Joanna Seifter

Experiences

Professional

Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion - August 2022 - present

  • Assistant to Rabbi Dr. Lisa Grant (Director of the Rabbinic School), Cantor Jill Abramson (Director of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music) and Rabbi Rachel Gross-Prinz (Dean of Student Life); supports Meredeth Kelly, Director of Operations
  • Organizes departmental meetings; plans luncheons, lectures and recitals; schedules music lessons and singing exams
    • Member of Kallah (annual student retreat) Planning Committee; oversees interstate travel, lodging and program coordination
  • Manages and disseminates weekly campus newsletters; facilitates communication between campuses in NY, Cincinnati, LA and Jerusalem; assembles course offerings for Registrar’s office
  • Prepares letters of agreement and payment authorization forms to initiate payment for professors and guest lecturers, issues reimbursements and balances departmental budgets

Freelance Contributor to the Brooklyn Rail - ArtSeen and Film - April 2023 - present

Freelance Contributor to Tussle Magazine - Exhibition Reviews - March 2023 - present

Member, New York City Museum Educators Roundtable Conference Planning Committee (NYCMER) - September 2023 - present

  • Writes requests for proposals, develops the conference schedule, composes email blasts and will provide onsite support in May 2024

Data Collector and Researcher at HG&Co - July 2022 - present

  • Facilitated tests of multiple phases of the American Museum of Natural History’s redesigned maps; conducted the visitors’ exit interviews
  • Assessed the National Museum of the American Indian’s brand, impact and marketing strategies by conducting extensive exit interviews for Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch
  • Researched the impacts of augmented reality museum programming for La Brea Tar Pits’ AR review
  • Contributed research to Kate Haley Goldman and Madeleine Pope’s paper “XR in Museums: A Review of the Current State of the Field”

Intern at Franklin Furnace Archive - July - December 2021

  • Designed accessible exhibition interactives (including QR codes, audio files and easily accessible digital components); wrote and edited didactics for Franklin Furnace’s Flue and Historias installations
  • Assembled weekly newsletters “Goings On” and “Goings On For Artists;” mentored and trained future intern for this project

Contact Tracer at New York City Test and Trace Corps - June 2020 – April 2022

  • Interviewed COVID-19 patients about people they had been in close contact with, provided resources and remote daily check-ins for patients and contacts, and notified patients of their negative PCR test results
  • Conducted vaccine outreach interviews and surveys, helping New York City Health and Hospitals gain further insight into vaccine hesitancy

Intern at Revere Auctions - January - March 2020

  • Wrote labels, organized objects, contributed to archives and assembled collections for auctions.

Gallery Assistant at Van der Plas Gallery - June - August 2019

  • Greeted visitors, answered potential buyers’ questions, and directed viewers through the gallery; supported and photographed opening events
  • Recruited emerging and established artists for exhibitions, including Summer Salon and Blue, Yellow, Red
  • Installed works and managed social media (including writing copy for Instagram, Twitter and Facebook posts, and designing social media banners on Canva) for exhibitions Between Reflection and the Shadow and Blue, Yellow, Red

Gallery Assistant at Hebrew Union College's Dr. Bernard Heller Museum  - June - August 2019

  • Wrote object labels and installed exhibition Relative Relations (September 2019-June 2020); de-installed previous exhibition TERRA inFIRMA (September 2018-June 2019); re-organized and cataloged art and artifacts from the Museum’s archives
  • Extensively communicated with artists participating in both Relative Relations and TERRA inFIRMA, including updating contact information, requesting presentation feedback, and finalizing object distribution and pickup

Visual Resource Librarian at Macalester College - January 2019 - March 2020

  • Scanned, edited and distributed high resolution images and texts for Macalester’s Art and Art History students and faculty
  • Completed data entry, updated archives and researched objects in Macalester’s collection, including students’ artwork and a series of informational slides; created PowerPoint presentations for professors

Studio Museum Educator Intern at Minnesota Children’s Museum - January - May 2019

  • Facilitated Studio activities with children and adults to encourage playful exploration of materials and experiences, including sensory cupboards, daily prompts, Ozobots, crafts and open drawing; trained Museum volunteers in audience engagement
  • Created and installed new programming, including a reference binder, prompt booklet, zine rack, and artist of the month

Tour Guide and Assistant at Pollock-Krasner Foundation - May - August 2018; May 2019-August 2019

  • Gave tours of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner’s shared home and barn studio while discussing their art, contextualizing the Abstract Expressionist movement and answering questions; welcomed visitors at the House’s front desk
  • Wrote artist biographies and object didactics, compiled outreach databases and updated the Foundation’s Past/Perfect archives

Teaching Fellow at Breakthrough Miami - June - August 2018

  • Taught English Literature and an art extracurricular to high performing eighth grade students at a two-month long summer academic enrichment program

Teaching Intern at Urban Arts Academy - January - May 2018

  • Assisted art teachers with material preparation and supported students with classroom art projects in a nonprofit afterschool program for both elementary and middle school students

Teaching Artist Assistant at the Dedalus Foundation - June - August 2017

  • Assisted teaching artists in a summer program to help middle school students develop their portfolios and prepare to audition for specialized New York City high schools.

Miscellaneous

Online Enrichment Program at the Whitney Museum of American Art - June - August 2020

  • Attended a series of professional development lectures and discussions designed for for the Whitney’s summer 2020 internship candidates (this program replaced the internships, which had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Tour Guide at Macalester College - January 2017 - March 2020

  • Lead tours for prospective students and their parents for Macalester’s Admissions Department

Outdoor Environmental Educator at the Katharine Ordway Natural History Study Center - September - December 2019

  • Taught monthly outdoor science classes for children aged 5-10 years old for Outdoor Environmental Education course co-taught by Dr. Ruthanne Kurth-Schai and Dr. Jearld Dosch. 

Orientation Leader at Macalester College - Summer 2017, 2019

  • Co-led Orientation welcome groups; helped incoming Macalester students adapt to their new academic and social environments

Art Buddies Mentor at Riverview West Side School of Excellence - September - December 2017

  • Mentored and supported a student in creating her own superhero story and costume as part of a non-profit teaching artist program in residence at a charter elementary school. 

Teaching Assistant at Ramsey Middle School - January - May 2017

  • Assisted art teacher with material preparation and supported students with classroomart projects in public middle school.