The Metropolitan Opera Appoints Kyle Burkert as Senior Director of Ticketing & Customer Service
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is pleased to announce that Kyle Burkert (he/him) has been appointed Senior Director of Ticketing & Customer Service by The Metropolitan Opera (Gillian Brierley, Assistant General Manager, Marketing and Communications) in New York City following our extensive national search led by Rachel LeFevre-Snee, Vice President, Consulting and Growth. Burkert steps into the role with over a decade of experience managing high-volume, guest-facing operations across cultural institutions, museums, and major entertainment venues.
At Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, where Burkert spent the past nine years, he held multiple leadership roles. As Director of Guest and Group Services, he unified the box office, call center, and group sales teams, setting a new standard for sales and ticketing operations. In his most recent position as Applications & Data Specialist, he spearheaded workflow improvements and data-informed initiatives that contributed to several record-breaking years in both revenue and attendance.
Burkert has also managed guest operations at Fenway Park and the New England Aquarium, building a track record of operational discipline, team leadership, and customer service excellence. A graduate of Berklee College of Music with a degree in Business Management, Kyle brings a unique blend of creative thinking and systems-level leadership to his work.
"Arts and culture organizations have the ability to positively impact and connect communities, and I’m thrilled to be joining an organization with the reach and impact of the Met Opera - a world-class organization in every sense of the phrase.” said Burkert. “This role truly is the culmination of everything I’ve been building toward—combining my passion for the performing arts with my experience in ticketing, customer service, and people-first operations guided by technology and data. I’m excited to contribute to the legacy of this iconic institution and to grow alongside the talented team that brings it to life."
Gillian Brierly, the Met’s Assistant General Manager for Marketing and Communications, expressed confidence in Burkert’s appointment: "Kyle's commitment to exceptional customer service underpinned by innovative use of technologies, is a perfect match for our values.”
“The Met Opera is the crème de la crème—naturally, many qualified individuals came forward with great enthusiasm,” said Rachel LeFevre-Snee, Vice President of Consulting and Growth at Tom O’Connor Consulting Group. “Kyle emerged as the candidate who brought the energy, operational acumen, and embodiment of the Met’s customer care ethos needed to help advance its bold goals.”
Burkert will lead ticketing and customer service strategy across one of the world’s most iconic performing arts institutions, ensuring continued excellence in access and audience experience for the Met’s diverse and global community.
About The Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is a vibrant home for the most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, musicians, stage directors, designers, visual artists, choreographers, and dancers from around the world. Each season the Met stages approximately 200 opera performances in New York. More than 650,000 people attend the performances in the opera house during the season, and millions more experience the Met through new media distribution initiatives and state-of-the-art technology.
About Tom O’Connor Consulting Group
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is a NYC-based consultancy that supports arts institutions and leaders with two integrated services: organizational strategy and executive search. Consulting specialties include marketing, strategy, assessment, and organizational development. Founded in 2015, TOCG is a fully remote company with team members spanning the country and the globe.
Select clients have included Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Carnegie Hall, Cincinnati Opera, Huntington Theatre Company, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, Next Chapter Podcasts, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, SPACE on Ryder Farm, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and more.
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