Audrey Fix Schaefer Appointed NIVA Board President

Audrey Fix Schaefer, Communications Director for I.M.P. (including venues such as Washington D.C.’s iconic 9:30 Club), has been named Board President of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA).

The role:

• As per NIVA’s press release, Schaefer will usher in “a new era of strategic, advocacy-driven communications leadership, amplifying the voices of independent venues and securing enduring policy wins.”

• Schaefer was previously NIVA’s Vice President and Communications Director.

• She succeeds former Board President Andre Perry, who will remain on the NIVA Board.

Other NIVA appointments:

• Courtney McClary Yug, Director of Operations at SBG Productions, and Gary Witt, CEO and Co-Owner at The Pabst Theater Group, have been elected to join NIVA’s Board of Directors.

• Kira Karbocus, Founder and Principal Consultant at Karbocus & Co., has been named NIVA’s new Treasurer, bringing to the role experience working with the Newport Festivals Foundation and the Fingerpaint Group.

What they said:

• Schaefer: “When I look at my NIVA family, I see audaciously smart and courageous people from big towns and small, who fight for artists, their communities, their employees, and their fans. I’m still absorbing all they have achieved – from the $16 billion Save Our Stages bill to the effort to protect fans from predatory ticket scalpers. It’s an honor to support NIVA's members, staff, and the Board in whatever challenges and opportunities come next. Together, we’re a force.”