Arts Management

Professor Smyers has over 20 years of philanthropic experience within the arts and social services sectors. She founded a not-for-profit in 1990 that continues to help prevent hunger and poverty in Northern Florida. In the arts, she has been a working actor in theater, film and commercials and has been a director of plays and musicals. Her special area of interest is to raise money for social service organizations through arts events. In addition, she is an arts education advocate.

Ms. Smyers has served as an Arts Consultant in the D.C. Metropolitan area, working with arts organizations in grant writing, strategic planning, organizational assessments, board retreats, and fundraising. She continues to work with social services organizations in fundraising and job recruitment.

Having graduated in the very first graduating class of the Master of Arts Management Program, Ms. Smyers is looking forward to challenging new students in the classroom and matching professional goals of interns in placing them in arts organizations. Ms. Smyers is supportive and appreciative of the arts at Mason, and is a member of the Friends for the Center of the Arts and serves on the CVPA Alumni Board.

Education: B.A., University of Maryland; M.A., George Mason University

Teaching:

AMGT 471 Introduction to Grant Writing

AMGT 712 Grant Writing in the Arts