Jennifer Steele Named Dean Of Shenandoah Conservatory

Shenandoah University is pleased to announce that Jennifer Smolos Steele, Ph.D., has been named the new dean of Shenandoah Conservatory.

Dr. Steele has held various academic positions in higher education arts programs for nearly 20 years. She trained and then worked at New York University, and is currently the dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, a post she’s held since 2019. She assumes leadership of Shenandoah Conservatory from Jeffrey Marlatt, Ph.D., who has served as interim dean of the conservatory since June 2023. 

Steele’s appointment, which comes after a competitive nationwide search, was highly supported by the search committee, administration, and the Shenandoah University community. She’ll begin her new role on July 1.

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jennifer Steele as the new dean of Shenandoah Conservatory. Her extensive experience, passion for the arts, and innovative vision will be invaluable as we continue to elevate the conservatory’s reputation and provide exceptional opportunities for our students.”

Karen Abraham, Ph.D., Shenandoah University provost

In her new role, Steele will lead a conservatory that includes over 650 students and more than 100 expert faculty, many of whom are renowned nationally and internationally. Shenandoah Conservatory provides a wealth of undergraduate and graduate programs in music, theatre, dance, and performing arts leadership and management, and produces over 300 performance opportunities each year.

Steele will provide strategic leadership and administrative oversight of Shenandoah Conservatory, fostering excellence in teaching, artistic training, performance, and scholarship. Steele, who arrives at Shenandoah University as it celebrates its 150th year in 2025, will shape the future of the conservatory’s performing arts education by leading significant fundraising initiatives, managing and strengthening financial operations, and driving innovation while honoring Shenandoah Conservatory’s rich history. She’ll also focus on career-readiness, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for professional success.

In her current role as dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at College of the Canyons, Steele oversees the overall operations – including strategic planning, budget and resource management, curriculum development, and academic program oversight – of the school and its eight departments: art, art gallery, dance, graphic and multimedia design, media entertainment arts, music, photography and theatre. Since 2021, she’s also served as artistic director of the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons, and was tasked with leading the reopening of the 47,000-square-foot facility in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During her time as dean at College of the Canyons, Steele led the design and construction of a recording studio facility from an underutilized classroom space in support of the school’s commercial music program, worked with faculty to reimagine visual and performing arts programmatic offerings, and developed and implemented course offerings in art, media entertainment arts, music, and theatre for the very first time in the school’s Rising Scholars program for incarcerated students in Los Angeles.

I am incredibly honored to serve as the next dean of Shenandoah Conservatory. The institutional mission, rich history of growth, innovation, scope of programs offered, and active engagement with the world of professional practice are all profoundly exciting to me. I look forward to collaborating with Shenandoah’s exceptional faculty, staff, and students in the years to come.”

Jennifer Steele, new dean of Shenandoah Conservatory

Prior to her time at College of the Canyons, Steele was a member of the core faculty at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (2006–2019) and was an adjunct instructor of voice at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University (2010–2019). Steele is also a performer who has appeared in numerous regional theatre productions, tours and off-Broadway productions, and has operated a successful private voice studio since 2003.

She holds a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance (music theatre) from NYU Steinhardt; studied for two years in the Master of Fine Arts in acting program at the Actors Studio Drama School at The New School in New York City; and earned a Master of Music in vocal performance, an advanced certificate in vocal pedagogy, and a Doctor of Philosophy in educational leadership from New York University.

Dr. Marlatt will transition back to the role of associate dean of Shenandoah Conservatory, a role he held prior to taking over as interim dean in 2023. He’s also a professor of music education and was a recipient of the conservatory’s Charlotte A. and Verne E. Collins Endowed Professorship in Music in 2009.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for Jeff’s leadership and service as interim dean. His dedication to Shenandoah Conservatory and its students during his tenure has been exemplary during this critical time of transition.”

Karen Abraham, Ph.D., Shenandoah University provost

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About Shenandoah Conservatory

Shenandoah Conservatory ​is home to more than 600 students enrolled in baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs in the areas of music, theatre and dance. Virginia’s oldest and premier center for performing arts training, the conservatory is led by a dynamic faculty composed of performers and scholars of national and international repute. Visit su.edu/conservatory for more information.

About Shenandoah University

Shenandoah University was established in 1875, and is headquartered at the top of Virginia, in Winchester, Virginia, with additional educational sites in Clarke and Loudoun counties, and online offerings. Shenandoah is a private, nationally recognized university that blends professional career experiences with wide-ranging education. With approximately 4,400 students in more than 200 areas of study in six different schools, Shenandoah promotes a close-knit community rich in creative energy and intellectual challenge. Shenandoah students collaborate with accomplished professors who provide focused, individual attention, all the while leading several programs to be highly nationally ranked. Through innovative partnerships and programs at both the local and global level, there are exceptional opportunities for students to learn in and out of the classroom. Shenandoah empowers its students to improve the human condition and to be principled professionals and leaders wherever they go. For more information, visit su.edu.