Jody Kielbasa is the Vice Provost for the Arts and Director of the Virginia Film Festival at the University of Virginia.

Appointed to the Vice Provost for the Arts position in 2013, Jody is responsible for planning for the arts, helping guide fundraising initiatives associated with the arts, and for initiating and coordinating cross-disciplinary collaborations both inside and outside the Visual and Performing Arts & Architecture Departments and Programs at the University. UVA programs that report to Jody include The Fralin Museum of Art, Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, the Virginia Film Festival, the UVA Arts Box Office, and radio station WTJU.

As Director of the Virginia Film Festival, Jody has helped guide the VFF to new heights in attendance earning a place among America’s premiere regional festivals. The VFF consistently wins raves from critics and film buffs alike for the depth and breadth of its annual program of over 125 films and for attracting top filmmakers and artists from around the world to Charlottesville.

Prior to coming to UVA, Jody spent ten years as the Founding Director of the Sarasota (FL) Film Festival, and was instrumental in turning it into one of the nation’s premier regional film festivals.

Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jody Kielbasa is a graduate of Rollins College, and went on to earn a B.F.A. in Theatre from Florida State University and an M.F.A. in acting from the F.S.U./Asolo Conservatory for Actor’s Training in Sarasota, Florida. Jody spent 10 years in Los Angeles where he worked as a professional actor before founding the award-winning Tamarind Theatre in Hollywood, where he produced more than 100 plays.

Jody Kielbasa resides in Charlottesville with his wife Helen, and their three children Camille, Luke and Juliet