Two award certificates from Museums in Focus for Belle Meade Plantation, dated March 11, 2020, with gold embossed seals in the bottom right corner, placed on a light marble surface.

JESSE WILLIAMS

Museum & Arts Management Professional | Visitor Experience & Live Arts Leader
Knoxville, TN |

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Museum and arts management professional with 10+ years of experience spanning historic sites, municipal museums, and live performing arts venues. Proven leader in front-of-house operations, visitor experience strategy, collections stewardship, interpretation, and staff development. Experienced in balancing preservation priorities with high-volume attendance, revenue-generating programs, and mission-driven public engagement.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Front of House Manager – Historic Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN | Current

• Lead front-of-house operations for 150+ annual performances and events at a landmark historic theatre
• Supervise, schedule, and train 30–40 part-time ushers, security, and box office staff
• Serve as primary on-site manager during live performances with audiences of up to 1,600 patrons
• Implement crowd flow, accessibility, and safety protocols, supporting ADA compliance and patron satisfaction
• Partner with education and outreach teams to support tours, school programs, and community events
• Design and install rotating lobby and window exhibitions interpreting theatre history and architecture
• Contribute to social media and public-facing content, increasing engagement with historic storytelling
• Collaborate with senior leadership on staff recognition initiatives, improving retention among part-time staff
• Serve as Lead Manager on Duty for Broadway, concerts, comedy, rentals, and internal events
• Act as primary decision-maker during live performances and high-attendance events
• Coordinate with and manage third-party security teams during escalated situations
• Anticipate, de-escalate, and resolve patron complaints and emotionally charged situations
• Oversee crowd management and safety for events hosting audiences of 1,600+ patrons
• Respond to and document medical, fire, and security incidents in alignment with theatre protocols
• Complete detailed end-of-show reports capturing incidents, operational challenges, and recommendations
• Identify operational efficiencies and service improvements in collaboration with the Director of Audience Services
• Ensure cleanliness, readiness, and presentation standards across all public-facing spaces

Historic Resources Coordinator – Town of Farragut | Farragut, TN | 2023

• Managed operations for the Admiral Farragut Museum, serving thousands of annual visitors
• Led planning efforts for the reopening of the Campbell Station Inn, coordinating across departments
• Developed and delivered interpretive programs integrated into town-wide public events
• Oversaw inventory, packing, and relocation of 1,000+ collection items during major renovation
• Ensured continued collections access, documentation, and stewardship during temporary storage
• Served as liaison between municipal leadership, volunteers, and the public on preservation initiatives
• Strengthened visibility of historic resources within broader civic programming

Curator – National Society of Colonial Dames of America (Kentucky) | 2022

• Directed emergency collections management and site reinterpretation at Liberty Hall
• Stabilized preservation conditions through rehousing and environmental improvements
• Updated collections records and documentation to meet professional standards
• Refreshed historic room installations to align interpretation with institutional priorities

Curator & Senior Management Team Member – Belle Meade Plantation | TN | 2014–2021

• Led curatorial, collections, and interpretive strategy for a nationally recognized historic site welcoming 250,000+ annual visitors
• Curated permanent and rotating exhibitions across the Mansion and historic outbuildings, ensuring historical accuracy, inclusive interpretation, and mission alignment
• Directed stewardship of approximately 16,000 objects, including fine art, decorative arts, furnishings, textiles, and archival materials
• Developed and maintained comprehensive collections documentation, inventories, and curatorial plans in accordance with professional standards
• Conducted scholarly research to expand object records with provenance, historical context, and interpretive scholarship
• Oversaw accessioning and deaccessioning in collaboration with executive leadership, ensuring ethical and compliant collections practices
• Led collections care and preservation efforts across historic structures and movable collections, coordinating with conservators and contractors as needed
• Authored interpretive content for exhibitions, tours, website copy, and print materials
• Partnered with interpretation and education leadership to integrate object-based storytelling into tours, programs, and public engagement initiatives
• Supervised staff and volunteers across collections, interpretation, and daily operations
• Served as institutional research liaison to scholars, descendants, peer institutions, and the public
• Ensured adherence to American Alliance of Museums standards and current museum best practices

Public Relations Representative – Associated Therapeutics, Inc. | 2011–2014

• Supported marketing, public relations, and community outreach initiatives
• Coordinated professional events and presentations
• Managed scheduling, databases, and public-facing communications
• Represented organization in community and professional settings

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts in American History – Southern New Hampshire University (Expected 2027)
Associate of Science in Business Administration, Hospitality & Tourism – Pellissippi State Community College
Carter High School – National Honor Society, Outstanding Graduate

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Volunteer Positions
Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities - Ramsey House Intern
Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities - Glenmore Mansion
Oak Ridge Heritage Preservation Society Planning Committee - Secret City Festival
Save the Alexander Inn/Guest House, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

2020 Award of Commendation

Issued by Tennessee Association of Museums · Mar 2020Issued by Tennessee Association of Museums · Mar 2020

Associated with Belle Meade Historic Site & WineryAssociated with Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery
Award for a Special Event: D-Day Anniversary, highlighting the hidden and forgotten connections the Plantation has with D Day and WWII history.
Award for a Special Event: D-Day Anniversary, highlighting the hidden and forgotten connections the Plantation has with D Day and WWII history.

2020 Award of Commendation
Issued by Tennessee Association of Museums · Mar 2020Issued by Tennessee Association of Museums · Mar 2020
- Associated with Belle Meade Historic Site & WineryAssociated with Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery
- For the Temporary Exhibit: Spring Sporting Life. This explored the country’s sporting activities and the fashions associated with the activities, and what a landed family would have been doing as far as sports. For the Temporary Exhibit: Spring Sporting Life. This explored the country’s sporting activities and the fashions associated with the activities, and what a landed family would have been doing as far as sports.
2019 Award of Commendation
Issued by Tennessee Association of Museums · Mar 2019Issued by Tennessee Association of Museums · Mar 2019
- Associated with Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery Associated with Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery
- Award of Recognition for the Temporary Christmas Exhibit: A Family Christmas, which explored the quiet side of a southern family's Christmas Celebration. This was for the 2018 Christmas Season.