As a consultant, I approach my work as a collaborative conversation between me and the client. I am available to:

  • Facilitate small and large group consensus, board retreats, evaluation, or reflection sessions for individuals/organizations. 
  • Coaching for program/project visions for individual artists, communities, cities, schools, or organizations.
  • Coaching and consulting non-arts organizations on integrating story into your work. 
  • Coaching about how to embed  or implement engagement strategies into a project, community, city or organization.

ENERGY FOUNDATION

Network Development Consultant (2016-present) In partnership with Energy Foundation leadership, I served as an Interim Network Manager for the Network of Energy, Water, and Health in Affordable Buildings (NEWHAB). I was the co-planner for NEWHAB's Annual Convening in Boston (2016) and New Orleans (2017). 

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

Facilitation; Messaging; Story Coaching for Advocacy (2016-present). Through NRDC's Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) project, I developed an Artist Residency Pilot Program embedding artists inside an advocacy coalition to help them tell the stories of actual people whose lives are impacted by energy efficiency programs in multifamily affordable housing. Artist partners Mondo Bizarro and Storyline are matched with EEFA coalition members. Examples of stories developed through this program are linked here. I provide meeting facilitation and story coaching for coalition members. 

Theater Mitu

Engagement Consultant (2015 - present) - In July 2015, I began consulting with Theater Mitu about engagement strategies for the national tour of its work JUÁREZ: A Documentary Mythology. I facilitated company dialogue to consider how engagement (both in the communities the company works with, as well as its audience) relate to their process of creating new work, and how engagement relates to overall organizational identity. Theater Mitu is a permanent group of collaborators committed to expanding the definition of theater through methodical experimentation with its form. Driven by a theory it calls WHOLE THEATER, the company investigates global performance as a source for its training, work, and methodologies.

Lambent Foundation (2014)

Listening Tour Coordinator (2014) - In 2014 I collaborated with the Lambent Foundation on organizing a Listening Tour of New Orleans. This tour gave Lambent advisors an opportunity to hear from local artists and organizations about the current issues facing New Orleans. Lambent Foundation awards grants to artist-centered organizations to promote sustainable artistic and cultural practices in New York City, New Orleans and Nairobi. 

Alternate ROOTS

Board President/Member/Organizer (2005 - 13) - Beginning in 2005, I was heavily involved in multiple aspects of Alternate ROOTS. I served on the Executive Committee from 2006-2011 and was Board Chair from 2008-2011. From 2006-2008 I was the coordinator for the Annual Meeting and worked extensively in membership recruitment. Alternate ROOTS is an organization based in the Southern USA whose mission is to support the creation and presentation of original art, in all its forms, which is rooted in a particular community of place, tradition or spirit. 

PlaybuildeRs of Hawai'i Theater Company

Board Development Consulting (2013) - I worked with the board to strategize new relationships and organizational capacity development goals. Playbuilders creates opportunities for communication and cultural exchange between the many diverse peoples of Hawaii. Their original plays are written and performed in collaboration with community members; resulting in theatre created by, with and for the people of Hawai'i.

Goat in the Road Productions

Organizational Reflection (2012) - Goat in the Road Productions is a New Orleans based performance ensemble dedicated to the production of original and invigorating new works of theatre, dance, performance art, and educational programming. In 2012, the company was undergoing major structural changes, and I led them through a process focused on goal fulfillment, and clarifying relationships and responsibilities.

Gulf Coast Fellowship For Community Transformation

Program Associate (2010) - Co-created and led by Jewish Funds for Justice, the Twenty-First Century Foundation, and the Gulf Coast Fund for Ecological Health and Community Renewal, with lead funding from the Ford Foundation, the project provided two-year fellowships to individuals working to revitalize Gulf Coast communities post Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Fellows received a yearly stipend of $20,000 and personal/professional development consultations to help ensure the sustainability of their work. I worked with Colette Pichon Battle, Esq  and Moving Forward Gulf Coast as the program associate in the final 6 months to complete the sunsetting of the project. 

Consulting, collaboration, or coaching - what would you prefer?