From the Desk of
Jennifer Morgan
August 17, 2010
Gunnison Arts Center
102 South Main Street
P.O. Box 1772
Gunnison, Colorado 81230
Dear Mr. Ewell,
My name is Jennifer Morgan, and I have been a Colorado business owner, investor, and
volunteer in my community for several years. I am returning to the Gunnison Valley from
Denver and found the posting for the Gunnison Arts Center Executive Director while reading the
Gunnison Country Shopper. The position is attractive to me because of the experience I have in
each of the position’s requirements.
I am a motivated person who likes to take on complex challenges and work toward achieving
beneficial results with a team. My years as a manager in the oil and gas, technology, real estate
and property management industries have taught me much about how to manage critical fiscal
and strategic planning issues, to inspire a staff to effective and enjoyable productivity, as well as
to encourage positive client and public relations while working toward goals with my superiors.
Fundraising for important community issues has been a constant in my life, and I would make
every effort to incorporate my fundraising experience for the benefit of GAC, it’s contributors
and the community it serves.
This position also appeals to me because I have been a pianist and songwriter for over 20 years
and know the importance of promoting artistic talent in the local community. As a child, teen
and young adult, I was blessed with mentors and teachers in theater, literary arts, and music
through community organizations like the GAC. I would take on the role of Executive Director
as a way to honor all those who so graciously poured into my life. I would work to make the
GAC a well-known arts center throughout the local and regional communities as a hub for
creative arts and the development of artists’ talents. I would willingly assist artists in the
promotion of their work because I know how wonderful it is to be encouraged in the arts.
In closing, please review my resume and references. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Morgan
PO Box 7207
Suzanne M. Channell
Gunnison, Colorado 81230 970.417.7032
smchannell@hotmail.com
ADMINISTRATION AND ARTS RELATED EMPLOYMENT
2009 – 2010 GAC ballet teacher – master classes and private lessons
GAC performer in two Sonofagunn productions and one melodrama
GAC director of one Sonofagunn and one melodrama
GAC Gunnison Open. Pottery and sculpture in two exhibitions
GAC directed Near Precision Drill Team. Appeared in two Cattlemen’s Days Parades
2008 – 2009 Resident potter at Falling Sky Pottery & Gallery Co-Op in Ocean Beach, CA.
Responsible for monthly C/10 firing of gas kiln holding 200 glazed pots and sculptures.
Responsible for monthly sales, pricing, stocking and organizing gallery and studio spaces.
2006 – 2008 Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Assisted with financial/employee operations for Witch’s
Rock Surf Camp & Resort Hotel. Produced Employee Handbook that is still in use.
Ballet teacher in Avellanas, CR. Spanish and English speaking children of all ages.
2004 – 2006 Celtic music fiddle student in various counties in Ireland.
1999 – Present
Served as grants panelist in areas of dance, theater, organizational planning
and rural community arts development for the Arkansas Council on the Arts, Idaho Commission on
the Arts, New Mexico Council on the Arts, Nevada Arts Council and Ohio Arts Council.
Served as Grants Program Coordinator for one grant season at Mecklenburg County Arts & Science
Council, Charlotte NC.
Served as a Statewide Arts Conference Consultant for the Idaho Commission on the Arts.
ARTS ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYMENT
1995 – 2002 Community Arts Development Program Coordinator
Nevada Arts Council, Carson City, NV.
Responsible for development, face to face delivery, management of programs and services that
were created to successfully expand and financially stabilize the discipline-specific and nonprofit
local arts agency organizations throughout the entire state.
Responsible for providing face to face technical assistance to communities interested in forming
501(c)3 local arts councils.
Responsible for developing, designing, staffing, scheduling and administrating the budget for Arts
All Ways, the Nevada Annual Statewide Arts Conference.
Responsible for hiring, managing staff, and developing the Las Vegas Community Arts Development
Office of the Nevada Arts Council.
Responsible for sharing professional development and presenters information with all local arts
councils and presenting organization s in the state. This information was garnered for the most part
by annually attending American’s for the Arts Conferences and all Presenters Conferences.
Responsible for development of national and international projects. Such as Honest Horses
Exhibition & Oral History Project, Seoul Korea Dance Company & Visual Arts Festival.
1994
Served as a Fellow in the Locals Program under Diane Mataraza at the National
Endowment for the Arts, Washington D.C.
1991 – 1995 Rural Arts Specialist, Montana Arts Council, Helena, MT
Responsible for providing face to face technical assistance to all rural arts councils, arts facilities
and theatre producers throughout the state.
Responsible for providing assistance in program development and grant writing for the Cultural
Councils of all seven Native American Reservations.
Responsible for providing Montana Arts Council input toward design of the Annual Northwest
Regional Conference – Art Beyond Boundaries.
Responsible for developing, staffing and scheduling the Annual Montana Statewide Arts Conference –
Rural Arts Roundup.
1987 – 1991 Executive Director, Gunnison Arts Center, Gunnison, CO
Responsible for administrative volunteer personnel and facility operations, developing and
administering adult and children’s programs and performances in dance, theatre, two and three
dimensional visual art exhibitions and classes, and summer art programs.
Responsible for board development, grant writing, developing fundraisers, customer service,
managing volunteers, collaborations with Western State college, community and business
organizations.
Responsible for scheduling Community Service volunteers and Facility Community Rentals.
Responsible for administering the annual budgets and facilitating the annual planning sessions.
This was a half time position funded in part by a Locals Grant from the NEA and administrated by
the Colorado Council on the Arts.
EDUCATION, A FEW PERFORMANCES AND ARTS RELATED BUSINESSES
1974
TX
Graduated BFA, Bronze Casting and Pottery, North Texas University, Denton
1965 – 1985 Performed in the following productions as dancer, singer, actress:
Calamity Jane with Carol Barnett, Kelly Brown
Unsinkable Molly Brown with Ginger Rogers
Music Man with Eddie Albert, Marilyn Savage, Sandy Duncan
Guys and Dolls with Alan King, Sheila MacRae, Jerry Orbach
Sammy & Friends TV Show with Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Joey Heatherton
Wonder World with Chita Rivera, New York Worlds Fair
Arts Related Employment
Atlanta Ballet Company, corp de ballet member, Atlanta GA
Bronco Theater, resident actor, dancer, singer, Dallas TX
Suzanne Channell School of Dance, Owner/operator, Ballet/Jazz Choreographer, Dallas TX
Southern Methodist University Dance Department, Ballet/Jazz Choreographer, Dallas TX
Suzanne’s Pottery Studio and Gallery, Arlington TX, Romeo MI, Littleton CO