KNDRD x The Field Museum
Account Management | Project Management
KNDRD is a Chicago-based, purpose-driven cultural consulting and creative services firm that helps brands build authentic connections with communities through culturally grounded advertising and strategy. Their expertise spans creative strategy, cultural consulting, campaign development, content creation, creative production, branding consulting, art direction, brand design, and shoot production. By centering lived experience, storytelling, and equity-driven insights, KNDRD bridges the gap between companies and the audiences they serve.
I partnered with KNDRD as an Account and Project Manager to lead the development of a Culture Council—an initiative designed to bring authentic community insight into The Field Museum’s exhibit marketing. This work was part of a larger institutional effort to better understand how local communities—particularly African American Chicagoans—perceive the museum and what they hope to see from it moving forward. While Black communities were a core focus, the initiative also considered the broader museum audience, including long-time members and non-Black visitors, to ensure future communications would be inclusive and resonate widely.
I managed the end-to-end process, including casting and onboarding council members, facilitating in-person sessions, and overseeing all client communications and timelines. Through listening sessions and facilitated workshops, we captured honest and thoughtful feedback that informed our final report—guiding early-stage creative exploration for the museum’s upcoming African Fashion exhibit (premiering in Chicago in February 2025) and laying the foundation for the long-term reimagining of the museum’s African Hall, set to reopen in 2027. Working closely with cross-functional teams, I helped translate community insights into actionable recommendations around cultural programming, digital storytelling, and engagement strategies—ensuring the museum’s narratives were rooted in lived experience and community voice.
Account Management
In my role as an account manager, I served as the primary liaison between clients and internal teams—ensuring clear communication, timely feedback, and alignment across all phases of a project. I managed expectations, facilitated decision-making, and kept stakeholders informed while driving project goals forward. My approach balanced strategic oversight with hands-on execution, allowing me to build strong client relationships and deliver high-quality outcomes on time and within scope.
Project Management
In this role, I oversaw key operational processes to ensure projects ran smoothly and efficiently from start to finish. I managed vendor relationships, tracked budgets, and coordinated purchase orders and invoicing in alignment with contract terms and timelines. By proactively identifying issues and collaborating closely with the finance team, I ensured seamless execution and financial accountability across all phases of the project.
Goal:
Serve as the Account and Project Manager for The Field Museum x KNDRD partnership by overseeing all aspects of the Culture Council initiative—including timeline management, stakeholder communications, session facilitation, and vendor coordination. Ensure insights from the Black Chicagoan community were captured, synthesized, and translated into actionable recommendations to guide the museum’s communications strategy for the African Fashion exhibit and future African Hall launch.
Results:
Led the development and facilitation of a Black-led Culture Council that informed The Field Museum’s approach to inclusive marketing and community engagement. Consolidated feedback into a key insights deck, with recommendations spanning digital storytelling and local partnerships. One such activation included a creative workshop series led by Chelsea B., a Chicago-based fiber artist, engaging community members in crochet as a way to promote the exhibit and foster cultural connection. Sessions were fully attended and well-received, reinforcing the museum’s commitment to authentic, community-rooted programming.
Managed community engagement efforts for The Field Museum with KNDRD, leading the development of a Black-led Culture Council to inform marketing for the African Fashion exhibit. Oversaw logistics, timelines, and insights synthesis, while proposing inclusive campaign ideas to guide future communications strategy.