Beverly Hess

Executive Director and Ex Officio member of the Board

BEVERLY HESS, Executive Director, Youth Orchestras of Prince William, graduated from Salem College with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with an emphasis in Economics. She is a highly experienced manager and teacher. She has worked as a management consultant with companies such as Belk Stores Services, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, and American General Corporation. Mrs. Hess has also spent several years teaching young people with Bear Creek United Methodist Church School in Houston, TX and Springwoods Elementary School in Woodbridge, VA. For the past several years, she has operated her own management consulting business.

Prior to joining the YOPW staff, Mrs. Hess was a member of the YOPW Board of Directors and the President of the Parent Volunteer Organization. She joined the YOPW staff in 2005 as the Administrative Assistant and Financial Director, working closely with Mrs. Carol Taylor, the former Executive Director. In 2008, the Board of Directors conducted a national search to replace Mrs. Taylor who passed away from cancer. At the conclusion of the search, the Board named Mrs. Hess as Executive Director.

The Youth Orchestras of Prince William has been named as one of the five Resident Art Partners of the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, Virginia. During the opening of the Hylton Center in 2010, Mrs. Hess spearheaded a fundraising effort called DrumRoll Please. The objective of this endeavor was to raise the funds to provide the Hylton Performing Arts Center with percussion equipment. The event was a success and the Hylton was able to add a full set of tympani.

In addition, Mrs. Hess, along with Alan Grofe, President of the Manassas Symphony Orchestra, chairs the Resident Art Partner Committee at the Hylton Center. The committee's objective is to provide greater exposure for the Hylton Center and its partners by combining marketing efforts and providing collaboration opportunities. The committee is also tasked with providing operational feedback to the Hylton Center staff so that they can continue to improve the operations of the facility. Mrs. Hess maintains an excellent working relationship with the Hylton Center staff and the key staff members of the Resident Art Partner groups (Manassas Ballet Theatre, Manassas Symphony Orchestra, Manassas Chorale, and Prince William Little Theatre.)

Mrs. Hess serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginians for the Arts and the Prince William County Arts Council. She is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of the Arts Council and serves on numerous committees including the By-Laws committee, which recently updated the By-Laws; the website committee, which is currently working on a complete redesign of the website; and the strategic planning committee tasked with assessing the current organizational structure.

In 2009, the Youth Orchestras of Prince William was named Cultural Arts Organization of the Year by the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Hess worked with the chamber to provide music for numerous area events and served on the Not-for-Profit Council working to advance the needs of the non-profit organizations in the Chamber.

Mrs. Hess is a graduate of Leadership Prince William, Class of 2011. She is an active participant in the alumni functions of this organization. Currently Mrs. Hess serves as the co-chair for the Arts and Culture Day which highlights the importance of the arts and culture for economic development and education in the region.