SCOTT ALTMAN

Scott Altman joined Cincinnati Ballet as President & CEO in August 2016.  Under his visionary leadership, Cincinnati Ballet has reached many noteworthy milestones, more than tripling asset growth to over $75M, implementation of its first $11 million operating budget, a dynamic new logo and brand identity, record-breaking ticket sales, the launch of a new Family Series, as well as expanded Academy and community programs.

To accommodate this incredible growth, Cincinnati Ballet launched a $31M capital campaign to construct a new, larger, state-of-the-art ballet center. With the successful completion of the campaign, the 62,000 sq. ft. Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance had its grand opening in September 2021.

During his tenure, Altman has been honored for three consecutive years by Cincinnati Magazine in its Cincinnati 300— a compilation of the city’s top 300 executives. He currently serves as Trustee on the Board of DanceUSA and as its Executive Managers’ Council Chair, Trustee on the Board of Ohio Citizens for the Arts, and member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Altman has been featured guest speaker for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Americans for the Arts and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Altman brings with him nearly three decades of experience in nonprofit administration and performing arts. Prior to his roles in administration, Altman enjoyed a 20-year career as a professional opera singer and performed 40 opera roles internationally. He has held leadership positions as General Director at both Arizona Opera and Opera New Jersey, and just prior to coming to Cincinnati Ballet he was Executive Director of Ballet West. During his tenure, Ballet West experienced phenomenal expansion, including growth in ticket sales, a vastly expanded touring schedule, robust growth in donor development, and the construction of a new building.  

He is an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music as well as State University College at Purchase and taught for three years at Princeton University. Altman earned a certificate from Stanford University’s Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders, was a Utah Business 2016 CEO of the Year Honoree and is a three-time recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Citation of Excellence Award.