Jennifer Dwyer McEwen came to United Arts after launching the Town of Hilton Head Island’s first government agency for the arts, where she developed and enacted strategies around using the arts to expand the local creative economy with a focus on increasing education offerings, improving the quality of life for residents, and increasing cultural tourism efforts.
Previously McEwen had a successful track record in arts leadership and marketing strategy in Atlanta, Georgia. As Executive Director at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company, she led a financial turnaround for the organization and grew the organization’s budget by 67% from $1.2 million to $2 million. This growth included expanding the company’s national education program, the August Wilson Monologue Competition, to 14 cities across the United States, producing new work by African American playwrights regionally, and launching community initiatives to create a safe space to discuss social justice issues. Prior to joining True Colors, Jenn served as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Horizon Theatre Company and the Media Relations and Operations Manager for the Ansley Park Playhouse.
McEwen is a Leadership Triangle Goodmon Fellow and a member of Leadership Raleigh’s 47th class. She is an alumna of the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta Class of 2010, National Arts Strategies 2016-2017 Chief Executive Program, and the Leadership South Carolina Class of 2020. Jenn was named to Georgia Trend Magazine’s 2016 40 Under 40 list and was recognized in 2013 by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits’ Nonprofit Impact Awards.
Jenn holds a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In her free time, she likes to hike the amazing parks and trails in NC with her husband Chris, daughter Audrey (9), son Harrison (5), and their two dogs Phylicia and Frankie Bean.
