Dave Eassa Email & Phone Number

San Diego, California, United States

The Director of Philanthropy and Engagement leads fundraising and engagement efforts across the institution, welcoming new membership, donors, and initiatives while supporting the organization's deeply committed existing base. Department Leadership and Management:- Develop, budget, and implement the annual fundraising plan to meet Athenaeum's revenue goals.Raise at least $175,000 in contributed income annually.- Create complementary fundraising and marketing plans to enhance our culture of philanthropy and strengthen ties with diverse community groups across the region.Individual and Corporate Giving:- Steward a pipeline of individual and major donors, including identifying prospects, cultivating relationships, and making direct solicitations, in partnership with the Executive Director and Board members.- Further develop a major gifts program with a focus on identifying and cultivating new prospects.- Lead corporate membership pursuits and collaborate with the Executive Director and Library team to nurture existing and potential corporate relationships.- Lead the board and benefit committee in producing the annual benefit celebration, including collaboration with and oversight of the event consultant to achieve both fundraising and donor engagement goals.Membership and Communications:- Manage the Communications & Membership Manager and Membership Assistant, focusing on deepening relationships with members.- Oversee communications efforts to ensure all social media channels, eblasts, mailings, and the website are aligned, consistent, and clear.- Develop a strategy to cultivate new memberships from diverse groups and communities in the San Diego region and beyond.Grants and Proposals:- Manage relations with grant-making organizations and contacts.- Participate in monthly meetings with the consulting grant writer and support the consultant in writing successful grants.

San Diego, California, United States

Dave Eassa brings 10+ years of experience in shaping culture and social impact with cultural institutions. At the heart of Eassa’s process as a cultural worker is collaborating with people. Dave centers equity in program development, strategic partnerships, and curation to build community. No solutions can be effective if they are not created together.- Identify organizational strengths and opportunities- Design and facilitate community engagement processes- Produce curatorial and educator-led activations- Develop programs and external partnerships- Advance fundraising strategies

Carlsbad, California, United States

The Managing Director oversees all operations of the Dea Hurston Arts Center, maximizing earned and contributed revenue for a $1.8 million operating budget, fiscal and staff management of a full time team of 12, cultivating community relationships, and continuing to build the theatre's reputation as a cultural and educational hub for North San Diego County, while overseeing all administrative, operational, and financial goals to ensure the continued success of NVA.Highlights:- Oversees all operating procedures and financial functions, staff management, and external relations.- Facilitated immediate organizational audit needed to advance the Art Center’s reputation as a cultural and educational hub for North San Diego County.- Updated and introduced new SOPs for all departments. Conducts routine evaluation of programs and policies.- Hires, trains, and supervises 9 fulltime and 12 part-time employees. Creates a positive and safe work environment for improved staff relations.- Leads fundraising initiatives, including spring Gala. 59% to overall FY24 goal of $410K individual contributions and $524K in grant revenue. Responsible for the diversification of earned and contributed revenue sources with the implementation of a facility rental program and improved efficiency of staff management.- Partners with Executive Artistic Director to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, co-author and submit grants. Builds relationships with shareholders, patrons, and city and county representatives.

Baltimore, Md

Building the growing relationship between Museum Education and Curatorial departments, through new development of Curatorial platforms, the BMA Lexington Market, and re-envisioning existing Museum processes.- I conceived of and built the new BMA Lexington Market as a space for time-based media presentations from the BMA's collection, beginning with Mark Bradford's "Niagara" as the space opens in Spring 2023. - I co-designed an Open Call jurying structure for two artist commissions based upon Fred Wilson's historical work "Artemis/Bast". The Open Call led to commission and curate two solo presentations from artists Jackie Milad and Nekisha Durrett, to be presented in dialogue with Wilson's "Artemis/Bast". The overall exhibition, "Histories Collide: Jackie Milad x Fred Wilson x Nekisha Durrett" opens in April 2023. I, alongside co-curator Cecilia Wichmann, supported the artists from ideation through fabrication and installation, providing the resources and logistical infrastructure to bring artistic vision to fruition.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Building upon the foundation of my work as the Manager of Community Engagement, I provide strategic oversight and management for the next phase of the BMA Lexington Market, develop best practices for building and/or continuing to grow collaborative relationships, nurture long-term community partnerships, and develop the institution’s comprehensive public engagement strategy. Highlights: - Created a financial stability plan along side the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Education Officer, The Board Chair, Director, and Senior Development Officer to determine the financial outlook necessary for the museum capital design and buildout, as well as the first five years of museum operating costs – stewarded a $900,000 capital campaign with commitments from individuals and foundations. - Devised the programmatic structure of our permanent branch, identifying through our pilot programming, our five pillars for success and long term sustainability, while expanding our offerings to create curatorial reciprocity between the museum and branch locations. - Increasing the BMA’s Joshua Johnson Council’s offerings as a public platform for highlighting and supporting the Black arts ecosystem in Baltimore, such as JJC becoming a sponsor on Galerie Myrtis’s pendant exhibition at the Italian Cultural Center with the Venice Biennale.- Increased staff capacity and implemented training around flexible SOPs for staff to follow and expand upon in the case of new senior leadership.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Directed programming for the BMA to acquire new audiences, educate on existing programs, and create a desirable platform for artists to show their works through a non-hierarchal, equitable model. Highlights:- Conceptualized, proposed, and implemented the expansion of the BMA Outpost to its first permanent location in Baltimore’s historic Lexington Market – hosted over 45 public programs three days a week, serving more than 9,000 visitors in the first year of proof-of-concept (a 204% increase in visitation).- Initiated and coordinates an award winning docent-led tour with art activity for the ARC Baltimore, an organization that centers adults with physical and mental disabilities. - Created a space in Baltimore that served as a viable platform for creative discourse in Baltimore, provided exposure for new artist, and developed enriching experiences for new and returning visitors. Showcased: Carpet Company a Muslim owned skateboarding company in Baltimore, Baltimore Department of Planning on removing racism from the structure, Krystal Mack’s A Table of White Supremacy, and From Baltimore to Liberia with Bilphena Yahwon. - Developed a virtual speaker series titled 'Joshua Johnson Council Talks' for artists of color in response to the rising disparities in art exposure during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Facilitated an arts-based learning program for incarcerated men and women within the Maryland State Prison system through weekly studio classes, Visiting Artist Programs, large-scale collaborative projects, and art publications. Serving over 75 individuals weekly, Free Space created an atmosphere within each institution where individuals leveraged art making to connect with one another, tell their story, and learn skills that contributed to individual's healing processes. Highlights: - Organized 10 women within the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women to design and paint a mural within the prison’s visiting room inspiring participants to maintain positive behavior, join Goucher College’s educational program, and mentor younger incarcerated women.- Researched and developed grant proposals for the expansion of the program within Maryland Correctional Institution for Women, Dorsey Run Correctional Facility, and Maryland Correctional Institution-Jessup, amassing over $100,000. - Utilized knowledge of the Maryland prison system and leveraged relationships with the Department of Corrections assisting Art Inside and Out and author Leslie Blumstead to bring arts-based programming within correctional facilities.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Designed a large-scale public sculpture installed in the Coldstream Homestead Montebello Sculpture Park. Facilitated public programming in conjunction with the CHM Community Association that included performances and sculpture workshops for the community. Highlights:- Assisted in the planning of multiple community celebrations within the CHM Sculpture park with artists, the CHM community association, and the larger community.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Created arts-based learning opportunities for Baltimore City Public Schools and Baltimore Station –- provided classroom management, group instruction, and exhibited participant work throughout each facility. Managed program budget by keeping records of supply orders, product invoices, tracked and reported expense needs to AWAH and administration. Highlights:- Increased the art program from two to four full days of art instruction, doubling the need for services within six months of piloting at Cecil Elementary.

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Creating and facilitating lessons for classes of young men adjudicated at the BCJJC. Managed classroom behavior and instruction, coordinated with the Department of Juvenile Services and BYA.

Bachelor Of Fine Arts - Bfa, Painting/Painter And Wall Coverer

Activities and Societies: Cum Laude

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba) (Semester Abroad), Painting

Sao Tome Summer Intensive Painting Course, Led By Barry Nemett