I am an experienced nonprofit professional with a focus in fundraising. November 2011, I began my new role of Director of Development of Leadership Austin. Leadership Austin ignites passion for community leadership, offering programs that explore critical community issues, develop the leadership skills to address those issues, and foster relationships that help facilitate positive, collaborative change in our community. Our educational programs offer skills-building, issue-focused leadership training for every stage in an individual’s leadership career.
Prior to working at Leadership Austin, I worked in the arts, most recently as the Director of Development of Arthouse at the Jones Center in Austin, Texas. At Arthouse, all revenue generating activities fell under my purview, both for contributed and earned income, as well as all in-kind solicitations. I was responsible for a budget in excess of $1 million. I have formulated development strategies and managed a development team. In the inaugural year of the newly renovated and expanded Jones Center, membership was on target to be double that of the previous year. For special events, I have secured and stewarded major gifts, including setting a new record for sponsorship at the recent 12th Annual Five x Seven fundraiser.
Previously, I was the Deputy Director of the Texas Cultural Trust from 2005 to 2009. The Texas Cultural Trust is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization engaged in private sector fundraising and public awareness activities in support of the Texas Commission on the Arts and art education initiatives. Some of their programs are the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Create Texas, Texas Women for the Arts, Founders for the Arts, Adventures in the ARTS children’s book, and the Young Masters scholarship program. I started a new program at the Trust, strataTX, a young professionals giving group to support creativity in arts, culture, and economy.
Prior to working in the nonprofit world, I worked in corporate financial analysis. For nearly five years from 1999 to 2003 I worked at The Associates in Irving, TX (now owned by Citigroup) and Dell Financial Services in Round Rock, TX. My responsibilities primarily were financial planning and analysis. In 2003, I returned to school to fulfill her career goal of working in arts administration. As part of the masters’ program, I interned at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the summer of 2004 supporting the Capital Campaign, which raised over $700 million for the museum’s expansion and renovation.
In addition to my professional activities, I co-founded a beauty blog, Beautypendence, in September 2011 that has more than 45,000 page views. Beautypendence covers make-up, skincare, fashion, fitness, and other fun topics. Also, I proudly sit on the Board of Directors for Forklift Danceworks, a nonprofit arts organization that creates dance with all kinds of people. Forklift celebrates the extraordinary in the ordinary by creating original performances inspired by the movement of everyday life. I am a member of the Austin Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. I also serve on DART, the Ducks Alumni Recruiting Team for my graduate school alma mater, the University of Oregon.
I am a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1998 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, major in Finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art, major in Art History. In 2005 I completed a Masters of Arts in Arts Management, with a Certificate in Not-for-Profit Management from the University of Oregon. From 2007 to 2010, I sat on the Emerging Leaders Council of Americans for the Arts, an elected position. I have served as a peer review panelist for the City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Program and was a member of the working group for Austin’s Community Cultural Planning Process. Also, I acted as President on the board of Yellow Tape Construction Co. and the advisory board of American Repertory Ensemble, both performing arts organizations in Austin. Formerly, I served on the board of directors of the Eugene Ballet Company.
