York, PA – (January 7, 2019) – The York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) is excited to announce that Ms. JJ Sheffer will join the YCEA team beginning Monday, January 7, as Director, Community Programming, bringing with her a bevy of successful events and experience. Her long-time experience in community programming will support and benefit the YCEA, Downtown Inc, and the entirety of York County.

“We believe in the work that JJ has done for many years in York,” said Kevin Schreiber, President & CEO of YCEA. “Her work to create and grow ‘people connecting programs’ has been driven largely altruistically and based almost entirely upon sweat equity, friendly volunteers, and her passion for the community.”

The events and programming that will now have a home with YCEA include the following:

  • Kable House Presents, a concert series hosted in York’s historic Central Market
  • York Story Slam, an open mic storytelling series
  • York: Crafted, a series of events featuring brief lectures on what it means to be a craftsman in York, PA
  • SkillSwap, a barter-based education series
  • Project Nucleus, an ideation symposium
  • Human Library York, an annual event where participants can have private, one-on-one conversations with people from our community who have been exposed to discrimination or stigma and learn about their experience

Each of these programs provides meaningful, shared experiences that foster a strong sense of community among their distinct audiences. Through the support of an anonymous contributor, the YCEA has brought JJ on board to expand these offerings, provide a strong backbone of support, and ultimately grow the events countywide. “We know York County strives to create, retain, and attract a talented workforce,” said Schreiber. “A workforce such as this demands a community with a strong sense of place and connectivity. These programs do just that, and enhance our connectedness, creativity, and talent pool.”

Sheffer operated the programs pro bono as president of New Muse Entertainment, a company that produced special events, and also spent five years running CoWork155, York’s first coworking site. Sheffer launched New Muse in 2010 after a career in fundraising, public relations, and event planning for York-area nonprofit organizations. She is an adjunct faculty member at York College of Pennsylvania, where she teaches a course on special events. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and the steering committee for the Women’s Giving Circle of York County Community Foundation.

About the YCEA
YCEA drives York County’s economic growth by leveraging the collaboration, resources and expertise needed to create sustainable prosperity. For information on the York County Economic Alliance visit www.yceapa.org.

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