Know Your Own Bone

The Basics

My name is Colleen Dilenschneider and I write and speak about the evolution of creative engagement practices in zoos, aquariums, and museums (ZAMs, affectionately). I often focus on the growing importance of audience involvement, informal education, new media, and the emergence of Generation Y in the workplace.

First time visiting K.Y.O.B? This is a good place to start.

Bio

(Requisite, braggy version written by somebody else) Colleen Dilenschneider is a director of IMPACTS Research & Development and a recognized voice in the realm of audience engagement using social media technologies. Regarded as a leader of the next generation of nonprofit management, Colleen has built significant symbolic capital as a Generation Y museum aficionado, published numerous articles for industry and general market media outlets, and is a frequent speaker and contributor to podcasts and webinars. Her blog, Know Your Own Bone, has been prominently featured in many national association publications, and is required reading for several Museum Studies graduate programs and professional conferences.

At IMPACTS, Colleen demonstrates her expertise on behalf of clients such as the California Academy of Sciences; European Union Cultural Consortium; John G. Shedd Aquarium; Monterey Bay Aquarium; National Aquarium Institute; Tennessee Aquarium; Exploratorium; and Wildlife Conservation Society.  She has a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree from The University of Chicago. She also holds professional certification in public relations from The University of Washington.

(Now that that’s out of the way…) Thanks for taking the time to poke around Know Your Own Bone.  This blog was born in July of 2009 during a time of transition between being a full-time museum professional in Seattle and starting graduate school in Los Angeles.  K.Y.O.B. has been a valuable tool for building relationships and sharing ideas about the museum industry and the greater nonprofit sector with similarly-interested folks. I hope you’ll continue to visit this site. I’m always interested to hear your ideas, so please don’t hesitate to contact me to say hello! Here’s my (professional) story, told chronologically:

While working toward a double major in English Language and Literature and Visual Arts at The University of Chicago, I worked and volunteered in several aspects of community engagement at The Art Institute of Chicago and the Smart Museum of Art. As a Jeff Metcalf Fellow, I was able to serve as the Programming/Events Intern at After School Matters, a nonprofit providing art apprenticeship opportunities to urban youth, in the Summer of 2006. I also held several leadership positions in organizations pertaining to community involvement on campus, including The University of Chicago’s Dance Marathon and Alpha Omicron Pi Women’s Fraternity.

After graduating from college, I moved to Seattle where I produced over 45 public events as the Special Events Coordinator at Pacific Science Center and received professional certification in Public Relations from the University of Washington.

Here’s a goofy glimpse into the cool and quirky side of the work that I was able to do within Pacific Science Center’s Marketing Division when I was not busy coordinating large-scale events. This is a television commercial that I narrated for Animal Grossology, a fantastic exhibit that was featured at Pacific Science Center from May 23rd to September 7th, 2009.

I moved to Los Angeles where I earned my Master of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management at the University of Southern California’s School of Policy, Planning and Development. While in school, I headed up marketing and communication efforts for a young nonprofit empowering youth transitioning out of foster care and performed work for the MFA Program within USC’s Roski School of Fine Arts. During that time, I delved deeply into the world of online engagement and began conducting research, writing, and speaking on the topic of creative community involvement in zoos, aquariums, and museums.

I am currently a director of IMPACTS Research & Development where I work with ZAMs to develop and cultivate effective social media and online engagement strategies.

On a personal note…

I am a wanna-be serious runner (currently training for the 2012 LA Marathon), a true ENFJ, and a vegetarian in search of the best animal-friendly reuben sandwich. For the record, Flore Vegan in Los Angeles is in the lead.

I travel very frequently for work, but after much moving around, I am glad to have a home-base again in Chicago. Though I frequently find myself close to family in the City of the Big Shoulders on my off-days, I am very fond of the West Coast and adore visiting my terrific friends in Los Angeles and Seattle, two cities where I lived most recently.  I am very passionate about informal learning environments and their potential to ignite initial sparks of interest in science, art, or history within individuals. I visit museums whenever I am able, often with a notepad in hand.

A few more of my personal interests include art theory, American history, goofy organized games with good friends, the poetry of ee cummings, and exploring cities on foot. Nerdy (but so awesome) fun fact? The New Idea two-row corn picker (1928 Corn Picker-Husker) invented by my great-grandfather is on display at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan and I try to make a visit annually.

Thanks again for visiting!