The Great Northern Announces Jovan C. Speller Rebollar as New Executive Director
Speller Rebollar to co-lead the organization with Chief Programming Officer Kate Nordstrum
Image by Laure Vail
The Great Northern announced today after a national search that Jovan C. Speller Rebollar will be its new Executive Director. She will co-lead the organization with Chief Programming Officer Kate Nordstrum, who previously managed both programming and administrative activities for The Great Northern.
Speller Rebollar brings her decades of experience as a leader at organizations across the country to the position. Most recently, she was a program director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC). An award-winning multidisciplinary artist, Speller Rebollar also has direct experience with The Great Northern – her installation Conservatory (created in partnership with Andy DuCett) anchored the 2022 festival, and she was a featured speaker at the 2023 festival’s Climate Series.
“Since participating as an artist collaborator with The Great Northern, I have been blown away by the innovation and brilliance of the team, led by Kate Nordstrum and backed by a powerhouse board,” Speller Rebollar said. “The festival has been a shining example of how to ambitiously celebrate ‘the North’ and build community. The platform centers the strengths of this region and engages in topics that lead to a greater understanding of our collective power to address climate issues. I look forward to helping expand The Great Northern’s reach and impact, while strengthening its operations and partnerships.”
In her new role, Speller Rebollar will lead key functions of the growing organization, including development, finance, marketing, and operations, with a focus on achieving its strategic priorities and increasing its institutional capacity. Nordstrum, who had held both the Executive Director and Artistic Director roles prior to Speller Rebollar’s appointment, will continue to lead festival programming as Chief Programming Officer. Nordstrum was hired in 2019 as its sole full-time employee, with the plan of splitting her role as capacity increased.
“I know Jovan will bring incredible momentum to The Great Northern and I’m thrilled to co-lead the organization with a colleague I already admire so much,” Nordstrum said. “Her rich experience as a cultural entrepreneur and sustainable systems builder will serve The Great Northern and its community tremendously well. With Jovan at the helm of the organization's operations, I look forward to focusing more fully on ambitious programmatic initiatives for the festival. I'm excited to usher The Great Northern into its bright future with Jovan by my side!”
The Great Northern’s Board Chair Eric Dayton agrees. “Jovan inspired us all with her passion for The Great Northern’s mission and her ambitious vision for its potential,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the next chapter unfold under her leadership combined with Kate Nordstrum’s world-class curatorial expertise."
Speller Rebollar will officially start her role on May 15.
The Great Northern’s 2024 festival will return to the Twin Cities from January 24–February 4, 2024, with illuminating live performances, thought-provoking art displays, meaningful conversations about the environment, invigorating outdoor activities and events, and seasonal food and drink. With climate change at the forefront, the festival seeks to inspire action and awareness around the importance of protecting the winter traditions we cherish.The full lineup of events will be announced to the public in November.
About Jovan C. Speller Rebollar
Jovan C. Speller Rebollar has had a dedicated career in nonprofit arts administration for more than 15 years. Her work has impacted broad communities throughout New York, Washington, D.C., and Minnesota. Her expertise spans development and fundraising, grant-making, education, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit management. Outside of the workforce she is both a supporter and practitioner of the arts. Her vast experience allows her to understand and negotiate relationships that achieve and sustain successful organizations. Whether in business, art, or as a hobby permaculturist, she is most passionate about creating harmonious ecosystems that generate abundance and sustainability. She is equally committed to the growth of opportunities for creative entrepreneurs and the advancement of the arts as a necessary cultural movement, essential to community health.
Jovan is also a dedicated mother and multidisciplinary artist, archivist, and radical homesteader based in rural Minnesota. Her visual works and installations have been published and exhibited in venues throughout the country and world.