Michael Jared O’Roark, age 46, passed away suddenly on March 18th, 2026, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born on June 13th, 1979, in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Jared was a devoted husband, son, and brother whose life was rooted in love for his family and friends. He leaves behind his partner and husband of eight years, Benjamin Herrin, parents Michael Ron and Jody L. (Stobbs) O’Roark, brother Jordan (Ashley Rountree) O’Roark, nieces Tatum and Piper O’Roark, mother-in-law Vicky (Weitz) Herrin, father-in-law Mark (Liz Potter) Herrin, brother-in-law Bradley (Anna Sebastian) Herrin and nephew Lincoln Herrin.
Jared was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, John (Evelyn Rymal) Stobbs and paternal grandparents, James (Barbara St Clair) Roark.
Along with Jared being a loving and devoted family member and friend, Jared was an award-winning arts leader, educator, and community builder whose work over more than two decades left a lasting imprint across Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, and far beyond. He believed deeply that the arts should belong to everyone. He did not just talk about equity, accessibility, and inclusion. He lived those values, showing up with an authenticity in his work and in his life that people could feel, creating spaces where people felt welcomed, seen, heard, and valued.
He approached his work with care and intention, building something strong, beautiful, and deeply human. Young people found their voice through him. Communities connected. The arts became a bridge. He had a gift for bringing people into the same room, listening, and helping shape something meaningful and wonderful. Those who worked with him knew his integrity, felt his empathy and love, and saw the impact he made.
At the Cincinnati Arts Association, Jared poured himself into connecting young people to the arts and to one another. He built a group of teaching artists who reflected the communities they served, because it mattered to him that every student could see themselves in the room and in what was possible. What he helped create became more than an after-school program. It became a space where students could express themselves, feel supported, and begin to understand their own voice.
Jared was always thinking about who else could be reached. He worked to bring the arts into classrooms, supported young artists through the Overture Awards, and contributed to healing-centered work that met people where they were. He believed that when people are met with care, creativity, and connection, something shifts, sparks ignite, and lives change.
One of his most enduring works was Project: Shattered Silence, a youth-centered creative process he created, wrote, and directed. It invited young people to step forward with their stories, to speak what had often gone unspoken, and to be heard. Over a decade, more than 400 teenagers took part, discovering the strength of their own voice.
What began on stage reached far beyond it, becoming a PBS documentary that earned three Regional Emmy Awards in 2013, with additional nominations in 2014. But its true impact lived in the conversations it sparked, the understanding it deepened, and the quiet ways it changed those who experienced it, sending ripples outward for years to come.
Jared moved through the world with a fierce and gentle awareness. He saw something in people they had not yet seen in themselves. Through his work, he did not just create. He made space for others to step into their own voice.
He opened doors for young people and artists, building connections and supporting those around him. Earlier in his journey, he helped bring new performance spaces to life and supported more than 150 artists, including work with Broadway producer Zev Buffman. But more than anything, his impact lived in the people he believed in and the light he helped them find.
Jared received many honors, including Best of the Bay: Theatrical Trailblazer, the National Art of Heart Award, and international humanitarian recognitions. But that was never what drove him. He was guided by a belief in people, in their stories, and in helping others see themselves more clearly.
What he leaves behind cannot be measured in awards, but in the lives he touched, the voices he helped bring forward, and the sense of belonging he created for so many, including himself. He carved out space where there was none, and in doing so, helped others find where they belong.
He was a collaborator, mentor, and advocate who led with intention, resilience, and humor. He believed in the arts as a way to heal, connect, and transform. We have lost a giant, and he will be deeply missed.
Jared’s Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Saturday May 16th, 2026 beginning at 1:00 pm in the ballroom at Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH. with an Irish Wake to immediately follow. Kindly respond to joroark.memorial@gmail.com to RSVP and to share any photos as we are creating a photo montage for the memorial.
To honor Jared’s life and the causes he was passionate about, a GoFundMe campaign has been created in his memory. Donations will support several charities and organizations that were meaningful to him and will allow his legacy to live on.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 