Joan H. Squires
Joan H. Squires is the President of Omaha Performing Arts (O-pa), an organization she started over 20 years ago. Today, O-pa is the largest arts organization in Nebraska, managing the Orpheum Theater, Holland Performing Arts Center, Steelhouse Omaha, and the upcoming Tenaska Center for Arts Engagement, set to open in early 2026. O-pa showcases a diverse range of performances, from touring Broadway shows to dance, jazz, popular music, and family shows. Additionally, O-pa is deeply committed to education and community engagement, reaching over 550,000 people annually and generating an impressive $61 million economic impact each year.
Joan is a voting member for Broadway’s Tony Awards and serves as an ex-officio member of the Broadway League Executive Committee and Board of Governors. She also co-chairs the national Jimmy Awards Advisory Committee. Her influence extends nationally through her past presidency of the Performing Arts Centers Consortium and her active involvement in various professional organizations.
Her leadership and dedication to the arts have earned her numerous accolades. Joan has received the Governor’s Arts Award and was named to the Ak-Sar-Ben Court of Honor for her contributions to the arts. Musical America recognized her as one of their 30 “Movers and Shapers.” She has also been honored with the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Presenter Management from the Broadway League, named “Midlander of the Year” by the Omaha World-Herald, and recognized as “Woman of Distinction” by the Midlands Business Journal.
In addition to her professional achievements, Joan serves as a trustee for Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania and the Greater Omaha Chamber and is a past director of Nebraska Cures.
Originally from Pennsylvania, Joan holds master’s degrees in both Music and Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in music education from Lebanon Valley College. She and her husband, Dan Hamann, reside in Omaha.
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