Vivian James
SOUTH ORANGE — The South Orange Performing Arts Center announced last week that it has hired a Seton Hall University alumna as the center’s director of development.
In the new role, Vivian James of Glen Ridge will oversee fundraising at SOPAC, developing and implementing a strategic plan to raise vital funds for the arts center. James started at SOPAC in August.
She told the News-Record in a phone interview last week that she has strong ties to South Orange.
“I wanted to be part of something positive in the town I went to school in,” James said, adding that she has been an Essex County resident for 15 years.
James is beginning to settle into her role and believes she will be able to make a lot of headway for SOPAC.
“I’m trying to flesh out a plan right now,” James said. “I’m hoping to reach out to a lot of members of the community.”
James most recently served as executive director of the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts in Madison. The museum’s mission is to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the United States’ past by presenting and interpreting the history, culture and lives of ordinary people through educational programs, preservation and stewardship of the museum’s collection, and exhibition and demonstration of the trades and crafts practiced in New Jersey from its earliest settlement, according to its website.
According to the release from SOPAC, while at the museum, James successfully raised funds to launch a $2 million historic preservation project, among other achievements.
James has also promoted fundraising at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Greater Newark Conservancy, the Communication for Social Change Consortium and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
James currently serves on the board of directors for the New Jersey Association of Museums and the New Jersey History Advocates, and is a reviewer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, according to the SOPAC release. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from Seton Hall University and a BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology at SUNY.
“We are thrilled that Ms. James has accepted the position,” SOPAC Executive Director Mark Packer said in the release. “Now, more than ever, it is important for us to have a skilled fundraiser who knows how to negotiate the challenges of today’s economy. We feel confident that Ms. James will take us to the next level in our development efforts.”
SOPAC Board of Governors Chairman Anthony Leitner seconded Packer’s statement.
“The search committee was unanimous in its decision to hire Ms. James,” Leitner said in the release. “There is no question that she will be an outstanding addition to the staff and the entire board looks forward to working with her to achieve our goals.”
James is ready to dive in and begin working to enhance SOPAC’s fundraising profile.
“It’s all about promoting your vision and moving your mission forward,” James said.