Jena Gilbert-Merrill is a development professional with nearly a decade of experience resourcing and supporting arts and culture organizations and individual artists. Her work spans institutional fundraising strategy, foundation and government grant writing, and building long-term funder relationships. She previously served as Director of Institutional Relations at the American Alliance of Museums and as Grants Manager at the Center for Craft in Asheville. Her own background as an artist and educator informs a collaborative, supportive approach and a grounded perspective on the day-to-day realities of the organizations she works with.

 

Jena holds a B.A. in Art and Education from Swarthmore College and an M.A. through the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware. She completed a special student program in Ceramics at the Maryland Institute College of Art and maintains an active ceramic studio practice in Western North Carolina.