Seattle Opera announces new COO and CFO

Seattle Opera general director Christina Scheppelmann has announced the appointment of Marissa Betz-Zall to the role of chief financial officer (CFO) and Angela Gist to the role of chief operations officer (COO). Starting this month, Betz-Zall and Gist succeed Jane Repensek, who has held the combined role of COO and CFO since 2017.

While Betz-Zall will manage the financial health of the company, seeking new funding strategies and overseeing the $25 million budget, Gist will oversee Seattle Opera’s facilities, IT, and HR departments, as well as working on the company’s future strategy.

Betz-Zall joined Seattle opera as a senior accountant in 2013 before being promoted to the roles of controller and associate director of finance. She said: ‘It has been inspiring to see how Seattle Opera has grown and changed during my time with the company. I am excited to explore new strategies for recovering from the pandemic and ensuring that different teams at Seattle Opera work toward a common goal.’

Seattle Opera has served audiences in the Pacific Northwest since 1963, with more than 80,000 people attending the company's performances each year. A further 100,000 people are served through initiatives including school performances and radio broadcasts.

Gist joined Seattle Opera in 2021 as director of human resources and, during the pandemic, oversaw a response strategy that has resulted in zero pandemic-related performance cancellations since lockdown. She said: ‘Thanks to the hard work of my predecessor and the current leadership team, Seattle Opera has weathered the pandemic and is well prepared to level up the great work it already does. It’s a remarkable moment in Seattle Opera’s 60-year history and I’m honoured to be a part of the possibilities that lie ahead.’