Sharon Reid-Kane Named Arts Administration Mentor
Sharon Reid-Kane, Ed.D. VP & Chief Education and Community Engagement Officer at The Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts at Ruth Eckerd Hall has been named an Arts Administration Mentor for the 2025 Mentorship Cohort by the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE).
Mentors of this program provide guidance on navigating the job market in arts administration, education or the creative workforce; transitioning to arts administration education from other adjacent disciplines; arts administration instructional practices; and honing research skills and qualifications in arts leadership and arts management.
Up to ten successful candidates are paired with seasoned leaders in the Arts Administration Education and Arts Administration field for the 10-month program. The mentors and mentees are selected from around the world for the unique opportunity for early career arts administration educators and emerging arts administrators to receive focused mentoring, networking opportunities, knowledge exchange and access to AAAE’s wealth of membership resources.
The Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) is a membership organization representing the world’s leading graduate and undergraduate arts administration programs – all training and equipping students earning an arts administration degree in arts leadership, management, entrepreneurship, cultural policy and more. AAAE advances an inclusive, equitable and resilient environment for the arts by supporting arts administration education faculty and programs and serving as a hub for knowledge.
“I have always felt that if you love what you do, you have a responsibility to train those who will carry the baton, and it is truly an honor to be named as a professional Mentor by the AAAE,” commented Reid-Kane. “Mission-driven work involves not only tangible hard skills but passion for the cause involved, as well, if you are to succeed. I look forward to sharing my experiences in both categories with up-and-coming arts administrators in this prestigious program.”
Sharon Reid-Kane, Ed.D. is VP & Chief Education and Community Engagement Officer at Ruth Eckerd Hall, overseeing arts education programs reaching 60,000+ students of all ages and abilities across Tampa Bay. Throughout her career, she has received several prestigious accolades including the Florida Alliance for Arts Education’s "Arts Education Professional of the Year" and the Juvenile Welfare Board’s Cooperman-Bogue Award for service to children and families. Most recently, she was recognized as a nominee for the Tony Awards® Excellence in Theatre Education Award.
Sharon has served as a funding panel judge for the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, President of Arts for a Complete Education (ACE), Board of Directors Member for the Clearwater Arts Alliance (CAA), Board Officer for IPAY (International Performing Arts for Youth), a panelist for South Arts, and is a featured writer for local and national publications. With certifications in dyslexia studies, credentials as an Autism Specialist, and a doctoral degree in education, she is devoted to fostering the next generation of non-profit and arts leaders and shares her passions regularly as a guest speaker and instructor at colleges and universities about the immeasurable value of mission-driven work. Additionally, she was recently named as a professional Mentor by the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE). Her personal background includes years of experience in all artistic genres, leading to a lifelong passion for the arts and arts education.