SPOTLIGHT: Cristie Hanson
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM MEMBER, CRISTIE HANSON, IN THIS SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW!
Cristie Hanson is a public relations volunteer at IVRT. She is an important part of our team and always a friendly face to meet with and discuss new ideas. Her work consists of writing press releases and helping get the word out to our community about all the great things going on at IVRT. During her time outside of IVRT she is also the creative director at JigsawTek (a technology consulting company) and runs all things marketing.
IVRT: Tell me how you first got involved with IVRT.
“My daughter was a CAMP IVRT kid! She took a class one summer and that led to a play, and she literally fell in love with the theatre experience. IVRT gave her the opportunity to sing, dance and perform, and along the way, our whole family got involved in various aspects of volunteering with IVRT.”
IVRT: What’s it like to be a part of the IVRT team?
“It’s an amazing experience because it’s a place to share ideas and look at things in new and interesting ways. And along the way, you meet the most interesting people!”
IVRT: Tell me about some of the people you’ve met while working with IVRT?
“I’ve met a lot of people―from actors to board members to donors and volunteers. It may sound cheesy, but everyone has a role to play. For some it’s on the stage and for others (like me) it’s behind the scenes.”
IVRT: What would you tell someone who is thinking about getting involved with IVRT?
“Definitely do it! There are so many opportunities with IVRT and you can do as little or as much as you want. My family has sold snacks at intermission, shown people to their seats and brought snacks for actors during rehearsals. There’s also opportunities for teens to earn service hours. It’s really about what you enjoy doing, because if you share what you’re passionate about, volunteering becomes a joy.”
IVRT: What might others be surprised to know about you?
“I think everyone is full of surprises when you start knowing their story! I’ve volunteered across the entire spectrum. I’ve been a PTA board member, a Girl Scout leader, a soccer/dance/theatre/choir/band mom and every time I figured out how to incorporate my writing background into these experiences. But the greatest hidden surprise is that I have a background in corporate communications and have written for health care and technology corporations. I specialize in explaining difficult concepts. Which means I ask a lot of questions until I understand and then try to explain what I’ve learned to somebody else.”
IVRT: How would your friends describe you?
“Really quiet until you get to know me and polite to a fault! Most of the time my first impression is that I’m quiet and reserved, but once you know me over time, I have an opinion on everything, but you have to ask for it.”
IVRT: What do you like to do in your spare time?
“I love stories, so I’m always reading whether it’s the latest headlines to books (historical fiction is my favorite) and of course, seeing anything on stage! I also love photography and all things crafty!”
Have you got a favorite IVRT story? You can share it with Cristie at chanson@ivrt.org.