The Sundance Institute has begun its search for a new CEO, who will oversee an organization in transition as it prepares to move the Sundance Film Festival from Park City, Utah, to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027.
Board member Amanda Kelso has served as interim CEO for the Sundance Institute since the exit of Joana Vicente in April 2024. The company has employed the firm Russell Reynolds to help find candidates for the position.
“At a critical time when the industry continues to evolve, the search committee is dedicated to identifying an ambitious leader as the future Sundance Institute CEO to lead the organization in championing its mission of uplifting independent artists,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board chair. “The Sundance Institute also seeks leadership that will honor our history — rooted in our mission of fostering new voices in independent storytelling — and apply that to supporting the next generation of artists.”
Kelso will remain on the Board after a permanent CEO is hired and will serve as a transitional advisor. Under her leadership, Sundance selected Boulder as the new site of its film festival and will host a final edition of the festival in Park City next January, ending a run in the ski town that began in 1981.
Along with the film festival, the Sundance Institute also holds year-round artist development programs that help cultivate new filmmakers, many of whom have gone on to direct films that are in turn showcased at the festival.
“I’m honored to have guided the organization through the transition of the Sundance Film Festival to the new location starting in 2027, all while upholding the Institute’s long-term sustainability and growth,” Kelso shared in a statement. “This transition has been personally rewarding as we have secured an exciting future for independent storytelling, and our plan ensures the future CEO will be set up for success.”
“The Board and I are sincerely grateful to Amanda for stepping in during this defining period and for her significant leadership in preparing the organization for the opportunities our future holds,” Burnough added.
The job search was first reported by Variety.
