Former Meow Wolf CEO Vince Kadlubek, who left that role in 2019, has rejoined its leadership team, the company says, and stepped into a newly created job as “chief vision officer.”
According to a news release, Kadlubek—who has been serving as a consultant at Meow Wolf—will now join its Meow Wolf Creative Studio, a “unified team that will develop the Meow Wolf Universe across all platforms.” Kadlubek will work alongside Chief Development Officer Amanda Clay and Chief Creative Strategy Officer Anne Mullen in leading the new team.
Kadlubek tells SFR he was able to accept the new position because Escondido, the restaurant he co-owns with chef Fernando Ruiz, has now opened, thus freeing up more of his time to focus on Meow Wolf. Kadlubek further explains that his return to leadership within the company has been a long time coming, and that sojourns to the company’s Omega Mart installation in Las Vegas and Convergence Station in Denver for opening events became borderline revelatory experiences.
“The few years I was more distant [from the company], I got to have a better understanding...I got to see myself more clearly, which is a really important part,” he says. “I got to see my own shortcomings and the things I’m good and bad at; I got to see Meow Wolf from this other perspective—an audience perspective, a fan perspective—and walking into Vegas having not been a part of that team, and walking into Denver...I kept having these thoughts that this is one of the greatest creative efforts in the world, how can I bring value without having to be the one running the show? And I’m so thankful I’m not running the show.”
For those keeping track, Meow Wolf now counts locations across New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Texas. The company in May announced plans to expand to Los Angeles in 2026—mere weeks after more than 100 employees would lose their jobs.
Regarding the leadership changes, Current Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa says in a statement they will “empower us to deliver a more interconnected and immersive experience for our fans. With the extraordinary talent of our team, Meow Wolf is poised to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of art and entertainment.”
Tolosa took a 10% pay cut in April during the company’s most recent round of layoffs. The company also ended some of its ongoing software contracts, closed an office in New York City and cut its travel costs by roughly $1 million.
This story has been updated with comments from Kadlubek.