Lauren Higgins

Organizational innovation and design consultant.

As Co-founder and Co-Curator of arts organization Communikey in Boulder, Colorado Lauren’s work establishes an intersection for Ecology, Technology and the Arts. Started in 2004, Communikey is a volunteer-driven grassroots arts collective that is dedicated to a cross-section of today’s cutting-edge multimedia arts, showcasing creatives and cultural innovators who are pushing boundaries in film, music, visual arts and community innovation.

Co-Director Responsibilities
Development and Organizational Strategy:
• Fostering high standard productions and programs
• Developing long term educational and capacity building projects in local community
• Cultivating a happy, resilient, and inspired team of 50+ volunteers
• Grant writing, research, and sponsorship development - raised over 50K
• Strategic partnerships with local and international industry partners and innovative institutions

Event Design and Production:
• Responsible for on-site event management for events of 200-1,000 attendees and 50+ volunteers
• Work with team of 60 volunteers to oversee the coordination of all aspects of event management including pre-production, contract negotiation, transportation arrangement, hotel attrition/cancelation negotiations, artist management, technical requirements, and on-site management.
• Work with the core team of Communikey Directors to coordinate all aspects of site design, event scheduling, budget management, and post-event production and media relations.

Yes, And...? Program Founder and Director

• Responsible for strategic partnerships and executive leadership of the Yes, And...? Sustainability Program.
• More about the Yes, And...? Program and its accomplishments click here:
o http://communikey.us/festival2012/yes-and/overview/

Strategic Development, Research, Local Community Engagement and Business Development

Support for financial and economic innovation consulting projects, and management of complementary currency projects and open source software transaction tools. Management of various open- source software design and alt-currency related ventures that are developing new tools for building sustainable economies, businesses and communities.

Launch and branding of a network and learning community of 21st century executive change agents.

www.theedgelab.com

In preparation for the full launch of W1SDØM.net platform, my colleague, Shiloh Boss and I, provided the service of building multiple work-streams which will develop decentralized high-performance teams that are set up to fulfill the executive strategy and mature overtime into the organizational departments within W1SDØM.

Lauren was responsible for curating and coordinating The Nature of Things Speaker Series and assisting the Biennial Lead Curator and Assistant Curator in managing all artists and speakers involved in the series. Led by an international group of established and emerging artists, leaders, innovators, and celebrated individuals, The Nature of Things Speaker Series explored the Western Hemisphere's most pressing challenges and exciting innovations.

• Designed and produced 21 panels, speaking engagements, and dialogue sessions led by over 60 diverse international artists, sustainability leaders, innovators, and industry experts from the Western Hemisphere.
• Coordinated scheduling, contracts, and speaker series marketing efforts.
• Attracted approximately 1900 attendees over the month of July
• Production Time: 2.5 months
• Highlighted the work of over 20 innovative organizations including; Bioneers, ASHOKA, The Unreasonable Institute, Rocky Mountain Institute, Engineers without Borders , The Center for Ecoliteracy, The Health and Happiness Project (BR), The Growhaus, American Institute of Architects, Circle of Care, W1SD0M, The Pachamana Alliance and Awakening the Dreamer, Architecture for Humanity, Cypher 13 Design Studio, Tres Birds, and many others.

Trade show assistant and sales associate for both New Horizons & Rick Neff Women’s Apparel.
- Manage all aspects of merchandising, window displays, and
stocking in showroom.
- Ensured excellence in customer service and resolved all problems at the showroom level.
- Coordinated appointments and customer mailers.
- Other responsibilities include taking orders, merchandising, organizing the office, and working directly with clients to confirm and verify shipments.

Responsible for assisting Director and COO in managing all company operations and development of Project GreenUP. Achievements include:

Developed program and business plan for pending Project GreenUP (focused on mobilizing green jobs and greening businesses in urban multicultural settings) which including: creating Eco-Assessment services; budgets; market research; and alliances and partnerships. Co-designed grassroots sustainability efforts and campaigns in Colorado with a focus on urban and multicultural communities.

At NCS, I assist with sustainability and CSR research, funding, and helping to develop the business case for social sustainability.

Collected and analyzed data from internet and journal publications in order to update and complete grants for Colorado Family Literacy programs. Compiled findings into technical reports. Wrote a literature review to update new findings in the Family Literacy field. Reported research findings before the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. Compiled interviews and data on college alumni programs with demographics similar to Metro State. Developed suggestions based on models from similar colleges for new procedures in the Metro State's Alumni department. Reported findings to the Assistant Directors of Alumni Programs.