Sugata Joins the Organization as CEO Designate, Officially Begins Their Tenure August 24, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO (June 2, 2026) — The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) and The Chan National Queer Arts Center today announced the appointment of prominent Ford Foundation executive Lane Sugata as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, for an initial two-year term to lead the nation’s historically first gay men’s chorus and preeminent LGBTQ+ choral organization.
Sugata succeeds Christopher Verdugo, who announced his intention to step down last September after a 10-year tenure. During the next few months, Verdugo will consult with Sugata for a leadership transition and continuity of vision on the eve of the Chorus’s 49th season. Today’s announcement coincides with the beginning of San Francisco’s joyous Pride month celebration.
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus partnered with Arts Consulting Group (ACG) on the recruitment for the CEO by leading an extensive search fielding applicants from across North America.
Announcing today’s news, SFGMC Board Chair Tom Paulino said, “The word the Board of Directors would use to describe Lane is: visionary. Lane’s comprehensive, data-informed approach to problem solving coupled with their person-centered leadership style make for a potent combination that will prove most effective as the next Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.”
Paulino continued, “Lane’s transformative work with Dance/NYC and most recently, the Ford Foundation — uplifting and collaborating with marginalized communities — informs their strategy for positioning The Chan National Queer Arts Center as a hub for innovative and inspiring partnerships with artists of all disciplines throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.”
“With Lane at the helm of this next chapter in SFGMC’s story,” Paulino added, “I am thrilled to introduce our community to the next leader who will meet this moment in our history and shepherd the mission of this institution to new and greater heights.”
SFGMC CEO Designate Lane Sugata said, “The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus sits uniquely at the intersection of artistry, activism, and community — creating not only beautiful music, but refuge, visibility, and hope for generations of LGBTQ people. At a moment of heightened division and attack, I see tremendous opportunity for the Chorus to expand its role as a force for free expression and community resilience — and to shape a more courageous and connected future.”
Sugata continued, “This role brings together so many parts of my life and work: my roots in the Bay Area arts community, my commitment to LGBTQ justice, and my belief in the power of culture to move people, build belonging, and inspire action. I’m deeply honored to join this extraordinary organization and excited to help shape an ambitious next chapter for the Chorus and for queer cultural life in San Francisco and beyond.”
SFGMC Artistic Director Jacob Stensberg noted, “Getting to know Lane has been an absolute joy, and I can’t wait for our community to experience the vision, heart, and energy they bring to this role. Lane’s extraordinary leadership and deep commitment to artists, equity, and community will help propel the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus into an exciting new chapter. They are bold, magnetic, deeply collaborative, and unafraid to dream big. I truly believe great things are ahead for SFGMC!”
ABOUT LANE SUGATA (they/them/theirs)
Lane Sugata is a nationally recognized arts, philanthropy, and nonprofit leader with deep roots in the Bay Area’s cultural and LGBTQ communities. Currently a Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation, they have managed more than $270 million in grants advancing creativity, civic engagement, and social justice in the United States and globally.
At Ford, Lane has played a prominent cross-foundation role advancing LGBTQ justice, helping align philanthropy, movement organizations, artists, and cultural institutions during a period of profound political and social change. Their work has focused on strengthening the visibility, sustainability, and power of artists and communities while building innovative partnerships across sectors and movements.
Prior to Ford, Lane served as Executive Director of Dance/NYC, helping transform the organization into a leading voice for equity, labor advocacy, and cultural policy in the performing arts. Across their career, they have earned a reputation as a collaborative strategist, coalition-builder, and champion for the role of arts and culture in civic life.
A former student at the San Francisco Ballet and graduate of University of California, Berkeley, Lane returns to San Francisco with both national stature and a deeply personal connection to the region. Their husband is based in the Bay Area, making the move both a professional and personal homecoming. Lane serves on the boards of Funders for LGBTQ Issues and Association of Performing Arts Professionals.
SFGMC CEO DESCRIPTION
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will oversee all operational aspects of SFGMC, ensuring an efficient, effective, and fiscally sound organization. The CEO will be charged with sustaining the operation through strong management and business accountability, while fostering creative and imaginative programming and education/outreach activities serving diverse audiences. The overall position responsibilities include ensuring financial sustainability, community engagement, fundraising, strategic planning, capital planning, board relations, and staff management. The CEO will be a visible ambassador, fundraiser, and collaborator, working closely with the Board, Artistic Director, staff, singers, and broader community to ensure SFGMC’s long-term impact and resilience. The approximate budget of the organization is $5.1 million.
ABOUT SFGMC
Founded in 1978, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus sparked a nationwide LGBTQ+ choral movement with its first public performance at a candlelight vigil on the steps of City Hall following the assassinations of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Since that moment, SFGMC has become an essential part of the cultural fabric of San Francisco and beyond—soothing souls in times of pain, lifting spirits in moments of triumph, and serving as a steadfast beacon of hope, resilience, and pride.
In recent seasons, SFGMC has achieved new artistic heights and national recognition. Innovative programming, bold commissions, and acclaimed recordings have broadened the Chorus’s impact, while national and international tours—including the historic Lavender Pen Tour, Gay Chorus Deep South documentary tour, and the Love Tour—have amplified its mission far beyond the Bay Area.
SFGMC’s education and outreach work supports the next generation. In 2019, the Chorus purchased a permanent home in San Francisco’s Mission District for its rehearsals, offices, and The Chan National Queer Arts Center.
The Chan opened on October 30, 2023 as the nation’s first community arts hub devoted to LGBTQ+ artists and organizations, providing a place for queer artistic expression and collaboration.
About Arts Consulting Group
Founded in 1997, Arts Consulting Group supports arts and cultural institutions with leadership recruitment and transitions, revenue development, planning, and organizational capacity. Its clients include nonprofits, universities, public agencies, and businesses in the creative sector.
Concerts Announced in the June 2026 Release
The announcement also previewed Dolly! A Pride Show, featuring 225 singers, dancers, and musicians: June 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center in Rohnert Park, and June 13 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre.
Lane Sugata photo: Simon Luethi.
In the news
- Bay Area Reporter, “SF Gay Men’s Chorus hires 1st nonbinary CEO” by Brian Guan, June 2, 2026. Profiled Lane Sugata’s background at the Ford Foundation and Dance/NYC. Sugata said organizations like the chorus “matter not only artistically, but civically.” Read the original story
- OperaWire, “San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Appoints New Chief Executive” by Francisco Salazar, June 4, 2026. Reported the appointment, with Sugata describing the chorus as sitting “at the intersection of artistry, activism, and community.” Read the original story
- San Francisco Bay Times, “Praise and Anticipation Build After Prominent Arts Leader Lane Sugata Appointed CEO of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus”, July 16, 2026. Gathered praise from board chair Tom Paulino and Jacob Stensberg; Sugata called the role “a homecoming.” Read the original story
