(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Chairman of the South Orange Performing Arts Center’s Board of Governors Paul Bartick announced that Mark Packer is leaving the executive director position on June 30, the close of the fiscal year. As part of the transition to new leadership, Mr. Bartick has announced the appointment of Dee Billia as the SOPAC’s Acting Executive Director.
Six years ago, Mr. Packer was brought in to help build the profile and success of the young arts center. His leadership and knowledge of non-profit arts stabilized the day-to-day operations of SOPAC and brought many successful changes including increased programming that draws in audiences from near and far, savvy use of the building to increase rental income and a funding campaign called Entertaining the Future that surpassed $1.2 million. Among Mr. Packer’s other notable achievements at SOPAC was building institutional support for the organization, including receiving the organization’s first grants from the NJ State Council on the Arts, which requires organizations to meet the most rigorous standards. Mr. Packer has been instrumental in creating a climate of financial stability that has led to budget surpluses for the past six years.
In addition, his leadership was evident in his volunteer activities. Mr. Packer founded the South Jersey Cultural Alliance, a service agency for over 100 Arts & History organizations in Southern New Jersey. He also served on the Board of Art Pride New Jersey, the statewide advocacy organization for the non-profit Arts industry for over 25 years and served as its president for six years.
South Orange Village President Sheena Collum praised Mr. Packer’s accomplishments and states, “Our beautiful arts center thrived under Mark’s leadership. SOPAC has helped build the economic engine of South Orange and makes it a welcoming place to live for families seeking arts experiences in their community. We certainly wish him much success in his next endeavors.”
Ms. Billia, SOPAC’s Director of External Relations for the past six years, has a rich history with the New Jersey arts industry and has held leadership positions with several of New Jersey’s most prestigious arts organizations, including the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Appel Farm Arts & Music Center. Ms. Billia serves as chair of the Jersey Arts Marketers North and received a Jersey Arts Marketers leadership award from ArtPrideNJ in 2016.
"We are excited to have Dee Billia lead SOPAC as the Acting Director,” says Mr. Bartick. “She has a stellar reputation in the New Jersey arts world and has been a key player in SOPAC’s success during the past six years. The Board of Governors is confident in her leadership while our transition team searches for a permanent executive director.”
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is located at One SOPAC Way in South Orange, New Jersey.
