Leah D. Barto is an arts and culture professional specializing in leadership development, arts education, and strategic impact. As director of learning and leadership at OPERA America, she oversees field learning at the annual conference and is the lead administrator for OPERA America’s Leadership Intensive program. Barto coordinates education/community engagement services for a network of more than 200 opera education practitioners and stewards K–12 and adult opera education curriculum for the field. She previously served as program associate for the performing arts program at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, where she managed grantmaking to orchestras and opera companies. She holds a M.B.A. and M.A. in arts administration from the University of Cincinnati. Her graduate work focused on entrepreneurship and comparative cultural policy. She studied music composition and German at the University of Redlands, where she composed and produced a German opera. Her previous professional experience includes opera stage management, production and development at such companies as The Santa Fe Opera, Cincinnati Opera and Sarasota Opera.