Résumé

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Eden Prairie, MN

Program Director, Arts & Cultures (2024 - present)

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Responsible for providing leadership and management of the Arts & Cultures domain, which focuses on Folk Arts & Cultures, Native Arts & Cultures, and Music Education. KEY DUTIES:

• Oversee, support, and work closely with Program Officers and the Program Associate to manage program portfolios, fostering respectful relationships with grantee and funder partners.

• Support grantee partners in alignment with MACP’s mission to provide meaningful assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment.

• Coordinate and execute programs and operations for optimal impact in the Arts & Culture domain that is meaningful, measurable, and sustainable.

 

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National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC

Acting Director, Folk & Traditional Arts (2023 - 2024)

Discipline Specialist, Folk & Traditional Arts | program manager (2007 - 2024)

Division Assistant (2006 - 2007)

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Provided national leadership and direction for the Folk & Traditional Arts discipline at an independent federal agency and the nation’s largest arts funder. Manage staff and oversee the Grants for Arts Projects funding opportunity, the National Heritage Fellowships, National Folklife Network, and the state arts agency and regional arts organization Folk Arts Partnership professional development institute.

• Managed panel review process and evaluate applications supporting folk & traditional arts in Grants for
  Arts Projects and Folk Arts Partnership grant opportunities, from guidelines development, panelist
  recruitment, and panel meeting management to presentation of funding amounts at post-panel and
  council meetings for consideration by management—Chief SPE Officer, Senior Deputy Chair, the
  National Council on the Arts, and Chair. Conducted pre-award and initial-offer processing, and monitored grantee performance, including amendments approval, and final reports. Connected federal funding to rural communities, underrepresented artistic genres, and Native communities.

• Managed, negotiated, and executed cooperative/contractual partnerships between public-sector institutions and private non-profit organizations with project budgets ranging from $500,000 - $1,000,000, successfully completing complex program planning and management annually.

• Implemented all aspects of the National Heritage Fellowships program, from guidelines development to panel review, adeptly distributing as much as $275,000 yearly. Managed an awards ceremony and banquet on Capitol Hill, including logistics, promotional material, award fabrication, and catering, resulting in high-profile acknowledgment of the honorees by Members of Congress and the Senate. Expertly managed the production of a yearly public presentation, including film and/or concert production, reaching audiences in-person and online.

• Led cross-discipline teams; trained and assigned work to support staff; and collaborated with multiple departments—including the Chairman’s office, Chief of Staff’s office, Management and Budget, Public Affairs, and General Counsel—on complex logistical affairs, resulting in efficient program management. 

• Presented at conferences and community events to effectively communicate about grant opportunities, resulting in increased public awareness of the NEA’s programs and activities.

• Co-created a three-day workshop and curriculum in creative placemaking for the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), a federal economic development agency, which resulted in a new funding opportunity in eight states along the Mississippi River.

• Recognized with a 2020 and 2023 Chairman’s Distinguished Service Award for exceptional leadership in the folk & traditional arts discipline and a 2016 Values Award for Communication.

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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC 
Registration Manager | sales, operations, and patron relations management (2002 – 2006)

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Sales and operations manager for mid-to large-scale school group productions and professional development workshops in a six-venue performing arts center and national memorial.

• Managed operations, sales, and logistics for more than 500 education events, generating $500,000 in earned revenue.

• Managed a staff of three assistants and devised an effective training program, generating high staff productivity by equally distributing duties and responsibilities.

• Created sales and year-end reports for marketing analysis, resulting in targeted program development.

• Improved quality of design and printing of marketing material, saving 15% of project expenses in my first year.

• Implemented a more streamlined sales and fulfillment system, improving response times and generating faster account-receivables.

• Team leader on performance days with high-capacity attendance, successfully overseeing efficient arrival, attendance, and departure of 15,000 audience members over the course of a week.

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Bargemusic, Ltd., Brooklyn, NY
Program Coordinator (1998 – 2002)
 

Coordinated artistic programming, business development, and fundraising for a classical music venue.     

• Supervised planning and logistics for more than 200 concerts a year, serving 18,000 audience members and generating $560,000 in earned revenue annually. 

• Organized fundraising campaigns, including direct mail solicitation and special events, generating upwards of $225,000.

• Managed the programming schedule for seven artistic directors, successfully organizing 1,500 performers annually.

• Successfully obtained international work visas for performers, without a single denial. 

• Researched and implemented donor/patron database software, updating the system from a DOS interface to a Windows interface and improving internal processes.

• Promoted to Program Coordinator for high quality performance after only three months.