Tell us about yourself and what first sparked your interest in the arts. 

 I grew up in Denver, Colorado, in a family of artists, so my interest in the arts was from birth, essentially. I earned my bachelor’s degree in theater from the University of Denver and after graduation moved to the east coast to start working professionally. While I landed a few performing gigs here and there, I was paying my bills by working behind the scenes in costume shops, prop shops, and stage managing, and I naturally gravitated towards the management side of the business. I learned early on that I have a brain for numbers as well as arts. I started in the for-profit commercial theater world, then moved into non-profit performing arts, and now I work in the municipal side of arts management.  

What was it about the Eisemann Center that made you want to work there?  

It’s the people! I have worked with a lot of great people throughout my career, and I have to say that the Eisemann Center team is one of the best there is – truly dedicated professionals who care about the arts, and our community, and have a deep love for what we do here and what the Eisemann Center represents to the City of Richardson. It’s really inspiring and I’m so grateful that I get to be part of this team.  

The Eisemann Center for Performing Arts

Richardson is a vibrant community— how do you make sure the events at the Eisemann Center appeal to a wide range of people? 

 Great question! As a newcomer to Richardson, and Texas, I have been spending a lot of time exploring the community, attending events throughout North Texas, and participating in programs such as Leadership Richardson to meet as many folks as possible, and learn about our area. At the same time, I’ve done a deep dive into the history of the Eisemann Center and the programs that have been presented here, as well as a comprehensive analysis of our patron base to learn who is coming to the Eisemann Center, and what they are coming to see. This gave me a great start to engage with parts of our community that I didn’t see as prevalent in our history, to ensure that the Eisemann Center is accessible to everyone.  

How do you think the arts scene in Richardson can continue to grow, and how do you see the Eisemann Center playing a role in that growth?  

The arts are so vibrant in Richardson, which is a big part of what makes Richardson so special. I would love to see even more amazing work created within and for Richardson and to have Richardson establish a Cultural Arts District to foster the continued growth of performance spaces, and funding for the arts, to allow all our artists opportunities to showcase their talents.  

What’s something that would surprise our readers about the Eisemann Center? 

 They might not know about the sheer number of events and meetings and conferences. We host graduations, corporate meetings, receptions for weddings and anniversary celebrations, city department meetings and events, workshops, and civic ceremonies such as Richardson Real Heroes and the State of the City. We also host hundreds of performances by local, national and international artists. People may also be unaware of the Eisemann Center’s visual arts gallery! It is located on the second floor in our Forrest Green Mezzanine lobby and the artwork usually changes out monthly. Sometimes we can leave an exhibition up for two months if the schedule allows. We host a First Friday event every month from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the new exhibit and give the community an opportunity to meet the artist (or artists) whose work is shown. We feature a variety of mediums, including photography, collage, mixed media, oil and watercolor painting, fiber arts, sculpture and woodworking – the sky is the limit! 

Forrest and Virginia Green Mezzanine Gallery

What do you enjoy doing to unwind and relax? 

 I love to travel, practice yoga, and spend time playing with my dogs and hanging out with my husband. And – I love going out to see plays, concerts, comedy acts and visiting festivals. My great-uncle would call that a “busman’s holiday” and I am OK with that, as I am so fortunate to do what I love for work and play. 

What’s one fun fact or quirky habit that most people don’t know about you? 

I organize my closet by color, and I don’t use dresser drawers – everything is hung in the closet or placed on closet shelves. This started when I lived in New York and my apartment was not big enough for both my bed and a dresser – so the dresser lost out, and I’ve been 100% closet ever since. 

If you could see any artist or performance at the Eisemann Center, past or present, who would it be and why? 

Daniel Hope and Max Richter’s “Vivaldi Recomposed with Chamber Orchestra.” I saw them perform this piece in 2015 at the Edinburgh International Festival with André De Ridder conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and it is no exaggeration to say it changed my life. I was awestruck and still am when I think about it. The other artist I would love to see perform at the Eisemann Center is Bobby McFerrin – his musicality and ability to bring beautiful music out of the people around him is unmatched. For more information about the Eisemann Center, visit eisemanncenter.com.