Tanya Sharp

About Tanya Sharp

Tanya Sharp (TANya) is a creative technology professional. Putting her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Western Washington University to intentional use, her 20+ year career includes graphic/web design, user experience design, commercial art design, and high-profile project management of design teams. She is a MFA Arts Leadership graduate from Seattle University with a concentration on public art, activism art, community engagement, partnerships and arts administration. Tanya leads through a framework of collaboration and centers her work with the mission of communicating stories for audiences to hear through their head and embrace with their heart. This approach has given her access to chair the Edmonds Arts Commission and sit on the Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA) and Cascadia Art Museum boards

Experience

1. Founder & President

   Spark Creativity

   Jun 2024 — Present · Edmonds, WA, US

   Leadership & Vision• Develop and articulate the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.• Serve as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Spark! Creativity within the community and with partners.• Lead long-term planning to ensure sustainable growth and impact.Program Development & Oversight• Design, launch, and refine innovative arts education programs aligned with organizational goals.• Oversee program implementation, ensuring high-quality delivery and alignment with educational standards.• Evaluate program outcomes, gather data, and use findings to improve offerings.Fundraising & Financial Stewardship• Identify and pursue funding opportunities, including grants, individual donors, and corporate sponsorships.• Lead or participate in fundraising campaigns and community events.• Develop and oversee budgets in collaboration with financial staff or volunteers to ensure responsible financial management.Partnerships & Community Engagement• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with schools, arts organizations, community groups, and local government.• Advocate for equitable access to arts education across underserved populations.• Represent Spark! Creativity at community events, meetings, and public forums.Organizational Management• Recruit, hire, and support staff, teaching artists, and volunteers, fostering a positive and productive culture.• Ensure compliance with legal, financial, and nonprofit governance requirements.Communication & Marketing• Oversee the creation and dissemination of marketing and outreach materials.• Manage public relations efforts to raise awareness of the organization’s work and impact.• Maintain digital presence, including website and social media channels.

Education

• Western Washington University

  BFA, Graphic Design and Illustration

  1991 — 1995

• Seattle University

  MAFAL-graduated with honors: 3.9 GPA, Arts Leadership

  2019 — 2021

• Toastmasters International

  Competent Communicator and High Performance Leadership

  2016 — 2017

Skills

• Creative Direction
• Mobile Applications
• Information Architecture
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (Wcag)
• Jquery
• Web Applications
• Graphic Design
• User Scenarios
• User-Centered Design
• Prototype
• Axure
• Invision
• Usability Testing
• Morae
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• User Experience
• Leadership
• Information Design
• Web Design
• Persona
• Cascading Style Sheets (Css)
• Contextual Inquiry
• Visual Design
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Zeplin App
• Card Sorting
• Css
• User Experience Design
• Mockups
• Usability
• Bootstrap
• Logo Design
• Heuristic Evaluation
• Sketch App
• Html 5
• Rapid Prototyping
• Interaction Design
• Design Strategy
• Site Maps