Welcome Nathan Bates – New Executive Director

Back in January, we shared the news that our beloved Site Director, Pam Lynch, would be stepping back after nine incredible years of leadership. (If you missed it, you can read the “This is Not Goodbye!” blog post linked here.)

Since then, our team has been hard at work searching for the right person to step into this vital role. While we believed we had found our candidate earlier this spring, sometimes things don’t go quite as planned. Undeterred, we renewed our efforts with determination to find the right fit. This is one of those scenarios where we believe all things happen for a good reason! Today, we are thrilled to announce that our search has officially come to an end – for real this time!

While not new to our playhouse family, we are excited to introduce you to our new Executive Director!

Please Join Us in Welcoming Nathan Bates as Our New Executive Director!

Nathan lives in Moline with his wife, Natalie, and his two children, Gavin and Oaklee.  He usually goes by Nate, though around GiGi’s, you’ll often hear him referred to as “Gavin’s Dad.”  Nate began his journey with GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities as a volunteer when the playhouse opened in 2011, later serving on the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2021. 

After wearing many hats over the course of 18+ years at Vibrant Credit Union, Nate will officially join the GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities team as our new Executive Director on August 11, 2025.

In this role, Nate will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Playhouse, but his impact won’t stop there. He’ll also be a champion for our community, sharing the incredible “Best of All” stories of our participants to inspire engagement, increase visibility, and support our fundraising and outreach goals. This will include grant writing, donor development, and much more!

Nate has a love for storytelling and can be found performing around the Quad Cities, most often on stage at Quad City Music Guild or as a part of the Quad City Singers.  He has been on the board for the Association of Talent Development: Mississippi Valley Chapter since 2023. When not working or performing, you’ll often catch him coaching his children’s sports teams, trying to play sports himself, collecting sports cards and Star Wars memorabilia, or relaxing and cheering on his favorite teams, the St Louis Cardinals, Iowa Hawkeyes, New England Patriots, and FC Bayern Munich.

We are confident that Nate’s leadership, passion, and dedication to our mission will help guide us into an exciting new chapter. Welcome to the team, Nate!

As mentioned in the blog linked above, there will be a gentle transition with a few months of staffing overlap as Pam works with Nate while he becomes more acclimated with the behind-the-scenes here at the playhouse, our families, staff, and volunteers. This will also give him time to complete the required training with minimal interruptions.

“Pam has been a valuable asset to our team, and we are happy to have her staying on in an all-new part-time position as well as assisting with the leadership transition. We truly appreciate her flexibility during our extended candidate search and as we move forward,” said Kathy Kuhnen, Board President.

Mid-October, after our annual gala, Pam will scale back into her new part-time role with a focus on marketing and event coordination.

We ask for your patience with our staff during this transition period, but also don’t be shy! Please introduce yourself to Nate, if you don’t already know him, when you visit the playhouse. He is eager and excited to get started in this new role!

If you have any questions regarding the transition, please feel free to send us an email at quadcities@gigisplayhouse.org or ask a staff member or board member. A list of board and staff members is on our website, linked here. (This will be updated soon to include Nathan!)