Laura McGuinn

About

I'm passionate about helping teams reduce burnout and work more efficiently by designing streamlined workflows, clear standard operating procedures, and—most importantly—systems shaped by the people who use them. My approach centers your organization's goals and values, ensuring every solution is both practical and people-first.

Experience

• Operations Manager · Novelly01-01-2022 – 07-01-2023

  In January 2022, I started as the first-ever Operations Manager for Novelly, an ed-tech startup on a mission to get e-books by underrepresented youth published and taught in the English classroom. As Operations Manager, I created project timelines and served as the main supervisor for 9 college students contracted to manage web app development, podcast production, short-form video creation, curriculum design, research, data science, and graphic design. I also had the pleasure of moving Novelly's project management system out of Asana and, instead, building a powerful Notion Operating System from scratch.

• Communications Director · South Carolina Humanities09-04-2018 – 01-07-2022

  In August 2018, I earned my M.A. degree and started as the first-ever Communications Director for South Carolina Humanities. I took advantage of my web, print, and graphic design skills to effectively communicate the value of South Carolina Humanities, an often overlooked and misunderstood organization. Once I began to work closely with the Development Associate on fundraising and grant materials, SC Humanities experienced a record-breaking year of public and private fundraising for the organization. In 2021, I was given an exciting opportunity to develop a series of public programs designed to examine the connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. As the project director for the series, I wrote a winning grant proposal that earned us $35,000 in funding; I brought the College of Charleston School of Humanities and Social Sciences on board as a partner; I arranged for the venues and livestream equipment for each program to be provided at no cost to SC Humanities; I recruited panelists and moderators for each program; and I coordinated partnerships with rural high schools so we could host free Media Literacy Labs for their students.

• Volunteer Coordinator · Jam Room Music Festival08-01-2019 – 06-01-2022

  Recruited, scheduled, and oversaw more than 2 dozen volunteers for the annual Jam Room Music Festival (10 AM to 10 PM).

• Cultural Resources Assistant · Historic Columbia01-01-2018 – 05-01-2018

  Practiced proper preservation measures. Improved collections storage organization. Resolved space management issues in collections storage. Investigated and reconciled inconsistencies in catalog records.

• Volunteer Coordinator · Cinethon09-01-2014 – 01-10-2015

  Created and managed a volunteer program for Cinethon- a 72 hour film festival presented by Point of View Cineclub at Tapp's Art Center. Recruited, scheduled, and oversaw over a dozen volunteers.

• Special Events Assistant · Tapp's Art Center09-01-2013 – 04-30-2014

  Assisted with coordinating and hosting special events. Monitored film screenings, art classes, and workshops. Greeted patrons and managed incoming calls.

• Volunteer Coordinator · Spoleto Festival USA05-01-2013 – 07-31-2013

  Oversaw volunteers as venue manager for Piccolo events. Distributed festival guides and promoted events. Fielded questions as a festival representative at the Charleston Farmer's Market.

• Volunteer Administration Intern · Water Missions International05-01-2011 – 07-31-2011

  Worked in a team environment to identify volunteer positions and recruit volunteers. Maintained volunteer database and tracked statistical information. Scheduled volunteers and coordinated logistics for fieldwork assignments.

Education

• Savannah College of Art & DesignGraduate Degree, Business Design and Arts Leadership
• University Of South CarolinaBachelor's Degree, Art History and French Language & Literature

Similar talent on Pangea

Emma O.Operations & Workflow Consultant | Fractional Project ManagerAustin, TXSSarah M.Operations and Support Manager specializing in Administrative Support, Backend Systems, Project Management, and Custom WorkflowsKatherine (Kia) M.Systems-focused analyst helping small businesses organize workflows and internal processesAnnandale, VADestiny D.Operations & Project Manager | Scalable Systems & Processes for Small Online BusinessesPhillipsburg, NJ 08865