The Venture Center has named Ashley Jones as its new managing director of community programs. Jones has been promoted to the managing director role from her previous position as program manager for community programs.
As managing director, Jones will oversee the growth and expansion for The Venture Center’s community programs. She has worked with entrepreneurs during her tenure with The Venture Center to ensure their success and growth.
“Ashley has built a community program addressing every sector of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Arkansas from student entrepreneurs and “how to” workshops to pre-accelerators for local small business owners and investment pitch competitions,” Wayne Miller, Venture Center executive director, said in a statement. “Amid a shifting entrepreneurial landscape, Ashley’s experience and passion for entrepreneurship make her a natural leader in this space, and make her the right leader for this time. Our community is lucky to have her in this role.”
Jones has worked to design and implement high-impact programs for Arkansas entrepreneurs.
Programming at The Venture Center includes a monthly VC Life The Rock entrepreneur talk, the JOLT Cyber Challenge, the Pitch n’ Pint competition, the Spark! pre-accelerator and more.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Venture Center has shifted its community programming strategy to all-virtual engagement. The organization has led webinars on topics related to entrepreneurship and business, held virtual chats, and hosted other virtual events designed to aid small businesses and entrepreneurs.
“Connecting entrepreneurs to mentors, businesses to opportunities, and our community to resources has driven my work for The Venture Center since day one,” Jones. “Entrepreneurship can sometimes feel like a lonely journey. My goal with our community programs is to provide inspiration, create a space for connection, and with the help of industry experts, educate on topics relevant to starting and growing businesses. I am grateful for this opportunity to further The Venture Center’s mission to inspire social and economic change through entrepreneurship.”
Jones is a 2012 graduate of Arkansas State University and joined The Venture Center in 2016.
This is the latest promotion at The Venture Center. In late March, Daniel Schutte was named the managing director for The Venture Center’s accelerator programs.
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