The Kennedy Center’s chief financial officer, Donna Kauranen, resigned from her position on Tuesday, according to reports. The resignation came the same day the board of trustees voted to close the center down for renovations and add President Donald Trump’s name to the building.
Kauranen’s resignation was first reported by NBC News, which cited two people familiar with the matter. The Kennedy Center did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Sun.
It remains unclear whether the renovations will move forward. Trump said after Tuesday’s board meeting that he would not approve the proposed construction unless his name is added to the building.
The board, which Trump stocked with allies in 2025 after taking over as chairman, also voted Tuesday on proposed designs for re-adding his name to the Kennedy Center.
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The developments came as a legal battle continues between Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center board, and the institution’s leadership. Hours before Tuesday’s meeting, U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper ruled that the board could not circumvent his earlier decision blocking the addition of Trump’s name and an initial plan to close the center for renovations.
Kauranen was appointed Kennedy Center CFO in March 2025, around the time the Trump administration began reshaping the institution’s leadership. Before joining the Kennedy Center, she held budget and financial positions on a handful of gubernatorial campaigns.
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