WORCESTER—Mechanics Hall has announced Meghan Montaner as its next executive director, succeeding Kathleen Gagne, who retired June 30 after more than 30 years with the organization.
Montaner, who officially takes on the role July 21, brings nearly two decades of experience in arts education, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement—much of it rooted in Worcester.
According to an announcement from the venue, Montaner most recently served as president of the conservatory and education division at The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory. There, she helped lead the theater’s $32 million restoration and opening in 2008 and oversaw wide-ranging programming that now reaches 20,000 students annually.
“I am deeply committed to the Worcester community and eager to lead Mechanics Hall into a new chapter of growth,” Montaner said. “I was drawn to the rich history of the venue, its roots in education, and its contributions to the cultural vitality of the community. The future of Mechanics Hall is full of opportunity.”
Peter Thomas, president of the Mechanics Hall Board of Trustees, called Montaner “the Search Committee’s unanimous choice” and praised her “thoughtful leadership and deep experience in Worcester’s arts community.”
Programs developed under Montaner’s leadership at The Hanover Theatre have received recognition from the Broadway League and the Kennedy Center, and her work with Worcester Public Schools earned both a Community Partner Award and a Goddard Scholars Community Partner Appreciation Award.
“She will serve the Hall’s mission beautifully,” said Gagne in the announcement. Gagne spent more than three decades at Mechanics Hall and served as executive director for the past seven years.
Montaner holds a master’s degree in theatre education from Emerson College.
The nationwide search for a new executive director was conducted by Development Guild DDI, a consulting firm specializing in executive recruitment and nonprofit strategy.
