Valerie Lawson

PO Box 14 Robbinston, ME 04671 207-454-8026 valerie.lawson@maine.edu

Qualifications Community Programming and Arts Administration experience. Marketing and publicity experience and training, including an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Web Graphic Design. Ability to work with diverse cultures and communities.

Key Skills Communication Specialist

Community Arts Programming

Marketing, Publicity & Social Media

Poetry/Writing

Public Speaking

Graphic Design

Teaching

Photography

Technical Skills Microsoft Office Adobe CS4/CS5

Honors Gladys Wilbur Scholarships, University of Maine Machias

Presidential Scholarships, University of Maine Machias

Finalist, Rita Dove Poetry Award, 2015

Finalist, Outermost Poetry Prize, 2013

Conductor: Poetry Express event, an initiative of Wes McNair, Maine Poet Laureate, 2013

Dean’s List every semester, graduated with Honors from DeVry University, 2010

Full Scholarship to Westchester University (PA) Form & Narrative Conference, 2008

Invited as a Legacy Poet to the first Women of the World Poetry Slam in Detroit, MI, 2008

Pushcart Prize Nominations 2003, 2007 (Poetry)

Winner, “Spoken Word Female,” “Best Narrative Poem,” and as a member of the “Best Poetry

Troupe,” Doc Brown’s Traveling Poetry Show; Cambridge Poetry Awards, 2004

“Up And Coming Poet,” Cambridge Poetry Awards, 2001

Listed in Poets & Writers Directory of Writers online

Education

Currently enrolled at UMM: Book Arts and Electronic Publishing Washington County Leadership Institute, 2013 Getting the Most Out of Your Donor Software (MANP), 2012 Maine Woods Consortium Tourism Training Initiative (SCEC), 2011 Incubator Without Walls Entrepreneurial Program (WCCC), 2011 Associate of Applied Science in Web Graphic Design, DeVry University, 2010

Coursework:

Web Graphic Design, Advanced Design and Rapid Visualization, Information Design,

Instructional Design, Book Arts

Work Experience Cobscook Community Learning Center

Community Programs Manager, July 2013- Present

Design and implement community programming. Manage special events

Valerie Lawson

PO Box 14 Robbinston, ME 04671 207-454-8026 valerie.lawson@maine.edu

and publicity for CCLC programs. Outreach to schools and other community organizations. Recruit and hire instructors. Recruit volunteers. Manage day to day operations of programs, including registration, scheduling, and facilities preparation. Administrative Assistant to the Executive Team, October 2011- July 2013

Provide administrative support to the offices of Development and Communications and Programming. Participate in all activities related to development and communications including management of information and data systems, donor and public relations, direct mail appeals, special events, and publicity for CCLC programs. Participate in the administration of CCLC programs.

Eastport Arts Center Executive Director, March to November 2011

Managed day-to-day operations of the arts center. Created fundraising appeals, programming and publicity. Managed box office. Assisted constituent groups as needed.

Created a sustainability plan with input from constituents, board members and the community. Conducted a comprehensive community survey re: use and barriers.

Managed a major renovation project of the south wall exterior. Supervised interns.

Volunteer Arts Activities

Board of Trustees, Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance

Board of Trustees, Stage East Theater Company

Created publicity materials for Stage East and other local theater companies.

Member of Literary Awards Committee for Calais Bicentennial.

Bourne (MA) Cultural Council.

Committee to determine criteria for inclusion in National Poetry Slam.

Committee for annual New England Scores Poetry Slam, Boston, MA.

Other Experience Judge: Eddie & Ozzie Awards, Best Use of Photography Non-Profit Publication 2012

& 2013; Best Use of Photography, Cover, B2B Publication

Judge: Maine Literary Awards, Short Works, Poetry, Adult & Youth, 2013 & 2014

Judge: Gretchen Warren Award (New England Poetry Club), 2013

Judge: Jean Pedrick Chapbook Prize (New England Poetry Club), 2011, 2012

Dog Watch, a book of poems, published by Ragged Sky Press, Princeton, NJ 2007

Poetry Instructor at the Cobscook Community Learning Center and Sunrise Senior College, University of Maine at Machias.

Participated in symposium on Poetry and New Media to create industry standards for fair use, sponsored by the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, an independent arm of the Poetry Foundation.

Participated as exhibitor, performer, and organizer of multi-media cultural exchanges between Massachusetts and Ireland, celebrating the United Nations Decade Calling for a Culture of Peace.

Valerie Lawson

PO Box 14 Robbinston, ME 04671 207-454-8026 valerie.lawson@maine.edu

Other Work Experience

Off the Coast literary journal

Editor and Publisher, 2008 to Present

Manage subscriptions and sales for a quarterly print journal. Manage subscription, contributor,

and contact databases. Publicize Off the Coast in traditional, electronic, and social media.

Select and edit poems, artwork, and image files for publication. Create cover designs. Write

book reviews.

Community Health and Counseling Service, Calais, ME

Secretary, 2007-2008

Providing clerical support for Adult, Child & Family services.

Pilgrim Shores OB/GYN & Midwifery, Sandwich, MA

Medical Reception, 2005-2007

Managed the incorporation and dissemination of 5,000 charts for merging practices.

Reception, record maintenance, and insurance coding.

Jordan Family Practice, Bourne, MA

Medical Reception, 2004-2005

Reception, registration, coding, scheduling, and record maintenance.

Booksmith, Hanover, MA

Clerk

Booksellers, write reviews, create book displays.

Children & Youth Program, Brockton Hospital, Brockton, MA

Reach Out And Read (ROR) Coordinator, Clinical Care Assistant, 1997-2004

Coordinator of innovative literacy program based in out-patient pediatric clinic. Provide

support to physicians and family members, manage dissemination of 3,000 books per year

to children & families, community outreach, and maintain records for program. Presented

at ROR National Conference and Massachusetts State Coalition Conference.

South Shore Poets/Boston Poetry Slam, Brockton, Bridgewater, & Boston, MA

Reading Series Curator/Slammaster, 1994-2004

Recruit and arrange featured readers, maintain records for the venue (Fuller Art Museum

and others). Attend Slammaster meetings and National competitions, coach performers,

create publicity & outreach, emcee, liaison with National Poetry Slam, Inc. Working with

other youth leaders create a southern New England Teen Poetry Slam League.

Organizations:

Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, New England Poetry Club, Maine Poets Society, Stage East Theater Company, Association of Writers & Writing Programs

References provided upon request.