. In conjunction with other Oklahoma arts advocacy groups, Senner and Allied Arts have been spearheading since last summer a multi-year, multimillion-dollar, public-private effort to "restart the arts."

“Personally, I am sad to see her leave,” said Allied Arts board chair Steve Mason in a statement. “We have worked closely over the last three years and Deborah’s many accomplishments speak for themselves. Even in the most difficult times of the pandemic she stayed positive and determined and has most definitely left a lasting mark on the arts community.”

A Governor's Arts Awards recipient, Senner has been lauded for her national, regional and statewide board service.

"No matter if it is Oklahoma City Chamber (of Commerce) or MAPS-related, criminal justice reform, education, or nonprofit-focused, I enter every meeting thinking, 'How can the arts be a part of the solution,'" Senner told The Oklahoman in 2020. "I take all of my roles in the community very seriously, that of nonprofit leader, parent, wife, volunteer, neighbor, and friend — trying to make a difference wherever I go."

Nonprofit arts community sees several leadership changes

Just six weeks into 2022, Senner is one of several leaders of OKC arts organizations who have revealed this year their plans to step down or retire.

Peter Dolese announced last week that he will retire as executive director of Arts Council OKC, which produces the long-running Festival of the Arts and several other programs, at the end of 2022.

Krystle Kaye, who has served as executive director of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition for nearly five years, is stepping down this week as leader of the nonprofit organization, which provides support, training and opportunities for artists across the state.

Last month, Robert Mills resigned as artistic director of Oklahoma City Ballet in the midst of his 14th season leading the company he helped revive.

Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center recently announced that Artistic Director Jeremiah Matthew Davis will take on the nonprofit organization's newly created director's position on March 1. In an organizational restructuring, Davis will succeed Executive Director Eddie Walker, who revealed earlier this year that he is retiring in spring.

Senner told The Oklahoman in January that the local leadership changes are part of a larger nationwide trend both in the nonprofit arts sector and across the board.

"I do feel like COVID has taken a toll in that respect, maybe moving up the timeline for some ... who are just nearing retirement age," she said.

"What's really interesting to me about our local arts leaders is that many of them have far surpassed what the national averages are for holding onto those jobs. ... We have had these people staying on for decades, when the national average is more like three to five years."

Allied Arts will launch a comprehensive search for its next president and CEO, according to a news release. To ensure a smooth transition, Senner plans to stay engaged throughout the process.

"When I see the impact of dollars raised by Allied Arts and discover someone's life being completely transformed because of the arts, those are the real career highlights," Senner told The Oklahoman in 2020.

"We receive thank you letters from thousands of kids who were able to experience their first trip to a museum, see their first ballet, or hear their first philharmonic concert. All of these still bring tears to my eyes and add purpose to my passion."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC's Allied Arts president, CEO Deborah McAuliffe Senner to retire