Relevance Strategist. Customer Champion.

Meet Ruth

With one foot in the arts sector and the other in the world of business and innovation, Ruth Hartt is leading the charge to rebuild cultural audiences through the power of customer-centricity.

Ruth’s unique perspective merges nearly two decades of professional experience as an opera singer, choral director, and music educator with deep expertise in customer-centric innovation.

With a mission to revolutionize audience development, Ruth bridges the worlds of business innovation and the arts to help the sector unlock growth and relevance.

Ruth’s strategic vision is shaped by nearly eight years’ immersion in business innovation frameworks at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, founded by Harvard Business School’s renowned professor, the Father of Disruptive Innovation.

As Chief of Staff, Ruth plays a pivotal cross-functional role in advancing the Christensen Institute’s mission, collaborating closely with the president and leadership team on key initiatives, including strategic planning, fundraising capacity assessment, and institute-wide DEI work.

Drawing on this interdisciplinary foundation, Ruth masterfully blends powerful perspective shifts with actionable insights to transform how arts organizations engage their audiences.

Having grown up in rural blue-collar Maine, Ruth brings a grounded and empathetic perspective to her work as a relevance strategist. Her distinctive journey—from performing on the opera stage to managing the inner workings of nonprofits—has given her a rare combination of artistic expertise, leadership acumen, and a profound understanding of customer needs.

Ruth’s career as a professional opera singer earned her numerous accolades, including 1st Prize in the American Prize for Vocal Performance in Art Song and 2nd Prize in the American Prize for Vocal Performance in Opera. After a successful tenure in OperaMaine’s Young Artist Program, she was selected for the highly competitive Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Her performances consistently drew critical acclaim for her silvery tone, musical sophistication, and captivating stage presence.

Since transitioning from the stage, Ruth has become a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, consistently ranked as a top presenter. Recent engagements include BBC Radio 3, the League of American Orchestras, Chorus America, and PAC Australia (APAX).

"Ruth ignited our marketing, development, programming and venue hire teams with excellent, tangible recommendations that will now play a critical role in Melbourne Recital Centre’s next chapter."

—Latoyah Forsyth, Head of Marketing and Visitor Experience, Melbourne Recital Centre

  • Customer-Centric Innovation

    Go beyond surface-level metrics, traditional tactics, and quick fixes to transform your organization's foundational strategy—unlocking new revenue streams and paving the way for sustained growth.

  • A Precise Roadmap

    With my signature G-O-L-D framework, centering customer outcomes becomes a strategic compass, aligning efforts across your organization. Its rigorously data-backed approach brings unparalleled precision to your audience development strategy.

  • New Market Expansion

    Through deep qualitative research and market analysis, uncover what matters to your patrons. Validated against national trends, these insights guide you to new, high-impact markets and connect you to a broader audience of motivated and engaged prospects.