About Anna

A woman with curly hair wearing glasses and a tie-dye shirt, standing outdoors on grass, smiling at the camera. She is leaning on a white pedestal holding a sculpture. Behind her is the campus of Penland School of Craft.
Woman with curly hair and glasses smiling while holding a bouquet of pink and purple flowers and multiple stacked plates. She is in a store surrounded by shelves of dishes and a camera captures her image.

My Journey to Art Management

For the past 15 years, I've built my career around one core belief: creative people deserve exceptional support to focus on what they do best.

A woman with curly hair, glasses, and a patterned outfit is kneeling and holding a yellow paper, talking to an elderly man with glasses, a bright orange shirt, and shorts who is sitting on a chair and looking at his phone. Behind them, an artist is working on a landscape painting at an easel next to large windows.

Building Systems That Work

My background spans nonprofit leadership, brand management, and quite a bit in between. Most recently before starting Studio Thorp, I served as Community Manager at Haand, where I transformed the way customers discover and choose their handmade slipcast tableware into a truly personal concierge experience. The results speak for themselves—I helped increase website sessions by 57% and average order value by 36% through data-driven marketing and genuine relationship building. (I love what Haand does and am proud to be part of it for a few years - go visit their showroom in Burlington, NC if you haven’t been!)

Before that, I spent three years as Chief of Staff to Jessamyn Stanley and The Underbelly, where I learned to manage complex operations while maintaining the confidential, trusted relationships that high-profile creative professionals require. I built their entire HR infrastructure from scratch, managed budgets, and served as the primary liaison between talent agencies, legal teams, and brand partners.

Woman smiling, holding black bowls in front of a brick wall with a sign reading "HANND MADE IN NC, USA."
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Understanding Creative Work

My experience extends beyond business operations into the deeply personal world of creative support. I spent several years in New York City supporting lead creatives in executive assistant, personal assistant, and associate producer roles, managing everything from international travel logistics to sensitive communications for a member of a globally recognized creative family. This role taught me the importance of discretion, anticipation, and the kind of seamless support that allows creative professionals to focus entirely on their work.

Nonprofit and Community Leadership

In 2010, co-founded Peppercorn Theatre, a non-profit in Winston-Salem that produced original plays and musicals for families. Over five years, I led fundraising efforts, managed budgets for teams of 30-40 young professional artists, developed educational programming, and ultimately orchestrated our merger with the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem (now Kaleideum). This experience gave me deep insight into the challenges creative organizations face and the systems needed to sustain them. I’m proud to say that Peppercorn’s legacy lives on in theatre exhibit in the new Kaleideum in downtown Winston-Salem.

Community Commitment

I believe in giving back to the creative community that has shaped my career. I currently serve on the Board of Directors for Chelsea Theatre, an arthouse cinema in Chapel Hill, where I chair the Marketing and Engagement Committee. I've also served on the Alamance County Tourism Development Authority and held leadership roles on the Board of Trustees of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts.

Outside of the arts, I’m passionate about the work of the North Carolina Funeral Consumers Alliance, where I’m a member of the Board of Directors. Feel free to ask me about this - I’m enthusiastic to point artists towards estate planning resources.

My Creative Education

I hold an MA in New Media and Global Education from Appalachian State University, and completed graduate studies in Performing Arts Management at UNC School of the Arts, and a BA in Music Education from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. My favorite educational experience was at Penland School of Craft, where I explored "The Anti-Purist Rapture" with renowned artists Einar and Jamex De la Torre. These experiences keep me connected to the creative process and the unique challenges artists face.

Why I Do This Work

Every artist I work with has spent decades developing their craft, building a body of work that represents their unique vision and contribution to the world. My job is to ensure that legacy is preserved, presented, and shared with the care and professionalism it deserves. I bring both the business fluency and deep creative empathy needed to bridge the gap between artistic vision and sustainable practice.

My role is to ensure your legacy is built with the same intention and craftsmanship you bring to your studio practice.