JC Bigornia
Director of Community Engagement
2851 Woodmere Dr., Dallas,TX
Summary
Artist, maker, and experienced museum educator seeking an opportunity to apply creative and written communication skills in a innovative and fast-paced environment.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Community Engagement
Dallas Museum of Art
05.2022 - Current
- Oversaw 300+ educational experiences at the DMA and in the community that served over 15,000 participants
- Dedicated to serving individuals in underserved communities; organizations that assist at-risk youth and adults; and organizations helping people with wide-ranging disabilities with high-quality programs
- Fostered strong relationships with select local organizations to create collaborative partnerships for community programs.
- Oversaw production of print educational and promotional materials and also fabricated hands-on didactic materials for program and gallery use
- Contribute to push the Museum's mission forward as we enter into the reconstruction of our interactive Education space and look for innovative ways to engage the public within their neighborhoods
TECH Truck Manager
Perot Museum Of Nature And Science
DALLAS, TX
09.2015 - Current
- Successfully founded, developed, and implemented a project-based, STEAM-centered outreach educational program that has grown annually; exceeding attendance of 60,000 people in 2020. Grew fleet to three vehicles in 2021 and quadrupled our pre-pandemic program output by 200%.
- Established program guidelines, protocols, and curricula in addition to other administrative duties including data reporting, scheduling, budget management, and more.
- Worked with community partners to establish meaningful repeat-visit relationships for a diverse audience of students, such as United to Learn, Trinity River Mission, Readers to Leaders, Tarrant County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program, local libraries, and more.
- Supervise a staff of seven to nine educators; responsible for hiring, training, and professional development of team members and volunteers.
- Manage program budget and grant reporting requirements, most recently, an IMLS grant received in 2021.
- Facilitate educational programs for all ages and experience levels in accordance with the institution's degree of excellence and mission.
- Create interactive, hands on equipment and educational materials for use during Museum programs.
- Developed remote learning protocols and procedures, including virtual session lesson planning and structure; activity kit production and distribution; training of staff.
- Supervised the management and curriculum of the Museum's Challenge Lab, an onsite makerspace-inspired studio that offers drop-in activities for Museum visitors Tuesday through Sunday along with free, specialized maker classes such as 3D printing and design, laser cutting, and more.
C3 PROGRAM MANAGER
Dallas Museum Of Art
DALLAS, TX
01.2011 - 08.2015
- Responsible for the planning, vision, promotion, and implementation of innovative teen and adult programs in the Museum's interactive space, the Center for Creative Connections.
- This includes writing curricula; facilitating workshops; working with artists and experts; supervising staff and volunteers; overseeing program budgets; and working on cross-departmental initiatives.
- Founder and manager of Dallas Museum of Art/Perot Museum of Nature and Science Teen Advisory Council and liaison for related projects to community organizations such as Big Thought, Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, and Catalyst Arts Movement, among others., Provided support for a wide variety of programs for multiple audiences such as early childhood, preschool, homeschool, and special needs.
- Supervised all aspects of summer camp program, including maintaining events via online database system, training and overseeing camp interns, working with instructors, preparing classrooms and supplies, and coordinating logistics with Security and Operations departments.
- Devised lesson plans for multi-generational classes while incorporating cross-disciplinary approaches to teaching.
C3 PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Dallas Museum Of Art
DALLAS, TX
04.2004 - 01.2011
- Established new monthly programs for teen audiences, a previously underserved population at the Museum. This included the Urban Armor monthly studio-based program as well as the Teen Maker Club.
- Responsible for all aspects of teen programming, including scheduling, registration, promotion, and set up.
- Increased program attendance by 25% and established teen summer camp program; additionally, introduced a new monthly maker program for high school students.
- Served as the DMA project manager for the Dallas Museum of Art/Perot Museum of Nature and Science IMLS Learning Lab project and helped establish the inaugural DMA/Perot Teen Advisory Council.
- Also responsible for the training and supervision of volunteers and interns in the Center for Creative Connections as well as the planning and implementation of multi-generational activities for C3 during weekends and Late Night events.
HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT
Dallas Museum Of Art
DALLAS, TX
01.1999 - 04.2004
- Assisted with day-to-day operations of the department including benefits orientation and enrollment, claims administration, statistical reporting for governmental agencies, and new hire on-boarding.
Education
BFA - Fine Arts
Kenyon College
05.1998
Skills
- Experienced museum educator with over 17 years of experience in program facilitation and innovative content development and delivery who seeks inclusion and equitable access for participants
- Creative, out-of-the-box problem solver
- Experienced with numerous art-making techniques and styles
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and other administrative and content management systems
- Well-versed in a diverse set of Maker skills including: electronics; microcontrollers; coding; robotics; soldering; 3D printing and design; construction and engineering; 2D design and animation; laser cutting and CNC maching; a range of power tools and construction methodologies
- Experienced with a variety of software, including TinkerCAD, SketchUp, Fusion 360, Sculptris, Arduino IDE, Inkscape; Cura, Prusa Slicer, Javascript, Scratch, and more
Accomplishments
- American Alliance of Museums, 2022 - present; Texas Art Education Association, 2013; National Art Education Association, 2013, 2014; IMLS Learning Lab Conferences, 2013, 2014; Association of Science and Technology Centers, 2015; NorthPark50 Grant Recipient 2015; TLA Conference 2018; SXSW EDU Conference 2019; Perot Museum Mission Moment Recipient, 2019, 2020
Timeline
Director of Community Engagement
Dallas Museum of Art
05.2022 - Current
TECH Truck Manager
Perot Museum Of Nature And Science
09.2015 - Current
C3 PROGRAM MANAGER
Dallas Museum Of Art
01.2011 - 08.2015
C3 PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Dallas Museum Of Art
04.2004 - 01.2011
HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT
Dallas Museum Of Art
01.1999 - 04.2004
BFA - Fine Arts
Kenyon College