Debra Rafson (’05)

Debra Rafson (MET’05) has been the managing director at Stoneham Theatre in Stoneham, Massachusetts, since October 2012. She oversees all administrative activities of the $2.1 million organization, including finance, box office, marketing, fundraising, and education. She began her career in the arts as a professional stage manager, working at the Stoneham Theatre, the New Repertory Theatre, Brandeis University, the Publick Theatre, and, for eight and a half years, with the Boston company of the Off-Broadway hit “Blue Man Group.”

In order to transition from production to administration, Debra enrolled in the Arts Administration graduate degree program, completing a general management/company management internship at the Huntington Theatre Company as part of her coursework. Subsequent employment included four years as the management associate at New Repertory Theatre and three years as the director of systems and operations at Emmanuel College. She also spent six years on Stoneham Theatre’s Board of Trustees and participated in committees for finance, strategic planning, and branding. Debra holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University and a graduate certificate in human resource management from Emmanuel College. She loves being the organized person behind the scenes, keeping things running smoothly so that the art can happen on stage.

“The BU Arts Administration program provided me with the tools I needed to be successful in my career by giving me a well-rounded education in all aspects of arts management, and an extensive network of fellow arts administrators in the Boston area.”