EVENT MANAGER |Overture Center for the Arts

From 2014 to 2017 I was the Olivia Pope of Overture events. Working part-time while in school, I handled event logistics for facility rentals of all kinds: gala fundraisers, conferences, weddings, holiday parties, pre- and post-show donor receptions (for the likes of Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Public Radio, and various local companies), lecture series, festivals (Wisconsin Book Fest, Wisconsin Film Festival, International Fest, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art Holiday Art Fair), concerts, product launches, VIP meet and greets, bar/bat mitzvahs, and even proms! I’ve done hundreds of events, and know all the things that you wish you knew before your event happened (all your hindsight are belong to us).

I am adept at communication that facilitates cooperation—truly getting the most from everyone for everyone. The primary point of contact for clients and vendors, I coordinated staff from multiple departments (technicians, caterers, Development staffers, maintenance workers, stagehands, ushers, volunteers) from event setup to strike so that, working in concert, we could achieve the best possible outcome for clients.

You might say I’m the conductor of the event. I can load in a 10-piece band that arrived two hours late in time for the gala. I know that the number one problem chaperones don’t anticipate at proms is where to put all the shoes. I make the best playlist of inoffensive-but-good music your work holiday party has ever heard. I can convince bridezilla not to murder you for bringing the wrong chair covers. I have all the event skills…even the ones you never knew you desperately needed. Check out photos from some of the events I’ve produced on Instagram @TheMadisonist.

HUMAN RESOURCES |Epic

I screened over 100,000 resumes during the year I worked in Epic’s Human Resources department. I became so versed in the applicant tracking software–even though I had never used such software prior to this position–that I was made the department’s software trainer within a couple months. Years of creating and facilitating educational public programs made me a highly effective teacher of adults. I was given increasing responsibility, evaluating and reporting on metrics for the technical recruiting team and overseeing the data migration from a homemade Access database to Taleo ATS. I made a lot of pivot tables. It was a pleasant place to work. The plentiful amenities of my new office were almost shocking after working at nonprofits where scrounging for pens and working on old PCs running Windows XP was the norm. (Also, there was a refrigerator in every break room on every floor JUST for juice!) I loved Epic’s polite work culture and commitment to employee education–they really care about everyone who works for them regardless of their position.

WEARER OF MANY HATS* |Madison Children’s Museum
*Visitor Services Supervisor/Development Associate/Education Program Assistant

I worked primarily in Education and went on to be promoted twice—first to the administration of the membership program, and then to running museum operations as a Visitor Services Supervisor.

I started at MCM at a time of rebirth for the museum. The month after I started the museum opened in a new building with four times as much space. With the new space and exhibits came a need for a great deal of program development.

It was an amazing experience to redesign and, in many cases, originate foundational, play-based programming for diverse audiences (find me on page 2 of this lesson plan I helped make seven years ago that is still used today).

As an Education Program Assistant, I was the primary facilitator of programming in the Art Studio, Rooftop Ramble (an indoor/outdoor space with gardens and small animals), and Local Treasures (a restored 1840s log cabin with period accurate gardens). I developed creative STEM and arts programming in each of the exhibits for daily drop-in programs, weekly classes, summer and school break camps, field trips, and Scout programs. The progressive responsibility was reward for my strong work ethic, ability to navigate complex customer service interactions, and consistently positive reviews from kids, parents, and teachers. I count among my successes creating a ceramics class that was the first paid class the museum offered, my camps always selling out quickly, and being regularly requested by teachers for field trips.

I grew a lot in my other roles at MCM, too. I learned about donor cultivation, database management, event planning, and marketing through my job in Membership & Development. I further developed strong leadership skills by managing a team of 20+ paid and volunteer staff as a Visitor Services Supervisor. Fun fact: I regularly carried a mouse in my pocket around the museum, and often had a hen snuggled on my lap when at my desk. Stupendous!

Nurturing a tween hen

On the Rooftop Ramble with coworkers at MCM.

With Cedric Johnson, Development and Comms Director at Briarpatch Youth Services.

EDUCATION STAFFER & Office Associate |Wisconsin Historical Museum

I primarily created and facilitated education programs for school groups, families, and adults. I developed lesson plans teaching historical literacy using museum exhibits as the basis for a critical exploration. Working under Beth Lemke—then the Wisconsin Historical Museum Educator and current Executive Director of the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay—was an excellent formative experience.

I conducted historical research and developed a fun guided program on Wisconsin history that met Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction curriculum standards for fourth graders. Leading hour-long “Why History Matters” tours 4-5 times/day for diverse student groups of grades K-12 was truly fulfilling work. My tour covered a range of topics including archaeology, lifeways of Native Peoples, the fur trade, immigration, women’s suffrage, and Wisconsin political reform (even anti-trust law…with 10-year-olds…ask me). I fostered active learning by engaging students in games and re-enactments throughout self-guided exploration periods. During the summer, I led arts & crafts drop-in programs and Girl Scout workshops. I learned to refine programming based on daily written evaluation from teachers and students.

In addition to my work in WHM’s Education Department, I also worked for the Director of Retail Operations for the Division of Museums and Historic Sites. I assisted with purchasing and designing merchandise for the Wisconsin Historical Museum on-site store as well as managing and writing copy for the Society’s web store, which features merchandise from across the historic sites. One of the more interesting things I did in this role was pouring over vintage currency from the Wisconsin Historical Society archives with the Director to create new products for the store.

Fun fact: there was once paper money in the Wisconsin Territory that prominently featured unicorns.

VISITOR SERVICES ASSOCIATE |The Art Institute of Chicago

I had the honor of working at this world-renown museum over a summer. It was an incredible treat to work among some of the greatest works of art in human history every day.

I promoted on-site membership and revenue goals via the selling of memberships, admission, and pocket guides while also providing guidance on collections and events to thousands of visitors from around the world, often utilizing my foreign language skills.

My first experience with large-scale, high-end events was at AIC, where I acted as an Event Lead. I also helped edit the Spanish language museum guide to be more accurate and accessible.