Dr. Thomas Kurtz enjoys a multi-hyphenate career as an educator, researcher, cultural arts administrator, and performing artist, with a commitment to champion equity-driven initiatives in the arts with a commitment to champion equity-driven initiatives in the arts. His current research investigates how music and performance functioned as a catalyst for social justice during prominent social movements, with a particular focus among LGBTQ+ communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thomas’ cultural management experience includes curating, producing, numerous cultural events through community partnerships with the National AIDS Memorial, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and the GLBT Historical Society. Additionally, as a saxophonist, Thomas continues to collaborate with composers, perform new music throughout the Bay Area, and he most recently performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall.


As an educator, Thomas’ aim is to foster a community within which all students have the resources available to reach their full potential, where students are able to connect to their artistry with meaning, intent, and purpose, and learn how to leverage their skills within various disciplines. He’s held teaching positions at San Antonio College, and the University of Texas at Austin, and he currently teaches within the Performing Arts & Social Justice department at the University of San Francisco and within the Professional Development Department at the San Francisco Conservatory. He holds degrees from Montclair State University, University of Missouri - Kansas City, and the University of Texas at Austin, respectively, where he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a cognate in Cultural Arts Management.