JW Rone, is the director of veterans initiatives at the Institute for Integrative Health. With 30 years of experience in the arts, he has been a theater artist, director, and producer focusing on arts in education, and served as a board member, volunteer, and employee for nonprofit arts organizations. A proud Vietnam veteran, JW worked in the Special Services Division of the United States Army while stationed in Korea, where he directed plays and ran the entertainment center on base. He produced and directed soldier shows, and performed USO style shows for active duty soldiers in the combat zone while touring in Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Prior to joining the Institute, JW was the executive director of the Beaufort Arts Council (BAC)–formerly referred to as Arts Council of Beaufort County (ACBC) – in Beaufort, South Carolina. During that time he created exciting opportunities for the community to participate in the arts. He's most proud of the concept, design, and execution of ARTworks: Community Art Center and Arts Incubator, which was dedicated to creating accessible art space for artists and the greater Beaufort County community. Prior to that, JW served as the director of the Ice House for the Morgan Arts Council (MAC) in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. In that position, he managed all arts and educational programs and oversaw the grant writing and implementation process. J.W. also worked extensively with the West Virginia Commission for the Arts, organizing state-wide art assemblies and serving as a peer assistance specialist. JW has toured nationally and internationally, performing, directing, and producing theater works with community youth and adults. He spent many years as a street performer, presenting his special brand of New Vaudeville from London to Paris and Munich to Amsterdam. JW is an excellent blues harp player; when he’s not connecting our nation’s veterans with exceptional art resources in the region, you can find him teaching and playing his unique style of music for anyone who will listen.