About Us

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, integrity, 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, civic responsibility, 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

Kevin Lavelle

President and Chief Investment Officer
The Hillman Company

Vice President

Kornelia Tancheva

Director
University of Pittsburgh Library System

Treasurer

Stephanie Taylor

Director of Audit
Argo AI

Secretary

Robert M. Turner II, MD

Assistant Professor, Department of Urology
University of Pittsburgh Physicians

DIRECTORS

Sharifa Anderson

Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and
Inclusion Officer

Fannie Mae

Lena G. Andrews

Vice President of Real Estate Development
ACTION-Housing, Inc.

Karina Chavez

Executive Director
Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education

Alicia Barbara Harvey-Smith, Ph.D.

President and CEO
Pittsburgh Technical College

Laura Heberton‐Shlomchik

Producer/Screenwriter

Laura Mullen

VP of Legal and Compliance
Argo AI

Sydney Rochelle Normil, Esq.

Associate (Litigation and Antitrust)
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Pallavi Golla Patil

Founder and CEO
Lark Adventurewear

Gail Pesyna

Retired
Alfred P Sloan Foundation

Balaji Srinivasan

VP, Product and Research & Development
Gimmal

Ron Vassel

Deputy General Counsel
ANSYS, Inc.

Pam Wilkins

Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs
Duquesne University

Our Staff

Our talented staff members apply their passion, expertise, and enthusiasm to achieve the dynamic goals of the organization.

Sony Ton-Aime

Executive Director

Lisa is a white woman with medium dark hair and bangs, she is smiling at the camera and standing on stage with her back to the empty Music Hall first floor audience seating.

Lisa Christopher

Director of Community Engagement

Caitlin is a white woman, with long blonde hair. She is sitting in the audience of the Carnegie Music Hall.

Caitlin Leasure

Development Manager

Kelsey Swintek

Ticketing and Event Production Manager

Our Venues

Most of our events take place in the historic facilities of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Wide shot of the Carnegie Music Hall audience listening to a lecture

Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland

Ten Evenings

Wide shot of the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall audience listening to a lecture

Carnegie Library Lecture Hall

New & Noted, Words & Pictures, Poets Aloud

People listening to a lecture in the Carnegie Library International Poetry room

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s South Wing Reading Room

Made Local

Map of the Venues

Get directions

Upcoming Lectures

Tracy Kidder

MAR 25

Hernan Diaz

APR 8

Ed Yong

APR 29

Jesmyn Ward

MAY 13