Meet Jeanette Robinson Mcwilliams of Smithgall Arts Center | The Arts Council

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeanette Robinson Mcwilliams.

Hi Jeanette, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My career has been anything but linear, but when I look back, I realize there’s been a very clear through line: storytelling, creativity, and connecting people and ideas.

I spent more than a decade in New York working in luxury fashion marketing and communications, where I learned how powerful a story can be when you bring together brand, culture, and community. I was always drawn to the intersections—fashion with music, art, entertainment, philanthropy, and culture. Outside of my career, I was also a photographer, capturing weddings, families, and landscapes, and even had the opportunity to exhibit my work. So creativity was never just part of my profession; it was always part of who I was.

In 2017, I relocated from New York to Atlanta to work in higher education for SCAD (The Savannah College of Art and Design), and that move really opened up a new chapter for me. I transitioned more deeply into public relations and communications, where I spent the next few years building my experience in strategic communications, community engagement, and relationship management.

Then COVID happened, and like so many people, I had to rethink what was next. I took a leap and launched my own communications consultancy, which allowed me to “moonlight” and work across industries, build something of my own, and really lean into the entrepreneurial and creative side of communications. From there did some agency work.

That eventually led me to the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife, where I served as an Entertainment Liaison. I had the opportunity to connect the Mayor’s Office with entertainment, nightlife, and business stakeholders—helping drive aligned messaging, engagement, and civic impact within Atlanta’s $3 billion creative economy. It was an incredible experience because it brought together so many of the worlds I had worked in throughout my career: communications, culture, business, entertainment, and community.

And now, I’m bringing all of those experiences into a new chapter as Director of the Smithgall Arts Center with The Arts Council of North Georgia.

What feels special about this moment is that it doesn’t feel like a departure from everything I’ve done before—it feels like a culmination of it. Fashion taught me vision and collaboration. Communications taught me how to tell stories and build relationships. Entrepreneurship taught me to take risks. Government and civic work showed me the impact that creative industries can have on a community. And photography taught me to always look at the world through a different lens.

Now I get to bring those perspectives together through the arts—and help create experiences that connect people, celebrate culture, and strengthen community.

I may not have followed a straight line, but I’ve learned that sometimes the most interesting journeys are the ones that prepare you for exactly where you’re meant to be.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I’m grateful for that. Some of the most difficult seasons have also been the ones that taught me the most about myself. In more ways than one.

One of the biggest challenges has been navigating career transitions and being willing to start over or reinvent myself. I’ve worked across very different industries—from luxury fashion and higher education to entrepreneurship, government, and the creative economy—and there were certainly moments when I questioned whether my path was too unconventional. It can be difficult when your career doesn’t fit neatly into one box, especially when you’re trying to explain how all of the pieces connect.

Relocating from New York to Atlanta was also a significant transition. I was essentially rebuilding my professional network and finding my place in a new city and a new creative ecosystem. But Atlanta ultimately challenged me in the best possible way. It pushed me to get curious, build new relationships, and think differently about what was possible.

I’ve learned that the hard seasons aren’t necessarily detours. Sometimes they’re the things that force you to grow, take a risk, or recognize a strength you didn’t know you had.

So no, it hasn’t always been smooth—but I think the bumps in the road are a big part of why I’m able to step into this next chapter with so much clarity and excitement.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Smithgall Arts Center is special because it’s so much more than a beautiful historic venue—it’s a gathering place for creativity, culture, and community.

As part of The Arts Council of North Georgia, we offer something for everyone, from year-round visual arts exhibitions, to our popular indoor Jazz Series, which runs January through April, our annual Spring Art Walk activation, and Summer Music Concert Series to name a few. We’re continually creating opportunities for people to experience the arts, discover new artists, learn something new, and connect with one another.

What sets us apart is the combination of history, place, and possibility. The Arts Council has been serving Northeast Georgia for decades, growing from a grassroots effort into an organization that supports artists, cultural institutions, and communities across the region. The Smithgall Arts Center gives us a beautiful home to bring that mission to life while honoring the history and character of the space.

In this role, I’m especially excited to expand the way people experience the Center and creating partnerships that bring together artists, businesses, nonprofits, educators, families, and community leaders.

I’m proud that our organization represents something bigger than a calendar of events—it represents the intention to connect. Whether you’re an arts enthusiast or someone who hasn’t been to an arts center in years, there’s a place for you here.

Ultimately, we want to keep the arts alive, accessible, and thriving in Northeast Georgia—and create experiences that inspire people and bring our community together.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something that might surprise people is that, despite spending much of my career in communications, public relations, government, and now arts leadership, I’m actually a pretty quiet creative at heart.

I’ve always had a camera in my hand in some form. Photography has been a meaningful creative outlet for me for years—and even exhibited my own work. I love observing people and places and finding the story in the details.

I think that’s part of why the arts feel so natural to me. My career may be rooted in strategy and communications, but underneath it all, I’m someone who is deeply curious, visual, and creative. I’m always looking for the story, the connection, or the perspective that someone else might have overlooked.

And perhaps the biggest surprise? I’m still figuring it all out… trying something new, taking a path that didn’t necessarily make sense on paper. That willingness to stay curious has probably unknowingly shaped my career more than anything else. #faithoverfear

Pricing:

• Admission to the Art Gallery is FREE 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theartscouncil.net
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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanette-robinson-mcwilliams-8424078/