“Before the pandemic, we were all moving in a million different directions and everybody knew what they were doing. And we were just moving quickly through a busy programming schedule. The pandemic forced us to slow down a little bit; it created the opportunity for us to work on strategy and really keep mission front of mind.”

Jennifer Turner

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with Jennifer Turner, president and chief executive officer at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, about keeping donors engaged and giving during a crisis – when your mission isn’t crisis-related.

Jennifer shared her experience in leading an arts organization during the pandemic and answers questions including:

• What has been the game plan for keeping the performing arts center donors and other supporters engaged and giving, especially at the height of the pandemic. 
• What lessons can be learned for other organizations in that position, when their mission isn’t necessarily top of mind?
• What is the role of leadership in cases like this? How can leaders support the communications, marketing and fundraising teams to keep donors engaged?

About our Guest

Jennifer Turner has been president and CEO at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, a Nashville-based nonprofit arts organization, since 2019.

Prior to that, she was executive vice president and managing director for Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Southern California, where she built a world-class leadership team and spearheaded multimillion-dollar capital development projects. 

Jennifer previously was the chief operating officer for the national historic landmark Auditorium Theatre in Chicago and also has held roles with the Michigan Opera Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company. 

Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn
Learn more about the Tennessee Performing Arts Center