About me
I am passionate about telling stories in all forms, whether that be directing a play or crafting educational programs to help people engage with local history. As an emerging professional in the arts and culture field, I have developed skills in social media marketing, community engagement, event planning, and graphic design. While my professional experience has been concentrated in the non-profit arts and culture field, my past positions and volunteer activities have enabled me to gain a wide array of transferable skills.
My interest in community engagement and program development started during internships in college. After graduating from Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in Medieval Studies, I continued to work in the arts and culture field, pursuing positions where I can share my love of history and the arts with others. In 2019 I enrolled in the University of Iowa's museum studies program and plan to pursue graduate studies in public history after completing the program.
Education
Certificate in Museum Studies
University of Iowa
September 2019 - Present
B.A. in Medieval Studies
Honors Certificate in American Catholic Studies
Fordham University
September 2012 - May 2016
Professional History
Communications Associate
African American Museum of Iowa
November 2018 - Present
Responsible for coordination of all museum communications, including managing social media, editing member newsletter, updating website, and creating graphic designs. Collaborated with other museum staff to plan and implement public programs.
Administrative Coordinator
The History Center
November 2016 - January 2018
Coordinated communications with volunteers and donors. Managed social media presence and promoted events. Organized logistics for educational and development programs.
Events & Marketing Intern
Brucemore, Inc.
May 2015 - August 2015
House manager for 25 outdoor performances with a total of over 25,000 audience members. Led content creation for social media channels over the course of the internship. Presented on Instagram strategy for a National Trust for Historic Preservation conference call.
Programming & Production Intern
Irish Arts Center
September 2013 - May 2014
Developed activities for family programs. Recruited and scheduled volunteers for annual Open Day. Researched artists for future performances.
Skills
-
Event planning and management
-
I have worked on a variety of events, including: fundraising galas, performances, and art fairs.
-
During the summer of 2020 I worked on developing a digital version of the African American Museum of Iowa's annual Juneteenth celebration.
-
-
Developing and delivering programs for children, teens, and adults
-
Examples of programs developed: family-oriented programs including craft projects for children, collaborations with other non-profit organizations to bring a dance troupe to a museum, a book club focused on books by African American women.
-
-
Proficient technical skills, including Microsoft Office, basic HTML and CSS, and the Adobe Creative Suite
-
I have worked on developing webpages for WordPress hosted websites. My web development training includes taking courses through Delta V code school in Cedar Rapids, IA.
-
I have used the Adobe Creative Suite to create print newsletters, banners, and programs, among other projects for the African American Museum of Iowa.
-
-
Public speaking and performance
-
I have been involved with theatre since I was ten, participated in mock trial for ten years, and have given presentations in professional settings.
-
-
Grant writing and fundraising
-
I have successfully submitted grants for organizational capacity development and marketing projects.
-
-
Experience with multiple donor database softwares
-
Examples: Donor Perfect, GiftWorks, SAGE/Abila, Network For Good
-
-
Proficient in intermediate written and spoken French
-
Four years of high school courses, three semesters of university level courses, including a course on slavery museums and memorials in the Global South that included a French conversation component.
-
-
Certifications
Published Work
Examining Teresa Deevy's Critique of Gender Roles in Katie Roche
This paper explores Teresa Deevy’s 1936 play Katie Roche as a subversive text used to critique the cultural and political enforcement of traditional gender roles in Irish society, relying on a textual analysis of Katie Roche, contemporary reviews of its original performance, and current scholarship in Irish theater studies to examine the play’s critique of gender roles within its cultural and historical context.
