Just a month after moving into new offices in Church Hill, our literary organization welcomes a new employee. Jeff Sadler is our organization’s Program Director. Jeff is a long-time resident of Richmond. After moving to the city to attend VCU, he never left. Jeff has lived in 7 of the 9 Richmond districts, including Church Hill back in the 1990s. He’s glad to be working back up here.
“The area has changed so much over the years. Broad Street was great back then, but now north of here is so much improved. Having lived in so many Richmond areas, I think of it as the district that most feels like a neighborhood.”
When asked about what he hopes his new role as Program Director will bring to James River Writers, Church Hill and Richmond, Jeff’s answer is the same. Accessibility to culture. “I worked as a music event coordinator and a Community Revitalizer. Overall, I enjoy working with creative people. I’ll get to do that with authors, writers, and poets that belong to JRW. The programs we run can be integral in building a connected community. They add a sense of artistry that I think is so important.”
As Program Director, Jeff’s role with JRW will include developing and promoting engaging programming for the writing community (including Master Classes, the Writing Show, and our annual conference), booking venues, and managing volunteers. Jeff will be working part-time at the JRW office across the street from St. John’s Parish Hall. The rest of his time will be spent with his community revitalization consulting, and his wife and two young boys.
Interview by JRW board member and author Karen A. Chase.