Well, I was remiss. I got Amy's info, but not her last name. If your sign is a good match for this delightful Pisces, please feel free to step forward and lend a hand. I'm sure she'll even tell you her last name, LOL. Maybe she'll even tell me. But, then, she's under no obligation. Who would want to tell somebody called Indigo? TYPE OF MENTOR SOUGHT Someone who can guide me in my decision-making processes whether to stay within the museum profession or to branch out into the for-profit foundation world. AND/OR Someone in cultural US hubs located in the East, Southeast, South, or South Central who can give me guidance as to how to make such a move AND/OR Someone with a background in museums marketing CONTACT AMY BY EMAIL AT: [log in to unmask] MEET AMY - The Pisces Hi, my name is Amy. I’m a Pisces and like long walks....opps, wrong profile. I graduated in 2000 from Indiana University (IU) with an MPA, Masters of Public Administration. I also have a BA (1994) from IU in art history. I sought out an MPA because of the versatility of the degree and because my strengths are in administration/decision-making/problem solving as opposed to the academic acumen required to excel as a curator. I should also mention--with extreme prejudice--IU's Graduate School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) was among the top 3 in the nation in 1999. Presently, I am employed in South Bend, Indiana, North Central, Indiana – a few miles south of the Indinana/Michigan Border. The illustrious University of Notre Dame is just 2 miles north of my present location at the South Bend Regional Museum of Art. I have been employed as the museum’s marketing manager for almost two years now. Prior to my arrival, there was no marketing dept. I am a one-person department responsible for all aspects of marketing, public relations, and event coordination. My relationship with the museum extends to 1996, when I was employed as a gallery monitor for about a year and have consistently worked as a volunteer until I was hired on in a management capacity just after graduation. The staff here is small, about 12 full-timers, and the museum’s focus is on regional art and service to the local community. My experience over the past two years has been fabulous, and I have many success stories to tell. My employer tells me my greatest strengths are (1) my professional acumen/poise is well beyond what one would expect based on my years of experience, (2) I have the ability to accomplish projects with extreme quality, and (3) my rav.en.ous nature to learn new things. I am quite comfortable working with senior executives, board members and community leaders. However, I do feel like I am presently at a career crossroads. As I have tried to imply, I adore my job. The problems? I would love to move to a more culturally vibrant community. I would prefer to be back East, in the Southeast, South, or South Central. I would consider Chicago since it is but a hop-skip-leap away from South Bend, Indiana, and I have some great friends there. I am also having a difficult time coming to terms with museum salaries. I am considering switching fields in order to establish some long-term financial stability. Switching fields would mean an overhaul in my career goals. Since 1994 I have aspired to continue to advance in the museum profession, with an eye on an assistant/deputy directorship, culminating in a executive director position. Now, I am not so sure. If I do transition, I would like it to be somehow related to the arts, grantmaking or nonprofit administration – ideally from the for-profit side. Perhaps working for a company that provides services to non-profits, like consulting. Also, I am interested in investigating corporate foundation work. ===== Indigo Nights [log in to unmask] Looking for a job? Try: http://victorian.fortunecity.com/stanmer/414 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).