Education and Community
As a trained educator with practical experience in the elementary, middle, high school, and university classrooms, education and community engagement was been my main focus in my career. I wholeheartedly believe that the arts are for everyone and take a 0-99 approach to programming. I have managed concerts for children in grades K-8, run successful Instrument Petting Zoo experiences, created the wildly successful and popular Music Van program in Las Vegas, and continue to provide meaningful programming for children, adults, and families--even through surreal times such as these.
Some of my recent projects I have created for the Las Vegas Philharmonic include:
Some of my recent projects I have created for the Las Vegas Philharmonic include:
- orKIDStra Digital: a virtual visit from our Music Van's orKIDStra program, children and their families can be introduced to instruments of the orchestra, hear their sounds, see who plays them in our orchestra, where they sit--and many other fun surprises including games, digital activities, and more. You can view it HERE. In addition to the content and programming idea, I programmed the web application through a comping site in order to quickly and effectively provide this when schools first began to shut down in Clark County in March of 2020.
- LVP Music Museum: a resource for teachers wanting to integrate music history in their curriculum (and for students and parents interested in the people who create the music we listen to today), the LVP Music Museum is a virtual museum tour intended for grades 6+. Stroll the galleries and interact with different composers through biography cards and videos of performances. There are fun surprises throughout the gallery the answer popular questions like "What is the different between the piano, pianoforte, and harpsichord?" and "What did suffrage songs sound like?" There is also a revolving "Special Exhibit Hall" that features exclusively monthly content including 20th century conductors, LGBTQIA2+ composers and musicians, women composers, musical traditions from around the world, and more. You can view it HERE. Using the platform vtility, I created the entire museum from scratch, including all of the photo and creative editing.
- DISCOVER Music: Continuing and deepening our existing partnership with the DISCOVERY Children's Museum, I created a weekly residency program which brings a safely curated Music Van style activation in to the DISCOVERY Children's Museum for students and families to interact with. Students in grades 1-5 registered with DISCOVERY's "Study Hall" program will have exclusive access to the activation during the school day with the general public having access once the school day has finished.
Operations & Orchestra Mangement
An event, concert, or performance is only as good as the operational strength supporting it. Just as the musicians, artists, dancers, or performers are integral to the success of an event, so too are the lighting techs, stage hands, and crew. In my time in operations and orchestra management, I have been successful coordinating crews of people including lighting, audio, stage hands, guest artist liaisons, and other necessary teammates to get concerts running on time, at budget, and with a sense of excitement for performers and audiences. I have served as Head Stage Manager for over 100 orchestra concerts, education events, special event concerts, and chamber music presentations at large performing arts venues, outdoor venues, and intimate settings. As the only professional orchestra in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, I have been contractor for private functions from weddings to parties as well as with large companies, including Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Virtuoso Travel, and Cisco Systems.
I have overseen the library collections, holding, and distribution process and filled in as the Interim Librarian for the Las Vegas Philharmonic between July and November 2019. Additionally, I have spearheaded our efforts of digital recordings, including all management of content, Integrated Media Agreements, packaging, and distribution. You can see some of that work here.
I also believe strongly in building a company culture of inclusion and togetherness. I achieve this by curating events specifically for performers, in their space, which make them feel part of the institution. I have found that these gestures achieve great footholds in improving and maintaining positive employee-employer relationships.
I have overseen the library collections, holding, and distribution process and filled in as the Interim Librarian for the Las Vegas Philharmonic between July and November 2019. Additionally, I have spearheaded our efforts of digital recordings, including all management of content, Integrated Media Agreements, packaging, and distribution. You can see some of that work here.
I also believe strongly in building a company culture of inclusion and togetherness. I achieve this by curating events specifically for performers, in their space, which make them feel part of the institution. I have found that these gestures achieve great footholds in improving and maintaining positive employee-employer relationships.
Patron Services and Experience
I put just as much focus in the patron experience as I do the musician experience at any concert or event. My goal is to provide concierge-level, personalized experience for patrons and concertgoers as well as to provide opportunities to connect with the organization and be truly immersed in the experience.
I am well versed in several ticketing platforms and ran a successful Patron Services department for 3 years. While with the Redlands Symphony, I was involved with the development of the Symphony's Symphony Select product, a flexible ticket option with concierge-level service. I managed a portfolio of between 25-50 Symphony Select patrons per year, providing individualized service and hospitality.
With a keen eye for detail, I have made it part of my operational and community engagement focus to provide immersive experiences as much as we can to patrons the moment they step through our doors. In 2016, I started the first Community Learning Tables at the Las Vegas Philharmonic where patrons could interact with music and the evening's program in new and innovative ways. CLTs have hosted holiday card and ornament making tied to holiday pops concerts, painted violin walks featuring violins painted by local artist with violins reflecting the themes of the concert, and audio/visual tours throughout the lobby space allowing patrons to learn about famous composers and performers throughout history, with each tour tied to the theme of the evening.
I am well versed in several ticketing platforms and ran a successful Patron Services department for 3 years. While with the Redlands Symphony, I was involved with the development of the Symphony's Symphony Select product, a flexible ticket option with concierge-level service. I managed a portfolio of between 25-50 Symphony Select patrons per year, providing individualized service and hospitality.
With a keen eye for detail, I have made it part of my operational and community engagement focus to provide immersive experiences as much as we can to patrons the moment they step through our doors. In 2016, I started the first Community Learning Tables at the Las Vegas Philharmonic where patrons could interact with music and the evening's program in new and innovative ways. CLTs have hosted holiday card and ornament making tied to holiday pops concerts, painted violin walks featuring violins painted by local artist with violins reflecting the themes of the concert, and audio/visual tours throughout the lobby space allowing patrons to learn about famous composers and performers throughout history, with each tour tied to the theme of the evening.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
One of the biggest questions I ask myself as I go in to planning a season, concert, or educational program is this: "How do I make people see they can be a part of this?" Classical music has a rich history that has left a lasting legacy on the world. Unfortunately, the contributions made by women, people of color, and non-European peoples have been grossly overlooked and, in some cases, erased from concert halls in contemporary times.
In my approach to planning, I strive to ensure we are accurately representing not only our community, but a broad swath of musical ideas and expression. I have helped spearhead projects in Las Vegas with the National Endowment for the Humanities highlighting musically diverse composers and compositions as well as have worked on projects celebrating the musical contributions of women composers and musicians.
ED&I is an area in which I am deeply passionate, as are issues of social justice and equity. I believe, at my core, that music can be a tool for growth, healing, and togetherness for all people. I also believe for that tool to be effective, classical music must address the inherent privileges and biases within its systems and allow other voices to be heard. There is a place for everyone in the traditional canon--and it is the job of arts organizations and arts administrators, regardless of discipline, to reinvent what the canon is.
In my approach to planning, I strive to ensure we are accurately representing not only our community, but a broad swath of musical ideas and expression. I have helped spearhead projects in Las Vegas with the National Endowment for the Humanities highlighting musically diverse composers and compositions as well as have worked on projects celebrating the musical contributions of women composers and musicians.
ED&I is an area in which I am deeply passionate, as are issues of social justice and equity. I believe, at my core, that music can be a tool for growth, healing, and togetherness for all people. I also believe for that tool to be effective, classical music must address the inherent privileges and biases within its systems and allow other voices to be heard. There is a place for everyone in the traditional canon--and it is the job of arts organizations and arts administrators, regardless of discipline, to reinvent what the canon is.
Finance, Grants, & Development
I have been fortunate to be involved in the finance department in both limited and supervisory capacities since 2011. In 2015, I was given the roles and duties of Finance Manager to my plate at the Las Vegas Philharmonic, where I became responsible for oversight of our accounting processes, filings, and reconciliations as well as day-to-day business operations. I am comfortable performing basic accounting functions, analysis, reporting, and preparation of documents for audit and tax reporting. I have also been chiefly responsible for the budget of the Las Vegas Philharmonic as a whole (2015-2018) and then (upon the LVP's hiring of an Executive Director) management of the artistic, operations, and education budgets. I am fiscally aware of our organization's cash position at any given time and am adept at managing that cash position based on fundraising strategies, development prospects, and receivable grant income.
My proudest accomplishments come in the form of grant writing. As a trained writer and scholar, I easily adapt my skills to grant writing, having successfully written 35+ grants to the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nevada Arts Council, Nevada Humanities, and several public, private, and family foundations. Since 2015, my grant writing and production of grant materials has resulted in nearly $700,000 of revenue, about $550,000 of which was earmarked specifically for education and community programming.
Through my support of development efforts, I have been able to interact with donors and assisted with solicitations from donors and supporters resulting in either increased gifts or first-time giving. I also support development efforts from an operational standpoint by programming fundraising events, executing fundraising campaigns geared at microgiving, and programming event not directly related to fundraising but that are designed as to be profitable.
My proudest accomplishments come in the form of grant writing. As a trained writer and scholar, I easily adapt my skills to grant writing, having successfully written 35+ grants to the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nevada Arts Council, Nevada Humanities, and several public, private, and family foundations. Since 2015, my grant writing and production of grant materials has resulted in nearly $700,000 of revenue, about $550,000 of which was earmarked specifically for education and community programming.
Through my support of development efforts, I have been able to interact with donors and assisted with solicitations from donors and supporters resulting in either increased gifts or first-time giving. I also support development efforts from an operational standpoint by programming fundraising events, executing fundraising campaigns geared at microgiving, and programming event not directly related to fundraising but that are designed as to be profitable.