A nonprofit arts executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience in performing arts, Nanci Decker brings a rare combination of executive administration, artistic programming, marketing strategy, and graphic design expertise to her work.

Nanci began her career in environmental and print graphic design, working with Fuller, Dyal & Stamper in Austin, Texas, and later Douglas Gallagher Design in Houston. Her early work included interpretive and wayfinding projects such as wayside guides for Kenai National Park.
She later transitioned into national and regional marketing roles at ADVO Creative Services and Randalls Food Markets, Inc., where she managed design teams and advertising operations.

In 2000, Nanci was appointed Executive Director of Cypress Creek Foundation for the Arts and Community Enrichment (FACE) during the organization’s fourth season. She immediately implemented foundational systems that professionalized operations, including establishing a full-time office structure, launching online ticketing, and developing the organization’s first website.

Under her leadership, FACE expanded from presenting 11 concerts annually across three uniquely targeted series for seniors, children, and the community to 26 performances each season, including a Family Series and a  Summer Strings Orchestra Camp program. Nanci has overseen all artistic programming, artist negotiations, budgeting, accounting, staffing, marketing, and publicity throughout her tenure.

A collaborative leader, Nanci has played a key role in major community arts initiatives, including Klein Art Day, which annually served more than 3,500 Klein ISD third-grade students through live performance and cultural experiences, and CreekFest, a two-day community arts festival within the Cypress Creek Cultural District.

Nanci successfully guided FACE through multiple crises, including Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic, relocating operations, securing alternative venues, and transitioning performances to virtual platforms to ensure continued artist compensation and audience engagement.

Leveraging her background in graphic design, Nanci personally produced the organization’s marketing and fundraising collateral, including season brochures, concert programs, print advertising, and gala materials. She is widely respected for her ability to build sustainable arts programs, cultivate partnerships, and expand access to the arts through strategic leadership.