Sai Thao - Program Coordinator

Sai Thao - Program Coordinator

My name is Sai Thao. I am a Hmong media artist. I have been producing work since I was 13 years old. I am now 25 years old and currently working on a video called Hidden in my Heart (an unwritten letter), a 30-minute experimental documentary on families ties. Most of my work is experimental dealing with the struggles of being a Hmong American. I was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. I graduated from St. Paul Open School in 1999 then went to college for a year and studied film. But then I decided I wasn’t ready for college yet and left to pursue other opportunities and seek my path as an artist. I began traveling and teaching media arts with Kristine Sorensen in 2000. Then in 2001, I was awarded a grant from the Jerome Foundation to travel to Laos with my mother to explore and see the land where my parents were born. In 2002 and 2004, I was very fortunate to be awarded a grant from NAATA and the MN States Arts board to produce Hidden in my Heart. The last few years have been struggle. I have been faced with many personal challenges but living as an artist, as a work in progress, I have over come many of the struggles I have faced. In the fall of 2004, I married the man I loved and moved to Texas. I continued to create work and challenge myself as an artist while living in Texas. I am now back living in St. Paul. I hope to complete Hidden in my Heart this 2006 year and travel with the film. As a program coordinator I offer media arts consultations to schools, art organizations and artists. I teach media art skills such as camera operations, story telling, iMovie, iPhoto, Adobe Photoshop, etc., to teachers and students of all ages throughout the state of MN. I developed media art curriculums for classrooms and programs. Program Coordinator I develop and coordinate the programs of the organization. I provide assistance and support to the executive director in problem solving, project planning and management and development and execution of state goals and objectives. I manage and develop procedures, systems and policies to ensure productive and efficient operation sites. I coordinated disposition and resolution of individual problems and disputes involving contractors, other staff, program participants, volunteers and the general public as they arise. I handled daily public relations and distributed youth artwork to vendors. I also performed miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned. Office Manager I maintain and oversee the daily activities of studio 301. I answer phone calls and check messages. I manage communication within the office, between other staff and contractors. I provide supplies and equipment as needed in workspace. I handled daily public relations and distribution of media work. I coordinated photo exhibitions and video screenings. Provided assistance and development of the space. I assisted with video editing and Photoshop techniques.. If you have ideas for programs, need technical assistance or would like to just visit about a potential partnership I'm the one you want to talk to.

To contact me just send me an email at saithao@aol.com. You can also reach me at the In Progress Studio every Wednesday evening at 651-228-1271.

January 1, 2000