Barbara Lynne Jamison has been appointed the new general director of the Kentucky Opera.

The board of directors announced that Jamison will be the sixth general director in the company’s 67-year history. She comes from the Seattle Opera, where she is the director of programs and partnerships and a member of the senior management team.

Henry Kuehn, president of the board of directors, noted, “Barbara Lynne Jamison’s appointment marks the successful conclusion of a thorough national search to identify the leader whose vision, creativity and experience will best guide and build the Kentucky Opera. Barbara brings with her expertise as a successful arts programmer and has a proven record of strategic leadership with a focus on increasing community impact. We are delighted to welcome her to Kentucky Opera.”

Jamison has a bachelor of music in vocal performance and since joining the staff of Seattle Opera in 2011, Jamison has spearheaded new programming to increase service to 70,000 people per year across the state of Washington. The initiatives she has spearheaded include an acclaimed chamber opera series featuring operas in alternative venues. Jamison has also created and implemented innovative creative-aging programs, camps, youth opera performances, adult continuing education courses, and a variety of school programs.