Jesse Strauss

Jesse is a grant writer, classical percussionist, certified master gardener, and lifetime public radio listener. Born in the Atlanta suburbs, he relocated to Nashville in 2010 and now lives in a magical pocket of Davidson County called Neely's Bend.

Prior to joining Nashville Public Radio in 2024, Jesse managed a grants consulting business for five years, eventually stewarding around $3 million in annual grant revenue across several arts & cultural organizations, small, medium, and large. His work supported programs at the Nashville Symphony, Actors Bridge Ensemble, Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!), Tennessee Arts Academy, and Centennial Park Conservancy, among others both locally and nationally. He has also secured institutional funding in service areas as diverse as mental health, childcare and early education, restorative justice, and healthcare.

Jesse was previously the Assistant Artistic Director and percussionist for chatterbird, a Nashville-based contemporary classical ensemble. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from Belmont University, where he studied marimba, snare drum, timpani, tambourine, crash cymbals, xylophone, vibraphone, almglocken, glockenspiel, quijada, finger cymbals, congas, crotales, maracas, gongs, sleigh bells, and everything else under the sun that can be hit, slapped, tapped, kicked, or scraped.