Press Release Adrienne Arsht Center Promotes Valerie Riles to Executive Vice President

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County Promotes

Valerie Riles to Executive Vice President

Miami, FL – January 2024 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County announces the promotion of Valerie Riles to Executive Vice President. As a member of the Arsht Center’s senior executive team for more than 20 years, Riles has built deep connections with government officials and community leaders on behalf of the Arsht Center. As EVP, she will expand her role as leader of government and board relations to also serve as second in command to the President/CEO, including day-to-day management of the Arsht Center.

“Valerie has shown steadfast and trustworthy leadership during complex and challenging times – and she is trusted and respected by peers and colleagues, myself included. With her contributions in this new position, I am confident that the Arsht Center will continue to thrive in its mission to connect all people to the arts, to the Arsht and to each other through artistic excellence and inspiring educational experiences,” said Arsht Center President and CEO Johann Zietsman.

Riles joined the Arsht Center in 2002, before its 2006 grand opening, and is the Center's longest-serving staff member.  She has been responsible for securing the Arsht Center’s public sector funding and nurturing and maintaining the Center's relationship with several government bodies, including federal and state governments, and the Center's most significant partner - Miami-Dade County. She participated as a 2023 Fellow of the National BIPOC Executive Leadership in the Arts Program and, in January 2019, served as the Interim President and CEO of the Arsht Center. She has and will continue to be responsible for managing the Performing Arts Center Trust Board of Directors, a volunteer group of 55 South Florida community leaders who have a broad portfolio of responsibilities, including fiduciary, governance, policy setting and advancement initiatives. 

Valerie stated, “It has been an honor to contribute to the Center’s role in Miami’s cultural transformation over the past 20 years and I am truly excited about the future of this dynamic organization. The opportunity I have had to grow professionally while at the Center is a testament to the Arsht Center’s longstanding commitment to diversity and to developing talent from within the organization. I hope that my journey can light a path for other South Florida natives and women of color to pursue positions as senior leaders in the arts.”

A South Florida native, Riles is deeply involved in her community. She is currently a member of the Dade  County  (FL) Links, Inc., the International Women’s Forum, the National Black MBA Association and the Howard University Alumni Association.

In 2009, South Florida Success Magazine named Riles one of the 25 most distinguished black businesswomen in South Florida. In 2011, Legacy Magazine honored her as one of South Florida’s 50 most powerful black professionals. In 2012, she was recognized by the Miami-Dade County Black Advisory Board with a Community Pillar Award and, in 2014, she was awarded Miami-Dade County’s “In the Company of Women” award in the category of Arts & Entertainment. Other honors include a 2017 Quiet Storm Award from the Women’s Power Caucus and a 2018 honoree in the Miami-Dade County Black History Month exhibit.  

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations, and local, state and national foundations.

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About the Adrienne Arsht Center

Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is committed to welcoming and connecting ALL people to the arts, to the Arsht Center and to each other. Our stages are alive year-round with artists from around the world, innovative programming from our resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and arts education experiences for thousands of Miami children each year.

Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has been recognized as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area, a leader in programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity, a host venue for historic events and Miami’s hub for arts education.

Each year, we serve more than 60,000 young learners and offer more than 100 culturally diverse and inclusive education programs — many enhanced by the Arsht Center’s relationship with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local teaching artists and Miami-based arts organizations.

The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. Our 300+ events each year include the Center’s Signature Series of classical, jazz, Broadway, local theater and much more. We present a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, our Family Fest, Free Gospel Sundays, CommuniTEA LGBTQ+ celebration and Heritage Fest are among dozens of free events that bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit arshtcenter.org.