SFJAZZ Names Gabrielle Armand as New Chief Executive Officer

Following an extensive nationwide search, SFJAZZ Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Gabrielle Armand as the new Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Bay Area’s premier non-profit jazz performing arts organization, effective July 1, 2025. Armand will succeed Susie Medak, who has served as Interim Chief Executive Officer since December 2024.

Armand joins SFJAZZ from Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City where she served as Chief Marketing Officer & Vice President Brand, Sales, and Marketing, overseeing the Marketing & Sales, PR & Communications, Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships, Audience Development, Content Development, Creative Services, and Intellectual Property teams. In addition, she led the development of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s growing media initiatives that included an in-house record label, national radio program, streaming channel, live webcasts, and award-winning longform nationally broadcast video productions.

In her role at SFJAZZ, Armand will oversee all aspects of the organization’s business functions, including education, finance, contributed and earned revenue, business operations, as well as support artistic vision and programming. In partnership with Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, Armand will lead the dynamic SFJAZZ team, ensuring that the organization’s mission is fulfilled in a financially sustainable and artistically excellent manner.

“I’m delighted to welcome Gabrielle to SFJAZZ,” said Blanchard. “She’s an outstanding leader with a deep understanding of the jazz world and a strong alignment with our mission-driven values. I’m excited to partner with her in advancing the vision and impact of SFJAZZ.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Gabrielle Armand join us as the new CEO for SFJAZZ,” adds SFJAZZ Board President Molly J. Coye. “The richness of her experience at Jazz at Lincoln Center combined with her life-long passion for the artform make her the perfect leader for us. In collaboration with Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard, we are excited for the opportunities ahead as Gabrielle helps expand the reach of jazz regionally and nationally, while deepening our commitment to education and artist support.”

“I’m excited and honored to take on this role at SFJAZZ and to make San Francisco my new home. I have long admired this organization’s profound impact on the local and national arts community and the countless musicians it has presented and supported,” said Armand. “Jazz has been a guiding principle for much of my life, both personally and professionally, and I look forward to continuing to expand audiences for this uniquely American music and celebrate its ongoing contributions to the global cultural landscape.” 

“We are very proud of this appointment. Both of our organizations have been intertwined in many ways over the past decades and this is a sign of our maturation,” said Wynton Marsalis, Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Gaby’s leadership will reflect a deep understanding of the civic, cultural, and mythological significance of jazz. She will make ethical, fiscally responsible, and intelligent decisions that will bring new energy to our ecosystem. The music is in good hands.”

With over 30 years of experience within the entertainment industry, not-for-profit, and cultural arts landscapes, Armand has strategically designed and managed multi-layered partnerships with major global brands including Coca-Cola, MasterCard, P&G, Brooks Brothers, Disney, Bloomberg, HSBC, Qatar Airways, and General Motors. She has an affinity for media and music-related programs and is known for resourcing and leading high-performing teams.

Prior to joining Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2009, Armand was the Executive Director for Marketing & Communications for the United Nations Association of the USA, where she formed a groundbreaking strategic partnership focused on gender-equity and improving the lives of children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Gabrielle spent the first ten years of her professional career in the recording industry, working with a host of Grammy Award-winning artists and shepherding the commercial release of more than 1,500 records at divisions of Universal Music and Sony Music.

The Chief Executive Officer Search Committee, led by co-chairs Bruce Cozadd and Denise Young, included Molly J. Coye,  John Botti, Ravin Agrawal, InaMarie Johnson, and Terence Blanchard. The Committee was supported by Arts Consulting Group.