We always enjoy a good chat.

Candace Jackson has worked for over 25 years as an entrepreneur and arts manager guiding numerous theater, dance, film, visual arts and cultural organizations to design new business models, develop sustainable operating systems, and expand institutional capacity.

Candace founded CJAM Consulting in 2006 to create advanced business strategies for arts and cultural institutions, particularly in communities of color. Under Candace’s leadership, CJAM has successfully planned and directed institutional startups and expansions, business model design, managerial and financial capacity building, and capital construction development for projects ranging from $500,000 to $17 million for emerging and high-profile companies and governments.

Before CJAM, Candace held key senior and executive positions within landmark cultural institutions, such as Managing Director of Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) from 2011 to 2014 and Director of Operations for the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc from 2002 to 2006. In 2013, she expanded her work internationally to support arts, cultural, and microenterprise development initiatives in Central America.

Candace earned a Master of Fine Arts in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Arts and Business Administration from Howard University and is a former adjunct instructor at New York University’s School of Professional Studies Arts Administration Program.

William Bryant Miles (WBM) is a versatile arts professional with over fifteen years’ experience across multiple disciplines. As a consultant with CJAM, WBM has worked with organizations including 651 ARTS, Apollo Theater, August Wilson House, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Dwyer Cultural Center, and Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, among others.

Prior to CJAM, WBM worked on commercial theater productions and at organizations including Shakespeare Theatre Company (DC), Hip-Hop Theater Festival, Old Vic New Voices (London), and the Creative Arts Team in residence at the City University of New York. In addition, WBM was part of the “sunset” team of Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC).

Outside of CJAM, WBM maintains a vibrant creative practice as a writer and producer. He is a performance coach with a focus on career planning, strategy, and hosting training workshops for early career professionals, and a mentor to young Black men in his native Brooklyn, NY.

WBM was an Emerging Arts Management Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop and a FAIR Fellow at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts, from Howard University and a Master of Arts, with honors, in Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship, from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Leith ter Meulen is a leading development management consultant involved with public private partnerships, aligning clients’ business objectives with their real estate needs. As a consultant to CJAM, she advises in the arts, education, and preservation towards client’s strategic business goals.

Leith is recognized for her participation in highly visible initiatives, like the renewal of Times Square and post 9/11 Lower Manhattan in New York. For the past 25 years she has advised NY cultural organizations including Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, NYC Ballet and NYC Opera, Jazzmobile, National Jazz Museum in Harlem, the American Dance Institute. She is currently serving MoCADA and 651 Arts in Brooklyn and the Downtown Community Television Network (DCTV) in Manhattan.

Leith has served as a trustee on numerous non-profit boards including Weeksville Heritage Center, Snug Harbor and Materials for the Arts. From 2003-2010, she represented Comptroller William C. Thompson as his e-officio representative on the Museum of Modern Art board of trustees.

Leith graduated magna cum laude from City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She also completed a two-year internship in Urban Planning and continuing education in capital development financing.

Monica Triplett has over 25 years of experience in designing workable solutions that fit the culture of an organization. As a consultant for CJAM, Monica’s portfolio of work includes Bessie Smith Cultural Center, institutional assessment and operational overview, and executive coaching for Newark Symphony Hall.

Throughout Monica’s career, she has worked with companies in the healthcare, education,banking, nonprofit and government sectors covering business strategy, strategic planning, leadership development, project and program management, community engagement facilitation, organizational and operational improvement. Monica creates an environment for change, learning and collaboration where clients make progress on organizational vision, mission, and goal achievement. She has an exceptional ability in facilitating and developing innovative ways to engage stakeholders.

Prior to joining CJAM, Monica held positions as Vice President, Project Manager, Vendor Manager and Quality Assurance Manager at JPMorgan Chase. Previously, she’s served on the board of Riverside Rotary Club, Advisory Board and Chair of Marketing & Communications Task Force of Jacksonville Women’s Business Center. In 2007, Monica founded Kateland Consulting Group, LLC, a management consulting firm.

Monica earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Howard University and Master of Science in Information Systems from DePaul University.

Michael Unthank is an accomplished arts administrator and independent consultant in the arts and culture space. He has an unparalleled track record in shaping arts and funding partnerships through special initiatives for cultural development. Michael join CJAM Consulting in 2016 as a visionary leader in project management, research, and planning. His CJAM project portfolio includes: Culture and Heritage Strategic Plan for City of Mount Vernon, New York, Strategic Vision Planning for Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Apollo Theater and Victoria project.

Prior to joining CJAM, Michael’s development and arts administrator experience included Executive Director, Harlem Arts Alliance; Director of Public Events, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs; and Program Director, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

Michael serves on the board of the Children’s Art Carnival in Harlem; Compagnia de’ Colombari, an international theatre collective; New Yorkers for Culture and Arts. He is a former trustee of the Oscar Micheaux Film Festival and advisory panelist for the Louisiana Division of the Arts, South Carolina Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and New York Foundation for the Arts.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Hampton University. Michael’s first love is working with communities pursuing arts and cultural expression in all forms.