Steven C. Murray is a nonprofit executive specializing in the areas of branding, technology, resource utilization and institutional advancement. Mr. Murray began as Executive Director of the Youth Symphony of Kansas City in December 2010. Before his appointment with the Youth Symphony, he designed and implemented education strategies at professional orchestras for five years, serving as Director of the Cedar Rapids Symphony School of Music (now Orchestra Iowa School) and Education Manager for the Kansas City Symphony. He has served in a variety of leadership roles within the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years.

Mr. Murray earned degrees in music education (violin/trombone) and communication arts (EM – television/radio) from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Mr. Murray is an Eagle Scout and recently completed a two-year stint as Cubmaster of his son’s Cub Scout Pack.

He has served as a grant panelist for the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission and as an adjudicator for Nonprofit Connect’s Philly Awards for excellence in nonprofit marketing and communications.

From 2011-2020, he served on the Board of Directors of the League of American Orchestras Youth Orchestra Division, including two terms as Vice-Chair during that time. He is an unabashed two-spacer, though insistent upon AP style in all other respects.