The Music Center Names Lisa Specht As New Board Chair

LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of The Music Center has elected Lisa Specht to the position of board chair.  Specht has served on The Music Center board since 2007 and has held the position of vice chair since 2009.  She also co-chaired the board's Nominating and Governance Committee for five years.  Specht will assume her position immediately, succeeding Kent Kresa, who recently stepped down from his role as board chair, a position he held since 2011. 

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Specht is a partner with the law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, where she provides developers, corporations, institutions and government agencies with strategic advice and representation on major business, legal and public policy matters.  Her practice focuses on real estate and land use issues, often representing clients seeking government contracts or approvals. She has served on the Manatt Board of Directors and the firm's compensation committee.

Highly active in the community and a proponent of civic engagement, Specht chaired the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission and served as chief counsel for the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in 2000. 

"We are privileged to have a board composed of the best business and community leaders, who have a true passion for the arts," said Stephen D. Rountree, president and CEO, The Music Center.  "Lisa Specht's outstanding record of civic leadership and support for the arts and education will help ensure The Music Center continues to expand its role as a transformational leader in bringing the community the best in the performing arts," he added.

"The Board of Directors of The Music Center has made an excellent choice in Lisa, who is a bright and committed leader both in the legal world and the Los Angeles community," said Manatt Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner William T. Quicksilver. "The Music Center is deeply rooted in L.A. culture, and Manatt is proud of Lisa's dedication to advancing the performing arts in the city.  Her passion, vision and extraordinary ability to inspire others are admirable."

"It is an honor to lead The Music Center board as we continue to develop programming and initiatives to engage our diverse communities and provide new and inspiring ways to enjoy the arts," said Lisa Specht.  "I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board and with The Music Center's world class resident companies as we look forward to our 50th anniversary."

In addition to her Music Center duties, Specht serves as a trustee and vice chair of Pitzer College (one of the Claremont Colleges), as an executive committee board member of Central City Association and as a board member of the American Jewish Committee.

A former member of the US Department of Commerce Committee on Industry Policy (appointed by the Secretary of Commerce) and former member of the Women's Leadership Board, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Specht has been named by California Law Business as one of the "Top 100 Attorneys in California."  She has also been recognized as one of the "Most Prominent Attorneys in Los Angeles County" by the Los Angeles Business Journal and is consistently included in the Best Lawyers in America guide.

About The Music Center
A leader at the cultural heart of Los Angeles County, The Music Center brings to life one of the world's premier arts destinations by creating opportunities for arts participation, enabling compelling programming and providing first-class venues and services.  The Music Center is one of the largest and most highly regarded performing arts centers in the country, creating a cultural hub that is central to L.A.'s status as "the creative capital" of the world.  Celebrated for its illustrious dance programming Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center and home to four world class resident companies – Center Theatre Group, LA Opera, LA Phil and Los Angeles Master Chorale – The Music Center is the place to experience the most innovative and critically-acclaimed performing arts in the nation.  In its effort to extend the reach and accessibility of the performing arts, The Music Center is a national model for experiences in which people participate directly through its Active Arts® at The Music Center.  As well, The Music Center presents special productions, events and festivals for children and families, including World City™ at The Music Center.  Each year, more than one million audience members delight in the excitement of live performances on The Music Center's stages and enjoy free community arts events all year long across its outdoor campus.  The Music Center is also on the forefront of arts education in Los Angeles, providing arts resources to students and teachers in schools and community centers throughout the region.  For more information, visit http://www.musiccenter.org and follow The Music Center on Facebook and Twitter (@MusicCenterLA). 

SOURCE The Music Center