ArtsQuest has announced that Katherine E. "Kassie" Hilgert has been named the new President and CEO of the Bethlehem-based nonprofit arts and cultural organization.

Hilgert, the organization's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advancement, will transition to the president's role over the next several months while working with ArtsQuest Founder and President Jeff Parks. She will assume the President's responsibilities upon Parks' retirement in January 2015.

Following his retirement in January 2015, Parks will become the first Executive Director of the ArtsQuest Foundation, the nonprofit foundation established to help support the long-term sustainability of ArtsQuest. Parks was named Executive Director by the ArtsQuest Foundation Board of Trustees and will begin the part-time position in May 2015.

Hilgert was recommended for the position of ArtsQuest President and CEO by the ArtsQuest Nomination Committee following a nationwide search this past spring. Her selection was approved by the ArtsQuest Board of Trustees at its recent board meeting.

"The ArtsQuest Board of Trustees is very pleased to unanimously support Kassie Hilgert as our next President and CEO," said Joe Pietrantonio, Chairman of the 20-person Board of Trustees.

"During our five-month search, Kassie clearly rose to the forefront in meeting the key criteria that we set for the next leader of the organization. She is exemplary in her knowledge and passion for the ArtsQuest mission, her leadership skills and her demonstrated ability to work with the many constituents of the Lehigh Valley who make ArtsQuest successful. We are all very excited about the future of ArtsQuest and are thrilled to have Kassie as our new leader."

The ArtsQuest President and CEO is responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the nonprofit, advancing its arts and urban revitalization mission, and assuring the long-term sustainability of the organization.

"Kassie knows the Lehigh Valley, its people and its institutions, and she knows the relevance of ArtsQuest to the continued social, cultural and economic development of the region," said Parks.

"I am very confident that under her leadership with the support of our creative and dedicated staff, board and volunteers, ArtsQuest will continue be a national leader in providing access to the arts while supporting community development, most likely in ways that we cannot even imagine today," said Parks.

"I am humbled to be selected as the next President and CEO of such a dynamic organization and to follow in the footsteps of a true visionary," said Hilgert. "Our mission is to provide unique arts and cultural experiences in a way that drives economic development in urban areas, but it's a mission we cannot achieve alone.

"ArtsQuest has always been and will always be a community-based organization that thrives because of the tremendous and extensive support of our boards, donors, sponsors, volunteers, members, public partners, staff and so many others. ArtsQuest and the entire Lehigh Valley have a bright future, and I look forward to creating and strengthening partnerships that drive us towards sustainable growth while delivering exceptional experiences," Hilgert said.

Hilgert, a resident of Hanover Township, Northampton County, has been with ArtsQuest since 2008, starting as the organization's Vice President of Advancement before being promoted to Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advancement in 2010.

In her role as Senior Vice President, she is responsible for overseeing ArtsQuest's sponsorship, marketing, development, ticketing, public relations and volunteer departments, which include 27 full- and part-time employees.

During her six years with the nonprofit, Hilgert developed numerous partnerships with local, regional and national corporate partners, community organizations and foundations to help ArtsQuest expand its arts and cultural programming, which now includes more than 1,500 concerts, performances, educational programs and art classes annually.

Hilgert's accomplishments with ArtsQuest include playing a key role in helping to raise funds for the development of the $26-million ArtsQuest Center and ArtsQuest's programming at the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, development of strategic partnerships with area nonprofits such as Historic Bethlehem Partnership to help expand the region's access to arts and cultural programs, and securing a record number of supporting sponsors for Musikfest 2013, helping the nonprofit to present more than 500 free performances at the festival. Most recently, Hilgert has led the development of the ArtsQuest Strategic Plan for 2014 -' 16, meeting with members of ArtsQuest's boards, volunteer leadership, staff and the community to help shape the nonprofit's direction and goals for the coming years.

Hilgert, a graduate of Salisbury High School and The Pennsylvania State University, was Manager of Community Relations and Philanthropy at Air Products and Chemicals. She worked at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, where she was the nonprofit's marketing manager. She began her career at Medstar Television.

Hilgert is on several nonprofit boards and committees in the region, including Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network's Board of Trustees, where she is chair of the Marketing Committee; Boy Scouts of America's Minsi Trails Council's Executive Board of Trustees and Marketing Committee; and Discover Lehigh Valley's Executive Board of Trustees and Marketing Committee. She has also served on the Children's Home of Easton's Board of Trustees and the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation's Board of Trustees, where she chaired the Marketing Committee.

As Executive Director of the ArtsQuest Foundation, Parks will work closely with the ArtsQuest Foundation Board of Trustees, ArtsQuest Board of Trustees and ArtsQuest's development staff to develop a comprehensive giving program and endowment fund to support ArtsQuest's arts and educational programming at Musikfest, the Banana Factory and SteelStacks.

Among his responsibilities will be the development and execution of the foundation's strategic plan, as well as working with individuals, foundations and others interested in giving back to the community through the support of ArtsQuest's arts, cultural and educational programming.

"As ArtsQuest continues to expand its arts and educational programs in the Lehigh Valley, establishing an endowment fund and planning giving program has become a necessity to help ensure the long-term sustainability of the nonprofit," said ArtsQuest Foundation President Jack Yaissle.

"Jeff has more than 30 years of experience promoting the arts, fund-raising and working with leaders throughout our community. In his new role as the Executive Director of the Foundation, he'll be able to focus on developing relationships and initiatives that will help ensure that ArtsQuest and its community-focused programming remain strong for decades to come, benefitting everyone throughout our region," Yaissle said.

The nonprofit ArtsQuest, founded in 1984, presents more than 1,500 concerts, performances, educational programs and art classes annually, with more than 65 percent of its programs available to the region free of charge.

ArtsQuest's initial event was Musikfest '84, which took place in August of that year, attracting more than 180,000 visitors to downtown Bethlehem.

Since that time, the nonprofit has developed the Banana Factory community arts center, Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem holiday market and partnered with the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority, City of Bethlehem and other partners to develop the SteelStacks arts and cultural campus on the site of the city's former Bethlehem Steel south side Bethlehem plant.

The nonprofit's programming reaches more than 1.3 million people annually.