Jenna S. Ward

Experience

• 

  Ringling College of Art and Design

  Jan 2004 - Aug 2005

  Special Projects Manager

  Temporary employee to launch Center for Innovation and Collaboration, initial term was extended twice. • Interdepartmental Collaboration: Served on a curriculum committee that developed the “Business of Art and Design” minor, which has since become a degree program. • Program Development: Team leader for the “Outstanding Alumni Exhibition,” obtained artwork donations from distinguished alumni artists, coordinated with alumni to write exhibition descriptions. Authored a grant that funded two thirds of the exhibition cost. Show less

• 

  North Beach Development Corporation

  Aug 2005 - Jun 2006

  Events Director

  North Beach Development is a non-profit serving the northern area of Miami Beach. I was hired as a temporary employee to produce the Festival of the Arts; my employment was extended for several months.• Event Operations: Produced the Coldwell Banker Miami Beach Festival of the Arts: achieved record-breaking attendance of 50,000. Expanded and upgraded food court, increased the number of youth activities, secured numerous media placements and upgraded artist services and hospitality. • Fundraising: Total grant and donation cash revenue went up 11%; in-kind donations increased 51%. In-kind donations included a fully sponsored VIP cruise and champagne brunch, Artists’ Award Dinner, Artists’ Breakfast, the Mobile African American Museum, and numerous free performances. Show less

• 

  Non-Profit organizations

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2012

  Grant Consultant

  Grant Consultant, Miami, FL 2006-2012Identified grant opportunities, authored and edited grants for non-profits.• Grant Writing: Consistently improved grant scores with persuasive narratives, content that emphasized quantified results, and imaginative attachments.• Adjudication: Served on panels in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties; reviewed and scored grant applications for arts, social service, and individual grants; made award recommendations.

• 

  Inlingua

  Aug 2006 - Mar 2013

  Teacher/English Language Specialist

  Inlingua is a language school serving adult students. I initially taught as a contractor; consistently high performance evaluations resulted in temporary full-time employment.• English Language Specialist: taught language, test preparation, and American cultural norms to Officers of the Saudi Royal Air Force. Created exercises related to flight instruction and preparation. Collaborated with colleagues to create learning enhancement activities that boosted test scores.• Teacher: Conducted classes in Conversational English, Accent Reduction, Business English and TOEFL Test Preparation; developed course materials and assessment tools. Show less

• 

  City of Hollywood, Florida

  Dec 2006 - Dec 2008

  Program and Events Manager

  The Department pf Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts produced more than 100 special events and concerts per year at multiple venues, annual attendance was 250,000. Program Development:• Increased attendance by 80% at the “Global Groove” festival by creating a new theme, which transformed it into an event celebrating arts in the environment. Highlights included performances related to ecology, interactive demonstrations and displays by numerous environmental organizations; animals, plants, food and costumes from around the world; and a partnership with the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale to hold a student competition for the festival poster design.• Doubled the attendance and increased the number of participating artists at the Hollywood Festival of the Arts by moving the date, stepping up artist recruitment, creating a children’s contest that was promoted through the public schools, and presenting more music performances.Event Promotion: • Negotiated $64,800 in free radio spots; obtained fully sponsored live radio broadcasts of the Independence Day fireworks shows and holiday parade.• Co-created direct mail flyers that publicized season events; placed in residents’ water bills the flyers reached 40,000 homes and cost $0.02 per copy. Show less

• 

  Miami Children's Chorus

  Dec 2008 - Aug 2010

  Executive Director

  Miami Children's Chorus 2008-2010 seasons included concerts, workshops, special events, plus special performances at the Super Bowl and with Florida Grand Opera. Annual operating budget was $340,000.Budget and Marketing Management: Developed strategies to contend with the Great Recession.• Slashed marketing expenses 46%; deployed targeted marketing to increase audience size 10% • Increased first-time auditions 47% with a new campaign, “Singing Leads to Great Things”Accessibility/Grant Writing: Created a new grant-funded initiative for patrons with disabilities. • Distributed large-print and Braille programs, provided transportation to concerts for a residential community of adults with neurodivergence, hired ASL interpreters for concerts and events. Show less

• 

  Publick Playhouse, Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission

  Apr 2013 - Mar 2018

  Assistant Managing Director

  Assistant Managing Director, Publick Playhouse, M-NCPPC, Cheverly, MD, 2013-2018More than 100 programs a year included concerts, performances for youth, and matinees for seniors.Budget Management: Generated projections, administered cash handling and vendor payments.• Turned a projected overrun into a 5% surplus by identifying undisbursed encumbrances • Reduced performer hospitality expenses by 75% by switching to local independent restaurantsChange Leadership: In an ongoing era of multiple changes in administration, provided continuity of leadership to staff. First point-of-contact for vendors, media, performers, and the public.• Rewrote the usher manual, obtained division commendations for the entire usher staff • Led a cross-divisional team to create “Mindful Moments,” a video podcast for employees Show less

• 

  BalletNova Center for Dance

  Apr 2018 - Apr 2020

  Managing Director

  BalletNova served 1,200 students in a 20,000 square-foot facility that offered pre-professional ballet, adult and youth enrichment dance, and a rental performance space. Annual operating budget was $1.7 million.Budget and Revenue: Reshaped the operating budget to create long-term stability, implemented new cash handling systems, and comprehensively edited grant submissions.• Reduced operating costs by 25% while providing long overdue raises to faculty and staff• Increased tuition revenue 5½% by correcting the fee structure so that lower-level classes were more affordable and conservatory fees aligned with program costs• Increased the youth scholarship fund 35% by creating a system where class credit hours earned by volunteers could be donated to scholarship recipients• Grant awards exceeded projections by more than 200%Change Leadership: Guided the organization through transitions in leadership and structure. • Deployed the Appreciative Inquiry model in workshops where stakeholders came together to formulate new visions for the organization’s future• Conducted numerous confidential meetings with stakeholders and advised the board to achieve a positive transition to new artistic leadership• Recruited new board members to address low membership Show less

• 

  City of Savannah

  Oct 2020 - now

  Program Manager, Cultural Resources Department

  In 2022, Cultural Resources served more than 13,000 patrons, providing 172 classes and workshops, 6 weeks of summer camp, 31 outreach programs, 24 special events and performances, and 75 rentals. Visual Arts Programming: Create new classes and workshops. Recruit, hire and supervise teaching artists. Build and manage budgets for supplies and teaching. • Added 47% more classes to the schedule generating a 212.5% increase in registered students; classes with wait lists rose from 13% to 43%• During the pandemic, directed the procurement, assembly, and distribution of 500 take-home arts activity kits to youth in Title 1 schools and community centersAccessibility Initiative: Proposed, launched and direct this ongoing program which includes:• The Tactile Art Project, an art exhibition and workshops for people who are neurodivergent, blind or low vision, or use wheelchairs• Sensory room, provides a soothing experience for patrons with autism or sensory needs• Summer arts camp for youth who are blind or visually impaired, 1 week of immersive performing and visual arts experiences for grades 3-9Grants: Facilitate the selection of internal grant proposals. Author grant applications, administrate the programs, and write the final reports.• National Endowment for the Arts Challenge Grant, $10,000 for art in public parks • Georgia Council for the Arts, $4,500 for an art education program for homeless youth • Georgia Council for the Arts, $6,000 for an art education program connecting art to nutrition and health (directed completion of funded project and authored final report) Show less