Pepperdine names new director for arts center

Rebecca Carson

Rebecca Carson has been selected as the new managing director of Pepperdine University's Center for the Arts in Malibu. She was chosen from a field of nearly 100 applicants from across the country and will assume her duties at Pepperdine on Oct. 15.

Carson replaces Marnie D. Mitze, who held the position from 1992 until August when she was named associate vice president and chief of staff at Pepperdine.

"I am thrilled for the opportunity to manage this thriving, dynamic arts center at such a prestigious university. I look forward to collaborating with all members of the Pepperdine community," Carson said.

At Pepperdine, Carson will be responsible for the programming and operations of the Center for the Arts, including managing a staff of 10 and presenting more than 300 public performances each year with an annual operating budget of just over $2 million.

She will also work in fundraising for the center's operations, including overseeing the Center for the Arts Guild volunteers. Annually the guild contributes almost $200,000 to the center and brings nearly 10,000 schoolchildren to Pepperdine in the ARTSReach program.

Carson was the director of performing arts at Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis, Mo., from 1999 to 2007, where she supervised artistic and logistical aspects at the multidisciplinary community arts center.

Before moving to St. Louis, Carson served as acting theater manager for the University of Maryland and had worked with other theater organizations, including Arena Stage, Young Audiences of Maryland and Waukesha Civic Theatre.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in theater from the University of WisconsinEau Claire and a Master of Fine Arts in theater management from the University of Maryland.