Jon is an associate with AMS Planning & Research Corp., working with the firm from his home base in Chicago.  Following almost 20 years leading non-profit theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Writers Theatre, including managing the planning and construction of Writers Theatre’s $34 million new home, Jon joined AMS in 2021.  He looks forward to bringing his knowledge of facility development, day-to-day operations of arts organizations, and strategic planning to AMS’s clients.

What is most significant about the work that you do?

The performing arts are one of our most impactful ways to step into the lives of other humans, understand who they are, what they need, and how we can empathically work together to become closer to our neighbors, community, and country.

Where is the greatest opportunity for the sector today?

The arts sector, like almost all industries today, is reckoning with the ways that the systems we have built in the United States have historically, and continue to, exclude people from greater success and opportunities.  In this moment, we can examine the systems of marginalization and oppression at play in our work and make new choices to build (or re-build) organizations that are more inclusive, equitable, and resilient.

Who are your most recent clients?

I am excited to be working with Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, Florida, as they embark on construction of their $60 million new performing arts center, and I’m looking forward to helping other clients across the country as my work with AMS begins. Past highlights of my consulting work outside of AMS include working with TimeLine Theatre Company in Chicago on several projects related to their $35 million new theatre project, and working with TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on research projects aimed at strengthening their financial position and deepening their relationships with key funders.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love spending time exploring Chicago and its many adventures with my wife, 9-year-old daughter, and our 13-year old chocolate lab.  As a graduate of Northwestern University and an avid sports fan, I also enjoy fall Saturdays on the sideline at NU’s football games.