After 31 years as Executive Director of Ballet Hispanico, Verdery Roosevelt has decided to step down this week as the company closes its 2010 fiscal year. A transitional period has been carefully planned during which Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispanico’s Artistic Director, will take on the additional responsibilities of the administration of the organization.

Roosevelt joined the staff of Ballet Hispanico in 1978, and became Executive Director a year later. In partnership with Founder Tina Ramirez, she was responsible for the growth of the nation’s preeminent Hispanic dance company and school from a community-based organization into a nationally recognized cultural institution.

During her tenure with Ballet Hispanico, she oversaw the production of more than 50 new works for the company’s repertory, working with internationally renowned choreographers and designers to realize Ramirez’s vision. Under her direction, scholarship support for the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance grew to over $150,000 annually, while Ballet Hispanico’s Education and Outreach programs expanded to serve 15,000 students on average around the country each year. In addition, she oversaw the purchase and dramatic expansion of Ballet Hispanico’s headquarters on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, as well as the establishment of working capital and endowment funds.