Janette Cosley has had an outstanding career in the field of nonprofit management, primarily in the theatre - with extensive experience in strategic planning, capacity building, financial management, executive leadership, executive searches, board development, fundraising and special events (not exclusively).
For over 17 years, she served as Executive Director of The Ensemble Theatre (TET), one of the only professional theatres in Houston-Texas dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience, the oldest in the Southwest, and one of the nation’s largest Black theatres owning and operating its facility and producing in-house.
Born in Houston, and raised in Fort Worth and New York, Janette returned after college to the city of her birth in the late 70s. After a series of serendipitous career turns, the native Houstonian was inspired by The Ensemble’s artistic expression, commitment to free speech issues, and other civil rights topics, prompting her to join the organization in 2003 where she was already a subscriber enjoying the theatre’s productions.
An avid advocate of racial equity and healing who is always looking to enact positive change, no matter how small, Janette ensured that each year TET presented a repertoire of critically acclaimed dramas, comedies and musicals that didn’t only demonstrate the artistic ability of hundreds of professional local, regional, and national artists/support staff from all backgrounds, but that TET was colorblind when it came to welcoming directors, designers, performers, playwrights and audiences - though the theatre is an African-American run troupe.
As a unique servant leader, she was successful in dispute resolutions, and partnership creations, building bedrock relationships with and between artists, the artistic director, staff, the board, and the public that helped grow the theatre’s subscriber base from 500 to a high of 2,500 in recent years.
Before joining The Ensemble, Janette worked in news media, including KPRC Radio where she did talk show interviews for many years. Prior, she served at the United Negro College Fund, where she generated huge fundraising donations for the American philanthropic organization that grant scholarships for various historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Her success tale in securing grants, managing budgets, and creating exceptional donor experiences also include fundraising/portfolio management at Smith Graham & Co Investment Advisors, a large advisory firm based in Houston, Texas which managed billions of regulatory assets for several client accounts.
Over the course of Janette’s long professional career, she has been an active and respected gentle giant, visionary servant leader, mentor and coach for junior staff and a valued advisor to colleagues and C-level executives. She is a graduate of Keuka College in Upstate New York.