Partnering with Chambers of Commerce on the Road to Re-Opening and Recovery

Recorded On: 06/23/2020

Overview
Speaker(s)

Tuesday, June 23, 2020
4:15 p.m. EDT

About this Session

Chambers of Commerce and other business-centric organizations are working on overdrive to jump start their economies following the shutdowns of COVID-19. We know that the arts are essential to thriving communities and are important partners in developing vibrant places to live and work. In this session, hear examples of partnerships and solutions between arts groups, agencies, and chambers of commerce, and learn how to have these conversations in your community.

Learning Objectives

Learn about effective partnerships between Local Arts Agencies and their Chamber of Commerce who are working together to find innovative solutions in this moment.
Increase awareness of the conversations that Chambers of Commerce and business entities are having as they look to bring economic activity back.
Learn strategies to approach your Chamber of Commerce, local business partners and other private-sector entities as you seek to bring your local economy back online.

Speakers

Jessica Stern, Americans for the Arts
Sheree Anne Kelly, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
Wendy Bury, Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition
Tony Sheridan, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut

This session is a part of the 2020 Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference.

Jessica Stern

Senior Manager, Local Arts and Business Partnerships

Americans for the Arts

Jessica is the Private Sector Initiatives Program Manager with Americans for the Arts. Prior to this position, she acted as the Membership and Resources Manager for the Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO), providing oversight of NAO’s statewide membership program while curating and reinventing its online platform of nonprofit management best practice resources. Prior to NAO, Jessica spent nearly five years working with Portland’s local business committee for the arts, Business for Culture & the Arts (BCA), delivering programs that engaged employees from BCA’s 200+ business members, managing all marketing and communications strategies, and retaining and cultivating corporate and community partnerships. Jessica has also served in development roles at Metropolitan Youth Symphony and Literary Arts; and has freelanced as an independent web designer and developer.

Sheree Anne Kelly

President & CEO, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives

Sheree Anne is the chief executive of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) representing more than 10,000 industry professionals. She’s responsible for leading the team which serves the community via professional development, innovative problem solving, best practices, and industry thought leadership.
Previously, Sheree Anne was senior vice president of the Public Affairs Council and executive director of their foundation. During her 16 years at the global association, she served as chief public affairs expert, and oversaw thought leadership, consulting and benchmarking services. During her tenure, she opened the Council’s first international office in Brussels.
Prior roles include positions in the government affairs department of the National Association of Home Builders, and serving on the corporate development and corporate relations teams at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Sheree Anne holds an MBA from Georgetown, a Master of Arts in Government from Johns Hopkins and a Bachelor of Arts from Bucknell University. Current industry leadership roles include serving on the executive committee of the World Chambers Federation and as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Committee of 100. She’s also a board member of the Engalitcheff Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems and immediate past-chair of the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy.