RPI Appoints Dena Beard Executive Director of EMPAC

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) has named Dena Beard, MA, the new executive director of the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC).

Recognized for her distinguished perspective and approach in the experimental media and performing arts fields, Beard joins RPI from Brooklyn College, where she was director of the iconic Leonard & Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts. Prior to that, she was executive director of The Lab, the cultural landmark in San Francisco for experimental and avant-garde music.

“My vision for EMPAC centers on a powerful guiding principle: fostering an environment of culture and research that not only pushes the boundaries of our imagination but also enhances our ability to collaborate across disciplines,” Beard said. “Art, in this context, is more than an expression—it's an indispensable force that compels us to rethink how we create, connect, and change.”

Beard will guide and deliver on the mission of EMPAC as a world-class, unique performance and research center where the arts, science, and technology intersect, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for faculty, staff, students, and the community. 

“We are delighted to welcome Dena to RPI. Her extensive experience in the arts, and entrepreneurial thinking, combined with her passion for innovation and community engagement, make her the ideal person to lead EMPAC into the future,” said RPI President Martin A. Schmidt, PhD. “Under her directorship, EMPAC will continue to support the realization of pioneering artworks and research, and we will expand our reach, deepen community partnerships, and solidify the center’s position as a global leader.”

A seasoned arts leader and curator, Beard has a long history of working with artists to create groundbreaking and socially relevant projects. Many of these explore the nexus of art, performance, and social justice. Artists she has worked with include: Lutz Bacher, Sadie Barnette, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Ellen Fullman, Dora García, Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork, Anna Halprin, Asher Hartman, Annea Lockwood, Barry McGee, Silke Otto-Knapp, Brontez Purnell, Wadada Leo Smith, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. 

Beard’s appointment comes at an exciting time for RPI. The Institute is currently celebrating its Bicentennial and is poised for continued growth and success.

“Dena is a visionary leader who will infuse EMPAC with a fresh perspective,” said RPI Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Institutional Impact May Lee, JD “As we bring our Rensselaer Forward strategic plan to life, I am confident her leadership will help us continue to make EMPAC a vital resource for our students, faculty, staff, and the broader community." 

This international executive search was guided by the Arts Consulting Group, and Beard will officially begin her role as executive director of EMPAC on October 31, 2024.