The Board of Directors of Studio Potter announces that Randi O’Brien will be stepping down from her role as editor and executive director later this year. While we are saddened to see her leave, we are deeply grateful for the leadership, vision, and dedication she has brought to the organization during a pivotal moment in its history. Randi will continue to support the organization in the coming year to assist with the leadership transition and help ensure continuity as Studio Potter moves into its next chapter.
Randi stepped into this role during a time of urgent transition and helped guide Studio Potter toward stability and renewed momentum. Through her leadership, the organization strengthened its business model, ensuring a more sustainable future for the journal and the community it serves.
During her tenure, Randi championed thoughtful and inclusive storytelling in the ceramic arts. Under her editorial leadership, authorship by BIPOC writers increased to seventy-five percent of published contributors, helping expand the range of voices shaping the discourse around clay today. She also introduced new initiatives that broadened the reach of Studio Potter, including the Writer-in-Residence Retreat, which provides a dedicated space for writers to develop new work, and Studio Potter – The Podcast, which brings historic voices from the journal’s archives back into conversation with contemporary audiences.
Throughout her time with the organization, Randi remained committed to the core mission of Studio Potter: championing rigorous, reflective writing about ceramics and the culture that surrounds it. Her leadership helped ensure that the journal continues to serve as an essential platform for artists, writers, educators, and readers engaged with the field.
“The five years that I served Studio Potter have been one of the most meaningful chapters of my professional life. Together with our writers, board members, volunteers, and readers, we have worked to strengthen Studio Potter while continuing its long tradition of thoughtful storytelling in clay. I feel confident that we have positioned Studio Potter to thrive in the coming years, and I am deeply grateful to the community that has supported this work. Few people know that alongside my role at Studio Potter, I have also been serving as a full-time professor. I'm incredibly proud of stepping up and being present when Studio Potter needed me. I now look forward to returning more fully to my own path in ceramics as an educator, author, and artist.” – Randi O’Brien
On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, we extend our sincere gratitude to Randi for her service, creativity, and care for this community. Her contributions have left a lasting impact on Studio Potter, and we wish her the very best in her next chapter.
If you are interested in learning more about the open position, please find the job overview HERE.