Deputy to the President, The Helis Foundation
Jessie Schott Haynes has been able to combine some of her many varying passions with her professional life, a feat sure to leave many creative at-home types envious.
“I’ve been given the incredibly unique opportunity to marry my Art History background, which is and always has been my first, lifelong passion, with my training as an attorney and my nonprofit staff and board experience,” she says. “I know how lucky I am to work in an extremely unique field that allows me to balance my skills and interests while presenting interesting new challenges on a daily basis.”
The key to Haynes’ success lies in understanding as much as possible about the landscape of the New Orleans arts community from a grant making perspective, particularly as it fits within the context of the national and international community.
This past year has seen the Helis Foundation working with Prospect.3 and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art to bring “Basquiat and the Bayou” to New Orleans, installing Lynda Benglis’ “The Wave of the World” in City Park and the Poydras Corridor Sculpture and Exhibition. This coming year will see the finalizing of the Helis Foundation Enrique Alferez Sculpture Garden in City Park’s Botanical Gardens, which Haynes sees as a beautiful addition to the city.
“The legacy of Enrique Alferez and the impact of his work on the fabric of New Orleans will now be preserved for generations to enjoy,” she says.
Read the article on MyNewOrleans.com.