Chair of the Cultural Executives Committee
Pamella R. Dearden, Executive Director
Gold Coast Jazz Society

Mrs. Dearden has 25 years in arts management and administration experience.  She has been the Executive Director of the Gold Coast Jazz Society since 2004.  Prior to that she spent over six years with the Florida Philharmonic in management in the areas of education, outreach, grants management and  administration of the FPO Chorus.  In addition Ms. Dearden has been employed as the administrative director and business manager of Florida’s Singing Sons Boychoir and the assistant manager for The Opera Guild of Fort Lauderdale.

Ms. Dearden holds a bachelor of arts degree in Music from Florida Atlantic University.  She is the recipient of the 2008 ArtServe Arts Administrator Award, the 1997 Encore Award for Individual Leadership in the Arts, the Cultural Foundation of Broward’s Star Award for volunteerism, and a “Women of Style and Substance” awardee.  She has been affiliated with many professional and local civic organizations including American Symphony Orchestra League; Broward Cultural Council’s Arts in Education Committee; Broward County Music Teachers Association; Women’s Executive Club; past chair of the Cultural Executive Committee for the Broward Cultural Council; Cultural Foundation of Broward; National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE); National Association of the Teachers of Singing; past member of the Philharmonic Society and Opera Society among other civic organizations.

 Professional development workshops and seminars attended by Mrs. Dearden include the American Symphony Orchestra League - Orchestra Management Course; American Council for the Arts - United Arts Funds - Workplace Giving Conference; Broward Cultural Affairs Council - Arts administration seminars; Florida Atlantic University - Florida Institute for Career and Employment Training Developing Effective Program Outcomes and Measurements; Grantsmanship Center - Grantwriting course; Kennedy Center – Giving Clues – seminar for developing educational materials for students; National Opera Association - Conference for opera education; National Opera Association - Annual convention; National Society of Fund Raising Executives - Regional and local conferences and University of Mass. Amherst – 2003 Winter Institute for Arts Management.