TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Development
- Deputy Administrator
Abrien W. Nelson is a professional singer and actor with over 10 years of experience. Born in Germany to a military couple, he has always expressed an interest in the arts. Abrien started his on-stage career in Columbia, Maryland with the Drama Learning Center. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater with a concentration in vocal studies from Jacksonville University. Favorite university productions include Casablanca, In the Heights, Into the Woods, Axe Your Mother, Legally Blonde, Urinetown, and Aida. In addition to his collegiate roles, Abrien was also seen in Sister Act (Theatre Jacksonville), Love! Valour! Compassion!, and Native Gardens (The 5 & Dime Theatre). Stage managing credits include Players by the Sea's production of Caroline, or Change. Abrien has experience working on television with VH1 in My True Crime Story and spent one year working in collegiate admissions before joining the Creative Arts Theatre team. Abrien is uber excited to be a part of the City of Tampa and share his gifts with the community!
Ashley Whiting works as a performer, writer, and voice actress on (and off) stage and screen. She made a career in entertainment as an animation and online content producer in Los Angeles, transitioned to musicals and landed at Creative Arts Theatre after bicycle touring around Florida with the Agile Rascal Bicycle Touring Theatre. Ashley wrote and performed several characters in Creative Art's first ever virtual show, Sidekicks, played Charlie in The Magic Fish tour, and designed Dust Cloud's costume in The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus. She earned a BFA in Writing for Film and TV from Emerson College, trained in musical improv at The Magnet Theatre in NYC and created ESL (English as a Second Language) theatrical experiences at English Musicals Korea. Ashley is also the voice of many animated characters in the Cardioville and Star Stuff Stories universes.
Job Titles:
- Interim Security & Safety Manager
Christan McLaurine is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and received his degree in Theatre and Dance from Middle Tennessee State University. He served as the education coordinator at Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee where he oversaw youth theatre programs in schools. He also served as the artistic director for the city of Memphis' MPLOY summer program which gave youths the opportunity to work various jobs in theatre by creating/performing multiple shows. As a traveling teaching artist for The Rev (Auburn, New York) and New Stage Theatre (Jackson, Mississippi), he was able to bring performing arts to schools and communities throughout their respective regions. He has worn many theatrical hats including performer, director, choreographer, designer, and stage manager. Some of his favorite performance moments include In the Heights (Ovations Dance Academy), Madagascar: The Musical (New Stage), Our Town (New Stage), Heathers: The Musical (Street Theatre), Once on This Island Jr. (Director/Hattiloo).
Job Titles:
- Client Facilitator Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Manager of the Ybor City Development Corporation
Courtney Orr is the Manager of the Ybor City Development Corporation (YCDC), a division of the City of Tampa's Economic and Urban Development Department. Courtney was previously the Executive Director of a Central Ohio Chamber of Commerce after her role as Downtown Manager for the City of Clearwater, Florida. Prior to her employment in municipal government, Courtney directed a county citizens' outreach center for the Pinellas County Administrator and Board of County Commission office. Courtney's additional Chamber of Commerce experience has involved managing the lobbying arm of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce as its Vice President of Government Affairs. She also assisted in the coordination of the executive and young professionals' leadership programs for the Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
Courtney has served on many community-related committees and has extensive nonprofit experience, as well as public relations, marketing, fundraising, volunteer management, event planning, grant administration, economic development and business recruitment and retention experience. Courtney is from Indiana and became a resident of Florida in 2004. She holds a B.S. in journalism and an MBA. She is a graduate of Leadership Pinellas; the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Citizen Academy and has been involved in the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organization Management, the Tampa Bay Regional Coalition, Clearwater Mayor's Business Beautification Recognition Committee, Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway Committee, Clearwater Downtown Partnership's Advisory Board, Pinellas County Homeless Planning Policy Group and the Clearwater Resident Engagement Project.
Although Courtney and the division's staff are employees of the City of Tampa, a primary responsibility is to provide professional staff support to the non-profit Ybor City Development Corporation, Inc. (Corporation). The Corporation serves as a community roundtable representing every major stakeholder category and organization in Ybor City. YCDC and the Corporation are responsible for overseeing development activities within Ybor City's two Community Redevelopment Areas and the Ybor City National Historic Landmark District. YCDC activities include short- and long-range planning, administration of two Tax Increment Funds, coordinating district operational issues such as infrastructure improvements, signage, parking, traffic, marketing, security, cleanliness and esthetics. The division also manages a District Ambassador Program and a 24-hour clean-team referred to as the YES Team.
Job Titles:
- Construction Inspections Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Member of the Construction Activity Compliance Team
- Construction Fraud Investigator
Job Titles:
- Community Redevelopment Agency Director
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Channel / Tampa Heights / Central Park Districts Development Manager
Jess Glass is a professional director, performer, designer, builder, writer, and educator. She has been working in the theatre arts world since 2003. Jess has performed professionally in the great, outdoor drama, Tecumseh! (Chillicothe, OH), at Disney World, at Jimmy Ferraro's Studio Theater (Cookin' with Gus and Holy Cannoli), and with the touring company, American Immersion Theater, as a Murder Mystery actor throughout the state of Florida. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theater Arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in directing. Recent directing credits include: A Christmas Carol (writer, designer and director) Holly Twinkle-Toes and The Ho-Ho Holiday Heist (writer, designer and director), Cabaret (director and designer), Picasso at the Lapin Agile (director and designer), Hands On A Hard Body (director and designer) and Catch Me If You Can (director and designer). Jess is committed to working within the arts for the betterment of the local community. She believes that arts education enriches all our lives and should be easily and openly accessible for all, regardless of their social or economic background.
Job Titles:
- TCC Facility Operations Manager
Job Titles:
- Construction Inspections Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Construction Services Manager / Chief Building Official
- Manager & Chief Building Official
Job Titles:
- National Sales & Marketing Manager
Job Titles:
- Contracts & Development Manager
Meg Heimstead has worked in theatre as an actress, director, teacher, and arts administrator for over 20 years. She has been the supervisor at Creative Arts Theatre since 2015. Prior to coming to Creative Arts, she served as the director of education and the interim artistic director at American Stage in St. Petersburg, FL. Meg has directed over 25 theatre for young audiences' productions, including Rapunzel, The Ugly Duckling, and The Little Mermaid for Creative Arts. As a teaching artist, she has specialized in working with at-risk and underserved youth, believing that a quality arts education should be accessible to all. As an actress, Meg was last seen in A Simple Theatre's production of Good Egg where she earned a Theatre Tampa Bay Award nomination for Best Actress. Prior to that, she performed in freeFall Theatre's productions of In the Next Room, Miss Julie and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the world premiere production of Congratulations, Joe! at A Simple Theatre, and August: Osage County at American Stage. In 2010 Meg was named the Most Consistently Surprising Actress by Creative Loafing Tampa. Meg holds a BFA in Performance from the University of Evansville in Evansville, IN. She also attended the Professional Actor Training Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Job Titles:
- Urban Development Project Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Construction Services Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Construction Inspections Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Construction Inspections Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Convention Services Team Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Construction Activity Compliance Team
- Inspector
Job Titles:
- Chief Construction Inspector
Job Titles:
- Member of the Construction Activity Compliance Team