Davenport, joining company leadership in a newly created position,
will head initiatives to grow and engage the organization’s audiences
HOUSTON—Aug. 08, 2022—Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is proud to announce Jennifer Davenport as the company’s first Chief Marketing and Experience Officer. HGO has recruited Davenport to this new position as part of its commitment to sharing superlative art with all Houstonians and introducing new audiences to opera. She assumes her new role on September 6, 2022.
“We recruited Jennifer Davenport for her unique expertise, gained over a truly impressive career,” says General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor. “Her track record of drawing crowds from across our diverse community together through unforgettable shared experiences is exactly what our organization needs as we seek to increase access to this transformative art form.”
Davenport joins HGO from the Houston Texans, where she most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer. She stood out among a broad pool of candidates for her experience developing innovative engagement strategies, forming key community partnerships, and creating compelling storytelling campaigns to build both brands and audiences.
“I’m so excited to be joining HGO at this extraordinary juncture,” says Davenport. “This is a world-class institution that exists to inspire Houstonians through great art. That is something I want to be a part of, and something I want to use my expertise to help grow. Under the company’s forward-thinking new leadership, we have a wonderful opportunity to reimagine how we engage Houstonians through opera. I cannot wait to work alongside the incredible artists and professionals that form the HGO community.”
Davenport brings with her more than a decade of progressive leadership experience with the Texans. She started with the organization as Director of Marketing and garnered four promotions before being named the team’s Chief Marketing Officer in 2021, responsible for creating community-focused strategic marketing plans, increasing the fan base, improving the gameday experiences, and leading initiatives that secured corporate partner investments.
Prior to her time at the Texans, Davenport spent four years as Marketing, Promotions, and Events Manager of the Houston Rockets and Toyota Center, and six years with Clear Channel Radio/iHeart Media in Austin, Texas, including three as Director of Promotions and Marketing.
Among other accolades, Davenport is a three-time American Marketing Association Marketer of the Year, a six-time AMA Houston Crystal Award winner, and a Houston Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. She is a founding board member of Houston’s Women in Sports and Events chapter and served on the YMCA of Greater Houston Board of Directors for 11 years. She was also a Lead Executive and Marketing Committee member for the Houston Super Bowl LI Committee.
Houston Grand Opera’s 2022-23 Season
Single tickets to HGO’s boldest season yet will be released for sale on August 10.
The thrilling seven-opera season includes Verdi’s La traviata (Oct. 21–Nov.6), Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Wreckers (Oct. 28–Nov. 11), Javier Martínez and Leonard Foglia’s El Milagro del Recuerdo (Dec. 8–18), Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (Jan. 13–28), Massenet’s Werther (Jan. 27–Feb. 10), Puccini’s Tosca (Apr. 21–May 5), and Strauss’s Salome (Apr. 28–May 12).
Tickets, subscriptions, and more information about Houston Grand Opera are available at HGO.org.
About Houston Grand Opera
Houston Grand Opera (HGO) is one of the largest, most innovative, and most highly acclaimed opera companies in the United States. General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor assumed leadership of the organization and responsibility for its strategic vision in 2021. HGO was the only American finalist for Opera Company of the Year in the 2019 International Opera Awards, and the only American company to be nominated twice. In fulfilling its mission to advance the operatic art, to serve the Houston community, and to be a global leader in the future of opera, HGO has led the field in commissioning and producing new works (72 world premieres to date) and in training and nurturing promising young artists and administrators. The company contributes to the cultural enrichment of Houston and the nation through a diverse and innovative program of performances, community events, and education projects that reaches the widest possible public. HGO’s pioneering Community and Learning initiative has served as a model for other arts organizations.
The NEXUS Initiative is HGO’s multiyear ticket underwriting program that allows Houstonians of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy opera without the barrier of price. Since 2007, NEXUS has enabled more than 250,000 Houstonians to experience superlative opera through discounted single tickets and subscriptions, subsidized student performances, and free productions.
HGO has toured extensively and has won a Tony, two Grammy awards, and three Emmy awards. It is the only opera company to win all three honors.