Meet the Staff

Beth Rutkowski, Managing Director
Phone: 216-987-4582 Fax: 216-987-4186
email: beth.rutkowski@tri-c.edu

Ms. Rutkowski is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Tri-C JazzFest as well as working with the JazzFest Artistic Director in scheduling concert performances. Ms. Rutkowski works with the Director of Education on educational programming and the College’s Marketing Director on strategies to increase audience attendance. Before joining Tri-C in 2005, Ms. Rutkowski was the director of education at the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, overseeing classes and lessons in music, theater, visual arts, and dance, as well as creative arts therapies and education outreach. Prior to working for the Beck Center, Beth worked for National City Bank in community relations and corporate sponsorships. During her six years at the bank, Beth completed an MBA at the University of Louisville with the hope of rejoining the world of arts where she had worked previously. Beth spent five years working as an actress and musical director for a children's theater touring company after completing a Bachelor's of Music at the University of South Carolina where she concentrated in choral music education and vocal performance. She has also held performing lead roles in musical theater productions with a summer stock company.

Willard Jenkins, Artistic Director
email: muzikmuse@comcast.net

A 1973 graduate of Kent State University, Willard Jenkins has devoted much of his life's work to nurturing the growth and enhancement of jazz music as a fine art form. He has been an arts administrator, producer, presenter, journalist, broadcaster, educator, and consultant. Jenkins is an independent arts consultant, producer, and writer under the Open Sky banner. Much of Jenkins' current activity includes concert and festival planning, artistic direction, consulting, music journalism, and broadcast production work. He currently serves as artistic director of an annual concert series at Tribeca Performing Arts Center and as artistic adviser to 651 Arts. His newest affiliation is as a consultant for Arts Midwest managing the NEA Jazz Masters on Tour program. Jenkins is a regular contributor to National Public Radio’s review service, Jazz Riffs, and currently has radio programs on WPFW in Washington, DC and XM Satellite Radio.

Some of the other organizations Jenkins has been associated with include: Black Entertainment Television, National Jazz Service Organization, Cleveland State University, Northeast Ohio Jazz Society, Smithsonian Institution, Aaron Davis Hall, Rhythm and Blues Foundation, and The Plain Dealer

In 1995 Jenkins was appointed Artistic director of TriC JazzFest Cleveland. He is responsible for the artistic direction of the festival, negotiation of artists’ contracts, and national public relations.

Cliffie Jones, Business Manager
Phone: 216-987-4049 Fax: 216-987-4186
email: cliffie.jones@tri-c.edu

Cliffie Jones is an integral part of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland's day-to-day operations. She has been involved with Tri-C JazzFest for many years and serves many more roles than just Business Mgr! In addition to jazz, she has a great love of the theater and is very active in Cleveland's Public theater as a gifted actress. Come see Cliffie on stage!

Philip Campbell, Production Manager
Phone: 216-987-4546 Fax: 216-987-4186
email: philip.campbell@tri-c.edu

Philip Campbell has worked in the Theater and Creative Arts Departments at Tri-C for 15 years. He has worked as Production Manager for the Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland for 13 of those years. During this time he has worked with various outside companies including Belkin Productions, Rock Capital Sound, 8^th Day Sound, Dance Cleveland and Dancing Wheels on events that range from dance and theatre to musical productions. With a focus on all things technical and his experience with sound, lighting, rigging and staging, Philip manages between 60 and 80 productions a year for Tri-C Creative Arts.

Lilah M. Wiant, Office Assistant
Phone: 216-987-4249 Fax: 216-987-4186
email: lilah.wiant@tri-c.edu

Lilah joined the Tri-C JazzFest staff in April 2007. A 1996 graduate from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, she has had a love of music and the arts from a very early age. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree in 1994 from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. While completing work on her Master's degree, she won the Ohio International Trumpet Guild Solo Competition. Before joining Tri-C in September of 2004, Lilah worked in the capacity of Chorus Manager for the Children's Festival Chorus in Pittsburgh, Pa where she had the privilege of working with performing arts organizations such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Opera and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh among others. Other past positions Lilah has held include, personnel manager for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra, counselor for the Blue Lake Fine Arts Program, and full time private trumpet instructor for the Plano Independent School District - Plano, TX.

Phil Barr, Marketing Consultant
Phone: (216) 334-9591
email: pbarr11@roadrunner.com

Phil Barr, an avid jazz fan, is an accomplished communications professional with experience in public relations, media relations, strategic marketing, advertising, direct mail, branding and event planning. A principal of Barr Communications, he previously worked at Hybrid Marketing, a full-service marketing and public relations agency. While at Hybrid, Barr worked on a variety of educational, consumer and business-to-business accounts, including Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland Institute of Music, Ursuline College, DANCECleveland, Corporate Screening Services, T. Marzetti Company, Meyer Products and Kalahari Waterpark Resort. Barr is the recipient of three PRSA Cleveland Rocks Awards, given annually by the Greater Cleveland Chapter of PRSA (Public Relations Society of America). He studied English and journalism at the University of Akron and at Vesalius College, in Brussels, Belgium.