John Abodeely Departs HAA

The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) has announced the departure of its CEO John Abodeely, who has been with the organization since 2017.

John Abodeely

Mr. Abodeely had previously served as the Acting Executive Director and Deputy Director for the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities before joining HAA. During his time with the organization he secured contract renewals with the City of Houston, brought increased transparency to public art competitions, and diversified HAA’s board and staff. Under his leadership, HAA also developed an annual improvement process informed by input from the arts community and, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, launched the Disaster Services program, which advocates for the inclusion of artists and arts nonprofits by local emergency management systems.

In an announcement Michele Leal Farah, HAA’s Board Chair, commented, “We’re deeply grateful for John’s dedication and accomplishments, and we wish him all the best in his new role at Oolite Arts in Miami.”

Mr. Abodeely will begin his new role as President and CEO of Oolite, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists through programing, artist residencies, financial support, and professional development opportunities.

In a press release, a spokesperson for the organization remarked, “With an extensive background in growing the arts on both the local and national levels, John brings a wealth of experience and proven leadership to our organization. As we launch into our 40th year and embark on the next chapter of our journey, John’s expertise will be instrumental in strengthening and expanding our programming, building our new home in Little River, and continuing to nurture the incredible artistic talent here in South Florida. We look forward to working together to create a vibrant, dynamic future for the arts in our community and beyond.”

Mr. Abodeely will step down from his position at HAA at the end of this year. The organization has named Taylor Jackson, Director of Grants, as Interim CEO.