Outside of my art practice, I have served on local and national board of directors for arts organizations (spearheading one which became international in its scope), and worked on landmark civil rights legislation.
The Puppet Slam Network 2005-2016
I co-founded The Puppet Slam Network with Heather Henson with the support of her production company, Ibex Puppetry. As coordinator for just over a decade, my work focused on cataloguing, connecting, supporting, and generating awareness for evenings of short-form puppetry for adults. The Puppet Slam Network fostered connections in the growing field of independently produced puppet cabarets, so that puppet artists could know where they could perform, venues could find puppet artists, and audiences could enjoy an intimate, tactile, and compelling form of entertainment.
UNIMA-USA 2012-2015
While on the board of directors for UNIMA-USA, I served as secretary and the inaugural social media chair. Based in Atlanta at the Center for Puppetry Arts, UNIMA-USA is the North American Center of Union Internationale de la Marionnette, the oldest international theatre organization in the world. UNIMA-USA’s mission is to promote international understanding and friendship through the art of puppetry.
Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry 2011-2012
I volunteered on the board of directors for the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry, where I served as the group’s secretary. Created in 1956, the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry is an association of puppetry professionals, amateurs, enthusiasts and educators dedicated to sharing, promoting and advancing the art of puppetry throughout the Greater Los Angeles area.
N.A.M.E. Gallery – Time Arts Committee 1996
I served as a member of the Time Arts Committee at N.A.M.E. gallery, an artists run space in Chicago. The Time Arts Committee was responsible for programing performance art, sound art, and installations with performative elements. While on the Time Arts Committee, I curated Speak Easy, a text and language performance series that included four evenings of performances and a workshop that took place in a comic book and zine reading room.
Coalition for Lesbian
& Gay Civil Rights 1993-1994
While volunteering with the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, I advocated for anti-discrimination legislation protecting LGBTQ students in Massachusetts public schools. As the Youth Outreach Coordinator, I was a public speaker, interfaced with the media, and organized letter writing campaigns, rallies and lobbying days at the state house.