Meiyin Wang

In January 2024, the theatre community lost Diane Ragsdale, whose wide-ranging career as a foundation program officer, presenter, educator, and thought leader touched many. David Dower and the HowlRound team convened an invited group for a virtual memorial service where folks shared their memories of Diane and the places they saw her impact. Below is a lightly edited transcript of these first responses, curated by Dower, before the floor was opened to all.

Meiyin: My question is: What would positioning them to do the best work look like? And whose responsibility is it? First the board chooses, right? They go through a process, they are theoretically in conversation with their communities and staff, but, by and large, the board chooses. There is more than likely a gap between what the board wants and what the board has committed to.