Professional Summary

Results-driven leader with extensive experience in arts and community organizations. Skilled in strategic planning, marketing, grant writing, program development, and community engagement. Proven ability to increase membership, revenue, and program participation. Expertise in branding, arts organization consultation, exhibition jurying, graphic design, content creation, and communications. Adept at fostering organizational growth and managing staff, development activities, and donor relations. Currently serving multiple art and graphic design clients on a contract basis.

Executive Director - Program Director
Fort Wayne, IN

2/2022 – 10/2024

• Developed initial Executive Director role within the new organization

• Direct marketing and public relations resulting in a 30 percent increase in visitation since the Park opened in 2021

• Introduced new membership levels, which increased membership

• Oversee and grow engaging programming for all ages

• Oversee development, including grants, sponsorships, and fundraising

• Administration duties including leading a staff of 5–10 persons, both permanent and seasonal.

Administer payroll, accounts payable, and receivable

• Establish donor records, and acknowledgment procedures for donors which include individuals, corporations, and foundations using Little Green Light database management

• Directly oversee and manage marketing efforts (traditional, social, and web) including in-house design efforts.

• Liason with the Board of Directors, Development, Finance, Programming, and Governance committees.

• Represented LC Nature Park publicly and through community events

• Building Park accessibility to all persons using creative methods to create an educational and fulfilling experience for guests of all ages and abilities

• Adhere to the mission and with the Governance committee wrote LC Nature Park's second strategic plan

• Currently seeking funding for a Park Master Plan, Discovery Trail with interactive and sensory stations

Executive Director
Van Wert, Ohio

2/2011 – present

• Developed mission, and strategic plan, initiated and designed long-term branding marketing structure including but not limited to, logo design, print collateral, an integrated website , and social media structure

• Write and maintain ongoing press releases and weekly newspaper (print/online) columns in addition
to membership newsletters

• Increased not-for-profit organization membership by 62 percent

• Tripled operating budget and sales increase through unique programming and events

• Led property search, acquisition, design, and restoration of local 12,000-square-foot armory slated for demolition. Subsequently, the art center was relocated to this central downtown location, creating needed vibrancy in the architecturally significant, economically challenged community.

• Secured $247,000 in state funding and corporate support and led the development of adjacent properties into outdoor green space, sculpture gardens, entertainment facility, and festival space, including artisan and market area.

• Secured 2016 National Endowments for the Arts $10,000 Fast Track Planning Grant and a $9500 Ohio Arts Council ArtsNexts grant for an interactive sculpture dedicated to the firefly in 2018

• Designed and conducted presentations on arts-related content including creative development, arts economy and arts accessibility for all individuals regardless of ability or socio-economic reality

• Curated exhibits such as Faces of Little Bighorn; portraits of the Lakota tribe and survivors of the Battle of Little, Bighorn and Wounded Knee, Enchanted; art expressing the magic of nature, Paws de résistance!; artwork centered around our world of pets, and Badlands & Brownies; film photography and large format shots of the Badlands in South Dakota featuring a room-size, operational Brownie camera

Art Director

Whitehouse, Ohio

Art Director

4/2007–2/2011

• Instituted art/artisan program for branded product develop- ment, line extensions, marketing strategies and art processes

• Developed production techniques easing creative processes for adults with autism in areas of art, ceramics, weaving, woodworking, bath products, and pet products

• Designed and produce point-of-sale for retail gift outlets, presentation/video, consultation brochures, annual reports, signage, etc. using Adobe Creative Suites. Art directed store-front portion of website

• Assisted with grant writing for artist-in-residence projects through the Ohio Arts Council

• Designed and conducted statewide seminars and online tutorials on creative development techniques for persons with disabilities

Sauder Woodworking Co.
Archbold, Ohio

Graphic Designer

Marketing/Communications

9/1998–4/2007

• Designed/produced catalogs, posters, brochures, packaging, kiosks, point-of-sale displays environmental, wholesale and major retailers, and internal company projects

• Designed print collateral for television ad campaigns

• Created and ideated design within rigid branded company specifications on tight turns

• Conceptualized and designed consumer and trade ads for national and international magazines.

• Lead, managed and designed several line item project from start to finish, including logo, package, P.O.S, design, advertising, and ad campaigns

• Art directed audio/visual presentations, web-site, miscellaneous print projects

• Stylized and art directed product photo-shoots

• Supported public relation efforts through design such as United Way fund drive collateral

• Provided digital editing for MarCom department

• Collaborated on campaign ideation and execution within the Marketing team

Beez Knees 10 foot sculpture Central Insurance, Van Wert, Ohio

Other Work Experience

• Ohio Art Company, Bryan Ohio: Associate Toy Designer

Freelance
• Sole Source-Caldwell, ID (current) (targeted greeting card company) Illustrate veterinary reminders

• Front Porch Publishing-Defiance, OH (art direction) Complete design and layout of monthly, regional interest magazine

• Stanley Papel Designs-Encino CA (international agent for commercial giftware industries such as ceramic music boxes and tableware

• Knice-n-Clean Soap Company-Temperance MI (all natural soap company provided corporate identity and label designs)

Artwork
• Beez Kneez; (ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI) 12-foot tall ceramic sculpture of bees depicting their crucial, interconnection to our own lives

• Flower Possum; 3-foot tall ceramic water fountain for reflecting pond

Skill Set

Marketing/Branding

Press Release/Column/Grant Writing
Email Marketing

Graphic Design/Adobe CS
Premier Pro
Canva
Adobe Express
Davinci Video Editing
Typography Design Standards

Print/Web Production

Video Editing and Creation

Microsoft Software Suite

Art Programming/Curation

Public Art Development

Strategic Planning

Public Speaking

Pottery, Sculpture, Illustration

Exhibitions

2025 Wassenberg Art Center: LORE
Best-of-Show Award

Artprize 2021: Grand Rapids

2021 ArtLink Fort Wayne: Holiday Market
Accepted

Artprize 2019: Grand Rapids Public Museum: Outdoor sculpture exhibition

2018 Destination Lancaster- Artwalk: Accepted

2018 Wassenberg Art Center: Annual June Art Exhibit-Accepted

Wassenberg Art Center: Paws de' Resistance Exhibit-Accepted

Wassenberg Art Center:
Enchanted -Honorable mention

Exhibition Juror

Kewpee High School Invitational, Lima Ohio, 2025

Toledo Artist Society: Manifest Your Masterpieces 2025

Findlay Art League: Annual Exhibit 2018

Toledo Artist Society: Artist Choice 2024

Regional Scholastic Art Show 2021

Sauder Woodworking Co. Archbold, Ohio