RAiR Executive Director Katelyn Krakauskas to Step Down

We’re sorry to say that Katelyn Krakauskas, our wonderful Executive Director, has decided for personal reasons to move on to new adventures.

For the last five years, Katelyn has given her all to helping guide RAiR through a major period of transition and continuing growth. When she began, founder Donald B. Anderson was still alive and the organization was gradually outgrowing its origins as a family venture; Katelyn was the first person to hold the Executive Director position who wasn’t a member of the Anderson family. She had been the bookkeeper for RAiR for nearly seven years before taking over as Interim Executive Director in the spring of 2020. Her performance in the interim role was so solid that the board unanimously asked her to take over the position altogether.

As Executive Director, Katelyn surpassed expectations. She took her experience as a small business owner and creator and her abilities as a bookkeeper to help shepherd RAiR into new territory, acting as an amazing steward for a small but mighty organization. Keeping track of every aspect of RAiR’s tight budget, she made savvy financial decisions, grew the organization’s endowment, and showed herself to be adept at finding grant monies; thanks to her, RAiR is currently receiving support from entities including the Frederick Hammersley Foundation, New Mexico Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

A former professional photographer herself, Katelyn has also worked closely with RAiR’s program directors, including Residency Director Larry Bob Phillips, as the number of applications for RAiR grew to more than 600 artists a year. She also led the job search that concluded with the hiring of Tonee Harbert, now installed as Director of the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art (AMoCA). Once Tonee was in office, she assisted him in innovations including installing new storage for the artwork, and inaugurating a new series of rotating shows by former RAiR fellows with a show by Jerry West that opened this past October. Katelyn also insured the AMoCA collection and updated the rental facilities at the Historic Studios at Berrendo Road.

Most recently, Katelyn worked with the RAiR Board’s Development Committee on plans for a RAiR fundraising event; the event was postponed due to the recent flood, but will be rescheduled to be held before her departure.

A working mother who has been juggling the exigencies of her job with raising two young children, Katelyn is leaving to focus on her family and on new ventures. She will, however, be staying until her successor is identified, so she won’t be actually departing until some time in early 2025. Wherever she goes next, she will always remain a part of the RAiR family.