Columbia Film Society, overseeing Indie Grits and The Nick, names interim director

The board of directors of the Columbia Film Society has named Avni Gupta-Kagan as interim CEO of the organization, effective immediately.

The Columbia Film Society governs the Nickelodeon Theatre and Indie Grits Labs — a resource and learning organization for filmmakers and the community that operates year-round and organizes the annual Indie Grits Film Festival.

Gupta-Kagan takes over from Andy Smith, who stepped down as CEO in January 2018. He joined the staff at Nickelodeon Theatre in 2007, was named the theater’s executive director in 2011 and became the Columbia Film Society’s CEO in 2016.

Gupta-Kagan has worked in K-12 schools as a teacher and has experience in national non-profit organizations. A graduate of Yale College, she earned a master’s in education administration at Trinity University and a law degree from Yale Law School. Gupta-Kagan has been a Nickelodeon Theatre member and is a former board member of the Columbia Film Society.

As interim CEO, Gupta-Kagan will assist with day-to-day operations of the organization as the board of directors of the Columbia Film Society begins the search for the next CEO.

This story was originally published February 26, 2018 at 2:27 PM with the headline "Columbia Film Society, overseeing Indie Grits and The Nick, names interim director."