After over 20 years Park City Institute Director Terri Orr announced that she will be stepping down from her role with the institute.
Orr made the announcement to donors on Wednesday evening. She says she’ll step away from her role as institute director in the spring of this year to give the board a runway to find a replacement.
“I started the conversation five years ago and said that in three to five years I was going to move on,” Orr explained. “Three years it was the 20th anniversary of the Eccles Center and I wanted to be there for that. But, at the same time that happened was when we learned we would no longer be outdoors at Deer Valley where we'd been for 14 years. So, that summer really we took a beating and it was something that in some ways we're still trying to come back from. But last winter it was difficult because of the summer before. We got through last winter, and then we had a great summer this year; by going indoors.”
Orr founded the Institute, but Board member Rachel Alday says Park City Institute will not go away with Orr’s departure.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Alday continued. “To try and figure out how we're going to move forward, but I think number one first and foremost is that as a board we’re super committed to honoring how this organization was started—and like you said birthed—by Teri. That is very important to us, that we keep an eye on how all of this got to be where it is right now. Then working towards a really nice sustainable future. We really believe in the organization and I know me personally this is a huge reason that I feel comfortable raising my children in this community is because of an organization that does what this Institute does. We are all in it to make sure this moves forward.”
Orr says she’s not sure what’s next for her.
“I don’t know, but there definitely needs to be an act three,” Orr said. “Anyone who wants to stay in Park City probably has to do that and reinvent themselves.”
The Park City Institute announced their 2019-2020 Main Stage Season this week. You can find more information and buy tickets next week to the 10 shows here.