Renee Chatelain is the President and CEO of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. But as she likes to say, that's her fourth life. Before the Arts Council, she performed with the Eglevsky Ballet in New York, Delta Festival Ballet of New Orleans, Tampa Ballet, and American Dance Machine in New York as a ballerina. Renee has been a guest teacher for dance companies and theaters across the world, recently returning from teaching ballet as the American representative in India. She is a co-founder of Mid City Dance Project, founded dance programs for two independent schools in Baton Rouge and, most recently, served as Executive Director at the Manship Theatre. Renee is also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, The Baton Rouge Bar Association, and has been a panelist for the Lt. Governor's Cultural Economic Summit. She is a recipient of Baton Rouge Business Report’s Most Influential Women in Business, the Unsung Hero’s Award by LSU's Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs, and has been recognized by the Louisiana State Senate for her contribution to African Americans in Louisiana through the Arts. She has been awarded The President's Award by the Baton Rouge Bar Association and was recognized by the Louisiana Association for Non-Profit Organization as a Louisiana Heroine. Believe me, this is just a sneak peak into what Renee has accomplished and brought to Baton Rouge. This episode was a treat, as I got to talk with Renee about the impact of art and creativity as a tool for economic development, individual development and as a cultural facilitator. Believe me, you don't want to miss this episode.