Community Development Director

Cultural Executives Committee, Staff Liaison
Public Relations, Staff Liaison
ArtServe, Inc Liaison
Emerging Leaders Council Ad-Hoc

Jody Horne-Leshinsky is responsible for directing the Community Development Section within the mission of the Broward Cultural Division -- “enhancing the community’s cultural environment through the development of the arts.”

As a critical liaison to other divisions, departments, municipalities, 575 not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations and 10,000 artists, Community Development, under Jody’s leadership, is a catalyst for collaborations, entrepreneurial ventures and artistic development. Some of the programs of Community Development include:

• Cooperative Marketing Program providing 84 participants with advertising assistance through matching funds and educational workshops
• Securing grant awards – three from the National Endowment of the Arts; a cultural facilities grant from the State Division of Cultural Affairs to build the Cultural Information Center; and a planning grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for a research study to determine the feasibility of branding the downtown Fort Lauderdale area as a cultural district
• Publishing Cultural Quarterly, a fine-arts magazine for the past 24 years
• Panelist on the State Division of Cultural Affairs Grants Dance Panel,
• Non-voting member on the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Downtown Council Board of Governors and Carbonell Awards Board of Directors.

A County employee since 1981, Leshinsky joined the Cultural Division in 1988. She received her bachelor's degree from Indiana State University. She has won numerous awards from the Advertising Federation of Fort Lauderdale, the National Association of County Information Officers, the National Association of Counties for the creation of the cultural tourism program and Golden Pen Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators for the Cultural Quarterly magazine, logo design for the Cultural Information Center and the Cultural Division web site.

She lives in Lauderhill with her husband, Joel, and two daughters, Rachel and Adina, and is pursuing photography as an art form and passion. Bringing her multiple years with Broward County, coupled with her dedication and commitment to the arts and culture of this growing community, Leshinsky continues to hone her strengths and leadership toward an area of economic stimulus—arts and culture, in the belief that this is a cornerstone for the success of any metropolitan area.

Past and Present Community Involvement

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Carbonell Awards
Advertising Federation of Greater Fort Lauderdale
Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Downtown Council
Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce (Cultural Committee)
Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance (Communications Committee Chair)
Code Enforcement Board, City of Lauderhill

LIAISON / CONSULTANT
South Florida Cultural Consortium
Florida Cultural Alliance
Broward Cultural Council Public Relations Committee
Broward Cultural Council Cultural Executives Committee
Broward Cultural Council Broward Arts Connection
Broward Cultural Council Cultural Tourism Committee
Leadership Broward
Florida Division of Cultural Affairs /Americans with Disabilities
Florida Division of Cultural Affairs / Dance Grants Panel Member
National Arts Marketing Project, Americans for the Arts

FACILITATOR
Quality of Life/Quality of Place, Six Pillars, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
CreativeBROWARD 2020 Community Cultural Plan
Building the Cultural Mosaic of Broward County Community Cultural Plan 2010
Creative Industries, VisionBROWARD
Grand Opening of Broward County Historical Commission
Broward County 2010 Census Complete County Committee

HONORS/AWARDS
Women in Communications - Woman of the Year Finalist
Advertising Federation of Fort Lauderdale Gold and Silver ADDY® Awards
National Association of Counties Achievement Award
National Association of County Information Officers Awards of Excellence

PERSONAL INVOLVMENT IN THE ARTS
Accomplished local artist in photography medium
Studied classical ballet, jazz and modern dance and performed in local dance troupe
United States Gymnastics Association gymnastic judge and coach