Music Industry, Marketing and Non-Profit Professional

International Bluegrass Music Association – Leadership Bluegrass (’20)

Drexel University (‘07-‘11, ‘11-‘12) in Philadelphia, PA

• MBA (Concentration in Marketing)
• BS in Music Industry – Summa Cum Laude (valedictorian)

Marketing Specialist at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Washington, D.C. from 2016 – present

Distribution:
Daily operations owner and communicator for physical and digital distribution. Coordinating across these channels and Folkways’ staff for current and upcoming releases involving aligning with schedules and asset delivery, creating marketing priorities, and maintaining an extensive catalog. Advising on retail and promotional programs for projects, with consideration to budgets and priorities.

Implementation:
Develop and implement marketing plans in coordination with artists’ teams, staff, and partners for album releases, tours & events, and brand campaigns. Focus on collecting, editing, dissemination, and updating of public and internal metadata and information with an eye on industry best practices. Ensure asset delivery to stakeholders, with attention on organization, product quality, timelines, and milestones. Part of the on-boarding team for catalog acquisitions, integrating them into our digital distribution and online marketplaces.

Content Creation and Promotion:
Create opportunities to engage with and grow audience, primarily through streaming strategies, involving pitching to digital service providers, and creatively using their playlist design tools to support a unique Folkways identity. Evaluate and pursue new streaming, sales, and audience interactions, which has included building out Smithsonian Folkways sections with services including Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music, Soundcloud, YouTube, and other niche DSPs, and also covers vinyl, merch, podcasts, and videos.

Projects:

• Lead effort to create, launch, and market a vinyl product line, the successful Smithsonian Folkways Vinyl Reissue Series, now at 20 releases.
• Launched and update, promote, and develop Smithsonian Folkways Records and Arhoolie Records Bandcamp marketplaces, seeking on-platform editorial coverage opportunities.
• Created streamlined metadata collection and dissemination plan for releases.
• Created a work plan and assisted in obtaining budget for the creation of an in-house production studio.
• Selected the content for Take Me Back to the Range: Selections from the Western Jubilee Recording Co. compilation as part of the label acquisition launch.
• Assisted in transitioning direct Apple Music account to primary digital distributor The Orchard, while also working with The Orchard on monetization of Soundcloud and YouTube.
• Revived in-house radio and media outreach effort, leading a small team to develop systematized communications, develop best practices, and track effectiveness.
• Technical lead for the RFP process to secure a new digital distribution contract.

Host, Founder, and Operator at Folkadelphia and Co-Mission

Philadelphia, PA and Washington, D.C. from 2008 – Present

Co-Mission:
An on-going artist relief compilation and release project launched during 2020 pandemic to fund artistic creation and channel support and attention to struggling artists. More info. here.

Radio:
Produced, programmed, and hosted a weekly terrestrial and online music radio show on national NPR-affiliated WXPN in Philadelphia until 2020. Previously broadcast on Drexel University’s WKDU.

Content:
Booked, coordinated, advanced, and assisted on-site for over 250 in-studio performances. Acted as in-house promoter for in-studio sessions, which garnered support from NPR Music, Stereogum, SPIN, and others. Sessions can be heard here. Other Folkadelphia-related projects have included an audio documentary on Jason Molina and Be Frank Records, a limited release record label.

Events:
Focused on introducing up-and-coming musicians to Philadelphia audiences in various DIY spaces and venues, previously hosted Angel Olsen, Olivia Chaney, Sam Amidon, Joan Shelley, The Gloaming, and others.

Coordinator of Volunteer and Student Activities at WXPN         

Philadelphia, PA from 2012 – 2013

• Coordinated recruitment, scheduling, and maintenance of large, active, and demographically diverse volunteer and student staff for a variety of station-related grassroots marketing and activities, including staffing the annual summer festival.
• Managed resources and protocols for work-study students and interns with their various hiring departments, as well as outreach for new applicants.
• Acted as point of contact between the radio station, concert venues, and the pool of volunteers for onsite marketing and “presents” events.
• Managed and maintained various volunteer and student databases.

• Microsoft Office 365 Suite
• Google Drive and Dropbox
• Sharepoint
• Wrike
• Trello
• Netsuite
• Contact+
• Filemaker Pro
• Audacity