Project Manager/Creative Facilitator/Farmer
US/NL/UK
Telephone: (UK) +44(0)798.566.1682
Web: http://www.thehirsel.com / http://www.highlandwool.scot
Email: info@thehirsel.com
Nationality/Languages: American (native) + Dutch (naturalized)
Profile
Donna’s love for the creative process is balanced by an ability to prioritize tasks and trouble-shoot problems, while keeping a clear sense of a project’s long-term goals, and she can lead or support, depending on the needs of the project. Her experience working with and without large budgets, and with people from many backgrounds and disciplines, makes her comfortable working in a wide variety of environments. The common theme across all her work as a ‘factotum’ is that she loves helping clients and projects reach their maximum potential. Her Myers Briggs profile is Counsellor INFJ, and she’s legal to work in the USA, UK, or EU. Please note, though, that she is currently only accepting projects that can be managed from her office at The Hirsel.
Experience Overview
She’s offered project support from concept to opening night and beyond, working in the areas of film and theatre, the visual arts, and the community. She’s participated in the creation or rehabilitation of multiple arts and community centres: as a member of City Lights Theatre Company (San Jose, CA), facilitating their move from a church basement to a re-purposed theatre space; as a founding member of Mobius Stageworks (San Jose, CA), a dance/theatre company which participated in turning an abandoned canning factory into a mixed use creative space; as Associate Producer and facility manager at Westbeth Theater Center in NYC (now Westbeth Entertainment, owner Arnold Engelman), and as the Manager of the ABC Treehouse in Amsterdam, NL
Selected projects:
2022 – present
Founding Director, Highland Wool CIC
Donna volunteers her time as the Director of Highland Wool CIC, and is involved in all aspects of the company, from processing to representing the company to the community. As a partner at Highland Wool’s host farm, The Hirsel, she’s responsible for ensuring the two businesses can co-exist with each other in a symbiotic but separate fashion.
2015 – present
Partner / Farmer: Hirsel Enterprises – The Hirsel
The Hirsel is a small family farm located in the scenic Highlands of Scotland, which Donna manage’s with husband/partner Donald Gillies. They’re rehabilitating this historic hill farm (which sat fallow for 30 year before they took over management), using regenerative, nature friendly techniques. They raise heritage breed sheep (Hebrideans) and pigs (Gloucestershire Old Spot/Large Black), and chickens (Scottish Dumpy’s) and are developing a perennial garden and orchard.
Website: www.thehirsel.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHirsel
2014 – 2015
Founding Director, Inverkeithing Arts Initiative CIC, Inverkeithing Scotland
One of four founding directors of this Community Interest Company, which produced multiple community events in Inverkeithing, Fife.
2002 –2015
Artistic Director/Producer, Theaterworks Amsterdam, NL
This company focused on new and classical works of a socially or politically relevant nature, and worked with entertainment and teaching professionals from the Dutch and international English speaking community living in the Netherlands.
2006 –2011
Manager and Programmer, ABC Treehouse – Amsterdam, NL
The Treehouse was a cultural venue with 3 meeting/workshop rooms and a gallery program, serving Amsterdam’s Dutch and international business and arts communities. During her management, she worked on professionalizing services and operations, and broadened the outreach into the community. She was responsible for program development, promotions, event management and hosting, booking and billing, facility management, staff and volunteer supervision. She also directed the art exhibition program – 50 exhibitions during her tenure, 16 of which she curated or co-curated.
1994-1999
Associate Producer and Venue Manager, Westbeth Theatre Center, New York City, USA
An 18,000 sq. ft. performance facility and production company with three stages, rehearsal facilities, and two full bars. Programming included “Showcase” and Off Broadway productions, cabarets, concerts and solo shows, as well as hosting Broadway-bound rehearsals and outside events. Her responsibilities included: client management, on-site event and production management; scouting and booking projects; troubleshooting capacity, box office and guest list issues; oversight of all aspects of the day-to-day operations; hiring, training and supervision of staff and volunteers; community outreach and problem solving; facility management. She also curated the New Works program, for which she was responsible for playwright and script development; coordination and direction of readings and workshop productions; search and hire of workshop teachers and directors.
1985-1987
Assistant to the Executive Producer, San Jose Repertory Company, California, USA
Regional (LORT) Theatre Company. Acting as the E.P.’s first full-time assistant, her tasks included scheduling, travel arrangements, correspondence, filing and phones; representing the organization at events and speaking engagements; and organizing and teaching classes for the annual “Arts in Education” project. While in this position she also served as the liaison to the board of directors and volunteer groups, as well as the special assistant on the ‘New Theatre Project”, a $14 million plan to design and build a company theater facility (which facility was successfully built by a subsequent administration). She also served as assistant to the Artistic Director on two mainstage productions.
Selected Education and Training
2015 First Aid at Work, Certificate, via St. Andrews First Aid
2010 & 2011 First Aid for businesses + AED (Certificate); MKB Cursus en Training BV, Amsterdam
2001-2002 Dutch as a 2nd language/Integration Course (Certificate Level 3.4); ROC, Amsterdam
1989 -1990 Wells Fargo Management Training Series, In-company, San Francisco Children’s
Council; time and management, employee supervision and review, active listening, problem solving.
1985 City of San Jose Grantees Workshop Series (for companies receiving city grants); Long range planning, fundraising, publicity
1976 – 1980 A.A. degree, San Jose City College, CA, Theater and Dance
The Hirsel 