Debbie Winslow has been actively involved with the Sedona Arts Center since 1990, first as a performer and volunteer in the theatre, then as an employee. She was initially hired in the fall of 1994 as the House and Box Office Manager for the theatre, an independent contractor hourly position created for the new 158 seat theatre in the Art Barn. She did that job until November of 1995 when she was hired as a full time employee complete with salary and benefits. She was initially the Administrative Director whose job was to open and close the Gallery every day and schedule the volunteers in that area (there was no manager or paid staff in the Gallery yet.) She handled the mail, answered the phone, helped with special events, and whatever the different program committees needed. In 2002 she became the Education Operations Director which entailed handling student registrations and payments, communication with students and instructors, and making reservations for visiting instructors at local sponsor hotels. She did this job for 15 years until she took on the duties of Development Director in 2018. She took the School Operations Manager job back in January 2021 after the untimely and unexpected passing of the employee who had been handling those duties. She continued in this position until her retirement at the end of December, 2024. You would see her at special events throughout the years handling whatever was needed.
“During my 29+ years of employment, I have seen many changes at the Sedona Arts Center – some good, some not so much, but all were helpful and excellent learning experiences as the Arts Center moved forward through changing times, financial challenges, changes in programming and technology, a dozen executive directors, many board and staff members, and working through the 9/11 attack in 2001 and a global pandemic in 2020. My early years were full of phone calls and leaving messages on answering machines, putting together bulk mailings of bi-monthly newsletters, three class catalogs per year, and other letters going out to the membership – literally tens of thousands of mail pieces going out until we finally pivoted to email for most correspondence. Quite a contrast to the online world we all live in now. How did we function without email and an interactive website???
Personally, I will remember the laughter, tears, excitement, joy, and most importantly, the wonderful people who make it all happen including the staff, board members, donors, students, instructors, artists, volunteers and visitors. I have made so many friends through the years! Thank you to all of you for the friendships and memories I will forever cherish.” …Debbie Winslow, 2024
