Sonja Shea is a performance arts professional with a BA from the University of South Florida, an MA in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Graduate Certificate in Curatorial Practice in Performance from Wesleyan University. She spent 15 years at The Ringling Museum, ultimately serving as the Assistant Performance Producer, where she curated and produced multidisciplinary performance programs and supported season planning across music, dance and circus at the Historic Asolo Theater. Her work included artist research and contracting, artist liaison support, program development and creating community engagement initiatives. Deeply committed to inclusivity and the power of the arts as a vehicle for connection and social impact, she brings a thoughtful, audience-centered approach to performance programming.