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I have always been a storyteller. I began ballet at age four, expanded into choir and community theater by age ten, and later earned an undergraduate degree in musical theater that marked the beginning of a professional career in arts and entertainment. It was the life I had always dreamed of for myself, and a younger me would have scoffed at the notion of ever leaving the performing arts for anything else.
However, toward the end of my time as a professional performer— over twelve years— I became emotionally and psychologically bruised, broken, and lost. This was not because of the work, but due to the systemic malfeasances of an exploitative, manipulative, and toxic industry. In 2018, I turned to walk away from the industry forever— or so I thought.
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Through the support of family, friends (and artists), along with my master’s studies at Gonzaga, and especially through conversations and relationships with my faculty mentors, I have been able to navigate a healing journey back into the arts world, which I not only love but recognize I need in order to be present as my fully realized self.
It was Dr. Mike Hazel who told me, "You’re not done with it; you’re just coming back to it on your own terms." Now, with a fully developed business plan, strategy, and timeline for the launch of Ghost Light Communications— my own company that will wield marketing and communications as weapons to fight the toxic systemic narratives and practices that once broke me—I can think of no truer words ever spoken to or about me.
It was Dr. Mike Hazel who told me, "You’re not done with it; you’re just coming back to it on your own terms." Now, with a fully developed business plan, strategy, and timeline for the launch of Ghost Light Communications— my own company that will wield marketing and communications as weapons to fight the toxic systemic narratives and practices that once broke me—I can think of no truer words ever spoken to or about me.
Ghost Light Communications is a marketing, digital strategy, and communications consulting company dedicated to increasing the visibility and accessibility of small nonprofit arts organizations in the greater Salt Lake metro area. Offering fractional services, the company provides specialized expertise in marketing and communications without overextending limited resources, ensuring all efforts align with each organization’s unique mission, vision, and values. Rooted in a commitment to authentic storytelling, Ghost Light Communications fosters community dialogue, empathy, and civic engagement, recognizing the vital role arts organizations play in creating spaces for reflection, collaboration, and connection. By leveraging innovative technologies and cultivating collaborative partnerships, the company supports a thriving arts ecosystem built on inclusivity and mutual support. Through intentional, relationship-driven client acquisition, Ghost Light Communications facilitates impactful change, empowering arts organizations with the resources they need to succeed while enhancing the cultural fabric of the community.
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The purpose of Ghost Light Communications is to facilitate visibility and accessibility to and for small nonprofit arts organizations in the greater Salt Lake metro area by providing fractional marketing, digital strategy, and communications consulting services that ensure all facets of marketing and communications remain authentically rooted in each organization’s mission, vision, and values.
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The guiding principle of Ghost Light Communications is to empower authentic, transformational, and meaningful storytelling by arts organizations that bolster healthy community discourse and promote empathy and civic engagement among citizens.
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At Ghost Light Communications we believe that:
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Live theater is steeped in superstitious beliefs and traditions. In the early days of theater, performers and patrons alike believed that ghosts haunted theatrical venues. It became a superstitious tradition that a light was to be lit and placed centerstage any time the theater was dark and the venue vacated. Whether this was to ward off the ghosts or to appease them in the absence of the cast and crew, is unclear, but the tradition continues today.
Nowadays the ghost light serves a much more practical purpose: safety. Absent of windows or natural light sources, theaters commonly have several levels of seating, curved sets of stairs or sloped isles, possibly an orchestra pit, asymmetrical stage, and architectural design elements that would likely prove hazardous should someone get caught inside when the theater is dark. And so, equally out of caution as well as out of homage to the theater ghosts, a single, self-powered light stands illuminated center stage, bringing light to dark and empty theater houses the world over.
Nowadays the ghost light serves a much more practical purpose: safety. Absent of windows or natural light sources, theaters commonly have several levels of seating, curved sets of stairs or sloped isles, possibly an orchestra pit, asymmetrical stage, and architectural design elements that would likely prove hazardous should someone get caught inside when the theater is dark. And so, equally out of caution as well as out of homage to the theater ghosts, a single, self-powered light stands illuminated center stage, bringing light to dark and empty theater houses the world over.
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My hope is that Ghost Light Communications will serve arts nonprofits in a similar way: as a beacon of light in the digital darkness, one that provides comfort, support, and safety (financially and artistically, perhaps?) as well as helping to illuminate human stories so that they may be seen and felt by the greater community.
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anchor: DisciplinaryGrounding
The arts, particularly the performing arts, stand as one of humanity's oldest and most enduring forms of storytelling, collaboration, and communication. These traditions, present in every culture and age, transcend entertainment, acting instead as mediums to inform, influence, and propagate societal values and cultural continuity. Community theaters, which form a vital segment of these artistic traditions, are deeply embedded in the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the United States. They fulfill unmet needs and offer unique perspectives, enriching the lives of individuals and communities alike through their role as cultural and civic drivers.
The foundational framework for this capstone project draws upon Borden's application of MacIntyre's virtue ethics, which emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of "practitioners" who engage in practices for their intrinsic value rather than economic gain. Both journalists and arts practitioners are posited as "moral custodians," responsible for constructing and preserving communal narratives that enrich civic life. This alignment frames arts practitioners as ethical stewards who must balance the aesthetic, cultural, and moral dimensions of their craft to promote the common and greater good.
The theory asserts that arts producing/distributing companies, as interpreters of community narratives, are entrusted with contextualizing contemporary issues within the frameworks of cultural traditions. By engaging audiences actively rather than passively, the arts foster civic engagement and collective flourishing. Personal and collective identities are shaped through shared stories, underscoring the importance of ethical storytelling practices that prioritize inclusivity, empathy, and mutual understanding.
The theory asserts that arts producing/distributing companies, as interpreters of community narratives, are entrusted with contextualizing contemporary issues within the frameworks of cultural traditions. By engaging audiences actively rather than passively, the arts foster civic engagement and collective flourishing. Personal and collective identities are shaped through shared stories, underscoring the importance of ethical storytelling practices that prioritize inclusivity, empathy, and mutual understanding.
Empirical evidence further substantiates the transformative role of theater. A 2018 study funded by the National Endowment for the Arts revealed that live theater attendance promotes psychological well-being, emotional optimism, and social connectedness. The study also highlighted the capacity of theater to bridge divides and foster a more pluralistic, democratic culture. Similarly, community theater has been identified as a catalyst for economic development, civic engagement, and social cohesion, enriching the fabric of local communities.
anchor: Ethics
The business plan for Ghost Light Communications (GLC), my capstone project, is rooted in Borden’s application of MacIntyre’s virtue ethics, framing journalists and artists as moral custodians of community narrative and civic engagement. In Utah, the monopolization of resources by a few dominant arts organizations has left smaller nonprofits struggling with visibility, funding, and ethical challenges such as censorship, cultural misrepresentation, and artist exploitation. GLC seeks to address these systemic issues by providing affordable and accessible fractional marketing, digital strategy, and communications services that uphold transparency, inclusivity, and authenticity while fostering meaningful storytelling. By providing accessibility to advanced marketing and communications services, smaller arts organizations are then free of the pressures, restraints, and expectations set forth by dominant companies and thus able to innovate and create works of deeper importance to the communities they serve.
anchor: DEILeadership
Recognizing the entrenched nature of unethical practices, GLC's strategy emphasizes intentional collaboration and trust-building with organizations. Communications and visual content will be crafted through open dialogue to ensure alignment with each organization’s mission while honoring the diversity of communities and artists represented.
While GLC may face resistance, we are committed to becoming a trusted advocate for ethical practices, empowering arts organizations to contribute to community wellbeing through impactful storytelling, authentic representation, and valuing artists and artistic integrity.
While GLC may face resistance, we are committed to becoming a trusted advocate for ethical practices, empowering arts organizations to contribute to community wellbeing through impactful storytelling, authentic representation, and valuing artists and artistic integrity.
anchor: Artifact
This capstone project, Ghost Light Communications (GLC), underscores key lessons, limitations, and future-facing strategies critical to its mission of supporting ethical storytelling and empowering smaller arts organizations in Utah.
The project highlights the need for flexibility and continuous reassessment. While the initial plan covers services, pricing models, and client capacity, the first year of operation is expected to reveal unforeseen challenges and successes. These real-world insights will necessitate revisions as GLC adjusts to practical realities, ensuring the business remains sustainable and effective.
GLC faces macro systemic limitations or “ghost” limitations, such as exploitative labor practices, racial misrepresentation, and lack of diversity, which require long-term strategies and trust-building rather than immediate solutions. Additionally, micro capacity limitations or “light” limitations include balancing GLC work with full-time employment at PBS Utah, managing a sustainable client load, and learning new tools and technologies. Addressing these constraints is essential for maintaining service quality and ethical standards.
GLC's strategic plan includes a reassessment milestone in June 2025 to refine goals and strategies based on operational insights. This ensures adaptability to market trends and organizational capacity. The official launch in July 2025, marked by the rollout of the website, social media, and services, emphasizes thorough preparation and responsiveness. This approach aims to build a strong, ethical, and sustainable foundation for GLC's success in fostering a more inclusive and responsible arts community in Utah.
anchor: CapstonePresentation
