EMP Skill Share | Conversational Roadmapping | January 11, 2021

In this first installment of NEMPN's EMP Skill Share series, Deidre McVay-Schulmeister discusses a term she coined in relationship to growing membership at your museum: "Conversational Roadmapping".

"As a museum, the experiences of customers and current members shape our success, especially if they make the transition to become a member or even consider upgrading to a higher membership level. According to an American Museum Memberships Conference presentation in 2019, visitors bring in on average $73 per year in revenue. However, once a member has chosen to retain membership and continue to be engaged with their museum, the average revenue acquired from them (including donations) is $603 per year. Therefore, it all starts with the impact that was made during their first visit or their first year of membership, educate perspective and current members accurately on what our museum offers to its members. This presentation will discuss the new techniques that are implemented to advocate for the membership program at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. Volunteers, staff, and store personnel were trained to utilize their current experiences and knowledge on the museum's membership program to help advocate it to the public by "roadmapping" a conversation that they would have with them."

Deidre McVay-Schulmeister is the Development and Membership Associate for the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque, NM. She operates the museum’s entire membership program, from exclusive event planning to member experience services and record keeping. She also assists with fundraising initiatives for the museum that support its STEM educational programming, historic aircraft and missile restoration projects, exhibitions, and COVID-19 relief, including managing the entire operations of the museum's annual silent auction, The Einstein Gala. Her involvement in museum membership has led her to attend the American Museum Membership Conference to further grow her knowledge and bring new ideas back to her museum, and later serving on the host committee for the organization’s first ever virtual conference this past October, where she moderated panels and provided technical assistance in her assigned panels. Deidre graduated from Heidelberg University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors in Political Science with minors in Legal and International Studies. In 2017, she graduated from the University of Dayton with a master's degree with honors in Public Administration.

She has served on the Boards of Directors for two organizations: the Young Professionals of Albuquerque as their secretary and the Kirtland Spouses Club as their parliamentarian. Now, she serves as the co-founder and chair of her co-ed society, the Euglossian Society's, alumni council.