What I’m working on…

Museums and New Media

I manage online communications for the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Online exhibitons, e-mail newsletters, online fundraising campaigns, blogs, social media strategies–you name it, I’ve managed it. I am proud to have overseen the Smithsonian’s first YouTube contest, a Star-Spangled Banner singing competition and to have led the Museum’s 2005 Web redesign.

I’m currently writing a chapter and serving on the editorial board of the forthcoming publication, Twitter for Museums (published by MuseumsEtc.). I am also co-authoring “Small Towns and Big Cities: How Museums Foster Community Online” for Museums and the Web 2010 and moderating a session on social media evaluation for the 2010 American Association of Museums annual meeting.

I coordinate the LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter presences of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, where I have served on the Board of Directors since 2008.

Beginning spring 2010 semester, I will be teaching the graduate course “Museums and Technology” at The George Washington University.

I have been honored to chair juries for the 2007-2009 MUSE Awards sponsored by AAM’s Media and Technology Committee.

Building Museums

Since 2006, I’ve been active on the program committee of the annual Building Museums symposium sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM). I managed internal staff communications and external online communications during the reopening of National Museum of American History on Nov. 21, 2008, after a two-year renovation project.

Volunteer Work

I volunteer my time as the online communications manager for the nonprofit Education Fights AIDS International. I designed and developed the latest iteration of EFA’s Web site and quarterly email newsletter.

Specialties

museums, web, new media, online, social media, technology, communications, marketing, writing, blogging, content management, building museums, museum construction, museum associations

Resume

Work Experience

Project Manager, New Media, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, DC (2003-Present)

• Direct lifecycle of new media projects including main Web site, online exhibitions and collections databases, handheld interactive tours, computer-based exhibition interactives, and information kiosks.  Editorial manager for monthly e-mail newsletter, online fundraising campaigns, blog, and Web 2.0 efforts.
• Launched and managed the Smithsonian’s first YouTube contest.
• Led redesign of the Museum’s core Web site (americanhistory.si.edu).  Received American Association of Museums MUSE Award, Award of Merit from How Design Annual, and Outstanding Web Site Award from the 2005 Web Marketing Association.  Traffic has increased 43% since the launch of redesigned site.
• See Web Portfolio.

Coordinator, Online Communications and Publishing, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Washington, DC (2000-2003)

• Managed major redesign of kff.org Web site for health policy and communications nonprofit organization. Led project to migrate 3,000+ Web pages.
• Supervised all content and technical tasks for several Web sites including writing, copyediting, and coordinating 100+ content contributors.
• Facilitated planning and installation of interactive exhibit in lobby of Foundation building.
• See Web Portfolio.

Programs Assistant, Interdisciplinary Area Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD (1999-2000)

• Designed, wrote, and produced Web materials.

↔

Education

M.A., Museum Studies, The George Washington University (2007)

• Concentration: Museum Administration; Academic Core: American Studies
• Research: “Closed to the Public: The Impacts of Closing a Museum for Construction.”
• The George Washington University Career Development Fellowship
• 2007 Marie C. Malaro Excellence in Research and Writing Awards, Honorable Mention
• GPA: 4.0

B.A., English, Minor: Women Studies, cum laude, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (2000)

↔

Professional Affiliations

Board of Directors, Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (2006-Present)

• Board of Directors, 2008-Present: Serve as Member-at-Large.  Working to implement an electronic newsletter and revamp MAAM’s online communications including a Web site redesign.
• Building Museums Symposia, 2006-Present: Solicited and reviewed proposals, helped develop program, produced online and printed conference materials, managed communications with speakers, and marketed the conferences electronically.  Contributed to management and promotion of the Museum Building Programs survey to gather detailed data on museum construction projects.
• Annual Meetings, 2006-07: Served as conference volunteer.

Jury Chair, American Association of Museums, Media and Technology Committee (2007-09)

• Chaired juries and evaluated entries for 2007, 2008, and 2009 MUSE Awards recognizing outstanding achievement in museum media including “games,” “interpretive interactive installations,” “games,” and “public relations and development” categories.  Presented awards to winners at annual awards ceremony.

Juror, Museums and the Web (2008)

• Evaluated entries in the “online exhibition” and “innovative” categories for 2008 Best of the Web Awards recognizing outstanding achievement in museum Web projects.

↔

Volunteer Experience

Education Fights AIDS (EFA) International (2008-present)

• Direct, design, and produe quarterly e-mail newsletter.  Update Web content.  Currently directing project to redesign organization’s Web site and social networking presence.

National Museum of Women in the Arts (2001-05)

• Completed eight-months of graduate-level art history training in preparation for service as a volunteer docent.  Gave tours and assisted visitors at the information desk.

Art-o-Matic (2004)

• Public Relations committee member for  non-juried showcase of the work of 1,000+ artists.

The Studio Theatre (2004)

• Greet and direct patrons to their seats as usher at contemporary theatre performances.

Underwire:  Annual Journal of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, St. Mary’s College of Maryland (1999–2000)

• Founded, edited, and produced the inaugural edition of the journal which included essays, academic articles, poetry, photography, and artwork by students, faculty, and staff.

↔

Presentations & Publications

“From Construction Site to Museum: Managing the Opening Process,” American Association of Museums Annual Meeting (2009)

“What Works and What Doesn’t: Lessons Learned from Reopening the National Museum of American History,” Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Building Museums Symposium (2009)

“Closed to the Public: The Impacts of Closing a Museum for Construction,” Paper, George Washington University Museum Studies Program (2006).  Research featured in communications and operations chapters in Planning Successful Museum Building Projects by Walter L. Crimm, Martha Morris, and L. Carole Wharton, AltaMira Press (2008).

“Making Everyone a Winner: Universal Design of Multimedia,” American Association of Museums Annual Meeting (2008)

“The Museum Visitor in 2017: The Impact of the Internet Age on Labels, Exhibit Design and Digital Media,” Mutual Concerns of Air and Space Museums Conference (2008)

“Ask the Expert Roundtable: The Impacts of Closing a Museum for Construction,” Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums Building Museums Symposium (2007)

↔

Web Portfolio

Online Communications and Outreach

• Ongoing Web site management: Daily editorial oversight of award-winning National Museum of American History Web site (16 million visits annually).
• E-mail communications: Write, edit, and produce monthly e-mail newsletter, targeted blasts, and fundraising appeals.
• Blogging: Managing editor and blogger for multi-author  “O Say Can You See?” blog.
• Online fundraising: Direct online donation capabilities (using GetActive/Convio); design, write, and produce fundraising appeals.
• Strategic planning: Monitor trends, evaluate performance and outreach goals, and advise senior management on strategic directions for online projects.

Social Networking

• YouTube: Oversee YouTube presence including directing a nation-wide national anthem singing contest.
• Twitter: Oversee and function as primary writer for organizational Twitter feed.
• Flickr: Direct and manage Flickr presence, including a photostream, moderated group pool, and Star-Spangled Banner “Share Your Story” photo project.
• Facebook: Spearhead content development for and audience engagement via Facebook page.
• Strategic planning: Advise senior management on emerging trends and technologies with potential to increase audience engagement and broaden online reach.

Redesigns (Project Director)

• National Museum of American History main Web site, americanhistory.si.edu.
  • Awards: Outstanding Web Site Award from Web Marketing Association (2005); American Association of Museums MUSE Award (2005); Award of Merit from the How Design Annual (2006).
• Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation main Web site (2003), www.kff.org.

Online Exhibitions and Collections Web sites (Project Manager)

• America on Stone: The Harry T. Peters Collection, americanhistory.si.edu/petersprints
• A Vision of Puerto Rico: The Teodoro Vidal Collection, americanhistory.si.edu/vidal
• ¡Azúcar! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz, americanhistory.si.edu/celiacruz
• Legendary Coins and Currency,
  americanhistory.si.edu/coins
• Separate is Not Equal: Brown vs. Board of Education, americanhistory.si.edu/brown
• Sports: Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers, americanhistory.si.edu/sports
• Three Mile Island: The Inside Story,
  americanhistory.si.edu/TMI
• Treasures of American History,
  americanhistory.si.edu/treasures
• Vote: The Machinery of Democracy,
  americanhistory.si.edu/vote

   

  • Awards: Broadcast Designers Association Design Award (Gold); South by Southwest Web Award (Educational Resource).
• Why the Difference?,
  www.kff.org/whythedifference
• Whatever Happened to Polio?,
  americanhistory.si.edu/polio

News Web sites (Project and Content Manager)

• Kaisernetwork, www.kaisernetwork.org
  • Awards: National Journal Top Health Policy Site (2001); Web Marketing Association’s Standard of Excellence WebAward (2002); World Wide Web Health Awards Silver Award (2002).

Educational Web sites (Advisor)

• KaiserEDU: An Online Resource for Faculty and Students, www.kaiseredu.org
• Smithsonian’s History Explorer, historyexplorer.americanhistory.si.edu