Naomi Grabel

Naomi Grabel is the Executive Director of Development Strategy and Growth for The Metropolitan Opera. In this role, she leads major gifts, international fund raising, government advocacy, development operations and corporate sponsorship, and oversees foundations relations and special campaigns for world’s largest performing arts organization. From 2016 – 2018, she served as CEO of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, a fundraising organization that provides support to Israel’s largest cultural ambassador. Ms. Grabel has extensive experience as an arts marketer, having served as Director of Marketing and Creative Services at Carnegie Hall from 2009 – 2016, and Director, Marketing & Development, for Sydney Opera House from 2006 – 2008, where she led a major re-branding project as well and launched the first-ever philanthropy program for Australia’s leading arts center. Prior to that tenure, she was the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center. Other professional experience includes serving as Managing Director of Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater, Marketing Director of South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA, and Director of Communications for Houston’s Alley Theater. She also served as Vice President of Marketing, Sales, Publicity and Education for Disney Theatrical Group. She has served on peer review panels for the National Endowment of the Arts and the New Jersey State Arts Council, and was on the Executive Committees of the League of Resident Theatres and of the Greater Philadelphia Theatre Alliance. From 2011 – 2014, she chaired the board of Doug Varone and Dancers, and from 2009 – 2011 she served as co-president of the League of Professional Theatre Women. She presently serves on the Director’s Advisory Council of the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Pennsylvania, the Advisory Board of SMU DataArts, the Advisory Board of American Friends of Batsheva, and the Board of American Friends of Keshet Eilon and the board of Gomez Mills House. She teaches at the David Geffen School of Drama, and has guest-lectured at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, NYU, USC, Duke University, SMU and Texas A&M. Ms. Grabel is a graduate of the David Geffen School of Drama and the University of Pennsylvania. In her spare time, Naomi loves to travel, is a museum and theater junkie and a rabid NY Mets fan.