Skip to main content
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival board of directors has announced Tyler Hokama as its interim executive director. He will succeed Nataki Garrett, the artistic director and interim executive director who resigned last May.
“Tyler brings to OSF exceptional leadership skills, finance expertise, business acumen, and turnaround experience in complex organizations,” stated OSF board chair Diane Yu in a press release. “He has been active in the Ashland community, including serving on two regional theater company boards and advising local businesses for years.”
Hokama arrives at a turbulent time for OSF. In April, the organization launched a significant fundraising campaign, setting a goal of $2.5 million to launch its 2023 season. It raised $2.7 million, though OSF now says it must raise an additional $7.3 million by the end of the fiscal year in order to complete the remainder of its season.
In her statement, Yu stressed Hokama’s financial savvy.
“He will help us in numerous ways—to revamp our finance operations; develop a more sustainable business model; foster relationships with local businesses, audiences, and donors; and strengthen our fragile infrastructure,” she said. “At the same time, [Tyler] will adhere to the enduring values of OSF, including its artistic legacy and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Hokama’s career has included working for Adobe (and several Fortune 500 companies), as well as serving as an adviser to Ashland’s small businesses as part of the Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center. He has long been a notable figure in the local theater scene, having served on the boards of directors at Camelot Theatre and Rogue Theatre Company.
“I’m a lifelong theater lover,” Hokama said. “However, OSF has grown up to be one of the largest regional theaters in the country without bringing along systems and processes to support it. So, this is truly challenging work, but I believe that if we make a conscious effort to focus on some critical areas, we can continue to present our world-class art in perpetuity.”