Jess Novotny

Owner and Artistic Director
Prestige Dance Studio
AGE: 32

Who do you consider your local mentors?

My sister, Amanda Pins, who is an RN, BSN Memory Clinic Nurse Clinician at Mercy Medical Center and friend, Kim Carney, who is an RN in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit at Mercy Medical Center. Amanda has been my biggest supporter since moving to Cedar Rapids and opening my business. Kim is the one I look to when reaching to be a better mother and person in the community.

What’s the biggest issue facing the Corridor, and why?

Our high schoolers and young people looking to enter the workforce aren’t being informed of opportunities in trade industries. The new infrastructure is creating many trade positions with small upfront fees and good-paying salaries. Meanwhile, our young adults are going tens of thousands of dollars into student loan debt for low-paying salaries.

If you had $1 million to give, what cause would you support?

They’re not a “cause,” but the people I would truly want to support, if I had that kind of money to give, is my staff. I have an incredible staff who love my business, our students and their families endlessly, and what extra I had to give, I would give to them.

What do you want to accomplish by the time you are 50?

I want to continue to welcome new students and families from the Corridor to our dance family here at Prestige Dance Studio. I want to continue creating an environment where dancers feel safe to express themselves through movement.