Amanda Nelson to direct arts leadership graduate program
Amanda J. Nelson has been appointed to direct the graduate program in arts leadership in the School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech.
Nelson is one of 14 new faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences this fall. These new hires are part of the college’s ongoing efforts to attract renowned scholars to strengthen and expand its teaching, research, and engagement programs. More than 70 full-time permanent faculty members have been added to the college in the past three years under the leadership of Dean Sue Ott Rowlands.
Nelson, who joins the faculty as an assistant professor, will direct the Master of Fine Arts program in arts leadership, set to launch in fall 2014. She is currently teaching courses in arts management and marketing, and introduction to acting. Her research areas are arts administration and community engagement.
Before coming to Virginia Tech, Nelson worked 11 years for the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York, where she oversaw membership programs, government relations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation support. She has appeared onstage, written on a range of theatre topics, and presented at a number of conferences.
Nelson has worked at IBM as a member of the web marketing team and served at the non-profit Girls Incorporated, where she designed and implemented arts programs for inner-city youth. She has also worked in outreach and marketing at Young Audiences of the Bay Area in northern California.
She received a Ph.D. in drama from Tufts University, a Master of Arts degree in drama from San Francisco State University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama from the University of California at Irvine.
