Spoleto Festival USA names Dr. Elizabeth Fleming Board Chair, welcomes six new Directors 

Spoleto Festival USA announced the appointment of Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Fleming as Chair of its Board of Directors, succeeding Phil Smith, and welcomed six new members to the Board: Mary Katherine DuBose, Walter Fiederowicz, Isaac Gruber, Mike Lata, Leigh McNairy, and Carolyn Murray. The appointments come as Spoleto prepares for its 50th Anniversary Festival, May 28–June 13, 2027.

“Phil Smith’s chairmanship brought this Festival to the threshold of its 50th year, and we owe him our thanks. Betsy will take us across it,” said Mena Mark Hanna, General Director and CEO of Spoleto Festival USA. “She has spent her career inside the institutions that make art possible, and she has already given this Festival what she will now ask of others: her time, her judgment, and her generosity. She understands that a 50th anniversary is not an occasion for nostalgia but an argument for the next 50 years, and I can think of no better partner for making it.”

“It is an incredible honor to step into this leadership role for Spoleto on the eve of our 50th festival,” said Fleming. “Since 1977, Spoleto has brought the world’s artists to Charleston while simultaneously exposing the world to this city’s rich history, culture and talent. The Festival has played an important role in growing Charleston’s recognition as a world-class destination for the arts, and we want that to continue.  Our 50th is a chance both to celebrate what generations of artists, audiences, supporters and citizens have built, and to fortify our commitment to be as bold and visionary as Menotti and this city were at our founding.”

Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Fleming, board chair, has served in various leadership roles including President of Converse College in Spartanburg, SC from 2005 to 2016, and Executive Director of the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC. Betsy is currently on the boards of Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, The Aspen Institute, and Phillips Exeter Academy. Committed to growing resources for female leaders and entrepreneurs, she invests in women-owned and women-led enterprises and hosts the podcast Kick-Ass Women of the Carolinas. Trained as an art historian, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a M.A. from the Royal College of Art in London, and a Ph.D. in the History of Art from Yale University.

Mrs. Mary Katherine DuBose, board member, is Head of Specialized Industries at Wells Fargo, where she leads key lending divisions within Commercial Banking, delivering working capital solutions to clients globally. With more than 25 years of banking experience, she has held a range of leadership positions at Wells Fargo, including Chief Credit Officer and Head of Capital Markets. DuBose earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas. Originally from Arkansas, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and two daughters and maintains a home in Kiawah. She brings extensive financial expertise, corporate leadership experience, and a connection to the Lowcountry community.

Mr. Walter Fiederowicz, board member, is an attorney, investor, and business leader whose career spans public service, corporate leadership, and philanthropy. An honors graduate of Yale College and the University of Virginia School of Law, he began his career at Cummings & Lockwood before serving as a White House Fellow and Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice. He subsequently held executive and board leadership roles across several companies, including Meacock Capital plc, Photronics, Inc., and First Albany Companies. Fiederowicz divides his time between Charleston and Connecticut and currently serves as Board Chair of the Charleston Literary Festival, Treasurer of the Rivers Performance Hall Foundation, and is a member of the Board of The Preservation Society of Charleston.

Mr. Isaac Gruber, board member, is General Counsel of Beemok Capital, with extensive experience advising on complex legal matters, risk management, and corporate governance. He began his legal career in New York at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and subsequently served as General Counsel of Eden Capital, an investment management firm, before joining Beemok and relocating to Charleston in 2020. Mr. Gruber received a B.A. in History from Emory University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Chicago Law School. A lifelong classical music enthusiast, he studied as a youth at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division in New York and at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute in Lenox, Massachusetts. Mr. Gruber and his wife, Ilana, live in Charleston with their two sons.

Mr. Mike Lata, board member, is an internationally acclaimed chef and a leading figure in Charleston’s culinary community. He received the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2009 and has been a multiple-time semifinalist for Outstanding Chef. After formative culinary experiences in France and at acclaimed kitchens in New Orleans and Atlanta, Lata opened FIG in 2003 and The Ordinary in 2012, establishing both as prominent destinations in Charleston’s dining scene. Further, he co-founded Slowfood Charleston in 2004. His work has been featured widely in national media, including The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, and The New York Times. In addition, Mr. Lata has served as an Advisory Board member of Grow Food Carolina since 2012 and Culinary Advisor to the Kiawah Island Club since 2018. In 2023, he received the Spoleto Festival USA Mary Ramsay Civic Award for his contributions to the Festival and Charleston community. Mike lives in Charleston with his wife, Jenni, and their three sons.

Mrs. Leigh McNairy, board member, recently retired from a career in public service and now serves as President of the Harvey-McNairy Foundation, directing philanthropic efforts focused on systemic change for underserved women and children. A North Carolina native, she earned a B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Duke University. In recognition of her service to North Carolina, McNairy received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state’s highest civilian honor, in 2000. She and her husband, John, split their time between Kinston and Charleston and are active in both communities’ cultural and educational life.

Mrs. Carolyn Murray, board member, is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and anchor/reporter/podcaster for WCBD-TV News 2 in Charleston, with a broadcasting career spanning nearly 4 decades. A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in Mass Communication, Murray has received multiple Southeast Regional Emmy Awards for excellence in anchoring and reporting. Deeply engaged in the community, Murray serves on the boards of the International African American Museum, Moja Arts Festival, Charleston Animal Society, City of Charleston Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, and Neighbors Together, among other organizations. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Murray has a longstanding connection to Spoleto, having hosted the 2026 Festival Preview Event and served as host of the 2026 Opening Gala. She lives in Charleston with her husband, Jimmy, and their daughter, Reese.

The Board of Directors of Spoleto Festival USA is composed of dedicated leaders who share a passion for the performing arts and a commitment to the Festival’s future. Together, their expertise and community connections will help advance Spoleto’s mission as it enters its next half-century.

SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA 

Spoleto Festival USA was founded in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti, who sought to create an American counterpart to the annual Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, which he had founded in 1958. Spoleto Festival USA is internationally recognized as America’s premier performing arts festival. For 17 days and nights each spring, Spoleto Festival USA fills Charleston’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with performances in opera; theater; dance; and contemporary, chamber, symphonic, choral, and jazz music. With General Director & CEO Mena Mark Hanna at its helm, the 50th anniversary season takes place from May 28 to June 13, 2027 in various locations throughout Charleston. Spoleto Festival USA is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.