Meet Richard
I’m a San Francisco-based creative producer and performing arts leader with nearly 20 years of experience bringing spectacular live events to life. I work with my clients to create 360-degree experiences that immerse audiences, entice new visitors, and delight their loyal fans.
I’ve had a lifelong passion for stagecraft and experience design, going all the way back to life as a theater and orchestra kid in Wisconsin. I’ve been lucky enough to hone these skills at some of our most vaunted stages, like Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl, working in-house at major symphony orchestras. These places were a master class in how to mount ambitious productions, collaborate with world-class artists, and get the best bang for your buck out of ten feet of downstage playing space.
As these major arts institutions have faced the challenge of changing audience dynamics, I’ve helped them adapt their core product to broaden their reach. In 2013, this led me to the San Francisco Symphony, where I launched SoundBox, a revolutionary 360-degree pop-up performance laboratory in an industrial nightclub setting.
During the pandemic years, I became Executive Director of San Francisco’s New Century Chamber Orchestra, a 19-piece string ensemble led by Artistic Director Daniel Hope. This dynamic “movable orchestra” had a well-earned reputation for intimacy, engagement, and excellent musicianship, providing the perfect opportunity to continue exploring new dynamics between performers and audiences in a dramatically altered post-pandemic landscape. I worked with New Century to broaden their landscape of opportunity with a modern approach to repertoire and several visually striking projects, improving the organization’s ability to tell great stories and reach new audiences.
In 2018, I completed the prestigious MSx Sloan Fellowship at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, a one-year, full-time management program for experienced leaders. At Stanford, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the most innovative leaders in Silicon Valley. I pursued rigorous training in Design Thinking at Stanford’s d.school (the Hasso Plattner Institute for Design), giving me the tools to engage interdisciplinary teams in structured creative work. And I even got to brush up on personal branding with supermodel Tyra Banks (ask me sometime what it’s like to have her critique your closet).
More recently, I helped the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus launch their inaugural concert series at the Chan National Queer Arts Center, a 350-seat flexible venue for queer talent. I worked with their team to bring their new building to life, adding concessions and visual art programming to their front of house, and showcasing everything from punk rock to Broadway-style cabaret on their stage.
I started out in talent management, working with conductors, singers, and instrumentalists to build their professional narratives and grow their careers. I was a member of Shakira’s management team during the amazing run-up to her global mega-hit Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
My eclectic life and career has prepared me to tackle any creative challenge that comes my way, so let me help you with yours! Drop me a line, and let’s cook up something fabulous together.
