Present:
Co-President, AboutFest LLC
Co-President & Co-Founder, AboutFest LLC
AboutFest produces FestForums℠ NYC & Santa Barbara. These interactive festival conferences and networking events are for music, film, food + beverage festival organizers. FestForums Festival Convergence takes place in the Spring at Time, Inc. in NYC and in November at the Fess Parker Resort in Santa Barbara, California. These events bring together festival and entertainment leaders for collaborative networking, professional development and to discuss industry innovations and technology. Speakers and attendees include top industry influencers from festivals such as Glastonbury, SXSW, Lollapoolza, Bonnaroo, Vans Warped Tour, Coachella, EDC, Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival, New York City Food & Wine, Toronto International Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, and hundreds more.

Events include a dynamic exhibition hall showcasing the latest and greatest, SponsorFest where attending festivals can win a Delta Air Lines sponsorship worth $10,000, dozens of panels addressing current industry issues, and Best of The Fests, an awards program celebrating festival industry innovation, charity and sustainability. Live music, yoga, wine tasting and other exciting events are planned for each event.

FestForums is designed to provide guidance, networking, training & sharing of solutions for industry professionals that result in safer, higher yield and better organized festivals.


PREVIOUS:
CEO & President/Founder - Leading New England Advertising Agency
America House Communications, Rhode Island
Founded America House Communications, an integrated advertising & marketing agency which generated average annual sales of $5 million in capitalized billings. Corporate branding work produced on behalf of such clients as UConn, IMAX, United Healthcare, Delta Dental, Mass Mutual, Krispy Kreme, Bess Eaton, Salve Regina University, Providence College, Newport Creamery and Rhode Island Tourism. Creative work earned numerous national and regional industry awards and recognition, and strong financial results. Creative panache and vision spawned the highly successful collaboration between the State of Rhode Island and Hasbro Corporation that resulted in the much-heralded Mr. Potato Head campaign in 2000 and 2001. That self- liquidating marketing bonanza brought the State of Rhode Island unprecedented amounts of national and international media exposure. Other highlights include:


• Guest lectured at three Universities and at national events, trade shows and conferences
• Developed & implemented marketing plans

• Developed and implemented brand strategies

• Focus group organizer & facilitator

• Provided PR crisis management to top executives & was official media spokesperson
• Produced numerous PR 3-D direct mail campaigns with outstanding results

• Organized unique special events and industry trade shows for clients

• Managed staff of 40 in three locations
Development /Event Management Experience
Development/Fundraising & Marketing Consultant for numerous non-profit client agencies

Wrote case statements, development plans and marketing programs for fundraising capital and annual campaigns
Have personally made solicitations & presentations (donations ranging from 5k to 5mm) to raise millions of dollars
Taught monthly marketing seminars for Non-Profits 2007-2009
Capital Campaign Co-Chair, Aquidneck Land Trust, 2004-2008 (exceeded $20 million goal)

Capital Campaign Committee Member, The Pennfield School, 2000 -2002 (exceeded $1.6 million goal)

Capital Campaign Committee Member, Child & Family, 2007-2009 ($4.5 million)

Annual Fund Chair, Aquidneck Land Trust, 2003 ($164k)

Annual Fund Chair, The Pennfield School, 2000 - 2003 ($100k)

Annual Fund Chair, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2005

Event Chairman, Taste of Newport, 2003 - 2008 ($130k to $170k raised each yr.)

Event Chairman, Newport Int’l Film Festival Fall Fundraiser, 2005-2008 ($65k & $85k)

Event Chairman, Spring Fundraiser, Dr. Martin Luther King Cmty Ctr, 2007 ($64k)

Event Committee member of numerous events including: IMC Nuit Blanche, Newport 2013, Redwood Library Annual Gala 2007 & 08, Newport Art Museum Annual Gala 2007 & 08, ALT Fiesta Verde 2003-2008, etc.
Work Experience:
Co-President - AboutFest, LLC
Innkeeper/General Manager - Escobar's Farmhouse Inn, Portsmouth, RI

President & Creative Director – America House Communications, Ltd., Newport, RI Director Business Development – Aquidneck Management Associates, Middletown, RI Marketing & Merchandising – Hecht’s Department Stores, Washington, DC
Non- Profit Governing Board Experience:
Board Chair & Trustee, Aquidneck Land Trust, 2003-2009

Co-President & Trustee, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2005-2008

Trustee, The Pennfield School, 2000-2004

Trustee, Child & Family, 2002-2009

Board Chair & Trustee, Newport Area Career & Tech School, 1993-1998
Trustee, Newport International Film Festival, 2005-2007
Board Member, Newport County Arts and Cultural Alliance, 2000-2009

Board Member & Volunteer, RI Land Trusts Council, 2011
Education:
1983 B.A History,
 Brown University, Providence, RI
1979 High School Graduate,
 Providence Country Day, East Providence, RI
1977 Ordinary Level Exams
, The King’s School, Canterbury, Kent, England
Award Highlights:
The State Pell Award for “Friend of Education for Rhode Island,” 1998
-Honored for “Revolutionizing the Relationships Between Business and Education”
14 Adrian Advertising Awards
9 Creative Awards
4 Bell Ringer PR Awards

The Brown University Book Award 1979