WORK EXPERIENCE

Byrum & Fisk | Remote

Communications Strategist, September 2022 – present

• Select Clients: Flint Cultural Center, John Ball Zoo, Transit Matters, Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists, Defend Democracy Project, The Impact Project.

• Campaign advocacy resulted in the passage of two ballot measures through written and digital communications, press relations, and budget management.

• Wrote core messages, press releases, letters and statements of support, social media posts, website copy, and more.

• Created and executed strategic paid and earned media plans.

Creative Riff | Remote

Freelance Accounts Consultant, June 2022 – August 2022

• Select Clients: ABC, Disney+, Fox, FX

• Assisted Account Directors on all experiential marketing projects relating to San Diego Comic Con 2022.

Olu & Company | Remote

Account Executive, December 2021 – May 2022

• Select Clients: Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Transform 1012 N. Main Street, Hank Willis Thomas, Monique Meloche Gallery, Barrett Barrera Projects, LatchKey Gallery, Art World Conference, Design Core Detroit, Marquise Stillwell/Openbox, Masako Miki, Peter Coy, Incarceration Nations Network, Yamba Malawi, CULT Aimee Friberg Exhibitions, TERN Gallery.

• Oversaw a portfolio of 5-10 accounts at a given time, working directly with the client to meet and exceed KPIs, manage deliverables, and set expectations.

• Researched and executed media strategies across print, online, and broadcast channels, placing stories in publications and outlets such as Architectural Digest, Artforum, Artnet News, ARTnews, CNN, Hyperallergic, i-D, Surface, Wallpaper*, The Washington Post, and Women’s Wear Daily.

• Built robust press kits with visual and written assets and wrote copy for press releases, artist statements, mission and vision statements, biographies, and organization boilerplates.

• Negotiated 3 account contracts and led conversations about new business opportunities.

• Managed team of 8 full-time employees and contract workers.

Account Manager, December 2020 – November 2021

• Published A House in the Country and Other Plays by Peter Coy with Hamner Theater Press.

• Launched professional websites for Marquise Stillwell and Peter Coy, including managing design and content development processes.

• Wrote copy and created briefing documents, managed assets, and strategized on creative projects such as podcast production for The Sweet Flypaper, Detroit City of Design Podcast, and Art is a Verb.

Freelance Account Associate, May 2020 – November 2020

• Created and executed B2B marketing strategies for traveling exhibitions, leading to 17 introductions.

• Advised artists on career strategy, managing submissions to open calls and grant applications.

National Hellenic Museum | Chicago, IL

Exhibitions Manager, October 2017 – April 2020

• Head of department responsible for content/exhibition development, production, and related programming.

• Curated 3 special exhibitions within my first year when historically there was 1 every 3 years.

  • “George Kokines: Layers Revealed” | September 2018 – March 2020

  • “Lives Afloat: The Greek Refugee Crisis” | June 2018 – March 2020

  • “Change: The Story of Coins” | March 2018 – ongoing

• Created B2C campaigns to drive engagement; resulting in record exhibition opening attendance.

• Managed project budgets, which ranged from $5-75K.

• Developed a 5-year strategic plan for the Exhibitions Department, creating institutional connectivity and change.

• Won a grant from the Chicago Cultural Alliance and developed fundraising plans for future exhibitions.

• Fostered relationships and negotiated contracts with stakeholders, lenders, vendors, and other organizations, including Museum of Science and Industry, Terra Foundation for American Art, and Chicago Humanities Festival.

• Led creative strategy and oversaw production of experiential elements for Gala 2019.

Fashion Study Collection at Columbia College Chicago | Chicago, IL

Curator, September 2012 – June 2017

• Made all curatorial and collection management decisions in line with the college's strategic priorities.

• Tripled engagement in 3 years through cross-departmental and external partnerships, including Milwaukee Art Museum, Design Museum of Chicago, and 6 local colleges and universities.

• Launched PastPerfect Online and created and managed social media accounts to improve access to 6,500 artifacts.

• Curated 2 exhibitions and more than 30 experiential-learning displays and events.

• Collaborated with the Creative Team on collateral and branding, which won an American Inhouse Design Award.

North Dakota State University | Fargo, ND

Historic Costume Collection Manager, August 2010 – August 2012

• Oversaw care, storage, documentation, use, and exhibition of 3,000 artifacts.

• Promoted collection by curating exhibitions, creating digital content, and designing marketing materials.

Instructor, January 2011 – August 2012

• Taught Dress In World Cultures, an online general education course about fashion, textiles, and dress practices.

• Educated approximately 40 students from departments across the college each term for 3 terms.

Donald Young Gallery | Chicago, IL

Gallery Assistant, October 2008 – December 2009

• Managed files and image archive on 17 contemporary artists including Rodney Graham, Josiah McElheny, and Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle.

• Executed direct mail campaigns for exhibition openings and other events.

The American Textile History Museum | Lowell, MA

Collection Technician, July 2007 – August 2008

• Hired on a grant-funded project to move and upgrade storage for more than 5,000 artifacts.

• Curated eco-textile exhibition, conducted original research for new permanent exhibition, and wrote artifact labels and image captions.

EDUCATION

• MA, Arts Administration and Policy | School of the Art Institute of Chicago, May 2010

• BS, Apparel and Textile Design; Museum Studies Minor | Michigan State University, May 2007

SELECT SKILLS

Microsoft Office, iWork, G Suite, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), WordPress, FileMaker Pro, PastPerfect, PastPerfect Online, Mimsy XG, contentDM, Basecamp, Monday, Slack, Trello, Hootsuite

JURIED PRESENTATIONS

• American Everyday Conference, February 2020, Author, “Wearing Racism: Racist Imagery in Everyday 20th Century Dress Objects”

• American Alliance of Museums National Conference, May 2018, Panelist, “Education Collections: Connect with Me, and I Care”

• Costume Society of America National Symposium, May 2015, Author, “A Flapper’s Dilemma: Altering a 1920s Beaded Dress”

• Costume Society of America Midwest Symposium, October 2011, Co-author, “A Woman of Considerable Influence: Kate Selby Wilder, A North Dakota Suffragist”

• Costume Society of America Midwest Symposium, October 2009, Author, “Minimal à la Mode: 1960s Art Influence on Fashion”

INVITED SPEAKER

• The Wing Chicago, October 2019, Presenter, “The History of Underwear: Unpacking Society’s Ideas of the Body, Modesty, and Sex”

• Chicago Humanities Festival, May 2016, Panelist, “Chicago Style: The Collections”

• The Arts Club of Chicago, March 2015, Co-presenter, “Chicago Restyled: More Mag Mile Fashion from Chicago History Museum and Columbia College”

ORGANIZATIONS

• College Arts Association, 2019 – present

• American Alliance of Museums, 2007 – present

• Costume Society of America, 2007 – present

  • Board of Directors, May 2012 – May 2017

  • Vice President of Technology, May 2013 – May 2015

  • Midwest Symposium Co-Chair, September 2013