"Allison Perkins" Archive

Reynolda Village, House, Gardens hires associate director of marketing

The following is a guest post from Reynolda Village, House and Gardens:

Tonsic

Jodi Tonsic

As part of Reynolda’s return toward a unified brand, leadership within Reynolda and at Wake Forest have named Jodi Tonsic Reynolda associate director of marketing, a new position created to elevate Reynolda’s status as both a local treasure and tourist destination. Tonsic will be responsible for bringing together all three of the estate’s historic components – the museum, the gardens and the village – into a unified visitor experience.

Tonsic will develop marketing plans for the unique shops and restaurants in Reynolda Village, harmonize social media messaging, identify opportunities for integrated experiences and promotions across the entire estate, and become an important liaison between the museum, gardens, and village staff. Tonsic joins Reynolda from the Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority, where she served as president for the past 16 years. In Wilkesboro, she worked closely with merchants, restaurateurs and attractions to market the destination. She has also been instrumental in promotional campaigns in partnership with MerleFest, the legendary music festival that attracts tens of thousands of visitors each spring. She starts in the new role at Reynolda June 3.

“Reynolda is magical,” Tonsic says. “This is where I’ve always gone when I need to de-stress, when I need to escape from the daily grind. Now, to be able to be a part of creating the magic for others is an incredible opportunity.”

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Jon Roethling named new director of Reynolda Gardens

Jon Roethling

This is a guest post from Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens:

Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University has hired Jon Roethling as its new director. Roethling steps into the leadership role of the renowned historic gardens and landscape of R.J. and Katharine Reynolds’s former estate after serving as curator of grounds for the Mariana Qubein Botanical Gardens at High Point University. He will begin as director of Reynolda Gardens Dec. 3.

“Jon has the critical combination of experience and aspiration to position Reynolda Gardens for the future,” said Allison Perkins, Wake Forest associate provost for Reynolda House & Reynolda Gardens, who led the search committee for the new director. “His understanding and respect for our history paired with his passion for making the beauty of our landscape accessible to all will be a boon to all of Wake Forest, Reynolda and our visitors.”

Roethling has an extensive background in public horticulture and landscaping spanning nearly 30 years. At High Point University, he guided the establishment of several important plant collections, developed new garden spaces and led the renovation of nearly all existing campus gardens. Prior to his position there, Roethling was a research technician and horticulture assistant for several years at the JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University, his alma mater. He credits his time there as central to igniting his passion for public horticulture, and for establishing his extensive network of professional relationships in the field.

At Reynolda, Roethling will join the senior leadership team under Perkins’s direction, and manage a team of five professional staff members and a dedicated volunteer group who care for 129 acres that include formal gardens, a conservatory, wooded walking trails, vast lawns and wetlands. Originally designed by Thomas Sears utilizing a site plan by Louis L. Miller and Horatio R. Buckenham, the gardens and landscape are used for recreation and respite by thousands of visitors each year and serve as a place of academic research and exploration for university students.

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Categories: Inside WFU

Preston Stockton, longtime Reynolda Gardens manager, retiring

Preston Stockton

After 37 years as Reynolda Gardens’ manager, Preston Stockton is retiring on Dec. 31.

As manager, she has overseen the maintenance and preservation of 129 acres within the Reynolda Historic District.

“The acreage includes four acres of formal gardens, five greenhouses and a conservatory, woodlands, walking trails and the lake Katharine wetlands,” according to an announcement on the web site of Reynolda House Museum of American Art.

“It has been an honor to work with such a dedicated colleague who cares so deeply for this historic landscape,” said Allison Perkins, Reynolda House executive director and Wake Forest associate provost for Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens.

More details.

Categories: Inside WFUStaff News

Reynolda House awarded grant to advance diversity in art museum field

This is a guest post from Reynolda House Museum of American Art:

Reynolda House Museum of American Art

Reynolda House Museum of American Art is the recipient of a three-year grant to advance diversity in the art museum field. With the funding, the museum will undertake a program, starting in January 2018, to strengthen the pipeline of students and recent graduates from underrepresented populations interested in museum careers. Reynolda’s project is made possible, in part, through the Diversifying Art Museum Leadership Initiative, funded by the Walton Family Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Reynolda was among 20 pioneering art museums around the country selected to participate.

The grant, a total of $188,700, will enable Reynolda to offer three yearlong fellowships, providing the opportunity for recent graduates from underrepresented populations to gain professional experience in an art museum setting. Recent studies show that staffing and leadership roles in museums across the United States do not adequately reflect the nation’s socio-economic and racial make-up.

“We are honored to be among the museums selected for this prestigious program to address a true need in the field,” said Allison Perkins, executive director of Reynolda House and Wake Forest associate provost for Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens. “The lessons to be learned from this program will bolster our efforts to diversify staff, board, volunteers, and visitors in order to better reflect the community we serve.”

Fellows will be involved in three major departments at the museum, working 1,800 hours per year in the areas of public programs, curatorial and education. The museum worked closely with Wake Forest University in developing the fellows program and will offer candidates housing on the Wake Forest campus and a certification in Business Essentials for Nonprofits from the university.

“This is a major initiative not only for the museum, but also for Wake Forest,” said Wake Forest President Nathan Hatch. “The opportunity for Reynolda House to play a significant role in changing the composition of leadership in the museum field directly supports our commitment to creating a pluralistic and inclusive campus environment.”

The grant includes a plan for capacity-building for inclusion among museum staff and a stipend for undergraduate interns. Over the next three years, Reynolda will hire five interns per year from underrepresented populations, each working 8-10 hours per week.

The fellowships will be open to recent college graduates, and the internships will be open to students currently enrolled in a college or university. Key members of Reynolda’s education, public programs and curatorial departments will administer the program, including recruitment, targeted mentoring and assessment.

The museum’s focus on developing a career track for underrepresented populations is in keeping with its commitment to achieve diversity across all constituencies through capacity building efforts. Earlier this year, staff and board embarked on a new strategic planning process to guide the museum’s work going forward. Diversity and inclusion is one of the plan’s strategic directions. Reynolda Museum of American Art marked its 50th anniversary in September.

Categories: Inside WFU

July 2016 staff milestones

See a list of staff milestones for July 2016: Read more

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