Gaby Allard appointed new chair of HKU’s Executive Board

Dr. Gaby Allard is a highly experienced executive in the educational sector who started her career as performing artist. Currently, she is a member of the Board of Directors of educational institute ROC Amsterdam-Flevoland, as well as executive member of the MBO Raad (the sector organisation for secondary vocational education). She is a former faculty director of the Academy for Theatre and Dance at ArtEZ and worked as a professional dancer and assistant artistic leader at Dance Works Rotterdam. Gaby also holds various supervisory and consultant positions, among others at Nationale Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam Economic Board, and Nuffic. In 2023 she promoted with her research of innovative educational practices in the arts at the Canterbury Christ Church University, England.

Jurenne Hooi, chair of HKU’s Supervisory Board: ‘With her broad experience in education, both as executive and from her background as performing artist, Gaby adds a unique combination of expertise to education, research and the arts. This versatility makes her exceptionally valuable for our organisation. We are fully confident that this collaboration will be an inspiring one and wish Gaby the best of luck in starting this new role.’

‘I am very excited to apply my experience as executive and from my artistic background in service of HKU. Through my doctoral research into innovative educational practices in the arts, I know how important it is that students can develop their talents in an environment that will prepare them for a career as professional maker with an impact on people and society. Exactly this combination of art education and practice-based research is why I regard HKU as an exceptionally inspiring place to work’, states Gaby Allard.

Appointment procedure

The Supervisory Board decided to appoint Gaby Allard after a thorough procedure. The profile sketch for the new chair was established in consultation with the directors and after a positive advice from the Central Council of Representatives (CCR). In the appointments committee, HKU was broadly represented – by the members of the Supervisory Board, an academy director, staff director, professor and one student member as well as a staff member of the CCR.

Gaby Allard is succeeding Heleen Jumelet as chair of the Executive Board. Next to a chair of the Executive Board, there is also an open position for a Board member, to lead HKU alongside Gaby Allard. The Supervisory Board hopes to introduce this new member soon. In the meantime, Judith Meijer remains interim chair of the Executive Board.

About Gaby Allard

Dr. Gaby Allard has been member of the Board of Executives of ROC Amsterdam-Flevoland since 2019, where she is responsible for, among others, education and quality, research & innovation, internationalisation and multiple domains within mbo education. In 2022, she joined the management of the national sector organisation MBO Raad, managing the portfolios of Knowledge, Innovation, Research, Educational Quality and Internationalisation. Since 2025, she is affiliated with the Canterbury Christ Church University in England as an associate researcher.

Before this, she was active at ArtEZ Academy of the Arts for over thirteen years, in part as a faculty director for the Academy for Theatre and Dance. In this role, she directed the development of two ‘special features’ for internationally distinctive education of the bachelor’s programme, helped found the ArtEZ Graduate School, was chair of the national dance and theatre networks, and represented the arts academies as chair of the Sectoraal Advies College towards the government and the professional industry.

Allard’s career as professional dancer began with Dance Works Rotterdam, where she remained for fifteen seasons and grew to become repetiteur and artistic direction assistant. Later, she worked as coordinator at Codarts Rotterdam art school, and initiated the National Centre of Performing Arts.

Next to her executive roles, she holds various supervisory and consulting positions, among others at National Opera & Ballet, Nuffic and Amsterdam Economic Board. In 2023 she obtained her doctorate at Canterbury Christ Church University with her research on the value of Urban Dance Cipher Practice for learning practices in the 21st century.