Mentoring Relationships

Overton Park Shell

When I think about the role of Executive Director, at times feelings of isolation and anxiety come with the role during seasons of leading an organization.

I have been fortunate to spend time with Jackie Nichols during my first year of tenure at Overton Park Shell. He has been an integral champion in not only helping me build strategy for our organization’s future but also guide me in how I can use the Overton Park Shell as a catalyst for greater impact of our community. Jackie is a wealth of experience that he shares freely with a kindness and patience that I will forever be grateful. One of the key leaders for cultivating and building our thriving Memphis arts community, Jackie’s willingness to lead others like me to carry his torch is a great honor.
Natalie Wilson, Executive Director

Soulsville Foundation

Jackie has been so helpful to me as a new CEO. He understands the demands of the job and turning the challenges into victories. He has kept my focus on priorities for long range success. I appreciate that he challenges growth for the sake of growth, but also makes sure it’s aligned with community needs and organizational capacity.

Pat Mitchell Worley, CEO

Beale Street Caravan

Jackie possesses the unique experience, wisdom, and exuberance for the arts in Memphis that especially helps a first-time Executive Director like myself to navigate the landscape with more clarity, focus, and determination. Every conversation with Jackie is invaluable, and instills further confidence in the work that we are doing.
Thomas Crivens, Executive Director

Overton Park Conservancy

As a brand-new Executive Director, I called on Jackie’s experience in how to support a high-functioning board. I knew I could pick up the phone if something ever came up and get solid advice on any issue. And he managed to do that without making me feel completely green. He affirmed what I did that was great, and criticized in a constructive way. He was never harsh, unlike some consultants, who say, “Do this.” With Jackie, it’s “have you tried …?”

He has such a depth of knowledge, and he is willing to share it so freely. He knows what nonprofits struggle with, and his opinions are right on target.
Tina Sullivan, Executive Director

National Ornamental Metal Museum

Jackie is a great professional ear for me – I can say things to him that I can’t say to anyone else. He knows the ups and downs of this work. He’s also a terrific cheerleader. He knows everyone, and his network is a great resource.

Jackie is more of a coach than a consultant. I’ve had other professional coaches in my career, and he’s different. He’s truly interested in how he can be of service. He gives me a kind of steady support structure that makes all the difference.

Jackie is the one who suggested Rust Hall to me – the possibility of moving the Metal Museum there was his idea. I thought it was ridiculous. Then I thought, well, at least we need to look at it. We did, and we’re moving forward with that idea.
Carissa Hussong, Executive Director

Germantown Performing Arts Center

I’ve been in the performing arts and entertainment field for 25 years, and I’ve known Jackie most of that time. He’s always been the person I’d call to ask advice about the theater, marketing arts organizations, anything about the local performing arts sector.

When I get stuck, I call Jackie. When I just need to talk to someone with a wealth of knowledge of both individual issues and this marketplace, I call Jackie. He’ll share insight and advice on all kinds of subjects: technical equipment, managing technical people, marketing, fundraising, boards. He’s seen it all.
Paul Chandler, Executive Director

Memphis Black Arts Alliance

Jackie has been extremely supportive and helpful to MBAA as we have weathered some serious transitions this year.He has been a masterful mentor for me to keep focused on the larger picture and steer us toward decisions that are both practical and forward-thinking. He is solution-oriented and helps us to dream from the ground up. Currently, I would say that Jackie is one of the few that understands the vision of MBAA as we seek to employ best practices to meet our goals.
Larjuanette Williams, Executive Director

Hattiloo Theatre

Jackie is good at expressing the unseen, expressing a vision. One of his strengths is his ability to delegate, to empower other people. That’s why Playhouse on the Square is so strong.

Another thing to mention about Jackie is his humility. He is humble and open. He never saw Hattiloo as any kind of competition.
Ekundayo Bandele, Founder/Chief Executive Officer

What If? Productions (Charleston, SC)

Playhouse on the Square is where I first discovered my passion for the administrative side of the arts, and where I learned many of the skills that took me to the next phase of my career. As I was planning to leave Memphis to start my own theatre company, I would often stick my head into Jackie’s office and ask him questions about how he got started, how to set up a nonprofit of my own and what advice he would have for an actor moving into a producer role. He always told me how glad he was to see me taking that direction, and was very concise and direct with his guidance.

Fifteen years later, I have founded a popular and influential theatre company that is beginning its ninth season of providing quality and challenging live theatre to the people of Charleston, SC.

I recently sat down with Jackie again and shared the successes of our work. I wanted him to know that his guidance and encouragement played a large part in not only in the achievements of the company, but in my confidence as a leader and innovator in the theatre arts in my city.
Kyle Barnette, Founding Artistic Director

Halls of Ivy Academy

I met Jackie shortly after moving back to Memphis and was just in the early stages of developing our nonprofit. He offered me a bag of the sweetest cherry tomatoes along with a hint of basil. What came afterwards was treasure load of valuable advice that has saved me both in time and money. I will forever be grateful for connecting with him at such a critical stage in developing our vision for long-term success. In less than a year, our academy has secured 
funding for a community garden project that services over 40,000 residents in the Frayser area, which is considered a Memphis food desert.
Camille James, Founder

StoryBoard Memphis

Jackie approached me in early July 2019 and asked a simple question: “Why isn’t StoryBoard a nonprofit?” That innocuous question has already shifted the direction of StoryBoard Memphis into a path that I believe will lead to sustainability and will allow the publication to become what it needs to become for Memphis.

The publication was started as a simple, for-profit LLC, but we have quickly become a community beacon and a voice for Memphis. The feedback to-date and the analytics to-date tell us that our presence is needed more than we had imagined, and a move to nonprofit will allow us to do that. Jackie’s simple question will, I believe, takes us to new heights.
Mark Fleischer, Publisher and Editor

The Actors Renaissance Theatre

Jackie Nichols articulates a theory for understanding how the organizational framework of Theatre Arts works! I do not know how to begin to express, nor conceptualize, how I have benefited, and been impacted by Mr. Nichols’s sharing his expertise, his knowledge, and his years of experience in helping me enhance my effectiveness in guiding the mission of my non-profit theater.
What I love about Jackie is his creative spirit, his self-sacrifice, his passion, his strategic thinking, his smile, his patience, and his understanding of someone who is new to the sector like myself. He allows himself to be a resource of support and a guide. It feels so good not only to have someone to talk to about my vision but also to get an overview of the understanding of the basics of nonprofit law and governance with regard to strategic planning. Mr. Nichols gives me a better understanding of my role and my responsibilities as a nonprofit leader. I am so honored and so blessed to have someone like Jackie Nichols as my mentor.
Mary Ann Washington, Executive Director

Playhouse on the Square

Jackie Nichols has been my mentor since 1993. He has helped me grow into an arts advocator and an arts leader, as well as a better person.

I highly recommend sitting down with him, having a cocktail, and just having a conversation. You will be amazed at what you learn.
Whitney Jo, Managing Director

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

I’ve admired Jackie and how he had wisely directed and grown the mission and facility for Playhouse on the Square for so many years, so it has been great to have an opportunity to receive one-on-one counsel from him on practical matters at the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. He has not only offered valuable advice on everything from staffing and finance to fundraising and board structure, but he’s also been incredibly helpful in facilitating connections with peers and advisors throughout Memphis’ nonprofit community.
John Doyle, Executive Director

U of M Research Fund Ventures, Inc.

I managed the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts from the day it opened in 2003 until 2018.  Jackie Nichols was a friend and (unofficially) an advisor even then.

When I was hired as CEO of UMRF Ventures in 2020 – a position outside of my background in facility management, I called Jackie because I knew I needed a sounding board – someone who actively listens, asks the rights questions and has the organizational and leadership knowledge that would benefit me and my company.

I can trust Jackie and he cares.  That’s what makes our relationship work and me a better leader.

Pierre Landaiche, CEO

 

Additional relationships

  • A Step Ahead Foundation
  • Actors Renaissance Theatre
  • Arkwings
  • Arts Memphis
  • Assisi Foundation
  • Ballet Memphis
  • Beale Street Caravan
  • Brooks Museum
  • Buckman Performing Arts Center
  • Castille Project
  • Cazateatro
  • Center for Southern Folklore
  • Church of the River
  • Clayborn Temple Renovation
  • Cloud Nine Theatre
  • Collage Dance Collective
  • Community Law Center
  • Crosstown Theatre
  • Delta Arts
  • Doc Fest
  • Frayser CDC/Frayser Connects
  • Free Reading Program
  • Friends of Community Radio
  • Friends for All (Friends for Life)
  • Germantown Performing Arts Center
  • Get Lit – Anne Marie Caskey
  • Give Back Memphis
  • Halls of Ivy Foundation
  • Hattiloo Theatre
  • Institute for Public Service Reporting
  • Inventors, Movers, Makers Project
  • Jewish Community Partners
  • Leadership Memphis
  • Life Doc
  • Lone Tree Theatre Company
  • Memphis Black Arts Alliance
  • Memphis Film Prize
  • Memphis Heritage Foundation
  • Memphis in May Documentary
  • Memphis Music Room
  • Memphis Jazz Workshop
  • Metal Museum
  • midtownmemphis.org
  • MOSH – Museum of Science & History
  • Nature Conservancy of Arkansas
  • New Moon Theatre Company
  • Northside Renaissance, Inc.
  • On Location
  • Opera Memphis
  • Overton Park Conservancy
  • Overton Park Shell
  • Playback Memphis
  • Playhouse on the Square
  • Protect Our Aquifer
  • Rhodes College
  • River Arts Festival
  • Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum
  • Sarasota Contemporary Dance
  • Soulsville
  • StoryBoard
  • Tennessee Shakespeare Company
  • The Daily Memphian
  • The Memphian Hotel
  • Theatre Memphis
  • Theatre Works
  • University of Memphis Venture Fund
  • Vitalant
  • Voices of the South
  • What if Productions
  • Young Actors Guild

 

  •  And…
    • Aimee McMillan
    • Johnny Bennett
    • Bob Wallace
    • Chuck Pinkowski
    • Claudia Towell
    • Dick Ranta
    • Dixon Gallery & Gradens
    • Ellen Klyce
    • Jan Young
    • Janice Holder
    • Kim Caldwell
    • Marty Regan
    • Memphis Blues Society
    • Frank Smith
    • Michelle Mattson
    • Scott Crosby
    • Jim Marconi
    • Alice Roberts
    • Archimania
    • The Visible College