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Susan Lagg-May
Director - Donor Data Management at Mote Marine Laboratory
Professional Background
Susan Lagg-May is a distinguished arts administrator with extensive experience in non-profit organizations and arts management. With a career spanning multiple prestigious positions, she has made a significant impact on the cultural landscape. Currently, she serves as the Director of Donor Data Management at the Mote Marine Laboratory, where she plays a crucial role in enhancing donor engagement and managing critical data for the organization. Her experience includes a prominent role as Chief Operating Officer at the Van Wezel Foundation, associated with the well-known Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, where her leadership helped to propel fundraising and operational excellence.
Throughout her career, Susan has also contributed to various artistic institutions as the Executive Director for several symphony orchestras, including the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. She had an enriching tenure at the Sarasota Ballet of Florida, where she served as the Interim Executive Director and Finance Manager. Her diverse experiences across different areas of arts administration have equipped her with a unique perspective on organizational management and donor relations.
Education and Achievements
Susan began her academic journey at Delavan-Darien High School, where she laid the foundation for her ambitious pursuits in the arts and business. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, cultivating her passion for the performing arts early on. Driven by her desire to merge business acumen with her artistic inclinations, she pursued a Master’s degree in Arts Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Business.
During her educational journey, Susan not only honed her skills in music but also developed a solid grounding in business principles, positioning herself as a well-rounded professional in the arts sector. Her combination of music education with business expertise greatly enhances her capability to navigate the complexities of arts organizations and create sustainable growth opportunities.
Notable Achievements
Susan Lagg-May has accomplished numerous milestones in her career, with a focus on enhancing the operational and financial stability of arts organizations. Her leadership at the Van Wezel Foundation was marked by innovative strategies in donor relations and community engagement, which significantly increased support from the local community and beyond.
At the Sarasota Orchestra, she demonstrated her ability to efficiently manage systems and processes that contribute to the overall success of the organization. Her interim role at the Sarasota Ballet of Florida showcased her versatility and adaptability in leadership, effectively guiding the organization through critical transitional periods.
Her executive roles at the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and La Crosse Symphony Orchestra not only reflect her capability to lead but also highlight her commitment to enriching cultural experiences in multiple communities. Through strategic planning and community outreach, Susan has consistently succeeded in fostering environments where the arts can thrive.
In summary, Susan Lagg-May embodies the intersection of artistic passion and business prowess, making her an invaluable asset to any organization she joins. Her ongoing commitment to the arts and her proven track record in arts administration underline her potential to drive impactful change in the non-profit arts sector.
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
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Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
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