Libby Watson

Libby Watson serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Art & Design at Adrian College and Executive Director of the Adrian Symphony Orchestra (ASO), a professional ensemble in residence at the college. With over 20 years of dedication to the ASO—including 16 years as executive leader—she has driven transformative growth in the orchestra's mission, financial stability, and community impact through strategic innovation and educational expansion.

Her academic credentials include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Pre-Law from Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business
• Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Siena Heights University

Professor Watson specializes in bridging arts administration with community development, demonstrated through:

• Designing Adrian College’s Arts Management degree program and teaching foundational courses (ARTM 101, 200, 400)
• Creating tuition-free youth programs including Carnegie Hall’s Link Up curriculum and a middle-school orchestra
• Securing $2M in financial reserves via planned giving campaigns and modernizing operational systems
• Pioneering new-music commissions and summer chamber series to broaden audience engagement
• Leading national initiatives through the League of American Orchestras’ Institutional Vision and Governance programs

Her grant-writing expertise has secured funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, Arts Midwest, Michigan Arts & Culture Council, and major foundations including Mellon and Getty. Nationally, she chairs the League of American Orchestras’ executive directors’ constituency group and serves on its National Board while co-leading New Music for America’s collaborative commissioning program.