The Why of All of This

I am an experienced actor, an enthusiastic writer and a teacher by nature. I have spent the first ten years of my career working in the Seattle arts community - appearing in major roles on stages across the city, creating and producing my own original solo work and founding and managing a successful ensemble theater company. For most of that time, I have been a professor of acting at Cornish College of the Arts where I have taught a core course in collaboration, skill integration and self-expression to first year theater majors. I train them rigorously in acting and creative technique. I challenge them to listen to and develop their own voices as artists, innovators and citizens. Each year, Cornish College graduates found new theater companies in Seattle and across the country. Part of my personal mission as a working artist is to encourage other young artists to create their own platforms to present and develop their work.

My parents were big-hearted and unflappable in their support of my ambitions. They also both struggled with gambling (both in the stock market and at the casinos) and failed to teach me realistic or useful tools with which to use money. My ignorance made me reckless in assuming undergraduate student debt and I took a long time to understand the function of debt and investment. I have been teaching myself money management skills since I became an adult and have gained a working knowledge of personal finance in my own career, as well as tools for fundraising, budgeting and grantwriting as a theater producer.

I believe that the average young person in this country does not receive an adequate education in personal finance, credit and debt management, savings or investment. I believe this is especially true of individuals who choose to pursue a career in the arts. I believe that the cliche of the "struggling artist" is a self-defeating concept that prevents artists from valuing themselves or their work.

As an artist, I want to learn more about finance, investment, management and organization in order to sustain myself and continue to grow in my career. As an educator, I want to teach other artists in every discipline how to manage personal finance, control debt, market themselves and effectively use investment to sustain and grow their own careers. As an entrepreneur, I intend to establish a business that provides goods and experiences that build community and empower individuals to live joyful, healthy lives. As a citizen, I will play a role in creating policy that values artists and makes their lives sustainable in America. I plan to lead by example.