Natasha Liu | Photo by Alyssa Reyes

Natasha Liu joins the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance as Associate Director of Individual Giving. We spoke with her a little bit about joining our team, and her role as a part of the USC Kaufman family.

Where were you before joining USC Kaufman?

Before joining USC Kaufman, I was the Membership Director at South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes. The garden has an amazing story; prior to a botanical garden, it was a diatomaceous mine and then landfill, until a visionary member of the community and 300 of her closest friends partnered with L.A. County and started planting trees. Today it is an 87-acre wonderland with a beautiful banyan collection, rose garden and nature trails.

What draws you to working in the arts? In advancement?

I’ve always loved live performance. When I take my seat at a concert hall or theater, I feel excited, as if I just stepped into a rollercoaster car. Whether it’s a piece of theater transporting me to a different time and place, allowing me to see the world through someone else’s eyes, or a dance duet expressing a hidden truth, to me, it’s pure magic. I relish the shared experience with the audience; listening and learning together, shaping and processing what we’ve seen, felt, heard. It is truly transformative.

I enjoy connecting with donors and partnering to create new opportunities around a shared mission and goals. I am inspired by others’ generosity and the riches that come with the joy of giving.

What do you hope to bring to USC Kaufman in your role as Associate Director of Individual Giving?

With my marketing and communications background, I hope to build support for the annual fund by increasing the number of participants, continuing to raise awareness of the program in the performing arts community and spreading the word of Kaufman’s students’ success.

What are you most looking forward to as a member of the USC Kaufman family?

I look forward to getting to know my colleagues and working together as a team to propel USC Kaufman onto continued success. I look forward to the many amazing student performances and being inspired by this next generation of artists.

By Sara Silberman