Dr. Robert Cutietta is Dean of both the Thornton School of Music and the Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Under his 15 years of leadership, the Thornton School has experienced phenomenal and fundamental expansion with innovative new degrees in music education, arts journalism, arts leadership, undergraduate choral music, and groundbreaking degrees in popular music performance, songwriting, and music production. 

Recently, under his guidance, Thornton has added five new professional masters degrees and has committed to being the first music school in the United States to provide an international experience for every undergraduate music student. He is also a prolific author with five books to his credit and multiple invited chapters and articles