Ohio Arts Council Director Donna Collins to speak at Collective Impact Conference

By Suzanne Lynch, Director of Marketing and Development –

With her expertise and experience with advocacy and arts education, the TN Arts Commission is so pleased to introduce Donna S. Collins as a speaker at our June 7-10 conference in Murfreesboro, TN.

Collins became director of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC) on July 1, 2014. Prior to leading the OAC, Collins served as the executive director of the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education (OAAE) since 1998 and as the executive director of the Ohio Citizens for the Arts and Foundation (OCA) since 2001. During her tenure, both the OAAE and OCA were recognized statewide and nationally for their success at increasing services to constituents, creating policy, and generating more funds for the arts.

Collins brings to the OAC more than 20 years of experience in leading statewide non-profit organizations, demonstrating consistent success and solid results that impact policy, education, economic development, and arts and culture. A proven leader in the field of arts education and arts advocacy, she has worked with the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN) on the Network Leadership Committee and as a consultant to state Alliances across the nation. She also served as an Americans for the Arts State Captain and a State Arts Action Network member.

She has received the Distinguished Fellow & Arts Administration Award by the Ohio Art Education Association; VSA Ohio’s Fran Bay Award; Executive Director recognition from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network in 2003, 2008, 2011, and 2014; and induction into the Ohio Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame. Collins was also honored by the Ohio PTA as a Life Member. In 2014 Americans for the Arts honored Ms. Collins with the Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award

Collins studied education at Otterbein University in Westerville and child development and communications at the Columbus Technical Institute. She lives in Glenford with her husband Howard. Together they have three sons: Timothy (forever 31), Joshua (and his wife Deidre), and Ryan, a student at Capital University. Joshua and Deidre have two children, Cierra and Chance.