Director of Marketing & Database Services | The Granada Theatre

Ashley Dawson (she/her) is an arts administration professional whose leadership is deeply informed by her lifelong commitment to the performing arts as a bassoonist and hobby bassist. Growing up between Arizona and Ohio, she developed an early appreciation for diverse cultural landscapes and the role the arts play in shaping community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in arts management from Bowling Green State University and pursued post-graduate arts administration studies at The University of Akron. After completing her coursework, Ashley moved to Detroit, MI, where she began her career as a Patron Services Associate at Detroit Opera.

Ashley advanced her career in 2018 with a move to Santa Barbara, CA, where she joined The Granada Theatre. Since then, she has progressed through roles in ticketing, database support, and consortium management. She was ultimately appointed Director of Marketing and Database Services, a role in which she oversees marketing, ticketing, and Tessitura database strategy for the theatre and its consortium partners. Her contributions to the regional arts sector earned her recognition as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Pacific Coast Business Times in 2023, and she is a 2024 graduate of the Tessitura Career Accelerator program.

A multiracial woman with Black, White, and Indigenous roots, Ashley is committed to fostering inclusive, equity-driven environments in the arts. She currently serves on the Tessitura DEAI Advisory Committee and as a board member for the Oxnard Performing Arts Center in Oxnard, California, contributing to national and regional conversations around representation, access, and community-centered leadership.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Ashley values time with her family and maintains a strong commitment to personal growth and creative practice.