First Interview: Shantaw Bloise On Being Named Director Of Culture & Tourism

Shantaw Bloise is ready to hit the ground running in her new gig as the town of Nantucket’s director of culture and tourism.

After several years at the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce and getting involved with the island’s cultural district, Bloise, a 2009 graduate of Nantucket High School, told the Current that applying for the town job seemed like a natural extension of the work she had done.

“When it came time for me to think about my career and goals, it was an easy decision,” to apply for the job, she said. “This is probably one of the most exciting roles throughout the town. I get to really and truly be involved with things on the island in the best of ways.”

In her first interview since the town announced her hiring, Bloise said she was eager to get to work and build on the successes of her predecessor, Janet Schulte.

“Looking at what Janet has done, taking all the cultural organizations and bringing them together in one central location, I’d like to expand on that,” Bloise said. “I would like to drive us more toward taking advantage of technology and resources we have in the digital age. We’re Nantucket, so we’re not necessary eager to go into something that requires change, but I’d like to have a way to respectfully integrate technology through social media and interactive maps for visitors and residents. Because we’re not just catering to tourists, but also the year-round community.”

In her role with the Chamber and as a volunteer with other island organizations, Bloise said she had a “front row seat” to the debate over the scale, size and location of the island’s large summer events over the past year.

“The concerns raised by the town are very valid,” she said. “If we continue to plan events the way we did 10, 15, or even 5 years ago, we’ll find ourselves in trouble. It requires us to work together and be open-minded and be willing to change and adjust to the times. We’re looking to protect the tradition of the events that we all know and have grown to love. But there are also public safety concerns that need to be addressed. I would rather be proactive, than reactive.”

In addition to her work with the Chamber, Bloise is also the co-owner of Supple Sirens, a popular line of skin care products handmade on the island.

The town began advertising the job back in March following Schulte's decision to step down after five years in that role. The non-union position was posted with a starting salary of $125,000.