Steve Carignan

Steve Carignan serves as Associate Dean for Outreach and Special Programs and Instructor in Arts Administration at the University of Northern Iowa's School of Music, while simultaneously holding the position of Executive Director at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center where he oversees all operations after fourteen years in this role.

His academic credentials include:

• Bachelor of Arts in History and Theatre from Dickinson College
• Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Maine
• Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education from Iowa State University (2012)

Carignan's professional focus centers on the operational leadership of performing arts venues, strategic management of cultural institutions, and higher education administration. His expertise bridges arts management with community engagement strategies, emphasizing fundraising, marketing, and non-profit board governance within the cultural sector. He actively shapes programming that connects academic institutions with regional arts ecosystems.

His professional recognition includes:

• Fellow of the Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Center for Social Innovation (2003)

Carignan has held significant leadership positions including interim Executive Director of Iowa Public Radio and service on multiple cultural boards such as the Iowa Arts Commission and non-profit organizations. His administrative responsibilities encompass campus-wide event management and facility oversight, though specific graduate student mentoring or research grant details are not documented in available materials.

At the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, he directs comprehensive operational teams managing venue logistics, event production, and community outreach initiatives that position the facility as northern Iowa's premier cultural hub.