Sales Executive, 6AM City, Lexington, KY | March 2022 – Present

6AM City was built to engage local communities by creating new ways to consume, participate, and share local content. Through our conversational tone, editorial filter, and participatory approach, we aim to build communities driven by conversation, designed for maximum engagement.

  • Lead prospecting initiatives – contact potential clients to offer digital advertising opportunities.

  • Set meetings, and maintain a full and active client pipeline.

  • Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing clients both in-person and online.

  • Remote markets – set back-to-back meetings for formal marketing pitches. Travel and pitch.

  • Work closely with client services, branded content studio, sales team and management to develop and review proposals.

  • Sales pipeline – Utilize and maintain sales activity in 6AM CRM/Sales platforms.

  • Client Communications – Collaborate with client services coordinators on correspondence and paperwork related to client contracts, to ensure effective client management. Keep them happy, informed, and aware of new product offerings.

  • Drive increased revenue ­– new inventory sales, multi-market partnerships, and renewals.

  • Secured $100K in new client revenue for the organization—within first 7 months of the role.

Director of Foundation Relations and Assistant Director of Regional Advancement, July 2020 – March 2022
Coordinator of Regional Advancement, Transylvania University Lexington, KY | November 2018– July 2020

Transylvania University, located in the heart of downtown Lexington, Kentucky, is ranked in the top 15 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges by The Princeton Review, which cites its community-driven, personalized approach to a liberal arts education through its 46 majors. Founded in 1780, it is the 16th oldest institution of higher learning in the country.

  • Directs foundation and corporate grant efforts, including proposal writing, communicating and coordinating efforts with grant officers from those organizations.

  • Coordinates and ensures deadlines are met for all foundation and grant reporting, maintaining tracking of timelines and opportunities.

  • Researches potentially profitable matches between Transylvania and foundation prospects for specific projects as they arise.

  • Assists Associate VP for Advancement on donor stewardship efforts, including endowed scholarship reporting and coordination of select events.

  • Carries an annual portfolio of leadership donors (150-200) as assessed by university research. Cultivates and stewards these individuals at a pre-determined annual goal rate, securing gifts/pledges at $25,000 and up to build consistent donor pipeline growth.

  • Produce persuasive major gift proposals that connect donors with meaningful giving opportunities.

  • Create and manage Parents giving council/society.

  • Increase Parent/Family philanthropic participation.

  • Manage reunion class as assigned from Director of Alumni Relations

  • Manage personalized gift acknowledgement for consistent and meaningful cultivation and stewardship.

Director of Philanthropy, The Nest – Center For Women, Children and Families,
Lexington, KY September 2017– May 2018

The Nest was created in 1977 to help families in crisis and is comprised of four major programs: Respite Child Care, Domestic Violence Counseling, Crisis Care, and Parent Education and Support. 

  • Oversee fundraising efforts for operating budget of $1.1million annually.

  • Manage all foundation, corporate, and individual donor relationships through full phase of the donor cycle (research, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship).

  • Cultivate major gifts, non-cash assets, legacy and planned giving.

  • Foster key relationships with community leaders, elected officials, churches, service organizations, and foundations to advance reputation and awareness in the community.

  • Responsible for managing development budget to strategically advance philanthropic initiatives.

  • Create a culture of philanthropy in the organization by coordinating development outreach and facilitating peer-to-peer fundraising with The Nest Board Members, Executive Director, and program staff.

  • Increased solicitations of new individuals, grant proposals, sponsorships, foundations and sponsorships.

  • Created a new stewardship strategy to properly thank and cultivate donors.

  • Developed new outreach events and incorporated new technology platforms to modernize fundraising approach.

Director of Special Events, Dallas Museum of Art, 
Dallas, TX September 2014–July 2017

Established in 1903, the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) is among the 10 largest art museums in the country and is distinguished by its commitment to research, innovation and public engagement.

  • Oversaw and cultivated all event fundraising campaigns and corporate sponsorships.

  • Secured over $6.5 million from individuals and national and international corporate underwriters to support museum events and programs.

  • Managed fundraising budget of over $1 million.

  • Led the planning and execution for all Museum-wide special events for donor cultivation, members programming, exhibition openings, VIP dinners and receptions, and the DMA’s four signature fundraisers.

  • Worked collaboratively with event fundraising chairs to foster institutional engagement and raise maximum revenue while providing all internal coordination.

  • Developed creative content to promote and support events and programs: PR, social media, print advertisement, microsites, web content, invitations, auction catalogues, and event programs.

  • Hired and supervised staff (3) responsible for all aspects of special events for the Museum.

  • Specialized in event protocol and liaison for VIP security and museum security.

  • Prepared pre- and post-event analysis; assessed opportunities and made recommendations to future events

  • Served as the primary DMA staff liaison for contracted food service provider (Sodexo).

  • Oversaw the strategic planning, administration, and implementation of special events for the DMA, adhering to the highest standards of protocol, social etiquette, Museum practices, and fiscal responsibility.

Assistant Director of Events and Food Service Operations
Meadows Museum - SMU, Dallas, TX
June 2008 – September 2014 (6 years +)

  • Design, and manage all Museum events. Production schedules, Entertainment management, Management of all vendors, Floral design and production, Management of rentals, Lighting design and production, Installation and strike timeline, Guest accommodation, Invitation design and list management

  • Hire and supervise events specialist staff (3)

  • Director of venue sales including contracts, billing and client appreciation follow-up correspondence.

  • Solicits and secures national and international corporate underwriting and in-kind sponsorships to support museum programs.

  • Some examples including, but not limited to; The City of Valencia tourism, American Airlines, BBVA Compass, Janet Kafka, Honorary Consul of Spain, Scardello, International Trade Consultant, ACC10 Inc. Government of Catalonia, National Trust Historic Preservation (DC), HEB Central Market, Café Madrid, Freixenet USA, Aramark, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc., George Bush Foundation, Hispanic Heritage Foundation (DC), Baylor, UT Southwestern, U. S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Southwest, and SMU colleges and organizations.

  • Manage and Staff external clients’ events (weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events/meetings)

  • Work with diverse student groups and university departments in major event and entertainment planning

  • Creates and distributes select promotional marketing collateral including articles for At the Meadows Magazine.

  • Develop public and members programming

  • Hire and contract guest lectures, Sommeliers, Celebrity chefs

  • Protocol expert (Presidents, Ambassadors, Senators, International delegations)

  • Liaison for VIP security and museum security (USSS, Texas Rangers, Dallas PD, SMU PD)

  • Lead staff point person for the opening of the new museum restaurant including lease negotiations, kitchen renovations, legal contracts and requests for funding proposal

  • Restaurant and commercial kitchen renovation project manager

  • Liaison between Meadows Museum and SMU Legal, Risk management, Auxiliary services

  • Direct reporting to Meadows Museum Advisory Council

Events and Development Director - Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY
Aug 2005 – April 2008 

Membership and Education Director - Headley-Whitney Museum, Lexington, KY
Jan 2003 – July 2005

Education

B.A. Fine Art Ceramics and Collage, Interpersonal Communication, 2001 Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY
Georgetown College, Georgetown, KY

Computer Skills

Microsoft Office Suite, Access, Blackbaud, RE, Wordpress, Squarespace, Social Media