Lynne Rutkin and Anthony Newman at the dedication of the renovated Juilliard library in September 1999. Photo by Henry Grossman

It's difficult to capture the essence of a person with a description of a few gestures, but let's give it a try. A slight cocking of her head, a subtle raising of her eyebrows and a hint of a smile—as if to say to herself, "Well, let's see what we have here and how we can deal with it"—have long been Lynne Rutkin's characteristically measured response to anything new. These shorthand gestures are the outward evidence of a quick and intelligent analysis of any new situation and a rapid determination of where it belongs in her crowded schedule of priorities.

We can only surmise that her smile was far more emphatic than a mere hint when she received a phone call, more than 18 years ago, inquiring whether she might be interested in discussing the development needs of The Juilliard School with its new president, Joseph Polisi. Lynne had already distinguished herself as vice president of the National Audubon Society, but the challenges and opportunities at Juilliard were a compelling siren song to a passionate lover of the arts and a diligent amateur musician.

For close to two decades, Lynne has played a key role in the evolution of The Juilliard School. Far beyond introducing rigorous method and an appropriate scale to Juilliard's fund-raising efforts, Lynne—whose role grew from director of development and public affairs to vice president and, finally, to Juilliard's first senior vice president—also oversaw the school's Communications and Publications Departments, the Box Office, and the Placement Office, which has grown into the Office of Career Development.

In each of these critically important areas, Lynne's experience and perspicacity have allowed her to make a definite mark. Her contributions to The Juilliard School have benefited the School broadly and deeply, and they constitute an important part of Juilliard's history. Now, as she leaves Juilliard to take on a new role as deputy director of the Whitney Museum, her many friends and colleagues here invite her to take pride in her accomplishments and to cock her head, raise her eyebrows, and smile at the good work she has done for the many thousands of Juilliard graduates, in the past and future, whose educations at Juilliard owe so much to her concern for them and her truly extraordinary achievements. 

Anthony Newman is the director of The Campaign for Juilliard.