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Sitar Arts Center Names Jeanette McCune as New Executive Director
Sitar Arts Center Names Jeanette McCune as New Executive Director
Accomplished arts education and nonprofit leader brings more than two decades of experience to transformative arts nonprofit.
Jeanette McCune
WASHINGTON, September 14, 2026 — Sitar Arts Center today announced the appointment of veteran arts education leader Jeanette McCune as its new executive director, effective October 12, 2026. This marks a new chapter for the nonprofit, which provides accessible, high-quality arts education and creative youth development opportunities for up to 900 DC youth each year.
McCune brings over 25 years of experience in arts education, nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and educational access. She joins Sitar as the organization builds on more than 25 years of working with DC youth and families and expanding opportunities in the arts and creative career training.
McCune at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, last serving as senior director of school and community programs where she managed a budget of more than $4 million dedicated to transformational arts education nationwide and locally in DC. Her work included designing, implementing, and evaluating arts education programs, professional development for educators, and community engagement initiatives, with a focus on including students with disabilities and other historically marginalized groups.
“Jeanette brings the combination of strategic leadership, deep arts education experience, and commitment to cultivating the DC arts community,” said Jade Floyd, president of Sitar Arts Center’s board of directors. “As we considered Sitar’s future, we sought a leader who could build on the organization’s strong foundation while helping us think ambitiously about what comes next. We know that Jeanette is that leader, and the board is excited to partner with her as Sitar continues to grow its impact for DC youth and families.”
McCune most recently served as executive director of SchoolTalk, a local Washington nonprofit focused on equitable access to education and successful postsecondary outcomes for youth with disabilities. There she oversaw the organization’s strategic direction, operations, and programs, and worked with schools, government agencies, families, and community partners to advance inclusive policies and practices.
“Throughout the search, we heard clearly from a broad range of stakeholders that Sitar’s next leader needed to understand both the transformative role the arts can play in young people’s lives and what it takes to lead a strong, complex organization,” said Christopher Wingert, Sitar board member and chair of the Search Committee. “The Search Committee was inspired by Jeanette’s authenticity, warmth, and deep passion for this work. She brings extensive experience leading arts education programs, cultivating strategic partnerships, managing teams and resources, and expanding access for young people in DC. Just as important, she understands Sitar’s community-centered culture and our strong commitment to equity and belonging.”
“I am honored to join Sitar Arts Center and be a part of its more than 25-year history of opening doors for DC’s young people. I have spent my career believing that every child deserves real, sustained access to the arts,” said McCune. “Sitar has built exactly that, and with the new space at Sitar Next Door, the organization is positioned to take young people further with what they learn here. I am eager to get to work alongside the board, the staff, and the families who have made Sitar what it is, and to help build on that foundation in the years ahead.”
McCune assumes leadership during a period of significant growth for Sitar. Since its founding in 2000, the nonprofit has welcomed thousands of DC youth and their families into its Early Childhood Arts, Arts Afterschool, and Creative Career Programs. To ensure access, 80% of Sitar’s enrollment is reserved for families earning 60% or less of the Area Family Median Income.
Sitar recently expanded its facilities by 50% with Sitar Next Door, an 6,346 square foot arts learning and creative career training center adjacent to its longtime home in Adams Morgan. The expansion features a flexible theater, multimedia and video production space, an audio recording and production studio, and additional areas for learning and collaboration.
As executive director, McCune will collaborate with Sitar’s board, staff, faculty, families, students, supporters, and community partners to guide the organization’s strategy, strengthen and diversify resources, advance arts programming and creative career pathways, and expand Sitar’s impact across Washington.
McCune holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Business Administration from Drake University. She serves on local and national advisory boards focused on arts education and accessibility.
About Sitar Arts Center
Founded in 2000, Sitar Arts Center advances equitable access to high-quality education and workforce development in the visual, performing, and digital arts. Sitar Arts Center engages DC youth, from early childhood to young adulthood, in building a creative community of learning and belonging that removes financial and cultural barriers to arts education and career training. Sitar envisions a city in which all young people experience transformative moments through quality, accessible arts education, and career training, and are supported on their path to discover their creativity and achieve their full potential.
For more information, visit www.sitarartscenter.org.