Majoring in art honed my skills in communication. As an art student, I developed an ability to tell a story, make an argument, or raise a point in creative and compelling ways. My professors, studio practice, and assignments constantly encouraged me to evaluate my opinions and interests and how best to present those to an audience compellingly. After graduating from the University of Puget Sound, I traveled the world as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, investigating the intersections between trauma and creative practice experiences. I know my education in art enhanced my ability to communicate and connect across disparate cultures effectively and people, often without sharing a language.

Other skills I learned as an art student, like utilizing multi-faceted approaches to problems, multi-tasking, time management, and a willingness to fail (and to lean into those failures for means of learning/discovery), have translated to strengths in my professional life after college working in arts administration.

Haley worked as a Development Assistant at UrbanGlass in Brooklyn, NY before joining the Mark Morris Dance Group as Institutional Giving Manager in Brooklyn.

In five to ten years, I hope to attend graduate school to pursue my interests in socially engaged art practices, ideally earning a Ph.D. I would love to teach or work in a role directly with communities and creative thinkers. I plan always to be asking questions, learning, and creating.