Al Heartley
Al is a consultant and teacher based in Atlanta, GA. He was previously a Co-Founder and Principal at ALJP Consulting, a search and strategic planning firm working with arts organizations across the country. He co-founded the firm out of a call to bring equity and inclusion to hiring and planning. Clients he worked with at ALJP included San Diego Repertory Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Pasadena Playhouse, Penumbra Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Pasadena Playhouse, East West Players, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Theatre Bay Area, American Repertory Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Building for the Arts, Alabama School of Fine Arts, the New Jersey Arts and Culture Administrators of Color, and New York Theatre Workshop.
Al is a graduate of Yale School of Drama with an MFA in Theater Management. Prior to his life as a consultant, Al was the managing director of the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts at Northwestern University where he led the organization through the first year of the pandemic and produced programming that included virtual and hybrid offerings. He has worked for various regional theaters across the country including the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, Cleveland Play House, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
He currently teaches at Northwestern where he advises students in the Master of Science in Leadership for the Creative Enterprises. He has taught or lectured or spoken at Florida State, Yale, Michigan, Syracuse, Ohio University, and the University of Buffalo.
Partner & Co-founder
“During my time as Managing Director of PTC, I worked with Al on two searches. The value he brings includes his experience and expertise in the field (which also results in an appreciation for the complexities of nonprofit management), his thoughtful consideration of the organization and of the individuals on both sides of the search, and his willingness when asked to tell hard truths and offer guidance without judgment. In a time when managing - and staffing - is growing increasingly complex and challenging with each passing year, I am grateful to know Al and to know that he can be a resource to me and the board and staff in the future as we strive to become a better and more inclusive organization.”