Pam Lieberman doesn’t crave the spotlight. Growing up in Little Falls, N.J., the 2002 M.B.A. graduate studied dance and piano, but discovered that while she loved the theater, she was happiest working behind the scenes. A theater internship during her undergraduate days at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania cemented the deal, providing a point of comparison that simply would not go away, even after she landed a job in marketing at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
So when her husband’s job dictated a move to Pittsburgh, Lieberman was fortunate enough to find work as marketing and development manager for the Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater. Two years later, she became the theater’s executive director, working to bring national and international touring troupes to Pittsburgh. Lieberman estimates the theater’s presentations reach 30,000-40,000 people annually. The presentations include a five-production family series with 40-45 performances, as well as an annual festival in the city’s West Park that this year features 42 performances by six traveling theater groups.
The job already has given Lieberman lots to be proud of—her organization is providing Broadway-caliber children’s theater often to children who haven’t previously experienced live theater. And she’s also pleased with the way her business background fits naturally into what she’s doing. “Business skills are definitely needed in the arts,” she says.
