Stories Pitched
It’s Time for Women to Lead (Guest Column) “Equity isn’t in a position to tell a theater whom they should hire to be their next artistic director or their next executive director. But what we can say is that these companies shouldn’t be afraid to diversify their leadership. Since 2015, the top two leadership positions at Equity (Equity President Kate Shindle and myself) have been women with differing perspectives and experiences. That diversity is our strength….” Variety, Feb. 2018
How Trump’s Tax Policy Hurts Hollywood Workers “‘Entertainment workers aren't going to see what hit them until they file their tax returns next year,’ warns actress and tax attorney Sandra Karas, secretary treasurer of the Actors' Equity Association, who estimates that 75 percent of her guild will be paying more taxes this year. She calculates, for instance, that an unmarried industry worker in California making, say, $38,500 will pay close to 10 percent more this year. ‘They're going to be hit by a two-by-four,’ she says….” The Hollywood Reporter, October 2018.
Arts Professionals Respond in the Year Since #MeToo Movement “Arts professionals are trying to respond to the crisis in multiple ways, from doubling down on ensuring actors and actresses are aware of anti-harassment policies to holding workshops and hiring onset advocates to ensure a safe workplace…” Associated Press, Oct. 2018
Americans blame Facebook for fake news, new poll finds “The public has a tough message for Facebook: The social-media giant needs to stop fake news — especially when it’s funded by Russia…” McClatchy News, Sept. 2017
Actors’ Equity president to Trump: Arts are a good deal for communities “On Thursday morning, Shindle employed a line of argument tailored to the current political climate and to the budget-slashing president in the White House: The arts, she said, are an economic engine, offering jobs not just for actors and directors, but for ushers, ticket-takers and the like — and arts in turn fuel other businesses, such as hotels and bars, helping revitalize communities from Pittsburgh to Durham, N.C…” Washington Post, March 2017
LGBT voters getting out the vote in the Tar Heel State “MSNBC's Steve Patterson talks to voters in North Carolina about how HB2 is mobilizing voters to the polls…” NBC News, October 2016
Chelsea Clinton touts pro-equality voter efforts on Charlotte campaign stop “Chelsea Clinton appeared at a town hall-style meeting in Charlotte on Saturday with LGBTQ civil rights advocates to highlight the importance of getting out the pro-equality vote in Tuesday’s election…” Charlotte Observer, Nov. 2016
Congressional Democrats propose federal ban on anti-LGBT bias “The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT lobbying group, orchestrated a sophisticated roll-out, including corporate endorsements from Apple, Dow Chemical and Levi Strauss. It also coordinated public backing from a host of civil rights and gay and transgender groups as well as from David Boies and Ted Olson, the attorneys who led the successful legal battle to overturn California’s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage…” San Fransisco Chronicle, July 2015
Gay Rights Activists Fire Early Shot At GOP Field “The Human Rights Campaign is firing an early shot at the emerging presidential field, releasing polling and research highlighting their opposition to same-sex marriage...” TIME, Feb. 2015
Bill Clinton Touts Heitkamp in North Dakota “…Clinton also noted that Heitkamp, while she was attorney general, took on his administration while he was president in a dispute over wetlands. ‘She sued me and beat me and won,’ Clinton said…” Associated Press, November 2012
‘North Dakota Nice’ Plays Well in Senate Race “Yet analysts and party strategists say Ms. Heitkamp can win. She lost her last statewide campaign, in 2000, by virtual forfeit when she left the campaign trail in the governor’s race to battle breast cancer. Sympathies linger….” New York Times, Sept. 2012
Writing Samples
Regional Theatre Report. Winter 2018.
Stimulus Bill Funds New Energy Grant Programs. April 2009.
Getting a Handle on Server Energy Building Operating Management. Nov. 2007.