Angela Priest

I'm a data geek and process nerd who loves to build people up and help them grow. For 20 years, I've been turning chaos into order at companies across all stages of growth to ensure that their teams flourish. I'm now throwing my passion for helping people into helping PhDs, PostDocs, and Mid-Career Researchers get jobs in industry. My goal is simple: to help brilliant minds thrive outside the academic world and make real impact in their new careers.

Check out my website to learn more: www.alma.me

Co-Founder and COO

At Alma.Me, we help PhDs kick start their careers in industry through on-demand courses, online communities, networking, and resources to help them make the transition from academia to industry with confidence.

Bowling Green State University

Led strategic communications and relationship management for a graduate program of ~30 clients (students), driving engagement, service satisfaction, and performance improvement. Oversaw onboarding, evaluation, and mentorship programs aligned with key client success metrics. 
o	Client Relationship Management: Served as primary liaison for graduate students, addressing needs, resolving issues, and fostering strong relationships to support success and increase positive sentiment.
o	Onboarding & Engagement: Designed and delivered onboarding processes and resources for new student employees, enhancing retention and early engagement.
o	Strategic Communications: Developed and implemented communication strategies that increased transparency and engagement, resulting in improved feedback and sentiment. 
o	Training & Presentations: Delivered regular training sessions and professional presentations to diverse audiences ranging from 10 to 100 participants, amplifying student success. 
o	Team Leadership & Collaboration: Supervised cross-functional teams of 3-5 staff, ensuring timely project delivery and consistent quality in service and educational outcomes.
o	Performance Metrics & Continuous Improvement: Created and managed a biannual evaluation system for student employees; used data insights to refine responsibilities, clarify expectations, and improve outcomes.

Program Manager and Associate Professor, Graduate Program in Theater

Dance Studies Association

Managed partnership engagement and communications for international non-profit organization whose mission is to strengthen the visibility and reach of dance in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
o	Project Management: Managed annual funded awards program to align with organizational goals and social impact commitments, increasing overall membership by 30% over three years.
o	Strategic Communications: Developed and managed RFPs, award short lists, award letters, and communications plan with Board of Directors and key stakeholders to ensure mission-aligned decisions and funding strategies.
o	Cross-Functional Collaboration: Drove staffing of volunteer committees who evaluated 100 publications ranging from 10-page essays to 300-page manuscripts for research quality, innovation, and impact over 3 months.
o	Problem Solving & Work Flow: Streamlined review process, document sharing, and document storage to increase information flow by 40%.

VP, Awards

Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism

Led editorial process for book review section of academic journal to produce 5 issues over 2.5 years. 
o	Project Management: Recruited reviewers, tracked review proposals, book distribution, author contracts, and review calendar, increasing representation of diverse authors by 20%.
o	Content Management: Solicited and vetted reviewable publications, managed author communications to ensure zero publication errors.
o	Editing: Implemented comprehensive editorial process for first-time reviewers to maintain alignment and ensure zero publication errors for new editors.

Editor, Book Reviews

Texas A&M University

Developed content and facilitated course sessions, supporting the mission of a flagship research university with 70,000 students, 3,800 full-time faculty and 8,000 staff members.
o	Content Creation: Designed and delivered 4 courses per term, using clear documentation and engaging presentation techniques for in-person audiences of 100-300 students. 
o	Collaboration: Supervised and collaborated with team of teaching assistants to support student engagement, successfully advancing ~1,000 students per semester through course’s educational mission.

Instructor/Learning Program Designer

Ohio University

Developed content and facilitated course sessions, supporting the mission of a large public university with 28,000 students, 850 full-time faculty and 2,000 staff members.
o	Program Design: Designed, executed, and managed 2-3 course courses per term, improving student evaluations by 15% over three years.
o	Collaboration: Supervised team of production assistants to strengthen ties between theatrical productions and local audiences, deepening cross-departmental engagement with theatre productions by 30%.
o	Stakeholder Engagement: Leveraged research findings to build and maintain national professional network with two organizations of 500+ members and an extended network of 50,000, enhancing visibility and reputation of department.

Theater Mu

Secured $400,000 annually in grants and donations for Asian American non-profit theatre company; managed twice-annual individual donor drives, collaborated on annual fundraising gala, edited donor letters; Supported staff, artists, and patrons through managing accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, copyediting marketing materials and playbills, and other office administration

Development Director, Office Administrator

Consultant | Coach | Editor | ~ I help academics in the arts navigate systems that weren't built for them

I have 10+ years of experience navigating complex organizations, advocating for client success, and crafting effective communications that drive engagement and build relationships. I specialize in academic editing, career coaching, and project management for the arts.

taplio

The Battle

Angela Priest

Angela Ahlgren

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?