Purpose as the Compass, Passion as the Fuel (with Christi Dortch)

What does it look like to stay anchored to purpose when the plan changes, outcomes aren’t guaranteed, and the path forward isn’t straight?

In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa sits down with Christi Dortch, whose career spans the performing arts and entertainment world as a performer, director, administrator, consultant, and behind-the-scenes builder of sustainable systems. Together, they explore a powerful framework: purpose as the compass, passion as the fuel, and endurance as the way forward, especially in seasons where certainty is absent.

You’ll hear:

• What it required emotionally for Christi to step off the road as a performer and let go of a long-held plan
• How to separate authentic direction from “should” noise, expectations, and fear
• Why silence and pausing can reveal whether fear is driving your choices or purpose is
• A reframe on failure: not a stop sign, but information and feedback
• How to sustain passion without burning out using what Christi calls a “diversified portfolio” of joy, creativity, and restoration
• A reminder for anyone feeling timid or stuck: start internally, light your own flame, and define what “success today” actually means

This conversation is an invitation to stop living by default, return to your internal compass, and build a life that holds up over time even when the plan has to change.

About Christi Dortch:

Christi Dortch brings more than three decades of experience at the intersection of performance, leadership, and innovation in the arts. She is known nationally for cultivating new work, developing artist-audience-community ecosystems, and forging strategies that elevate both mission and margin.

A seasoned arts executive, producer, and consultant, Christi Dortch brings more than 35 years of expertise across venue management, creative production, and strategic development. Her career spans leadership in some of the country’s most respected performing arts institutions, from multi-theatre campuses to immersive experience startups, guiding both established venues and emerging ventures through expansion, innovation, and reinvention.

Christi has held executive leadership roles across the nonprofit and commercial sectors, including serving as Executive Vice President of Programming at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. She has led teams delivering regional premieres, new musicals, and nationally broadcast specials at historic venues like War Memorial Auditorium and Westport Country Playhouse. Her strategic influence spans the full organizational spectrum -from frontline teams to C-suite leaders and Boards of Directors- making her a trusted leader in both day-to-day operations and long-range planning. Through her consultancy, Airlie Strategies, Christi has guided cultural institutions across the South and Midwest in designing long-term programming plans, building revenue infrastructure, and connecting artists with communities. Her work is deeply informed by experience in financial strategy, artist development, community engagement, product launches, retail brand collaborations, and operational systems from policies and procedures to performance metrics.

Her work is grounded in creative vision and operational precision, shaping transformative projects from immersive IP-based experiences, to multi-year strategies for historic theaters, museums, and multidisciplinary festivals. She has served as a TEDx speaker, conference producer, and trusted advisor for organizations such as the Jewel Theatre, Franklin Theatre, TN Presenters, and History &Culture Center of Williamson County.

Connect with Christi:
Airelie Strategies (consulting): Airlie-Strategies.com
Email: [e-mail]