Rhonda Magnusson Pickens has extensive experience in cultural literacy programming, Asian art galleries, and textile design. She received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Harvard Extension School, cum laude, studying Asian Studies and World Religions. She has owned and operated several businesses focused on Asian art and textiles, including an online design shop and retail gallery in Minneapolis. Pickens has also worked as a docent, lecturer, and tour guide at the National Museum of Singapore, specializing in Asian textiles, history, and culture.

1. Rhonda Magnusson Pickens
19 Garden St., Apt. 45 • Cambridge, MA 02138-3626 • RhondaMPickens@post.harvard.edu • 617-835-9386
Education
Harvard University
 Extension School, Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Cum Laude, Asian Studies & World Religions (May 2013)
 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, SpecialStudent in Asian Art & Sanskrit (2011-2012)
 Harvard Summer School Study Abroad Programs
o Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Graduate Archaeological Field School, Peru (2011)
o Università Cà Foscari di Venezia, Venice, Italy (2010)
 U.S. State Department Gilman Scholar, 2011
Experience
Owner/Designer • Don't Just Tolerate... Celebrate! • AsianOrientation • Objets d'Aaahhh 2012 - 2015
 Designed and sold an array of products & textiles referencing traditional art forms, travel, religious & cultural imagery
celebrating diversity & encouraging cultural literacy. Developed on Zazzle and CafePress platforms. 2013 sales
exceeded $72K, 2014 $150K, & 2015 projected at $350K before May 2015 sale of design library.
Cultural Literacy Programming Creator / Presenter • Don't Just Tolerate... Celebrate! 1998 - 2008
 Created diversity & cultural literacy programs for K-12 students
 Tennessee program targeted students in an economically disadvantaged ruralschool district (Pleasant Hill) where many
children have never travelled more than 100 miles from home. In this case, goal was not only to encourage tolerance,
but also to broaden children's perception of the world and their own life possibilities outside Cumberland County.
Owner / Principle Designer • Asian Orientation Gallery, Minneapolis Design Center 1998 - 2003
 Conceived, designed, built, & managed an initially to-the-trade & eventually retail Asian art & antiques gallery.
 Specialties included traditional & custom handwoven supplementary warp textiles, ikats, & batiks, antique Burmese
lacquerware, antique Chinese furniture, art, clothing & ornaments, custom framing of unusual 3 dimensional objets,
high quality porcelains & ceramics, high-end traditional arts & crafts, Chinoiserie, Japonisme, & Orientalisme
 Negotiated lease, designed space, hired subcontractors, & supervised construction of showroom space
 Travelled throughout Asia & sourced, negotiated, and purchased art, antiques, furniture, and textiles
 Negotiated international container shipping and arranged US Customs and FDA approvals
 Developed logo, signage, & marketing materials; designed and placed advertising
 Handled customer relations and sales, both retail and wholesale, and community outreach.
 Frequently spoke at trade and museum events and featured on local television.
 Managed budgeting, expense tracking, accounting and billing, inventory, sales & income tax reporting
 Interior & exterior space planning, design, contracting, and supervision
 Led group study and shopping tours through SE Asia
Docent / Lecturer / Group Travel Coordinator • National Museum of Singapore 1993-1997
 Docent, VIP Docent, & Textiles Specialist Docent
 Museum Education / Lecturer in Asian textiles, history, culture, religion, & art
 Textiles trainer/ presenter, Docent Training Programme
 Planned, coordinated, & led study tours to Bhutan, Nepal, Beijing, Hong Kong, Thailand, Sarawak, Sabah, Bali, & Java
 Led cultural study tours of Singapore for newcomer expatriates
Additional Qualifications / Experience (More Detail Available Upon Request)
 Corporate human resources & employee relations, AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) & 3M Corp., Austin, TX
o Managed all aspects of a multi-million dollar, >300 employee relocation and retention program
o Coordinated trade shows, minority recruitment programs, and special events with budgets of up to $500K
 Retail sales, merchandising, marketing, management, fashion shows, special events, Foley's & J. Riggings
 Board member & fundraiser for museums, not-for-profit, and educational organizations
 International travel adept & culturally literate - lived, worked, traveled & studied abroad, incl 5 years in Singapore
 Writer, Editor, & photographer, AMD & 3M internal publications & Singapore American & Bamboo Telegraph
magazines, and academic and special-interest publications.