My Professional Resume/CV

"The impossible is the only thing worth doing.” Gertrude Stein

WORK EXPERIENCE

LIM (LABORATORY INSTITUTE OF MERCHANDISING) COLLEGE

New York, NY 2008-present

Professor, Department of Visual Merchandising

VISUAL MERCHANDISING INTERNATIONAL aka FABULOUS FIT
Brooklyn, NY 2007-2008

Creative Director

Responsible for management and direction of creative projects, develop and handle new accounts, create collateral material, including the company’s “Look Book”, business cards, proposals and e-mail solicitations, photograph (document) work, liaison with vendors, conduct product research and comparison, design trade shows installations, develop and coordinate all press placements and public relations.

GOLDSMITH, LLC (Mannequins)
Long Island City/NY, NY 2002- 2007

Asst. Creative Director/Sales/Press/PR/Administrative/Associate

Responsible for ensuring all secondary and tertiary design programs, personal assistant to the Creative Director, fully charged to direct all aspects of his position in his absence, coordination and installation of the showrooms, trade shows, and in-store displays, management of over 250 customers, absorb and direct all Internet inquiries, provide superior customer service, develop and coordinate all press placements and public relations, direct quality control of multi-faceted products, administrative duties include, but not limited to, order entry, database management, invoicing, shipping et…

Work in concert with the Creative Director to develop all new products, ensure design standards, develop website and catalog creation, assist with design of showrooms, coordinate fashion, etc…

Developed and managed multiple accounts, approximately 3 to 4 million dollars of sales per annum, directed approximately 7 to 9 million dollars of house accounts, customers include Limited, Aeropostale, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Lerner’s, Burberry, Saks 5th Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Macy’s, Escada, Ungaro, Eileen Fisher, Filene’s/Kaufmann’s, Oilily, El Palacio Hierro, etc…

Garnered PR/Press placements in Vogue, Oprah, Interview, NY Times, NY Magazine, Latin People, Interior Design, Cosmopolitan, WWD, Fashion, Health, Flaunt, Rebel etc… Captured approximately 10 million dollars of free advertising over the course of several years (complete press report available).

Increased Internet visibility substantially from a mere 30 hits in 2002 to over 15,000 hits in 2005

Coordinated prestige projects, with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, (Chanel Exhibit) The Waldorf Astoria, (restored land-marked windows) Tufts University, (Pattern Language: Clothing as Communicator) The Phantom of the Opera, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, Doris Duke Museum, Clinton Library, F.I.T., etc…

PERIDANCE CENTER
New York, NY 2002

Summer School Administrator

Coordinated and administered the summer school program, produced multiple dance performances, set up visiting artist program, scheduled all studio spaces, created and placed all advertising

BATTERY DANCE COMPANY
New York, NY 1999-2002

Managing Director

responsible for all administration of this multifaceted organization, including management all its performances, the Arts-In-Education program, a Subsidized Studio Rental program, an International Cultural Exchange and Touring program, recently produced the 24th & 25th Anniversary Season, including all performances in NY, Houston, Boston, Finland, Poland & India, produced the 19th & 20th Annual Downtown Dance Festival, NY’s longest running outdoor dance festival

assisting dancers, choreographers and dance companies in securing space for rehearsal, providing on-site assessment and referrals to community based organizations for performers in need

assist in facilitation of a thriving Arts-In-Education program that includes multiple public schools in several boroughs

publicity and press creation, including playbills, flyer's, press releases, placements of articles, listings and advertisements, commemorative journal and annual report (copies of work samples available)

management of grants and fund-raising efforts, ensuring an operating income of more that $430,000.00 through corporations, foundations, governmental and individual contributions, targeting and writing multiple proposals and grants

coordinate and organize major special events like the Downtown Dance Festival, NY’s largest running outdoor dance festival

work with international artists, liaison with embassies, diplomatic corps and governmental agencies, city agencies and organizations, process VISA applications for international interns

responsible for benefits administration, payroll, yearly audits and tax preparation, creating and maintaining the operating budget, financial reports, creating monthly invoices for over 450 customers, managing all accounts and reconciling the checking account

A DIFFERENT LIGHT (Bookstore)
New York, NY 1998-1999

Store Manager, Payroll & Benefits Administrator, Buyer, Special Events Coordination

Complete responsibility for all store (gift shop & café) functions, as well as re-creating and maintaining the cultural integrity and literary standards for the worlds largest Gay & Lesbian independent bookstore

increased sales well above projections (against the prevailing encroachment of the Internet and mass-marketers upon the publishing landscape) by exercising inventive purchasing practices, significantly reducing expenditures, streamlining scheduling and establishing tighter controls on budgets

supervised and re-trained an inexperienced sales staff of 30+ employees by developing superior customer service techniques (and ethics) and by focusing their abilities on “hand-selling” by creating an employee incentive program

revitalized stagnant accounts and re-negotiated terms with publishers and distributors to net more productive results for the store(s)

further generated sales by developing a specialty business in collecting and assessing rare books, photography, art & illustration, vintage magazines and collectibles for consignment sales

contributing to the development and visibility of the business’ web page vis-à-vis an auction site

increased efficacy of communication between store(s) employees by utilizing a transition log, tele-conferencing and good old fashioned listening skills

work and opinions used in Publishers Weekly, Esquire (Japan) The Advocate and others

selected to be a LAMBDA Literary judge (for non-fiction & compilations) 1998-1999 hosted and introduced over 100 major authors including, Edmund White, Terrance McNally, Brad Gooch, Chastity Bono, Greg Louganis, Andrew Tobias, Lynn Franks, David Sedaris, Andrew Holleran, Betty DeGeneres, Tom O’Neil, Donald Windham and Dorothy Allison

BED, BATH & BEYOND (Flagship Location)
New York, NY 1997-1998

Visual Merchandising Manager

responsible for creatively displaying all 12 exterior (land marked) windows and merchandising all interior displays for a 145,000 sq. ft. store, charged to be familiar with, and to interpret the unique needs of over 150,000 different products, by merchandising in an uniform and attractive fashion

enhance sales of specific products and vendors, to maximize their potential amidst the thousands of other products vying for customer attention

disseminate the importance of visual standards and goals to 40+ department managers to ensure the integral partnership between effective merchandising and sales

set and increased specific sales goals for identified areas, which helped to contribute to the success of the business’ first $1,000,000,000 dollars in sales

conceptualized and executed holiday windows (murals) which were archived by The Guggenheim Museum for their excellence and beauty

brought in to assist the chain with photo styling for the national publication of their holiday advertisements

THE ACTORS‚ FUND OF AMERICA c/o The Aurora
New York, NY 1996-1997

Senior Case Manager

responsible for a caseload of 180+ tenants and managed a caseload of 45+ clients, PWA’s, senior citizens, disabled adults and low-income individuals in the entertainment industries, given special recognition at/for The Love of (Ulysses) Dove Benefit, at Lincoln Center, with Gregory Hines, Debby Allen, Celeste Holm, Kitty Carlisle Hart and Lillias White, helped establish The Aurora, NY’s premier residence for individuals the entertainment industry, in that capacity worked with dancers, Ulysses Dove, Miguel Godreau and Carld Jonaissant, worked with Judith Jamison on the “Tribute to Miguel Godreau” at Alvin Ailey

helped develop what is now a national model of supportive/shared permanent housing

established a comprehensive litany of services for multi-issued clients, including, providing ombudsmanship, creating clinical and psycho-social assessments, providing referrals and ensuring follow up, after establishing client identified goals

encouraged and assisted clients in reconstructing their lives by employing reflective listening and exploring non-traditional venues for growth

instituted policies, protocols and procedures for fledgling program, by being able to articulate and interpret the mission statement

collected statistical data, census & demographic information to ensure continuance of funding, translating the most visceral information into analytic quantities

received largest HUD grant ever given to an agency, over $1,500.000.00 million dollars

received recognition for several high profile fund-raising events, including the For The Love Of Dove benefit at Lincoln Center and the Miguel Godreau Memorial at Alvin Ailey

UNIQUE PEOPLE SERVICES, c/o The Crown Residence
New York, NY 1994-1996

Senior Case Manager

responsible for a caseload of 80+ residents, provided intensive case management to 25+ clients, all homeless PWA’s with active substance abuse, emotional/mental illness’ and ex-offenders

helped establish supportive transitional housing program in the Times Square Area

set up and shaped the overall program from the ground floor up, from the rehabilitation of the building to the rehabilitation of the residents

repeatedly worked with and advocated for a volatile client population

readied clients for permanent housing by instilling trust, establishing entitlements & benefits and by developing support systems where there were none

cared for the most seriously-ill residents, counseled the most difficult residents

placed several hundred homeless individuals into permanent housing

liaison for all community outreach, all CBO’s, all city agencies, all medical and substance abuse facilities to ensure compliance and assess success of all residents

dispensed medications, ran health education, HIV/AIDS education and sex education classes, facilitated substance abuse groups, (employing harm reduction to abstinence models) standardized ADL skills, ESL & literacy classes, monitored recreation and social activities

examined and evaluated program for efficacy and compliance

DAPPY'S
New York, NY 1993-1994

Store Manager

in addition to handling all traditional store operations, I was engaged to stabilize what was a volatile store climate, reduce loss and more effectively set up the stores interior, focusing on boutique styling, while managing a staff of 12+ novice employees

improved and increased moral among staff to create a more productive store culture by setting and instilling standards

overhauled and corrected antiquated business practices replacing them with current industry standards

revitalized sagging sales performance by inflecting merchandise rotation and introducing product demonstration

responsible for inventory maintenance for the East Coast stores

responsible for opening several satellite locations (Boston & Baltimore)

STERN'S DEPARTMENT STORE
Jersey City, NJ 1987-1992

Visual Merchandising & Display Manager

responsible for all display and merchandising of 125,000 sq. ft. retail space, help identify and define all areas of a full (hard & soft lines) department store, supervise a staff of 3+ and direct 30+ department managers, design and execute all holiday and seasonal trim, finesse all mannequin presentations, document (photograph) work for decimation to the other stores in the chain to replicate efforts

charged with the responsibility to update a staid corporate identity, bringing it to the next level, by creating fashion forward presentations and assisting in forecasting trends for the buyers

established a reputation for creativity and ingenuity, so much so, that major manufacturers of display props "borrowed" from us

established and maintained a reputation so flawless that premier vendors (i.e.: Calvin Klein, Lancôme and Liz Claiborne initiated their products at our store

through the use of design and style brought freshness and appeal to conventional merchandise

increased the stores visibility nationally and internationally through creating a superior visual reputation, as so recognized by multiple publications (list attached)

NOHO'S "UNIQUE" CLOTHING WAREHOUSE
New York, NY 1985-1987

Display Supervisor

responsible for all in-house interior design and display efforts, introducing sophisticated merchandising into a warehouse setting, specializing in the junior market, noted for it reputation in presenting cutting edge fashion

worked with young designers and artists in the avant garde fashion industry to strengthen their success in the youth oriented marketplace

helped design and implement major art installations to create an ever changing carnival-like environment, noted for its elements of surprise, irreverence, whimsy and serendipity

designed advertising, brochures & leaflets, as well as created all in store signage

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

GMHC the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, New York, NY 1983-present
Crisis Intervention Worker, longtime pediatric team assignment and adult team assignment
UNICEF, New York, NY 1997
Speakers Bureau, Speech writing
NY State Department of Health AIDS Institute, New York, NY 1995-1996
Community Board Adviser, appointed
Momentum AIDS Project, New York NY 1992-1993
Special Projects and Meal Preparation
The Names Project, (Keepers of the AIDS Memorial Quilt) New York, NY 1992-1994
Communications Liaison, appeared on CUNY-TV, acknowledgment in Always Remember, A Selection of Panels Designed For and By International Fashion Designers, published by Simon & Schuster, 1996
The American Museum Of Natural History, New York, NY 1988
Renderings and Mural Reproduction, Forensic Painting, Anthropology Department
The Baird Community Theatre, South Orange, NJ 1983-1987
Artistic and Performance Director, over one dozen productions

EDUCATION

Empire State College, S.U.N.Y., New York, NY 1993-1994 and 2008
B.S. Community and Human Services

The New School Of Social Research, New York, NY 1979-1982
Media and Communication Arts

Parsons School Of Design, New York, NY 1979-1982
Fine Arts, Design and Illustration

Kean College, Union, NJ 1977-1979
Early Childhood Education and Fine Arts

Edinboro State College, Edinboro, PA 1976-1977
Early Childhood Education and Fine Arts

CERTIFICATIONS

NJ State certified to teach pre-K through 12
CIP Crisis Intervention Prevention
CSAC Chemical and Substance Abuse Counseling, Chicatelli Associates
CPR Cardio-Vascular Pulmonary Resuscitation
ASL American Sign Language, beginning to intermediate level interpretation

PUBLISHED MATERIAL

PD (Papier Doll) Magazine, feature article "The Way We Wore" Yves Sain Laurant tribute

Sensations Magazine Poetry in multiple issues, national publication

Bound By Diversity Anthology edited by James T. Sears

Amethyst Review Family issue, poetry submission, national publication
White Crane Review Poetry submission, national publication
RFD (Radical Fairy Digest) Poetry submission, national publication
Unforgettable/Insatiable Anthology Poetry submission, book publication
Bay Windows Newspaper, Poetry submission, regional publication
The New Voice Poetry in several issues, regional publication
Vice Magazine Poetry in several issues, regional publication
Smoke Signals Poetry in several issues, regional publication

Plain Brown Wrapper Disc format, multiple poetry submissions

DISPLAY AND DESIGN RECOGNITION

Trimco, Inc. Developed props for resale
Display and Design Ideas Magazine Work featured for excellence
The NADI Award(National Association of Display Industries) Best Full-Line Department Store (Stern’s)
Images Magazines Work recognized as superior
Connoisseur Magazine Best Store in US/Stern's Jersey City holiday presentation
Visual Merchandising and Store Design Magazine Work cited for contribution

(Portfolio and work samples available upon request)

WORK ON WEB

www.retaildesigndiva.com contributing blog-site writer for DDI (Display & Design Ideas) Magazine, approximately 75 postings to date

OFFICE AND COMPUTER SKILLS

Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, Office, Windows, PowerPoint, Access, Excel, Quark, Photoshop, Illustrator, Abobe, My Publisher, Typepad, Viseo, Visual Retailing, Book Publisher, Outlook, Books-In-Store, Pop-up, and many others can type up to 60 words per minute

(Some certificates available)

“If you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm. As you get older, you must remember that you have a second hand. The first one is to help yourself; the second one is to help others.” Audrey Hepburn, Actress & UNICEF Volunteer

THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE

Godspell, Ritz Theater, inaugural performance for the restoration of one of NJ’s largest performance houses, provided Sign Language Interpretation

Artistic & Performance Director for The Baird Community Theatre, South Orange, NJ, for 10 years, produced and performed in over 30 musical, dramatic and comedy productions, featuring Roseanne Arquette, Sal Piro and Trish Vradenburg

Selected for The Win Atkins Memorial Reading Series, wrote and produced song cycle “No Hero In The Rain” about love & loss in the age of AIDS

Candide and Cotton Patch Gospel at Seton Hall University’s Summer Theater in the Round, principal parts

Hot l Baltimore and The Good Doctor at Kean College, lead roles

FILM CREDITS

“Daniel”, directed by Sidney Lumet, supporting player
“The Celluloid Closet”, a posthumous tribute by Lilly Tomlin for Vito Russo, producer
“Who Is Emory Anderson?”, appeared in and wrote screenplay for independent production, directed by Brian Witten

TV CREDITS

“TV Land Game Show”, contestant, pilot episode, aired on WebCast
"NY1" profiles The 19th Annual Downtown Dance Festival, multiple live remote segments,
Hosts Jim Ryan, Lynn Brown, correspondent, Laura Meeker
“Big Apple Drum & Bugle Corp.” documentary, interviewee
Produced segment for WABC-TV, Eyewitness News’ Eyewitness to the Century, profiling Dolly Dawn, undisputed Queen of Swing, host Bill Butel
CUNY TV, represented The Names Project (NY) interviewee
Metro Channel, Arts & Business Council, public forum’s on Arts’ Management issues

READINGS

Performed with Margaret Hamilton, censored book reading program, toured NY City Public School system

Centennial Hall, Newark NJ, Sensations Magazine. featured poet, multiple readings including final selection for the Millennium Project, frequent reader on the NY/NJ poetry circuit, including appearances at The Knitting Factory, St. Mark’s and Creative Visions

A Different Light Bookstore, hosted and introduced over 100 major authors including, Edmund White, Brad Gooch, Chastity Bono, Terrance McNally, Greg Louganis, Andrew Tobias, Lynn Franks, David Sedaris, Andrew Holleran, Betty DeGeneres, Tom O’Neil, Donald Windham and Dorothy Allison

PRINT

Modeltique, placed in print ads, fashion advertisements and commercial work, photographed by Annie Lebovitz, Dianora Nicollini and others

Selected for the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art’s living painting series, posed in Modigliani, Picasso and other modern master’s portraits

IMPECCABLE THEATRICAL TRAINING

HB Studio, Naomi Riordan, (technique) William Hickey, (scene study) and (advanced scene study) William Packard (play-writing) studied at HB Studio for six years
New School For Social Research, (scene study) with Evelyn Barnes Pierce casting director of J. Walter Thompson, studied for three years privately
Stella Adler Institute, Stella Adler (scene study) and (advanced scene study), studied for two years
Jerome Heines of the Metropolitan Opera (voice)
Key: E-flat natural, broad range, several octaves
Steven Citron at Carnegie Hall (song writing)