Piper Gunnarson
With nearly two decades of experience leading organizations through growth, transition, and organizational change, and a Master’s in Leadership for the Arts from NYU, I am committed to helping arts organizations thrive. As Executive Director of On Site Opera, and in prior leadership roles, I helped organizations expand budgets, grow and diversify boards, strengthen governance, and build sustainable fundraising systems. Through Gunnarson Consulting, I collaborate with arts and culture organizations, service organizations, and foundations to provide practical, mission-centered leadership support tailored to small and mid-sized nonprofits organizations within the arts and culture sectors.
About Me
Sector Experience
In addition to two decades of experience as an arts leader embedded within cultural organizations, I have served on committees, task forces, grant panels, and conference panels for arts and culture institutions nationwide, and have moderated working groups and client-based projects with organizations that range in artistic discipline, size, and scale. Work in these areas has included:
Strategic Planning (Translating vision into multi-year strategy across departments)
Audience Development and Marketing Strategy
Fundraising (Development plans and infrastructures, major gifts, direct appeals, grant writing, benefit events, and sponsorships)
Governance (Board recruitment, training, and structures)
Building Administrative Infrastructure (CRM adoption and migration, financial management processes, operating procedure manuals, organizational charts, on-boarding materials)
Event Production (performances, benefit events, discussion panels, cultivation gatherings)
