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Heidi Quicksilver

Director of Technology

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  • Summary

    I am a transformational technology leader with over 18 years' experience in cultural institutions. I am known for maximizing productivity and efficiency through the implementation of new technologies, refining existing systems and business practices, and growing individuals within the organization for maximum results. I am an accomplished influencer across all divisions and levels both technical and non-technical, specializing in strategy development, change management, needs assessment, vendor relationships and negotiation, systems implementation and user experience. I pride myself in leading innovative projects to deliver seamless and spectacular visitor experiences onsite and online and developing effective workflows to add value to any digital ecosystem.


    I have worked in museum technology since 2001 specializing in software and application implementation, and digital media management, with a specific focus on finding solutions to complicated business needs using digital tools, training, and workflow analysis. I have held positions of increasing responsibility at major fine art institutions [Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Jewish Museum in Manhattan] and as the Senior Director of Digital Systems and Strategy at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As a consultant, I have worked with the Robin Hood Foundation, the Dia Art Foundation, and the Corning Museum of Glass on digital strategy and technology projects.

    Specialties:

    • Problem-solving and solution finding
    • Digital/software development and implementation
    • Systems strategy and assessment
    • Vendor relationship management
    • Emerging technology- AI and machine learning
    • Project planning, management, and budget
    • Team Building
    • Technology support and training
    • Digital Media creation, management, and software
    • Workflow assessment and streamlining
    • Social Media

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  • Experience

    The Broad

    Director of Technology 2020 - present

    •Forward-thinking, collaborative, and hands-on technical lead providing strategic vision, operational leadership, and support in maintaining and evolving all things technology

    • Leading and executing a vision for technology, digital, IT, data management, analysis, and business intelligence guiding the organization toward data-forward thinking.
     

    Pérez Art Museum Miami

    Director of Digital Engagement March 2020 - October 2020

    • Lead digital product development for all websites and applications to ensure that they are strategically and technically aligned, sustainable, of high quality, and facilitate engagement.
    • Lead the training, development, and integration of core systems to create a strong foundation on which to build interactive media products and applications. (CRM, ticketing, collections management, Google analytics, etc.)
    • Drafting and executing a vision for data management, analysis, and business intelligence guiding the organization toward data-forward thinking.
    • Oversight of the development and integration of multiple web platforms into a cohesive, responsive, immersive design and globally branded platforms.
    • Creating interactive online digital learning tools and translate the museum’s education curricula into accessible, interactive, learning experiences onsite and online.
    • Strengthening PAMM’s digital presence through effective management of a portfolio of high quality, public-facing products, including the PAMM website.
    • Supervise Data Analyst and Creative Technology Developer

    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

    Senior Director of Digital Systems and Strategy

    September 2018 - January 2020

    Oversee all enterprise digital media and related use, storage, preservation, organization, and access. I am creating an institution-wide strategy to streamline all digital assets, archives, and collections management and working with each division to determine roles and responsibilities as they relate to digital media strategy and priorities. I am also responsible for the technical strategy and delivery of a DAMS software solution and collections management software solution while providing technical expertise for building the hosting and storage infrastructure with a special focus on emerging technology (AI and ML), museum-wide system integrations, video production/post-production/live streaming, and strategic business partnerships.

     

    • Author DAMS Program charter for full institutional guidance on systems and strategy - completed
    • Execute new tech infrastructure and cloud-based digital storage design to support digital media and systems - completed
    • Cloud storage data/media migration - completed
    • Data recovery from legacy LTO tape archive - completed
    • Collections management system implementation including data migration from a legacy system - live in January 2020
    • DAM/MAM system implementation with a special focus on video production workflows and structure for a future publicly accessible digital archive - in progress
    • Machine learning processes and A.I for automated metadata creation for 350TB of legacy media assets ongoing

    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

    Interim VP of Technology

    October 2016 - September 2018

    Heidi Quicksilver is the Interim Vice President of Technology at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, responsible for the creation and advocacy of a vision for Information Technology, Information Management, and Digital and Interactive Media, guided by the Rock Hall's mission to engage, teach and inspire through the power of rock & roll. She is the lead for all digital experiences, software development, and technology infrastructure including cloud storage, ticketing/CRM, website, enterprise content management, collections management, systems integration, applications, in-museum digital interactives, and signage, with a special focus on emerging technology and strategic business partnerships. Her fiscal responsibilities include managing an annual budget of $1.4 million. In addition to providing leadership and oversight for technology initiatives spanning all Museum departments, she serves as an advisor to the President and CEO on current and future technological trends and advancements in the museum field.

     

    Major recent Rock Hall projects include:

    • Successful website redesign and launch within 12-week timeline
    • Completion of new, integrated Ticketing and CRM platform
    • Realization of mobile ticketing and entrance experience allowing the Box Office staff to sell tickets and memberships from any location on campus
    • Implementation of new Collections management system integrating museum, archive and library systems for universal search
    • Cloud migration of digital archive including data recovery and cloud architecture
    • Planning and discovery work for the inaugural Media management system (DAM/MAM)
    • New digital platform for all in-house signage, labels, and interactives
    • Support for Rock Hall rebranding and full Museum redesign

     

     

    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

    Director of Digital Media

    October 2015 - October 2016

    As Director of Digital Media, I connect the diverse content and types of digital media that the Rock Hall owns or has access to, with the varied collaborative projects that use technology innovatively within and beyond the Museum’s walls. I am most excited to create and evangelize a digital media strategy that will steer digitization efforts and subsequent use of digital media in the exhibits, websites, social media, mobile platforms, and other varied endpoints.

    • Institutional needs assessment and vendor research for new enterprise DAMS solution
    • Digitization Strategy
    • Project Manager for new Collections management system combining the museum, archive and library content for universal search
    • Project Manager for the new website
    • Project Manager for Tessitura Implementation (CRM)
    • Manage assets for and assist implementation of a new brand rollout

    Independent Contractor / Consultant

    Digital Asset Management Specialist 

    Jul 2013 - Present

    I am broadly available and happy to collaborate on any Digital Media project. Happy to bounce around any innovative ideas. Brainstorming is my favorite thing to do. Let's work together!

    -Digital Asset Management for Museums, Cultural Institutions, and Non-profits

    -DAMS Needs assessments

    -RFP / RFI drafting
    -DAMS software implementation
    -Digital Capture and Imaging Workflows
    -Institution Specific Metadata and Taxonomy
    -Technical Support
    -Staff training

     

    Some clients include;
    -Dia Art Foundation

    -Corning Museum of Glass
    -Robin Hood Foundation
    -Mitchell-Innes & Nash Gallery
    -panOpticon

    The Jewish Museum

    Digital Asset Manager 

    Jan 2014 - Sept 2015

    • Project Manager for the development and implementation of an inaugural Institution-wide DAMS using Piction Software
    • Define and lead the data mapping and integration between the collections management system (TMS), Piction DAMS and New Website including a new Online Collections initiative
    • Launch new online collection in conjunction with the launch of the new http://thejewishmuseum.org/. All collections data and digital assets feed directly from DAMS software.
    • Create institution specific metadata and taxonomy to increase digital asset discovery for still images, video, and documents.
    • Supervise Rights and Reproductions Coordinator regarding digital rights management and copyright for all museum department and exhibition uses
    • Provide institutional technical support and staff training for DAMs
    • Support on-going DAM user interface optimization/enhancements according to best practices & user feedback
    • Supervise a team of interns and volunteers working to increase DAMS metadata to improve archive and search returns

    Museum Computer Network (MCN)

    Volunteer Social Media coordinator - 2013 and 2014 conference 

    Oct 2013 - July 2015

     

    Manage Social Media communication on all platforms at the yearly conferences to connect attendees, promote innovative ideas, support constructive discussions, and advance the mission of the network.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Robin Hood

    Digital Asset Manager / Consultant 

    Aug 2013 - Nov 2013

    • Project Manager for the development and implementation of an inaugural DAMS
    • Sort, organize, Quality Check (QC) and ingest a huge collection of video and image legacy assets from a large analog (film and VHS) and multi-server based storage strategy to develop a centralized accessible archive.
    • Develop a business taxonomy and enforce metadata standards for all assets in the DAMs
    • Establish new policies and workflows for various business units to support the DAMS infrastructure

     

     

     

    Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

    Digital Archive Manager 

    Jun 2010 - Aug 2013

    • Launched new LACMA Online Image Library containing 80K+ collection objects, 20K+ Public Domain objects with High-Quality images available for free download. http://collections.lacma.org/ . All images feed from DAMS.

    • Project Manager for the development and implementation of an inaugural DAMS
    • Develop project plan for implementation coordinating both collection and non-collections assets and spanning 12+ departments
    • Establish new policies and workflows for various business units to support the DAMS infrastructure
    • Sort, re-organize, Quality Check (QC) and ingest legacy assets from a large analog and multi-server based storage strategy into Piction to develop a centralized accessible archive
    • Assist the integration between the collections management system (TMS), Piction DAMS and Online Collections initiative
    • Define and employ metadata standards for LACMA collection and non-collection assets using IPTC core and Extension
    • Participation in online digital resources such as the Google Art Project and Berg Fashion Library.
    • Member of the Social Media team
    • Work closely with Rights and Reproductions Manager regarding digital rights management and copyright
    • Provide institutional technical support and staff training for DAM System

    Minneapolis Institute of Art

    Digital Imaging Technician Apr 2001 - Jun 2010

    • Produce, distribute, organize and preserve high quality digital assets of the permanent collection, events, exhibitions, donors etc.
    • Manage heavy workflow of assets (approx. 27,000 in 2009), with expert level knowledge of Photoshop, Bridge and Camera Raw used for manipulation, enhancements and batch processing
    • Define and employ metadata standards and document best practices related to digital archiving as
    pertaining to TMS (Collection Management system) and Media Bin (DAMS)
    • Maintain robust and accessible digital archive using Media Bin DAMS software, multiple network servers, local hard drives, and DVD back-up archive with strict control of metadata and color profiles
    • Oversee and quality check (QC) the import of all new images into Media Bin and update all legacy files to meet the museum’s current data and imaging standards
    • Act as Visual Resources Project Manager including organization and oversight of large imaging projects (Publication and catalog list available upon request) through the use of Excel spreadsheets, the creation of online databases and maintaining internal networking and project management sites
    • Original member of the Social Media Team. Assisted Development MIA's first ever social media/brand communications program increasing Facebook fans from 1,200 to over 15,000
    • Provide technical support and train employees on using asset management software for archiving and sharing digital assets
    • Responsible for color management and maintenance of a network of ten computers and 5 printers

    Minneapolis Institute of Art

    Japanese Print Archivist 2003 - 2006

    • Digitally photograph, archive and reproduce the museum’s collection of Japanese prints and print books (approx. 3,500 pieces)
    • Develop and maintain a searchable archive of processed images and CD / DVD back-up of raw files
    • Work with outside sources to produce color-matched reproductions of each accession
    • Extensive work with color correcting, image enhancement and retouching using Adobe Creative Suite

  •  

    I worked with Heidi on multiple projects, including a website redesign, collection management system implementation, digital storage migration, and digital asset management system implementation. Heidi is an extremely hard worker, a strong project manager, a creative problem solver, and a fierce negotiator. She's a great collaborator; able to bring people from various departments together with external vendors to do new and innovative things. She has high expectations, which she models by example, and I learned a lot from working with her.

     

    -Jennie Thomas

    Director of Archives at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

     

    I'm pleased to recommend Heidi Quicksilver as a highly experienced, organized, and knowledgeable digital-assets professional. Heidi is also a pleasure to work with, personable and collegial. Her depth of knowledge is unusually strong. The Jewish Museum is lucky to have her.

     

    -Eve Sinaiko

    Director of Publications at The Jewish Museum

     

     

    Heidi has significant expertise in Digital Asset Management and helped our organization tremendously. Her in-depth knowledge to organize taxonomies, define the upload process and how to add search terms makes her invaluable in establishing the repository.
    We were lucky to have her, and I can strongly endorse her skills!

     

    -Ken Winell
    Director, Information Technology at Robin Hood Foundation

     

     

    Heidi is very good at what she does. Professional and hardworking, she is also a lot of fun to work with. Together, we have worked on quite a complicated project and Heidi was able to clearly explain technological requirements and limitations with ease. She is a great asset to any institution or company.

     

    -Piper Wynn Severance

    Rights & Reproductions Senior Associate at LACMA

     

     

    Heidi is exceptionally thorough, thoughtful and hard-working. I've worked on several projects both inside and out of the museum and know that without a doubt she can be counted on to deliver and better to anticipate what's next. I often wish it could be Heidi's job just to run my life.

     

    -Leann Standish
    Executive Director, Foundation for the Performing Arts Center

     

     

    Heidi's fast, efficient, breathtakingly knowledgeable about digital imaging, and has the best eye for color I've ever encountered. She's unflappable under pressure and refreshingly positive. No reservations whatsoever, in recommending Heidi.

     

    -Matthew Welch
    Deputy Director And chief curator at The Minneapolis Institute of Art

     

     

  • Education

    University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

    Art History, Organic Chemistry, Studio Arts Photography, BA 2001 - 2005

     

  • Let's work together!

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