Life & Work with Janet Stormes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Stormes.

Hi Janet, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been dancing since I was a child but I started my career as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher after earning my B.A. in dance from the University of California, Irvine. I returned to school after 15 years and received a Master’s in Public Administration and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Washington.

I moved to Washington D.C. and had a 24-year career in the federal government, retiring from the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. During my federal career, I also served as chief financial officer and budget director for the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and deputy chief financial officer for Radio Free Asia. I also continued to perform, choreograph, and teach dance by co-founding a modern dance company, the Choreographers Collaboration Project.

While working in the federal government, I became interested in looking for ways to improve the budget and strategic planning processes through creative thinking principles. To deepen my understanding of creativity, I went back to school after retiring and earned an M.Sc. in Creative Studies and Change Leadership from SUNY Buffalo State.

I have developed a vision of creativity based on my personal experience in dance, my federal government career, and my studies. I have cultivated a deep understanding of the role of creativity in improving organizational processes as well as how to support individual creativity, including the connection between movement and creativity.

I founded Learning on the Verge, LLC to provide workshops, and consulting services to organizations and individuals. These services focus on helping organizations and individuals understand the creative process and effectively integrate creativity into an organization’s processes or an individual’s life.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My career path has definitely not been smooth but I have found that each time I have faced a challenge or a need to change, I have been able to see it as an opportunity to learn and develop. Luckily for me, each challenge has led to unexpected new opportunities.

My career path has involved two passions that are not traditionally seen as compatible: dance and budgeting. This forced me to look for different ways to support both. I am now able to integrate and pursue my diverse interests through the workshops I have developed for Learning on the Verge, LLC.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in exploring creativity in unconventional ways and for under-utilized purposes. Through workshops and consulting services, I work with organizations to improve their budget and strategic planning processes by integrating creative thinking principles.

I also work with individuals of all ages to deepen their own creativity through movement and creativity tools. I am most proud of the impact I have had on individuals through my movement classes and workshops. I am particularly proud of the impact of the Choreographers Collaboration Project on the communities it worked in over 22 years.

I think what sets me apart from others is my professional experience in federal budgeting and dance. This may be an unusual combination but the knowledge that I have gained in both fields helps me in my work today. I see the synergies and connections between these two fields that help me in my work with organizations and individuals.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I am happiest when I am working with or teaching organizations or individuals. I love teaching, and it is particularly rewarding when I feel that I am offering practical and useful information related to creativity. I love working with individuals of all ages to use movement to develop their creativity. I also find working with organizations to improve their budget and strategic planning processes to be rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.learningontheverge.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-stormes-47648918b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF2RqSbK4UY

Image Credits
Kevin D. Dohmen