The mission of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures is to connect celebrated authors with the community, elevate civic discourse, and inspire creativity and a passion for the literary arts. Our commitment to knowledge, learning, and artistic excellence guides and informs our work. We endeavor to inspire members of diverse communities by providing opportunities to experience authors who speak on issues that reflect our values such as justice, compassion, citizenship, acceptance, courage, and equity.
Our Story
Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures was launched with a lecture by Pittsburgh native Annie Dillard on September 16, 1991 at The Fulton (now The Byham) Theater in downtown Pittsburgh.
Over the years we have connected thousands of Pittsburghers with iconic authors including Kurt Vonnegut, George Plimpton, Margaret Atwood, Edward Albee, John Updike, Alice Walker, Tom Wolfe, Jamaica Kincaid, Arthur Miller, Amy Tan, August Wilson, Susan Sontag, Spalding Gray, and E.L. Doctorow, just to name a few! (See the list of previous speakers.)
We now present five signature series and partner with area schools and non-profit organizations to maximize the impact of visiting authors to our region.
Our Board
Our volunteer board members bring diverse skills and backgrounds (and their passion for reading) to the stewardship and oversight of a sustainable Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures.
OFFICERS
President
Christopher Amar
Vice President
AB Bernstein
Vice President
Sheila Washington
President
Washington Consulting Group
Treasurer
Kevin Lavelle
Managing Director
The Hillman Company
Secretary
Pam Connelly
Shareholder
Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky
DIRECTORS
Lena G. Andrews
Senior Development Officer
ACTION-Housing, Inc.
Karina Chavez
Executive Director
Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education
Emilie Hammerstein
Associate Attorney
Littler Mendelson
Susan B. McIntosh
Retired
BNY Mellon
Susan Morris
Communications Teacher
CMU and University of Pittsburgh
Sydney Rochelle Normil, Esq.
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Associate
Nicole Shapiro
Community Representative
Kornelia Tancheva
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Director
Stephanie Taylor
Senior Manager
Operational Risk and Compliance
Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
Ron Vassel
Deputy General Counsel
ANSYS, Inc.
EX OFFICIO
Stephanie Flom
Executive Director
Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures
Our Staff
Our talented staff members apply their passion, expertise, and enthusiasm to achieve the dynamic goals of the organization.
Stephanie Flom
Executive Director
Shanna Carrick
Director of Strategic Operations
Lisa Christopher
Manager of Community Engagement
Caitlin Leasure
Event Production Coordinator
Nancy LeDonne
Bookkeeper & Office Manager
Our Venues
Most of our events take place in the historic facilities of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland
Ten Evenings
Carnegie Library Lecture Hall
New & Noted, Words & Pictures, Poets Aloud
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s South Wing Reading Room
Made Local
