Advancement Staff
Kathy Harmon-Luber
In her career of more than 20 years, Kathy has raised nearly $100 million for organizations advocating the arts, education and political change. She is currently Director of Development & Capital Campaign at Idyllwild Arts. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Achievable Foundation in Los Angeles. She raised a record breaking $28 million for the Democratic National Committee in 1992. As Director of Marketing at the Smithsonian Institution's education arm, she received an ECHO Award for her annual membership marketing campaign from the Direct Marketing Association. She also worked with Norman Lear's People for the American Way and George Washington University, and as a consultant to Lula Washington's Dance Theatre, BEEM Foundation for Young Musicians, Los Angeles Child Development Center, the Newseum in Washington, DC, and more.
She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, as Vice President of the Washington DC Chapter, and on the Los Angeles Chapter's Mentoring Committee. She judged the Direct Marketing Association's ECHO and MAXI Awards on several occasions and has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences and workshops. Kathy has a graduate degree from George Washington University in publishing education and a BS from the University of North Carolina.
Lissa Claussen
Special Projects Manager
B.S. Business Administration, Colorado College, CO, Regis University, CO. Lissa worked for Adolph Coors Company where she began her career in Accounting and Purchasing. During this time Lissa was a dorm parent for the Colorado School of Mines. She continued as Purchasing Agent for Luminoptics and Discovery Toys upon moving to the Bay area. She subsequently spent several years overseas, England and Sumatra, then repatriated to Steamboat Springs, CO. There she worked for TCD, Inc., a major General Contractor, where she was Project Coordinator for five multi-million dollar construction projects. In 2002, Lissa moved to Idyllwild to be with her daughter as she attended Idyllwild Arts. In 2007 she was named Director of Annual Giving and in 2008, Director of Major Gifts and now Special Projects Manager.
Choosing to disrupt her formal education in 1982 to live as an expatriate overseas in Saudi Arabia and Japan, Emily found many opportunities to live her education, providing her with many one-of-a-kind experiences. Living and working in international communities has allowed her to expand her way of thinking and to communicate and relate in a variety of ways. While in Japan, Emily created, organized and headed a system of fundraising for Yokohama International School, which could then be reproduced by each country represented at the school and which would help future volunteers. She lobbied for and created the first school newsletter, The YIS Messenger, and was initially responsible for everything from brainstorming possible articles for future, keeping expense reports, purchasing supplies, PR and communiqués, to arranging a team for production and distribution. Using her design background, Emily designed a children’s library for a more pro-child atmosphere in a previously adult oriented athletic club for overseas internationals. This project led to updating and refurbishing an aged playground and creating suggestions as to ways to expand dining options for children in the snack bar and restaurant. Returning to the States in 1997, Emily used her talent and background as a design and color consultant, organizing, utilizing, designing and decorating. She has recently joined the Advancement team at IAA as Development Assistant, assisting in Foundation and Corporation development and all aspects of Capital Campaign.
Director of Annual Giving and Advancement Services
B.A. in Economics with high honors, UC Riverside. Ian began his professional career at Merrill Lynch where he worked on market analytics and research, direct mail marketing campaigns, and database management for a private wealth team. He was hired to the position of Development Officer at Idyllwild Arts in July 2007, and was recently promoted to the position of Director of Annual Giving and Advancement Services in July 2008. In this position he is responsible for the planning and execution of the Annual Giving fundraising campaign, gift processing and acknowledgment, and database management/donor services.
Scott Schroeder
Director of the Capital Campaign and Individual Giving
Scott came to Idyllwild Arts in late 2011 with 36 years of experience as a fundraising professional, managing capital campaigns, annual giving, planned giving, membership programs and special events. After completing a B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) in Economics at Boston University, a three-year stint as an Executive Training Officer in the Navy, and an M.A. in Mass Communications from the University of Massachussetts, he began his development career as a consultant to nonprofit clients in the New York City area, including the Brooklyn Children's Museum, Fraunces Tavern Museum, and the Hospital for Joint Diseases. For the next 27 years, he served as Director of Development for the Brandywine Conservancy / Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, PA. Scott and his wife, Martha, relocated to Palm Springs in 2005 where he assumed the position of Director of Development for the Palm Springs Art Museum for the next six years. In 2011, he received the Outstanding Fundraising Professional award presented at National Philanthropy Day by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Scott, a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) since 1985, has served as a board member of local AFP Chapters in Delaware and California for the past 27 years, most recently as president of the Desert Communities Chapter in the Coachella Valley.
Melinda Stange
Office Manager for Development and Marketing
Melinda began her professional career as an Executive Secretary to the Vice President of American Funds Service Company, which serviced over a million shareholders. She has worked as an Administrative Assistant/Office Manager for over 22 years. As of January 2006 she has worked as the Administrative Assistant for Advancement. Her passions are people and cooking with her two wonderful grandchildren with one more (Sous Chef) on the way.
Theresa Teel
Director of Special Events/Board Liaison
B.A. Visual Art, emphasis in Graphic Design, University of San Francisco. Theresa attended the Idyllwild Arts Academy as a Visual Art major from 1993-1997. After attending the University of San Francisco and California College of Arts & Crafts in a joint degree program, she graduated from USF with a BA in Visual Art, emphasis in Graphic Design. After working as a graphic designer and personal assistant to the President and founder of Cayenne Communication for several years, she moved home to Idyllwild in 2002. In 2010, after having been the Director of Alumni Relations and Director of Parent & Alumni Communication for 8 years, Theresa was promoted to Director of Special Events where she oversees the Gala, Capital Campaign dedications, and the Associates of Idyllwild Arts Foundation and their annual Jazz in the Pines festival. In 2011, Theresa added Board Liaison to her repertoire and is thrilled to be working with the Idyllwild Arts Foundation Board of Governors and Board of Trustees.