Executive Director
Renee is a native of Baton Rouge and a graduate of Louisiana State University, holding a B.A. Degree in History and a Juris Doctor from that university. Her career as a dancer includes performing with the Eglevsky Ballet in New York, Delta Festival Ballet of New Orleans, Tampa Ballet, and American Dance Machine in New York. Renee has also been an instructor of dance at Southeastern Louisiana University and her choreography, Res Ipsa Loquitor, was placed on the National Choreographic Plan. She is a co-founder of the Dance Center, Inc. and of Mid City Dance Project, Inc. Renee has been a guest teacher for Iceland Dance Theater in Reykjavik, Iceland, and at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, as well as several local dance companies. She created and staged, The Fading Line: A Commemoration of the 1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott. Renee is a member if the 2005 Leadership Class of the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, The Baton Rouge Bar Association, and has been a panelist for the Lt. Governor's Cultural Economic Summit. She is a member of the Hall of Fame for Redemptorist High School in Baton Rouge, a recipient of the 2005 Polaris Award, The President's Award for the Baton Rouge Bar Association, is a 2005 finalist for the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Angel Award, a LANO Louisiana Heroine, and has been honored by the Louisiana State Senate for her commitment to the African American Community through Arts. Renee is the currently the Executive Director of the Manship Theatre and the Shaw Centre for the Arts. Prior to that position, she developed the dance programs for Episcopal High School and The Dunham School in Baton Rouge while serving on staff at both schools as a history and dance instructor. In addition she chaired the Fine Arts Department at The Dunham School.
Administrative Coordinator since June 2004.
Ellie grew up in the thriving metropolis of Bastrop, LA and graduated from Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas where she earned a BA degree in Theatre with a minor in Psychology. Ellie is married to Ryan Jones and they have one daughter, Ava, who was born in August 2006. She likes to spend time with her family, enjoy the outdoors, sing, paint and travel.
Ellie is the "oldest" employee of Shaw Center for the Arts having worked with the facility prior to the opening in March 2005. "I serve as the primary point of contact for anyone wanting information about the center, and am proud to be a part of the venue that is changing the face of Baton Rouge!"
Building Manager since January 2007.
George was raised and currently resides in Plaquemine, LA and graduated from Plaquemine High School in 1990. He is also a graduate of the Baton Rouge Nation Joint Apprenticeship Training Council (Electrical/Instrumentation) in 2002.
George enjoys reading, drawing, home improvement projects, and spending time with his family. George and his wife, Chume, follow their two sons, Nathan (13) and Peyton (9) all over the Greater Baton Rouge area to see them participate in a variety of sports, Scout functions, band recitals and competitions.
"My role at the Shaw Center for the Arts is to maintain this beautiful building. It's a challenging task but through coordination with our tenants and the Office of State Buildings, I'm confident we have a building that will make employees and visitors proud."