Jon
Bailey
Director of Sales
Sarah
Mackessy
Solutions Consultant
Mike
Busic
Solutions Consultant
Russ
Gage
Director of Client Services
Patrick
Spike, “Spike”
Client Services Representative
Jim
Hanushek
Client Services Representative
Katie
Behrens
Client Services Representative
Megan
Keating
Client Services Representative
Eric
Guerin
Client Services Representative
James
Dixon
Client Services Representative
Alex
Blouin
Client Services Representative
Tim
Curtis
Client Services Representative
Jessica
Johnson
Client Services Representative
Rhone
Geha
Client Services Representative
Katie
Jones
Client Services Representative
Victoria
Dandrea
Client Services Representative
Caren
Hearne
Client Services Representative
Joe
Meyer
Data Specialist
Don
Rea
Technical Manager
Blake
Swensen
Systems Administrator
Jacob
Hammond
Developer
Kwame
Osafo
Developer
Ashley
Solomon
Developer
Greg
Maguire
UI/UX Designer
Andrew
DeMoss
Accountant
Jake
Ayres
Administrative Assistant
Heather
Blackbird
Co-Founder / Advisor
Jon Bailey
Director of Sales
ABOUT
Jon has worked in the Live Events/Ticketing industry for over 15 years as everything from a Box Office Manager to Venue Staff to a Sales Representative. He has worked in the arts, professional sports, the music industry and other ticketing software providers, including Ticketmaster. He jokingly says he earned his "4 year degree in Nightclub."
LOVES
Helping arts organizations develop and accumulating stories to tell.
When not working, he is more than likely doing something with his family.
FACTS
Jon is a native San Franciscan and works for Arts People from the City By The Bay. He is involved in the San Francisco theatre scene as both a fight choreographer and occasional actor. He attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.
Sarah Mackessy
Solutions Consultant
ABOUT
With a BA in Production Management from Indiana University, Sarah Farrell has worked with the Portland Jazz Festival and the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA). Also a graduate of the Portland Actors' Conservatory and a performing musician, she has in depth experience managing event logistics from multiple vantage points and in various venues nationally. Sarah was the co-founder and Creative Director of lille æske Arthouse from 2015 - 2019 (Boulder Creek, CA), and the current co-founder and Creative Director of Ændre Arthouse (Milwaukee, WI).
LOVES
Helping fellow artists and art supporters reach out to their communities, cultivate relationships, and move culture forward.
Snuggling with cats Vernon (a blonde Manx kitten) and Thom (a silver Nebulong).
Americana-folk-bluegrass music and she currently sings with The Naked Bootleggers (a band out of Boulder Creek, CA that gigs all around the Santa Cruz area).
FACTS
The first performance Sarah remembers seeing was Crystal Gayle singing at the Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw, Indiana! In her spare time she enjoys writing songs and playing music with her husband, treasure hunting at local thrift stores, and practicing yoga.
Mike Busic
Solutions Consultant
ABOUT
Mike has worked in the ticketing industry for 20 years. He has worked in Marketing, General management and sales with both big and small companies including Ticketmaster and Ticketfly. Mike has been involved in all aspects of live events from music to sports to his personal favorite, performing arts.
LOVES
Helping organizations who get left behind by big box solutions find the tools they need to be successful. When not working, you can find Mike in the kitchen cooking up something fabulous.
FACTS
Mike is a native to Oregon but has lived all around the country including Atlanta, Portland, San Francisco and works for Arts People now out of the deep South in New Orleans. Mike has a Bachelors of Arts degree in communications from Northwest Christian University.
Russ Gage
Director of Client Services
ABOUT
Russ' background in the arts includes over fifteen years of producing film festivals and live performances in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and most recently Portland. Russ has a BA from San Francisco State University in International Relations.
LOVES
The goose bump inducing thrill of a packed-house standing ovation for a film that has taken its audience on a shared journey to a new place.
Disappearing into the Wallowa mountains for a few days.
FACTS
If Russ could go anywhere, he'd go backpacking with his dog Rufus in Patagonia. In the summer he can be found growing more food than he can eat in his backyard.
Patrick Spike, “Spike”
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Spike, as he is affectionately known, has been administering, creating, advising and consulting for non profit performing arts groups for nearly 30 years. With MFA and BA degrees in theatre directing, and formerly the Director of IT for Portland Center Stage, Audience Development Director for Bag&Baggage Productions and more, he is an Arts People system expert, having helped formulate the software system from the ground up. Spike is also an active performer and director around Portland and the west coast.
LOVES
Helping others who have a passion for the arts and its creation to thrive and succeed.
A favorite quote: "Just because you're odd and no one understands you, doesn't make you an artist."
Passionate for film, poetry, pugs, and more… Spike’s interests are varied!
FACTS
Spike has founded theatre companies, served on Boards of Directors at arts organizations. Having lived recently in a larger RV lovingly christened "Wellington", Spike now shares a home in Scappoose, OR with his husband Fernando (the Brazilian YouTube sensation with his channel EasyUSA), and their pugs Max and Myko and chocolate lab Fred.
You can visit Spike's online portfolio at www.patrickspike.com, and laugh along with the character of Phoebe he created for a past production that now lives on due to great demand at www.callmephoebe.com.
Jim Hanushek
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Jim has been heavily involved in theater for many years. He currently serves on the board of Englewood Performing Arts Series (an Arts People client). Originally from Cleveland, by way of Pittsburgh, Suriname, and Saudi Arabia, Jim now resides in Florida. He holds both a BA and MA in Elementary Education.
LOVES
People who see a humanitarian need and then take action on it.
Favorite quote: "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." --Will Rogers
Online learning, a well-played game of Bridge, and jalapeño peppers.
FACTS
Jim’s first experiences in the arts were in music, playing the trumpet in junior high school. In college he could have been found playing guitar at a hootenanny. One of his ideal vacations would be to go fishing on a lake in Canada.
Katie Behrens
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Katie has has been an actor/performer since high school and currently performs and teaches improv and sketch comedy at Curious Comedy Theater. Originally from New Hampshire, she attended Messiah college in Pennsylvania where she majored in theatre with a concentration in acting and directing. She has livesin Portland, OR.
LOVES
Seeing the incredible and original projects clients offer to enrich the arts community all over North America.
Watching most sketch comedy from Kids in the Hall to The State to SNL to “everything.”
Dr. Who, grilled sandwiches, and the phrase “nailed it!”
FACTS
Katie, clearly the extrovert of the office, holds the record for most karaoke nights in a row at a different location - 10. She fell in love with Ireland on a previous trip, and someday hopes to own a vacation home there one day.
Megan Keating
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Megan comes to us from Rome Little Theatre in Rome, GA, having recently served as Executive Director. Her time there began 11 years ago, when her son, Grayson, performed in a production of Tom Sawyer, and she helped backstage. She holds degrees in Art and Animal Science, and has started two small businesses, including a graphic design company she continues to run today.
LOVES
The wide array of personalities you meet working in theater. Training dogs including her pups Mello, Clover and Brook. Working on home improvement projects.
FACTS
Knows her way around a theater, from set building to spotlight operator. The great granddaughter of Johnny Gruelle, creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, and comes from a long line of famous painters and cartoonists (although she didn't inherit those abilities!)
Eric Guerin
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Eric’s theater experience started in 1995 when he joined the musical group Up with People. The group toured worldwide promoting diversity through performances and community service. He was a “roadie” for about five years touring hundreds of venues large and small. He was the Director of the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts (Michigan) for over 8 years managing a variety of performances from High School plays to world renowned acts.
LOVES
Twisty mountain bike trails, camping and travelling with his family, designing and building theater props and mochas.
FACTS
Eric is French-Canadian. He was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada but is now a proud U.S. Citizen. He thinks that any dessert without chocolate is not truly dessert.
James Dixon
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
James is a local performer, equity facilitator, and director in the Portland arts community. He is a social justice activist and is active with Theatre Vertigo based in Portland. James really enjoys working solely in the arts community and decided to make Portland his home after nine years of falling in love with the rainy weather.
LOVES
James loves challenging, risky theater and most importantly working with kids in the arts and aspiring young performers. James is also a Star Trek fan, watches RuPaul's Drag Race religiously, Project Runway, Game of Thrones, Grey's Anatomy, and enjoys watching videos of baby animals when he needs a happy boost.
FACTS
James was once an Electronic Warfare Systems technician for the U-2S spy plane when he served in the United States Air Force, has traveled to over 32 states and 7 countries, and James is a North Carolina native.
Alex Blouin
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Alex was born into a theatre family and never looked back. A graduate of Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, she has been clowning, singing, dancing, directing, teaching, coaching, choreographing and doing schtick professionally for 17 years. Living the circus life, Alex has performed recently in New York, Philadelphia, Kansas City KA, Seattle, Portland, Blue Lake CA and plenty of places in between. She has recently found a home at Ferndale Rep in Ferndale CA.
LOVES
Making funny things, The stunning power of an artist onstage standing still and telling the truth.
Playing folk music (three chords and the truth!) with my band-mate David.
Physical comedy, Tito the cross-eyed kittycat, fish tacos, travel, and the beautiful Pacific Northwest!
FACTS
Alex once did time steps with Gregory Hines (and a few dozen other people). If she could travel anywhere, she would fly to Edinburgh by way of St John's, Newfoundland.
Tim Curtis
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Tim has extensive theatre experience and began working with Riverfront Playhouse in 2007, when he answered an email looking for actors to play zombies in the premiere of Night of the Living Dead – The Musical. In subsequent productions, he went on to take bigger roles, but admits being a zombie was the best of all the roles.
LOVES
Cooking and Baking. Photography. Plays and Musicals. Star Wars, Star Trek, and all things Disney. Bond movies. Traveling.
FACTS
He has guarded Willie Nelson, Don Rickels, Liza Minelli, & Frank Sinatra in his career. Tim loves making people laugh.
Jessica Johnson
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Jessica has had a lifelong passion for the arts, preferring to stay behind-the-scenes. Her professional background in the arts includes over 15 years of stage management and over 10 years of nonprofit marketing and development experience.
LOVES
Hiking and exploring Western NC and the surrounding areas. Coffee. NPR & Podcasts. Cooking & baking. Attending live performances. Reading. Creating and adventuring with her husband & friends. Supporting local small business & the arts.
FACTS
Though Jessica was born and raised in New England, she now resides in Asheville, NC, a place that has always felt like home.
Rhone Geha
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Rhone is a Portland native whose love of the arts has manifested itself in various ways throughout his life, particularly through his experience as an actor and original member of Pulp Productions in Olympia, WA, as well as through his passion for world literature.
LOVES
Learning languages (he is pursuing Arabic while struggling to keep hold of his French), waking up at odd hours to support his beloved Liverpool FC from across the pond, and going to Portland’s many great independent cinemas. He loves the practice of cooking every day, and is striving to love the practice of writing every day.
FACTS
Rhone works to support his community by co-teaching a weekly ESL class. He recently returned from living in Bordeaux, France, and has hopes of someday traveling through Latin America (Mexico and Brazil are at the top of his list.)
Katie Jones
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Katie has been involved in theatre since she was a young child. For the last twenty years, she has worked professionally as a performer, director, teacher and arts administrator. She worked at regional theaters in Sarasota, New York, Chicago and Denver, before returning home to the Carolinas in 2016. Katie is currently the Artistic Director of The Magnetic Theatre and works with many other companies in Asheville.
LOVES
Traveling. Becoming invested in a good story. Dinner parties and campfires with friends, and going to see live music with her husband. Her favorite quote is this one, by Vincent Van Gogh: “I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.” Her favorite film is Harold and Maude.
FACTS
Katie holds an MFA in Performance from Naropa University, and a BA in Performing Arts from Clemson University. She is also an alumnus of Directors Lab (New York and Chicago), as well as Improv Olympic. Katie loves The Beatles, The Muppets and good coffee.
VictoriaDandrea
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Victoria has been completely immersed in the arts for as long as she can remember. From her very first piano lesson to her first time singing in Europe, the arts have taken her on extraordinary adventures. She has worked in opera, early childhood education, arts non-profit, and in higher education. She loves furthering the arts and finds any excuse to convince you to attend an opera at least once!
LOVES
Traveling. Learning about where people come from and what inspires them. Farmers markets. Cooking AND feeding people! Video games. Any and all dogs. Cortados. Adventuring with her husband, Ben. Supporting local restaurants. Food writing, food writing, and more food writing.
FACTS
If she could travel anywhere in the world, it would be, well... everywhere.
CarenHearne
Client Services Representative
ABOUT
Caren is a die hard theatre nerd. Theatre has been her life since the very first ballet class when she was four. With a Theatre degree from Shenandoah University, Caren has performed professionally all over the US and Europe and has also been a director, educator, designer, and helped pioneer theatre and theatre education programs for the Workhouse Arts Center in VA. Currently based in Pittsburgh, she is also the founder and Artistic Director of Mariposa Theatre for Young Audiences (an Arts People client).
LOVES
Being ensconced on the sofa with a good book. Watching Red Zone. Holding hands with her husband of a gazillion years. Snuggling with her two dogs, Maggie and Rex. Traveling to some place new. Relaxing in front of a roaring fire with an adult beverage. Sitting on any beach.
FACTS
Caren grew up in Point Pleasant NJ and probably has saltwater in her veins.
Joe Meyer
Data Specialist
ABOUT
Joe Meyer joined Arts People after a long career with the US Postal Service. Most of his time with USPS was spent working in Information Technology. He held many different positions but most of his career was spent working as an IT Manger or an IT Program Manager. He is a life-long supporter of the theater and musical arts, he is excited to use his database and programming skills to deliver great customer service.LOVES
Joe loves Excel spreadsheets, cats, board games and burritos. And he recently took up the sport of paramotoring. He is also a connoisseur of dad jokes and loves a good pun.FACTS
Joe won first prize at the Utah State Fair for his portrayal of Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew many years ago, but hasn’t been on the stage since. He was also a classic rock DJ for many years. Originally from Utah, he has lived in Washington DC, Oregon, Montana, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Currently he lives in Vancouver, WA with his wife Cathy and their eccentric cat, Mia.
Don Rea
Technical Manager
ABOUT
Don has a degree in Studio Art from Wesleyan University, but has also developed software in one form or another since he was 15. He has extensive experience is database design, user experience (UX) design, and automation of communications (also commercial photography and digital animation). Originally from the Pittsburgh area, he now lives in Portland, OR and loves it.
LOVES
Black and white film photography, making food, brewing beer, traveling anywhere he's never been before.
FACTS
Has been to 46 states and three continents. Just 4 and 4 to go!
Had 33 teeth for most of his life (an extra wisdom tooth!)
Left to himself, spends most of his time reading. Thinks of himself as an artist whose medium is software.
Blake Swensen
Systems Administrator
ABOUT
Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Blake graduated from college with a degree in theater. He decided he needed a fall back career and everything pushed him toward the computer industry, eventually landing him in Portland to take advantage of opportunities in the Silicon Forest. In his nearly three decade computer career Blake has offered support for virtually every type of computer and network including VAX, CP/M, DOS, Prime/OS, Solaris, Sun/OS, Macintosh System Software, several flavors of Unix and, of course, Windows.
LOVES
Science fiction stories. He's published two of his own and is shopping a third.
Music! Plays bass and guitar and is a total deadhead.
His yellow lab Samantha, who passed three years ago at the ripe age of 17.
FACTS
Blake and his wife Emily are the parents of twin boys entering High School. Blake is passionate about the joy that "Making" can bring to a person's life. In fact, he’s been running a summer camp, Tinker Camp, for elementary school kids with a friend for the last five years teaching kids how failure is part of the trial and error process, not a reflection of a personal flaw -- so that they can bravely experiment with ideas, without it negatively affecting their self-esteem.
Jacob Hammond
Developer
ABOUT
Jacob has been active in web development since 2000, first building websites in high school and then working for a large variety of companies exploring his passion for web development. Originally from Mckinleyville, California, he now lives in southern Oregon.
LOVES
Building things and solving technical problems.
Favorite quote: "All I know is that I know nothing." --Socrates.
His pets: Cannon (golden retriever), Kimo (corgi) and Bago (cat). FACTS If Jacob were sent on a 15 hour journey, the book he’d take is Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, in hopes of finally being able to finish it.
Favorite quote: "All I know is that I know nothing." --Socrates.
His pets: Cannon (golden retriever), Kimo (corgi) and Bago (cat). FACTS If Jacob were sent on a 15 hour journey, the book he’d take is Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, in hopes of finally being able to finish it.
Kwame Osafo
Developer
ABOUT
Kwame holds a Masters degree in Computer Science from Bradley University with a concentration in Software Engineering. With over 7 years experience programming he has expertise in many new and some ancient programming languages (aka Lisp, Pascal).
LOVES
Problem solving and making new software. Exploring ideas, reading all things spiritual or supernatural in nature. Board games notably Monopoly, Clue and Draughts (Checkers).
FACTS
Speaks 3 languages including one he never learned. Won a round of Table Tennis against an Olympic Chinese player. Has lived in 3 different continents (Africa, North America, South America).
Ashley Solomon
Developer
ABOUT
Ashley is full-stack developer who strives to consider the human element in everything she creates. She's had a love and appreciation for the arts from a young age thanks to her Grandma Doris, who often took her to the Art Institute of Chicago on summer visits.
LOVES
Making lists. Bookbinding. Working with other creative people. Her cats (Scarlett and Luna).
FACTS
Has never broken a bone.
Greg Maguire
UI/UX Designer
ABOUT
Greg’s client services background includes 4 years as a Specialist with Apple Computer in Boulder, Colorado. He studied at the University of Colorado where he received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Greg has dabbled in the arts since he was young; first in school theater, then as a member of a folky pop-rock band in college, and now he is an accomplished photographer.
LOVES
Making and sharing his art, and helping others share their art with their communities.
Watching live music, be it an indie alternative rock group or a symphony in the park
Digital photography, ukelele, couscous, and his pet ficus, Eric.
FACTS
The gloaming, or ‘golden hour’, a half-hour period in the evening where subjects appear to be glowing is where Greg’s inspiration lives, and his creativity thrives. Greg once lived in Wellington, New Zealand, and if he could travel anywhere it would be Salar De Uyuni in Bolivia.
Andrew DeMoss
Accountant
About
Andrew has been active in the accounting world for six and a half years, spending four years in public accounting and two and a half years with an apparel manufacturer in the outdoor industry. He takes great joy in finding the story within numbers, and using data to help inform decision making.
Loves
Spending time with his two dogs, Toula and Chief. Being outside, ideally snowboarding, running, hiking, or mountain biking. Exploring Portland’s expansive offerings in the art of creation – specifically as it relates to food, beverage, and performance.
Facts
Andrew is a native of West Chester, PA. He has a BA in economics from Colorado College and a Master’s in Accounting from North Carolina State University. Andrew is a licensed CPA in the state of Oregon.
Jake Ayres
Administrative Assistant
ABOUT
Jake has done battle with and made peace with the arts since he got a toy guitar one year for his birthday. He is a writer, reader, musician, film composer, infrequent photographer, and occasional painter. Always too shy to try out for the school play as an actor, he was perfectly happy in the pit band or stage managing.
LOVES
Printed words. Concerts. Walks in the woods. Cooking. Ridiculous hypotheticals. Singing loudly in the shower. Dancing like an embarrassing dad at a wedding.
FACTS
Has lived in Illinois, Michigan, England, California, Connecticut, upstate New York, and now Portland. Puts out a local poetry journal called Windowcat. Won a state-wide theater award in Connecticut for stage management. Can’t name all 50 state capitals.
Heather Blackbird
Co-Founder / Advisor
ABOUT
Heather Blackbird started Arts People in 2005 with her husband and business partner Ness. She holds a BA in Filmmaking from The Evergreen State College and a MA in English from Portland State University. She strives in her work at Arts People to create a great workplace in service of a project that helps others.
LOVES
Arts People and each and every one of its clients and employees!
Being with her family.
Singing, harmonizing, and learning songs from all over the world.
Watching movies.
Sitting under trees of all kinds.
FACTS
Has a deep respect for volunteerism. Admires communities that make art together. Overuses metaphors. Grew up in Cave Junction, Oregon. Plays a mean game of Pictionary.
Arts People has been growing since 2006 into the team it is today, and we’re still growing.
We are very lucky to have drawn such amazing people together to work with on this incredible project. We are happy to see new clients joining us all the time.
We created the product for arts organizations because we are believers in the power of art. And we saw the need for an affordable, holistic technology solution for arts organizations to sell tickets and manage data.
We also knew we wanted to create a company we felt like coming to work at everyday – and we still do.
Our product is developed with our clients’ needs at the center, and we continue to see taking care of our clients and our staff as parallel projects. We believe this is the true purpose of a company: to ensure its employees are well-cared for and the product is well-built and supported skillfully.
We are grateful to our clients for their business, to our team for their hard work, and to you for considering becoming a part of our community of users.
Our Team
Arts and technology professionals who love what they do and are dedicated to your success.
Giving Back
A few of the amazing organizations we love and appreciate.
Inspiration
We’re an inspired bunch. Here are some of our latest inspirations. Check it out!
First Page
Short videos of our community reading the first page from books they love. Some classics, some lesser known, and all amazing.
Jobs
Interested in a career at Arts People?
Get Started
Get in touch to see if we’re a fit for your organization!
“This has been an amazingly easy process handled with the best of professionalism , understanding and patience.”
Roger Potter - Julie K Music
Contact
2410 N Lombard St
Portland OR 97217
Phone: 866-788-7853
Fax: 503-914-0345
Email: info@arts-people.com
