Addlesperger Named New President at Ucross

On Sept. 30, at the fall gala on Thursday, Sept. 26, Ucross announced William Belcher will step down from his leadership position. Caitlin Addlesperger, an experienced arts administrator and Ucross’s current deputy director, has been appointed the next president and executive director of the acclaimed artist residency program in northern Wyoming, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

“We’re pleased to announce that Caitlin has agreed to serve as our next president and executive director,” said Jim Nelson, chair and founding trustee of Ucross Foundation. “Raymond Plank, our founder, wanted Ucross to be relevant for future generations. With her leadership, her professionalism, and her dedication to our mission, Caitlin is well positioned to ensure that Ucross remains a relevant resource for artists and the community.”

Addlesperger said she is inspired by the mission of Ucross, to provide uninterrupted time and space for artists on the Ucross ranch.

Addlesperger is an arts administrator with experience in nonprofit leadership, marketing, development, and community building. As a key member of the leadership team at Ucross, she has worked closely with the president and board of trustees to support the mission of the organization and position it for future success. As deputy director, Addlesperger has been involved in all facets of the organization, including finance, human resources, programs, operations, and fundraising. In collaboration with Belcher and the board of trustees, she is devising a new long-range plan for Ucross that will guide its goals and decision-making through 2029.

She said that Sharon Dynak and Bill Belcher, the preceding presidents, and her friends and mentors, have created a wonderful foundation for Ucross as it moves forward. She added that the transition had taken some time.

As deputy director, Addlesperger has been involved in all facets of the organization, including finance, human resources, programs, operations, and fundraising. In collaboration with Belcher and the board of trustees, she is devising a foster the creative spirit, shape our culture, and connect with the land.

Since joining the Ucross team in 2020, Addlesperger has expanded the nonprofit’s outreach, engagement, and external relations efforts, which supported the success of its 40th Anniversary Campaign. She has produced Ucross’s annual Founder’s Day, Arts Festival, and major events across the U.S., including the 2023 galas in Wyoming and Texas; a performance and awards ceremony with three-term U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo at the WYO Theater in Sheridan, Wyoming; and a poetry event featuring M.L. Smoker at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Addlesperger’s professional experience includes work to foster engagement with arts and culture at Umbra Institute, an American school in Perugia, Italy; the national headquarters of Eataly USA in New York City; and The Sheridan Press. She is a 2023 graduate of the Leadership Wyoming program, and she currently serves on the boards of Wyoming Arts Alliance, WYO Performing Arts and Education Center, Bighorn Arts Collective, and Sheridan County Travel and Tourism. Addlesperger lives in Sheridan with her husband and their 3-year-old daughter. At the end of the year, she and her family will move to Ucross.

Chairman Nelson talked about Belcher and his time at Ucross. “On behalf of the board of trustees, I’d like to thank Bill for his work over the past seven years. Bill has positioned Ucross for a bright future through his fundraising, strategic planning, and steady leadership.” Belcher joined Ucross in 2017 as director of development and external relations and was appointed president and executive director after Ucross’s longtime leader Sharon Dynak announced her retirement in 2021.

Belcher had this to say about his time as president.

He said with the fortieth anniversary, Ucross finished the five-year plan that he was involved in as director of development.

“Caitlin is really dedicated to Ucross and the mission of Ucross. She has been my deputy in all forms and an essential piece of this team,” Belcher said.

Belcher added that even though he is moving back to the east coast, he will continue to be a fan and a supporter and to sing the praises of Ucross. “I will be an ambassador for sure.”

During his tenure, Ucross expanded its commitment to artists, improved its facilities, strengthened its community programs and outreach, raised its regional and national profile, and invested in staff development and professional practices. Belcher has been at the helm of Ucross during a period of growth and transformation. He led the organization through its first comprehensive fundraising campaign.

While doing so, he made progress in diversifying its revenue sources, securing major institutional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Arts, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, and other grantors; fundraising event revenue through large-scale galas in Wyoming and Texas; and donations from individuals, including trustees, alumni, and friends of Ucross. At the same time, Ucross further positioned itself as a leader in the field and one of the most sought-after and respected residency programs in the country. Applications to the program grew, stipend support to artists increased, and the organization’s prestigious Fellowship for Native American Artists expanded to include Native performers.

On the capital improvement side, Belcher led Ucross through the renovation of the Big Red Barn (Ucross Art Gallery) and the construction of a new state-of-the-art dance studio in the Koehler Performing Arts Center, as well as other facilities and infrastructure projects. Through it all, Belcher has remained dedicated to artists and the creation of new work, focusing his attention on the artist experience, the creative process, and the organization’s ability to provide uninterrupted time, free of obligation or distraction.

“I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in a relatively short period of time,” Belcher said. “As the organization takes its next step forward, I’m also proud of the staff we’ve built — a group of talented individuals who are committed to our mission and the role Ucross plays in the world. Caitlin’s creativity, her vision, and her ability to inspire others has already contributed so much to the organization’s success. Under her leadership, Ucross will continue to be a beacon for artists and a leader in the field.”