Meet Our Team
Ingrid Zimmer
Executive Director
Ingrid Zimmer is a visionary leader in arts administration and education, currently serving as Executive Director of Dumbarton Arts & Education since 2015. She has driven significant organizational growth by expanding budgets, launching innovative programs, and forging strategic partnerships that have enhanced both grant awards, earned revenue, and community impact. Previously, as Education Program Director, Ingrid revitalized the organization’s curriculum, implemented strong evaluation systems, and built a talented teaching artist team.
A nationally recognized speaker, Ingrid shares her expertise in arts integration, early childhood brain development, and social-emotional learning. She is a passionate advocate for arts-integrated early childhood education in under-resourced communities and has been featured in the media and before policymakers as a leading voice in the field. Her signature programs—Dancing With Books and Dancing With Babies—are widely recognized, and she regularly leads workshops in collaboration with Project Zero at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, including at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, National Gallery of Art, and Smithsonian Institute.
Ingrid’s three-decade career includes key roles such as Associate Director of Word Dance Theater, where she supported award-winning productions and educational initiatives, and Director of the Dance Program at National Cathedral School, where she expanded enrollment and transitioned the program to a new facility. She is also an accomplished professional dancer, who has performed at renowned national and international venues.
Ingrid holds a BA in Dance/Theater from Pomona College and a Graduate Certificate in Dance Performance from Folkwang Hochschule in Germany. She serves on the boards of the Bishop Walker School for Boys and Word Dance Theater and received House of Ruth’s Distinguished Service Award in 2021.