St. John & Company
Building infrastructure
for culture to thrive.
Operations leader, grants strategist, and community builder working at the intersection of arts, policy, and civic life in Louisiana's Capital Region.
01 — About
I work where strategy meets community.
As EVP & COO at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, I manage the operational backbone of a regional arts agency — grants administration, financial strategy, contracts, partnerships, and systems architecture across a ten-parish service area.
My approach is rooted in the belief that culture doesn't happen by accident. It requires infrastructure: clear processes, sound financial stewardship, and genuine relationships. Whether I'm structuring a fiscal sponsorship agreement, leading a federal grant strategy, or coordinating a public art commission, the through-line is the same — creating conditions for creative work and community life to flourish.
Before this role, I built a practice around community strategy and creative development through St. John & Company. I hold an MBA, a Strategy Execution certificate from Harvard Business School, and have been shaped by the Urban Leadership Development Initiative, adaptive leadership practice, and a deep engagement with civic life in Baton Rouge.
Current Role
EVP & COO
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
Service Area
10 Parishes
Louisiana Capital Region
Education
MBA, Western Governors University
BA, English — Southern University A&M
Certificates
Strategy Execution — Harvard Business School
DEI in the Workplace — University of South Florida
Project Management
Skills
Cross-Sector PartnershipGrant Strategy & ComplianceFiscal SponsorshipOrganizational DevelopmentCreative PlacemakingBudget & Cash Flow ManagementStakeholder EngagementProgram Design & EvaluationPublic Art AdministrationAdaptive LeadershipCommunity OrganizingStrategic Communications
02 — Portfolio
Selected Work
01
Grant Making & Community Development
Administered the Arts Council's regranting initiative, distributing state arts funds to individual artists, nonprofit organizations, schools, and community groups across a 10-parish region — ensuring equitable access to state arts resources.
02
NEA Grant Strategy & Administration
Led strategic positioning for National Endowment for the Arts funding, including Grants for Arts Projects and Our Town applications. Managed multi-year federal grant compliance across a ten-parish service area.
03
Louisiana Project Grants (LPG)
Directed the full lifecycle of the Louisiana Division of the Arts sub-granting program — from outreach and applicant support through panel review, contracting, and compliance monitoring.
04
Fiscal Sponsorship Architecture
Designed and operationalized fiscal sponsorship agreements for independent arts projects, including The Honey Gold Experience — a full-dome immersive film and programming initiative.
05
FY27 Budget & Cash Flow Analysis
Produced comprehensive budget analysis identifying structural revenue vulnerabilities, non-cash depreciation impacts, and federal/state grant concentration risk. Developed Cash Flow Controls Policy and 90-Day Rolling Cash Flow Forecast framework.
01
19th Judicial District Court — NEA Our Town
Led a transformative NEA Our Town creative placemaking project in partnership with the 19th JDC. Supported by a $50,000 NEA award, the project introduced public artworks and design interventions that elevated the courthouse into a more welcoming civic space.
02
Cypress Pinchback Senior Living
Partnered with EBRPHA to deliver comprehensive creative placemaking — coordinating muralists, managing design and installation, including a community room mural honoring PBS Pinchback, ceramic installations, and reading nooks.
03
EBR Public Housing Authority
Integrated public art and creative placemaking into housing developments serving seniors, families, and vulnerable residents — spanning murals, environmental design, and resident-centered interventions.
04
Public Art Restoration Program
Administered the City of Baton Rouge's Public Art Restoration Program — overseeing assessment, maintenance, and restoration of municipally owned artworks across the parish.
05
University Lakes Identity & Branding
Led the graphics and identity strategy for the University Lakes revitalization in collaboration with Sasaki — developing a visual system reflecting cultural and ecological character.
06
Creative Crosswalk Program
Positioned the Arts Council as administrator of Baton Rouge's Creative Crosswalk Program under Ordinance 9390 — managing applications, coordinating with Traffic Engineering, and overseeing maintenance.
07
Art in Public Places Advisory Committee
Staffed the professional advisory body guiding the development, selection, and stewardship of public art across the Capital Region.
08
Magnolia Mound Monument
Coordinated an initiative to commission a permanent public monument honoring enslaved people connected to Magnolia Mound Plantation Museum.
09
Shell Gallery Exhibition Program
Restructured the Shell Gallery artist exhibition agreement and curator contract — strengthening IP protections, establishing exhibition minimums, and codifying artist submission guidelines.
01
Louisiana Arts Summit
Served as programmatic lead for the state's premier annual convening of artists, cultural workers, educators, policymakers, and funders — aligning statewide cultural policy and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
02
Art in Place — ULI Global Cities
Secured Baton Rouge's selection as one of six global cities in ULI's Art in Place cohort. Produced a findings report submitted to designers of the downtown master plan (Plan BR Phase III).
03
Arts for EveryBody
Led a collaborative initiative with the City of Baton Rouge aligned with One Nation/One Project. Baton Rouge served as the sole Louisiana city in this national arts-and-health campaign.
04
Talent Advancement Program (TAP)
Project Director for the Arts Council's flagship workforce development initiative — Audio Engineering and Video Production tracks across ten parishes. Funded by BRAF–Credit Bureau of Baton Rouge Foundation.
05
BR Poet Laureate Program
Managed the Baton Rouge Poet Laureate Program — a signature cultural initiative established by the Mayor's Office in partnership with the Arts Council in 2019.
06
Poetry Out Loud
Administered the regional competition for the national high school poetry recitation program developed by the NEA and the Poetry Foundation.
01
Build the Fire Gatherings
Founded and creatively led the Build The Fire event series, transforming a grassroots idea into a signature Baton Rouge gathering — a dynamic platform where art, dialogue, and sincerity converged.
02
MetroMorphosis — Civic Leadership
Advanced the organization's mission by strengthening leadership pipelines, activating collaborative networks, and mobilizing residents around Black male achievement and community transformation.
03
Urban Leadership Development Initiative
Guided emerging community leaders through structured learning, facilitated dialogue, and applied leadership projects. Served as President of the ULDI Alumni Network Board.
04
My Brother's Keeper Campaign
Led the relaunch of MBK in Baton Rouge — revitalizing it into an active campaign focused on mentorship, educational achievement, violence reduction, and opportunity pathways for boys and young men of color.
05
Urban Congress on African American Males
Managed the cornerstone program convening Black men, organizations, policymakers, and institutional partners to shape collective strategies for improving quality of life in Baton Rouge.
06
The Walls Project — Futures Fund
Program Director for one of the region's most impactful youth-development pipelines — industry-level training in coding, photography, and digital arts. Also managed large-scale public art installations.
07
MLK Festival of Service & Block Party
Coordinated one of Baton Rouge's largest annual community activation events — combining public art, live performance, service projects, and neighborhood revitalization.
08
4th FLR Foundation Launch
Scaffolded the public launch strategy for the 4th FLR Foundation — event planning, stakeholder engagement, and organizational development for an emerging philanthropic entity.
03 — Experience
Professional Path
2025 – Present
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
Oversee operations, grants administration, financial strategy, contracts, and community partnerships for a regional arts agency serving Louisiana's Capital Region across ten parishes. Portfolio includes federal and state grant management, fiscal sponsorship, public art commissions, and organizational systems strategy.
2022 – 2025
Vice President of Operations
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
Built out the operational infrastructure — from cash flow controls and invoicing workflows to contracts architecture and technology platform evaluation. Led the Talent Advancement Program, Louisiana Arts Summit, Art in Place, Shell Gallery programming, and public art restoration.
2019 – 2022
Innovations & Partnership Catalyst
MetroMorphosis
Guided the Urban Leadership Development Initiative, relaunched the My Brother's Keeper Campaign in Baton Rouge, and managed the Urban Congress on African American Males. Work centered on organizational strategy, leadership pipeline development, and cross-sector engagement.
2015 – 2018
Programs Manager / Futures Fund Director
The Walls Project
Led one of the region's most impactful youth-development pipelines — industry-level training in coding, photography, and digital arts. Coordinated the MLK Festival of Service & Block Party and managed large-scale public art installations.
Ongoing
Founder & Creative Lead
Build the Fire Gatherings
Created and sustained a signature Baton Rouge gathering series — curating multidisciplinary programming, coordinating performing artists, and building a dynamic platform where art, dialogue, and sincerity converge.
Ongoing
Community Strategist & Consultant
St. John & Company
Independent practice focused on creative development and cultural enrichment — advising on nonprofit strategy, community engagement design, and organizational development for mission-driven entities.
04 — Civic Engagement
Board Service, Fellowships & Affiliations
Board & Advisory Service
Board Member
MetroMorphosis
Civic infrastructure & community development
Board President (Former)
ULDI Alumni Network
Adaptive leadership & cohort development
Board Member / Secretary
Fourth Floor Foundation
Emerging philanthropic strategy
Advisory Board Member
LSU Museum of Art
Cultural programming & institutional guidance
Advisory Board Member
Southern University A&M College of Humanities
Academic & community partnership
Art in Public Places Advisory
Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
Public art selection, stewardship & policy
Art in Place Cohort Member
Urban Land Institute
Arts integration in urban planning
Grant Panelist, Local Arts Agencies
National Endowment for the Arts
Federal arts funding peer review
Fellowships & Leadership Programs
Fellow
Leadership Baton Rouge
Fellow
Louisiana Tourism Leadership Academy
Fellow
BRAF Development Fellows
Fellow
BRAF Board Chair Fellows
Affiliations
Member
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Member
National Black MBA Association
Member
Jno G Lewis Lodge #261
05 — Contact
Let's connect.
For speaking engagements, consulting inquiries, or collaboration — I'd welcome the conversation.