Diane Ragsdale Obituary, Minneapolis Minnesota , Director Of Masters Of Creative Leadership Has Died

Diane Ragsdale Obituary, Death – I announce with deep grief that Diane Ragsdale, the director of the Master of Creative Leadership (MACL), died unexpectedly at the age of 57. Diane made great strides in her two years at MCAD, leading and establishing the new MACL programme and contributing to the development of our campus community. She worked closely with her coworkers, was a devoted champion for her community partners, and was a giving teacher, mentor, and leader to her kids.

“Diane was not only a dear friend, but also an inspiration to me and so many others within the MCAD community and far beyond,” said Robert Ransick, vice president of academic affairs. She made significant contributions to American art and culture, and MCAD was extremely fortunate to have her as the program’s first leader, bringing her experience and vision to bear.

Diane’s extensive network and breadth of experiences over the past 25 years in the arts and cultural sector have served as a testament to her remarkable abilities, capacity for teamwork, and influence. She was successful in creating a brand-new MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at The New School for artists who focus on performance from 2017 to 2020. She introduced a brand-new Graduate Minor in Creative Cultural Development when she was there.

Diane was the Banff Center’s director in 2019, and during her tenure there, she developed a cultural leadership philosophy that was centred on truth, reconciliation, and cultural change. From 2005 until 2010, she worked as a programme officer for theatre and dance at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York City. In this role, she had the opportunity to collaborate with executives from leading theatres, dance companies, performing arts centres, orchestras, and opera companies in the country. Diane served on numerous prominent boards and oversaw a number of significant cultural organisations around the nation. Diane holds an MFA in acting and directing, a BFA in theatre, and a BS in psychology. She was a PhD candidate at Erasmus University in Rotterdam and had completed an Executive MBA summer intensive at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.