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unique because it is such an arts and culture communit y. I had never seen any thing quite like it outside of New York . ere's so much world- class culture in such a condensed place. So it was an easy decision to move here? It was a quick decision. I came down and wasn't sure what I was going to think, but as soon as I set foot on the gardens' grounds I knew immediately that this was an opportunity of a lifetime. Sometimes in life you have to know when to say yes. It seemed like a radical move, and we hadn't been look ing to relocate. Our whole family is up in New York. But I knew it was a great opportunity. How did you and your husband meet? I met my husband at the Guggenheim. We didn't date until I le there. I was in development and he worked in facilities management and security, and ended up being in charge of security as director. He worked there for 15 years. We overlapped for about two years and then I went to the Metropolitan Opera. at's when we started dating , aer I le. We were together about five years before we got married. For me, I met the right person. I was never one seek ing marriage and kids and all of that. I was ver y focused on my career. But I met the right person and then ended up wanting all of those things with that person. Jules recently had the pleasure of spending an a ernoon at gorgeous Selby Gardens w ith Jennifer, who made her way to the cultural coast v ia the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Opera and most recently, the New York Botanical Garden. With parents in the interior design and garment industries, it's no wonder she has a penchant for creativ it y and an eye for the ex traordinar y. Tell me a little about your story before coming to Sarasota. I grew up in Westchester Count y in A rmonk, New York, right nex t to Pleasant v ille, where my family eventually ended up. It was terrific being so close to Manhaan because you could get into the cit y whenever you wanted. I ver y much followed the art scene in New York . It's a giant melting pot and it's a really terrific ex perience to be a part of that. I was fortunate to have so much available all the time. I was an art histor y and English double major at Lafayee College in Pennsylvania. I wasn't sure what I wanted to be, but I k new that I loved art histor y, culture and cultural institutions, so I sort of found my way into the museum world. A er study ing art histor y and English I took an internship at the Solomon R . Guggenheim Museum in New York . When a f ull-time job opened, I took that at the entr y level. It was a fabulous ex perience for me, just being boots on the ground in one of the best museums in the world. A nd in one of the most amazing buildings in the world. What kind of work were you doing at the Guggenheim? I started in f undraising and development and ended up really enjoy ing it and fi nding a stride there. I ver y much like interaction w ith people, managing events and really building a constituenc y, so I was able to do all of that and enjoyed ever y moment. A lso, being there when they were doing ex hibits on major liv ing artists was amazing. I had done my honors thesis on R auschenberg , who was someone I revered. A nd while I was at the Guggenheim he was there for a major retrospective, so it was really an amazing time for me to have that ex perience. I tell ever yone I started in the v isual arts and moved to performance arts because then I went to the Metropolitan Opera for several years. It was a fantastic ex perience. I love the opera. I am a big fan to this day. Just what goes into producing this art form is incredible. So it was wonderf ul to take my ex perience from the Guggenheim and go to the Metropolitan Opera. A nd from there I tell ever yone I ended up in the liv ing arts. I went to the New York Botanical Garden where I stayed for a large part of my career—15 years. I really learned all the operating areas of the institution and found that a garden is a place where all the disciplines can combine in a really great way. You combine arts w ith the gardens, science, research, children's education. So much can happen in a garden seing. So I found that ex perience to be really valuable. How exactly did you end up in Sarasota? So there I was w ith my nose to the grindstone in New York, where I was born and raised, when a recr uiter approached me about the president and CEO position at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens here in Sarasota. I had heard of Selby because it has an international reputation. ere is no other garden like it. I came dow n to Sarasota to see it during the inter v iew process and I was blow n away by what I found. I had never been to the west coast of Florida before this v isit and I just loved it. I fell madly in love. e Gulf Coast is really special. e beaches are amazing , all the waterfront is incredible and then Sarasota is so Jennifer with her husband Robert C ultivating a unique atmosphere where Mother Nature mingles with the likes of Chagall and Warhol, Jennifer Rominiecki has invigorated an already blossoming local ar ts scene. Selby Gardens welcomed Jennifer as its new president and CEO two years ago, and Sarasota is all the better for it. 60 | GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com

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