About Stacey

Stacey comes into this role with 14 years of experience in the Music Retail Industry and 20 years of experience in the field of Music Education. Stacey has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Bassoon Performance from The University of Georgia and a Master’s degree in Music Education from The University of Miami. She served as a music educator, private lesson instructor, clinician, choreographer, and professional musician.

 

Since 2007, Stacey has been an active contributor in many aspects of the music retail industry. During her tenure at Music & Arts, she’s held roles such as Store Manager, Lesson Growth Coordinator, Business Process Management Coordinator, Affiliate Operations Manager, and Regional Lesson Manager. Stacey played a key role in the culture of the lesson program as we know it today. During her time with Music & Arts, she received distinctions including Top Salesperson, Top Store Sales, Outstanding Department Award, Peak Performer, and Employee of the Year. Stacey’s recent contribution takes a shift towards music advocacy. An active and vocal advocate for music education, Stacey participates in the NAMM Foundation and has been to Capitol Hill to advocate for every child’s right to music education during the school day. She is also a winner of the prestigious Smart Women in Music Scholarship, an honor that recognizes emerging female leaders. Her current endeavors align with her personal and professional mission to bring music to as many as possible, creating the next generation of musicians.

 

 

Strengths Finder Leadership

Strategic | Activator | Woo | Communication | Connectedness

 

 

Experience

CEO, Swanson Consulting Group 2021-Present

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Editor in Chief, In Tune Partners | 2020-Present

• Creation of magazine issue line ups and content for Music Alive magazine

• Edit of copy and graphic design layout for Music Alive and In Tune magazines

• Conduct interviews with industry professionals for article content

• Interpret and create copy for ASCAP Experience Digital

• Conduct research for article content

 

Senior Project Manager, Practicing Musician | 2020-Present

• Create digital and organization roadmap for the company

• Provide weekly updates on progress for individual projects, as well as overall company status and progress

• Attend meetings to identify and assign tasks, gather updates on progress, and notate roadblocks

• Manage overall project management plan using project management programming

• Consult and provide feedback on new project scope and requirements

• Recruit volunteers to participate in the Music Educator Online Learning Project

 

Regional Lesson Manager, Music & Arts | 2018-2020

• Oversee 218 lesson locations, representing 3,500 teachers and 41,000 students

• Drive gross revenue expectations of $63M

• Develop and implement market growth plans and future growth strategies

• Collaborate with other key stakeholders within Support Center infrastructure

• Develop new lesson policies and procedure

• Develop lesson integration plans for acquisition locations

• Manage, train, and develop a team of people including but not limited to Directors of Sales, School Services, District Managers, Store Managers, School Services and Call Center employees

• Create and analyze student count trends, turnover, and other performance metrics

• Review and provide recommendations for store mix and instrumentation and identify all possible opportunities to grow

• Conduct training of new field leadership

• Present on national and district lesson calls (as needed) to promote the national lesson strategy

 

Affiliate Operations Manager, Music & Arts | 2016-2018

• Management of a team of 4 through mentorship, consistent training, and process management

• Participate in interdepartmental committees and projects at the discretion of upper management

• Orchestrate affiliate commissions process, driving revenue performance

• Coordinate implementation of new policies and enhancements for the affiliate channel

• Coordinate Affiliate inventory acquisitions

• Alert team of compliance issues at affiliate locations-Operational and Legal Compliance

• Mentor Affiliate Operations Department members to improve their understanding of the current business practice and their execution of departmental activities

• Spearhead Affiliate Physical Inventories

• Orchestrate Affiliate location Openings, Closing, address changes

• Circulate reporting to Affiliate District Managers and Affiliates

• Direct phone support for all Affiliate District Managers and affiliates

 

Freelance Marketing Consulting, Music & Arts | 2013- 2016

• Provided feedback on print copy, such as sales promotion flyers and booklets, events notifications, and Quarter Notes Newsletter

• Edited copy for grammar and syntax

• Provided guidance in addressing different demographics, primarily educators and parents

 

Consultant, Business Process Management, Music & Arts | 2013- 2015

• Tested assigned tickets in queue for validity and accuracy

• Identified steps to reproduce on ticket issues

• Updated aging/past due tickets and provide feedback to ticket owner

• Conducted wide net website testing, creating tickets based upon issues in user experience

• Verified specific transactional testing as assigned by BPM department

 

National Lesson Growth Coordinator, Music & Arts | 2009- 2013

• Compose training materials for managers, full-time retail employees, educational representatives, and affiliate partners

• Derived lesson analytics to determine national, regional, and individual location trends

• Developed and monitored national, regional, and individual location growth and retention goals

• Created training materials for national meetings. Frequent public speaking engagements

• Traveled to various regions to verify growth plan implementation

• Educator advisor to retail district managers

• Advocated for music lesson teachers at the corporate office; developed “training” materials to assist new teachers into their new store role

 

Store Manager, North Fulton Location, Music & Arts | 2008- 2009

• Trained full and part-time employees in sales techniques, customer service, and store operations

• Drove sales team to achieve monthly sales goals

• Served as Educational Representative to local schools

• Monitored lesson enrollment, teacher satisfaction, and debt collection

• Sponsored lesson teacher workshops sponsored by music vendors

• Studied weekly analytics to determine employee and store strengths/weaknesses

 

Sales Associate, North Fulton Location, Music & Arts | 2007- 2008

• Incorporated sales techniques, customer service, and store operations to drive personal growth

• Achieved monthly sales goals

• Responsible for lesson management and teacher payment

• Assisted with store inventory, monitoring loss prevention

• Interacted with fellow store employees to promote a team environment

• Used weekly analytics to determine personal strengths/weaknesses

 

Middle School Music Educator, Shiloh Middle School, Snellville GA | 2002- 2004

• Managed approximately 400 band students on a weekly basis

• Assessed individual student growth through aural and written assessment

• Rehearsed ensembles utilizing a variety of education techniques, culminating in several live concerts per year

• Assisted with county-wide large scale musical events, such as honor band and auditions, by serving as an adjudicator

• Attended county, state, and national conferences to aid in personal growth

 

Private Lessons Instructor, Bassoon and Oboe | 1998- 2009

• Assessed individual student growth through aural and written assessment

• Prepared students for auditions, college juries, and school tests

• Managed payment of lessons with parents

• Created customized curriculum for each student based upon strengths, weaknesses, and personal goals

• Served as double reed instructor for regional music camps

 

Volunteer, Nonprofit & Advocacy

Board Advisor, Miami Jam Sessions | 2021-present

• Provide guidance and recommendations to secure funding and expand awareness for music therapy non-profit

 

Administrator, Music Educators Creating Online Learning | 2020-present

• Admin of music educator group of 48,000 educators from around the world.

• Admin to sister group Music ED Advocates – Parents, Teachers, Industry 1,700 members

 

Board of Directors, Treasurer, Give A Note Foundation | 2020-present

• Advocate to support music technology in schools, promote and raise awareness of the organization

• Fundraise and introduce mutual connections to achieve financial targets

• Collaborate with other board members to help determine future initiatives

 

NAMM Capitol Hill Advocate & Delegate | 2019-present

 

Impact Club-Frederick | 2018-2021

• Crowdfunding organization with all proceeds going directly to Frederick County non-profit organizations

 

Social Media Volunteer, Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership | 2015-2017

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Education

University of Miami                                                            2004-2006

Masters of Music in Music Education, 4.0 G.P.A., President’s Award

 

University of Georgia                                                            1997-2002

Double Bachelors of Music Education and Music Performance, Cum Laude Graduate

 

Professional Affiliations

NAMM, National Association of Music Merchants

NAMM Foundation, Member and Education Advocate

National Association for Music Education, Member

Smart Women in Music (SWIM), Member

Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Member

Women Band Directors International (WBDI), Member

Certified Music Teacher, State of Georgia

APME, Member

APME

Awards

Music & Arts

• Top 3 Salesperson, 2008

• Peak Performer, 2008

• Department of Excellence Award for Sales, 2008

• Top Sales Location (#1) in top-line sales, North Fulton, GA Location, Manager, 2009

• Peak Performer, 2010

• Peak Performer of the Year, Lessons, 2011 

 

NAMM Foundation Smart Women in Music Scholar Recipient, 2019

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