Meet East End Arts’ new executive director

Wendy Weiss’ commitment to East End Arts was cemented in 2020 when she joined the board after leaving a stable, well-paying job in Boston and returning to Long Island after 15 years.

Her dedication to the organization has been further solidified since she took over the role of Executive Director in June.

“I took a big leap of faith,” Ms. Weiss said. “I kind of teased that I was part of that ‘great resignation,’ I left a really big position job to work in a non-profit. It was my first nonprofit experience and then it just snowballed from there.”

As a board member Ms. Weiss participated in the organization’s innovative efforts to keep the arts council active during the pandemic. In 2021, Ms. Weiss resigned from the board to join the non-profit’s team as a Membership & Gallery Coordinator and then later that year, she transitioned to the role of Creative Director.

In that role she facilitated all of the organization’s major exhibitions in their gallery and numerous other East End Arts member satellite gallery spaces. She also oversaw the marketing and membership initiatives. 

Ms. Weiss described both roles as a “natural fostering of relationships.”

“Everything kind of wove together,” she said. “So in this new role here, I’m going to continue with all of that.”

Ms. Weiss said the board unanimously voted her into the position of Executive Director.

“Wendy has significantly engaged the professional working artist community on the East End,” Board President John McLane said in a press release announcing Ms. Weiss taking the top job at the organization. “We cannot be more optimistic about the opportunities in front of East End Arts in the next several years.”

A donor had once told Ms. Weiss that East End Arts is good at combining inclusivity and excellence, which stuck with her and is something she hopes to continue. 

“Something I’m really looking forward to in this role is really starting to look at the organization from a higher elevation and start to see how we can strategically plan things to not only enhance what we already do, but make way for the things of the future,” Ms. Weiss said.

Aside from fundraising, which Ms. Weiss said is a priority for any non-profit, she plans to expand and seek sponsorships and underwriting for two of the organization’s current programs: the Arts and Music Program for All Abilities that works mainly with people with developmental disabilities and organizations that also provide service to them and the Satellite Gallery program.

“I think us being a regional arts organization is a little unique here,” Ms. Weiss said. “Each fork is very localized but our [organization] can be a little more enveloping to kind of unite the north and south forks and to kind of bring people together in a different way.”

Another goal of hers is to be a major player in the downtown revitalization efforts in Riverhead, which includes the creation of an amphitheater on East End Arts property as well as a Town Square neighboring their campus.

“This is our headquarters and our home base,” Ms. Weiss said. “So being partners with the town on those kinds of things, there’s lots of exciting things on the horizon there too.”

According to Ms. Weiss’ Linkedin profile, she most recently worked in a variety of administrative roles in the medical industry. Ms. Weiss was a graduate of Riverhead’s Mercy High School. She later earned a marketing degree from Johnson & Wales University.

Ms. Weiss is taking over for Diane Burke, who had been the organization’s executive director since 2019. Ms. Burke left the role to take a position at a Manorville-based nonprofit. Before leaving, Ms. Burke put together a transition plan, which aside from recommending Ms. Weiss become the next executive director, included recommendations to invest in supportive development and marketing staff. Ms. Burke contacted a “substantial donor,” who then gave $50,000 to fund the transition plan.

Ms. Weiss said her favorite parts of the job are working with her colleagues and community members and helping to curate the organization’s gallery exhibits.

“I have met, know, and gotten to know even better some really cool people,” she said. “It’s such a friendly group, there’s really a collaborative mindset. It’s just such a magical thing to kind of be a part of.”