Creative Producer | Art Director & Designer | Project & Program Manager

Portrait photo of a woman looking to the camera and smiling. She has dark brown eyes. and brown hair. She is wearing a green sweater. The background is a solid dark purple.

Maryanne is a dedicated and enthusiastic creative thinker and lifelong learner who excels at clean design, clear communication, and timely project execution. She is captivated by our vast, natural world, which ignites the imagination and sparks memorable storytelling.

Having first earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California, Maryanne has more than twenty years of experience working in children’s educational television and major motion pictures. She served as the Creative Director of Design Services at The Jim Henson Company for programs such as Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, Doozers, Splash and Bubbles, and Dot. Maryanne then served as Creative Producer of the award-winning Art Department at Technicolor on blockbuster films for Disney, Warner Bros., Sony, and Universal. Most recently, she was Senior Design Manager at the ed-tech company Age of Learning, which aims to provide children with a solid academic foundation and a love of learning.

Wishing to deepen her understanding of sustainability issues and engage more directly in conservation actions, Maryanne completed a Master’s degree in Biology, focused on conservation education, through the Advanced Inquiry Program at Miami University and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Currently serving as Director of Public Programs for the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, she endeavors to apply her skills and experience to promote environmental awareness, support biodiversity conservation and urban greening initiatives, and share her affinity for plants.

Specialties:

  • Art Direction

  • Artist and vendor management

  • Graphic design for print and digital

  • Visual Asset Management

  • Photography

  • Ideation

  • Project and program management

  • Brand management and messaging

  • Outreach and engagement materials

  • Grant management

  • Team building

  • Strategizing

Outside of work, I enjoy volunteering with native plant restoration groups and local animal welfare groups. I can be found hiking with my rescue pup, reading about trees with my rescue cats, and doodling in coffee shops. Oh, and I love oboes and English muffins.

My Top Five Strengths | Gallup's Clifton Strengthsfinder Assessment:

  • Learner - "People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them."

  • Strategic - "People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues."

  • Intellection - "People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. {They} like to think...like mental activity."

  • Individualization - "People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively."

  • Relator - "People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal."