MLA Has Been Exclusively Retained by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to Find Its Next General Counsel

Hanover, MD (September 22, 2021) — Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), the world's leading legal search firm, today announced that it has been retained by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to recruit its next general counsel. Deborah Ben-Canaan, partner and senior practice leader, and Melba Hughes, partner and national in-house diversity practice leader, and Craig Donaldson, director, all with MLA’s In-House Counsel Recruiting team, are leading the search.

“We are honored and privileged to partner with The Kennedy Center on its search for its next general counsel. Given the role that performing arts play in today’s society, it will be vital to identify an exceptional lawyer who has a true passion for the Kennedy Center’s mission and for the arts,” said Deborah Ben-Canaan. “A general counsel who can be both strategic and operational, with specialized experience in the areas of contracts and negotiations (federal and non-federal), non-profit, intellectual property, licensing and technology agreements, and human resources-related matters, will be critical for success,” added Melba Hughes.

The Kennedy Center, located in Washington, D.C., is a world premier performing arts organization and the nation’s cultural center. Diversity is a critical component of its mission, vision and values and its staff exhibits a wide variety of perspectives and experiences which enable it to foster and strengthen an environment of diversity and inclusion. The Kennedy Center, which opened on September 8, 1971, is located on 17 acres overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The Center continues its efforts to fulfill President Kennedy's vision by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, world and folk music, and multimedia performances for all ages.