Deborah F. Rutter (born 30 September 1956) is an American arts executive. [1] She is the president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Rutter is the first woman to head the Center, overseeing the Center's operations in presenting theater, dance, music, awards, and the affiliated, National Symphony Orchestra ...

President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since September 2014, Rutter oversees the production, presentation, and curation of more than 2,000 diverse performances each year. She guides the Center’s global network of over 40 education initiatives reaching 2.1 million individuals.

(WASHINGTON)— Deborah F. Rutter, who has served as President of the Kennedy Center since 2014, today announced her decision to step down at the end of this year. In November, the Center announced that chairman David M. Rubenstein would continue to lead the board through September 2026.

Jan 27, 2025 · The announced departure of Deborah F. Rutter, the center’s president since 2014, comes as the center continues to search for a new board chair while navigating a second Trump term. By Javier C ...

Jan 28, 2025 · Deborah F. Rutter, who has served as President of the Kennedy Center since 2014, has announced her decision to step down at the end of this year. In November, the Center announced that chairman David M. Rubenstein would continue to lead the board through September 2026.

In an age marked by social and technological change, Deborah Rutter has emerged as one of the nation’s most adroit leaders in the arts, combining artistic daring with fiscal sustainability, inclusivity, and responsiveness to the needs of the community.

Jan 28, 2025 · In Monday’s (1/27) Washington Post, Travis M. Andrews writes, “Deborah F. Rutter will step down as president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts at the end of 2025 after steering the arts institution for 11 years, through three presidents and a global pandemic. One of Washington’s most prominent arts leaders, she oversaw ...