The Bloustein School is saddened to announce the passing of Donald Sutton, former Assistant Dean for External Affairs and Director of Development, on October 13, 2025.
Don was hired by Rutgers—New Brunswick in 2006 to serve as Director of Development at the School of Communication and Information. In February 2007, he was promoted to Assistant Dean for External Affairs and Director of Development at the Bloustein School, a position he held until his retirement in 2014.
At the Bloustein School, Don worked closely with alumni and friends of the school to help establish scholarships, ensuring the continued education of future generations of Bloustein School students. He was also an active participant with the Bloustein School Alumni Association, contributing to the organization through alumni engagement, event planning, and selecting alumni honorees for the Bloustein Alumni Achievement awards.
A long-time resident of Piscataway, NJ, Don and his wife, Hyacinth Reynolds, relocated to Naples, FL after his retirement from Rutgers. A member of Unity of Fort Myers Spiritual Community, a celebration of Don’s life was held on December 6, 2025.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he graduated from Kaiserslautern High School in Germany and went on to earn a B.A. in speech communications and history from Elmhurst College (Illinois), an M.F.A. in stage directing from Catholic University (Washington D.C.), and an M.B.A. in marketing and operations management from Fordham University (New York).
Don worked in development and non-profit management for over twenty years, including assignments as a campaign fundraiser and/or chief development officer for New York’s Museum of Arts & Design, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Columbia University/Teachers College and the Charles Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit.
In September 1993, Don became president of Global Artists Management of New York, Inc., serving as the personal manager of poet/playwright/novelist Ntozake Shange, as well as the historical/biographical playwright Laurence Holder. He continued working in this role until his passing in October, specializing in the representation of performing artists, theatrical production, community affairs, and the development and management of cultural projects.
He served as a trustee at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in both the New York and national chapters from 1990 to 2006, and as trustee of Crossroads Theatre Company from 2010 to 2012. In May of 2014, he joined the board of trustees of WestBeth Artists Housing Corporation in New York City and became vice president of the board in 2014. He also served as a trustee on the education and development committees at Rutgers Preparatory School.