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Paul Rowson
Everyone, here is Kathy's obituary:
Born: July 15, 1954
Passed Away: July 5, 2025
Kathleen Dorothy Panoff (Kathy, KP) was a lifelong advocate for the arts, dedicating her career to education and the development of cultural experiences for the enrichment of others. From her early days as a talented flutist in youth orchestras to her unparalleled leadership in the performing arts, Kathleen’s passion for education, creativity and expression shaped her journey.
Kathleen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education andMaster of Arts in Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she honed her skills and deepened her commitment to the arts. While earning her degrees, she taught music to elementary children and led music for Mass at Saint Gregory Church, and sang at The Blind Lemon, an intimate setting where she connected with audiences on a personal level.
She began her professional teaching career as a high school band director in Newport News, VA before moving to Arlington, TX where her bands won numerous national and state awards.
Kathleen returned to Cincinnati to be the Director of Development of WGUC-FM Classical Music Public Radio Station. There, her career broadened to include Arts Management, Grant Writing, Public Relations, Human Resources and Media as it relates to the performing arts. This experience led her to theater management, where she served, respectively, as Director of Development and Managing Director of Cincinnati’s Regional Theatre, Playhouse in the Park. During her years at the Playhouse, she collaborated with Executive Director, Worth Gardner, to shape the institution’s artistic vision, broaden corporate and patron support and oversee physical expansion of the facility.
Kathleen spent several years in Boston working in Arts Management and as an independent consultant before becoming the first Executive Director of the Modlin Center for the Arts at the University of Richmond (VA). She developed the Arts Management major and periodically taught classes. She played a pivotal role in expanding the university’s performing arts seasonal programming and brought world-class performers and artists to the community. Under her leadership, the Modlin Center became a major presenter on the East Coast, hosting renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma.
In 2009, Kathleen was appointed Director and Associate Dean of the University of Texas at Austin Performing Arts Center(now Texas Performing Arts), where she continued her mission of fostering artistic excellence. She commissioned new works, collaborated with faculty and staff, taught arts management classes, cultivated corporate and individual patrons and elevated University of Texas Performing Arts as a cultural leader in the region. One of her proudest achievements was integrating students into every area of Texas Performing Arts from accounting to stage management. Former students have gone on to become playwrights, costume designers, film makers, journalists and engineers.
Beyond her professional achievements, Kathleen was beloved by her godchildren, cadre of friends and people she met throughout the world. She will be remembered for her warmth, dedication, commitment to education, loyalty, mentorship, perseverance, love of travel, and unwavering support of artistic endeavors. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
Contributions in Kathleen’s honor may be made to:
The Kathy Panoff Endowment for Student Engagement at the University of Texas in Austin
Attn Sondra Lomax
Executive Director for Development
College of Fine Arts
2301 Trinity Street
Austin, TX 78712
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