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After three years and change serving at the top of immersive arts corporation Meow Wolf, CEO Jose Tolosa will step down from the company at the end of May with board member Rebecca Campbell taking over as interim CEO while the company conducts an external search to permanently fill the position.
"Leading Meow Wolf through this phase of transformation has been the greatesthonor of my professional life,” Tolosa says in a prepared statement from the company. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together, and I’m confident the company is poised for an even more magical and mind-expanding future. With a strong foundation now in place, I’m proud to pass the baton and excited for what’s next—for Meow Wolf and for me.”
Campbell joined the Meow Wolf board in January of 2024 following more than two decades working for the Walt Disney Company. Tolosa, meanwhile, came to Meow Wolf in January 2022 following a position at CBSViacom, and he has presided over numerous developments and shortfalls at Meow Wolf. These including expansions into Denver, Colorado, with the installation Convergence Station; Grapevine, Texas' The Real Unreal and Radio Tave in Houston. Tolosa was also key in planned Meow Wolf expansions into New York City and Los Angeles in the coming years—the latter of which was announced mere weeks after a round of layoffs—according to the company's original CEO and current exec Vince Kadlubek.
"It’s a really difficult job, I know that firsthand. It’s a growth stage, lots of energy, very complex projects," Kadlubek tells SFR. "But Jose, honestly, put us in a really good position over the years—he pointed us to the LA and New York City projects, and we have really solid projects happening with traditional media partners that are now set up for success."
Kadlubek adds that, "there’s a well-established vision of where we’re going that feels a lot more ambitions and authentically creative, and there are a lot of great things that Jose positioned us for."
Tolosa's reign, however, was rocky at times, particularly during layoffs last year in both April and December, which ultimately resulted in an employee-spurred online petition calling for his resignation.
"We are a group of Meow Wolf employees, fans, and supporters who feel that it is time for change," the petition read. "Under the management of CEO Jose Tolosa, the company has been steered in the wrong direction. By his own admission we are facing economic and creative hurdles that we haven't seen before. We believe these are directly due to the decisions made by Jose and his executives. We are asking for Jose Tolosa to step down and for the Meow Wolf Board to hold a dedicated search for leaders that can take the company into the future economically and creatively."
When asked by SFR last December if if he would step down following the petition, Tolosa simply replied, "Of course not." Meanwhile, as of this writing, the petition remained active and had garnered 857 signatures, though Kadlubek says it has not been internally cited as a reason for Tolosa's departure—nor has the outgoing CEO's often tense relationship with the Meow Wolf Worker's Collective union.
"It's not part of it from what I'm hearing, but of course I think having a positive relationships with the union is critical to us having a fruitful future," Kadlubek says. "I also think having Rebecca come in as the interim CEO is great now that we're in the process of moving into the next phase of delivering all the things Jose positioned for us."
Meow Wolf Vice President of PR & Communications Kati Murphy agrees.
"Jose led Meow Wolf through a meaningful time of growth and change, and we're thankful for the steady leadership he brought when it was needed most," she says. "I'm excited to have Rebecca stepping in. She knows us, gets the work and brings the kind of thoughtful, creative energy this moment calls for."
The Meow Wolf Workers Collective posted a statement to social media that read: "We wish Jose Tolosa the best in his next endeavors. This is a great opportunity for a reset on leadership and employee relations as we get close to contract negotiations in 2026. We look forward to working with Interim CEO Rebecca Campbell to resolve outstanding issues and lay the foundation for the future."
