Meg is a Knowledge Manager and Senior Project Leader with AMS Planning & Research Corp., working from the the firm’s Connecticut headquarters. Following over a dozen years as a stage manager for regional and Off-Broadway theaters, she joined AMS in 2016, bringing a commitment to research and sensitivity to the issues facing arts professionals.
What is most significant about the work that you do?
Arts organizations and artists connect us to our humanity. By finding ways to understand and engender the well-being of the sector, we can improve not just the quality of work but also the vitality and warmth of the places served by our clients.
Where is the greatest opportunity for the sector today?
The sector is facing seismic shifts in audience composition and expectations, as well as in the environment that supports creative work. Our opportunity is to be sensitive to clients’ realities as they address the evolving needs of stakeholders.
Who are your most recent clients?
I am happy to be engaged with organizations across North America, including the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, and Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York City. Past highlights include the inaugural strategic plan for Assets for Artists (a program of MASS MoCA), and a strategic planning process for the New England Foundation for the Arts.
What is having the biggest effect on your work with clients?
Two things: The movement for racial and social justice, and the introduction of artificial intelligence tools. Equity, diversity, inclusion, and access are critical at every level of an organization, from governance and executive leadership to part-time staff and volunteers. At the same time, AI tools are changing fast, and there’s opportunity for organizations to adopt AI in a way that enhances their mission fulfillment without compromising commitments to being human-centered and equitable.
After serving on AMS’s internal EDIA committee for six years, it felt right to make space on the committee for other voices. Now, as the team’s Knowledge Manager since 2021, I’ve been really excited to explore how AI tools can augment our work internally, in a way that reflects our values and those of our clients.
What do you do in your spare time?
Living in New Haven, I am fortunate to be near several beautiful parks. Enjoying the outdoors in all seasons is a top priority, and my husband and I love introducing our children to the delights of local hiking. I also volunteer as a board member for two organizations. This keeps me grounded in the community and has introduced me to best practices (and challenges!) facing board members who serve my clients.
