Thank an Arts Teacher Campaign

Summary

I served as Project Manager and Creative Director for the Kennedy Center’s Thank an Arts Teacher campaign, a national initiative celebrating the transformative impact of arts educators. Built through close collaboration across the Kennedy Center, the campaign brought together the Development and Education teams, creative partners, and national distribution support to create a unified, audience facing expression of gratitude.

Working in partnership with AMC Theatres, the campaign’s flagship spot played on pre show screens nationwide for a full month, expanding the message into mainstream cultural spaces. We also partnered with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to broaden the campaign’s reach and resonance, while a viral UGC campaign invited people across the country to share their own stories of arts teachers who changed their lives.

The work was recognized with an Anthem Award, and it was especially meaningful to see the Kennedy Center honored alongside an inspiring group of mission driven organizations and leaders. This recognition reflected the collective efforts of an incredible internal team and partners including Tony Donghyuk Yoon, Vonnie Tull, Michael Cardiel, Andrew Cary, Ben Rosenfield, Eileen Andrews, Brittany Laeger, Crystal Padley, Anna Schuttenhelm, Rob Bruchman, Ariana DeBose, and many others who helped bring the campaign to life.

Role • Project Manager, Creative Director Campaign • National Arts Advocacy, Multi Platform Storytelling, UGC Activation Impact • Anthem Award winner, national theatrical distribution, viral audience engagement

Overview

Thank an Arts Teacher is a national campaign from the Kennedy Center designed to spotlight the lasting influence of arts educators and inspire public appreciation for their work. Anchored by powerful personal stories, the campaign highlighted how teachers shape creativity, confidence, and lifelong artistic engagement.

I worked collaboratively across the Kennedy Center, partnering closely with the Development and Education teams as well as external collaborators including AMC Theatres and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to bring the campaign to life. Together, we built a unified creative vision that could translate across theatrical, digital, and social platforms while remaining emotionally resonant and accessible.

The campaign’s flagship PSA featuring Ariana DeBose served as the centerpiece of a broader storytelling ecosystem that included social content, partner activations, and a viral user generated content campaign that invited audiences nationwide to participate directly.

Details

Role: Project Manager and Creative Director overseeing concept development, creative execution, stakeholder alignment, and cross functional collaboration.
Scope:
- Led creative direction for campaign storytelling and overall visual approach
- Managed project workflows across internal teams and external partners
- Collaborated with AMC Theatres to distribute the flagship PSA nationally on pre show screens for one month
- Partnered with the Kennedy Center’s Development and Education teams to align campaign goals and outreach
- Worked with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to broaden the campaign’s creative reach and resonance
- Developed and launched a viral user generated content campaign inviting audiences to share their own stories
- Helped shape a collaborative campaign model spanning strategy, production, distribution, and engagement
Team:
- Kennedy Center Development team
- Kennedy Center Education team
- AMC Theatres partnership team
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater collaborators
- Tony Donghyuk Yoon, Vonnie Tull, Michael Cardiel, Andrew Cary, Eileen Andrews, Brittany Laeger, Crystal Padley, Anna Schuttenhelm, Rob Bruchman, Ariana DeBose, and a broader network of creative and production partners
Impact:
- Reached national audiences through theatrical distribution and digital platforms
- Drove widespread participation through a viral UGC campaign
- Elevated public awareness of the importance of arts education
- Recognized with an Anthem Award for purpose driven storytelling
- Positioned the campaign alongside other major mission driven organizations recognized for cultural impact