Dr. Diane Vatne is the Communications and Proposal Manager at Sewall, entrusted with proposal processes, such as rating, writing, editing, and producing the final product, and reading the resulting contracts. Communications work includes maintaining the corporate web site and LinkedIn page; writing and producing marketing documents, advertisements, and press releases; and coordinating conference representation and presentations.
Diane has a PhD in Italian Renaissance Art, so if you happen to have a renaissance painting or sculpture in your basement, you know who to call. She also studies paintings by Bangor artist Jeremiah Pearson Hardy (1800-1888) and has written several museum catalog entries about him and his family of painters. She lives in Old Town with her geologist husband, Dr. Marty Yates. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, taking photographs, visiting museums, and spending time with friends and family.
Education
Ph.D, Italian Renaissance Art History, Indiana University
M.A., Art History, Indiana University
M.F.A., Photography, Indiana University
A.B., Studio Art, cum laude, Smith College
Year Joined Sewall
2010
Experience
Sewall, 2010-Present
Communications & Proposal Manager
At Sewall, Diane Vatne manages large proposal development, backdrop contracts, and qualifications, which includes guiding others throughout the process from strategic development, writing, and editing to the final bid review using Sewall’s best-known methods. She contributes to process upgrades, creates new proposal tools, and generates new company resumes and project descriptions. She also manages numerous bid services, coordinates letter proposals, and conducts client interviews as needed. In 2013, she also became responsible for internal and external communications management, including maintenance of the corporate website, writing press releases, editing reports and newsletters, and generating marketing documents and advertisements.
Greater Old Town Communities That Care, 2007-2010
Executive Director
As executive director, founded a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing risk factors related to drug and alcohol use among youth. Duties included grant writing; budget development; financial management; hiring and supervising program implementers; community outreach; coordinating task force and board activities; and writing publicity materials and reports.
Maine State Museum, Augusta, 2008-2010
Registrar, Uncommon Threads Exhibit
Coordinated loans, conservation, and transportation of artifacts from lending institutions and private collectors for a major textile exhibition of historic clothing and woven artifacts by Wabanaki tribes.
Old Town, ME, School Department and University of Washington, 2004-2007
Community Coordinator
Managed community activities for one of twenty-four sites chosen as part of a seven-state, four-year University of Washington (UW) study of the Communities That Care prevention framework. Responsible for guiding community sector representatives/work group committees in assessing and prioritizing risk and protective factor data; implementing four tested effective programs to impact these factors; hiring and supervising program coordinators; arranging student pre- and post-program surveys, weekly teacher checklists, and program observations; delivering required paperwork to UW; and budget implementation.
River Coalition, Inc., Old Town, ME, 1995-2004
Grants Consultant/Grants Manager/Director of Operations/Administrative Coordinator
Wrote successful grant proposals for youth prevention programs totaling approximately $2.5 million over nine years. Assisted the Board of Directors in developing a 6-town coalition dedicated to drug and alcohol abuse prevention among youth. Managed grants and wrote reports; developed and administered operating budgets; coordinated with communities; and wrote publicity materials.
Friends of the Maine State Museum, Augusta, ME, 2000-2001, 1997-1998
Curator/Project Curator
Coordinated with sister-state museum counterparts in Aomori, Japan to choose artifacts for the return exhibit “Aomori and Maine: Bridges Through Time,” at the Maine State Museum. Responsible for loan forms; assisted with artifact packing, customs paperwork, shipping arrangements, and artifact stabilization and unpacking in Augusta, Maine, and Aomori, Japan, as well as exhibit design and arrangement.
Assisted curators from the Aomori Prefectural Museum in selecting approximately 100 examples of nineteenth century cultural and natural history artifacts for a sister state exhibit, “Maine: Its Nature and Culture.” Wrote the accompanying exhibit catalog; prepared loan forms for 12 lending institutions; arranged for and supervised artifact packing, shipping, and customs paperwork in Augusta, Maine, and Aomori, Japan.
Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport, ME, 1992-1994
Research Associate
Researched nineteenth century women painters working in Searsport, Maine. Collaborated on curating the 1994 exhibit, Lace and Leaves: The Art of Dolly Smith, and writing the accompanying exhibit catalog.
Colby College, Waterville, ME, 1993, 1986-87
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art History/Visiting Instructor of Art History
Taught courses in Italian Renaissance Art and Modern Art; team-taught year-long survey of art history course and sections.
Bangor Historical Society and Museum, Bangor, ME, 1987-1992
Executive Director
Responsible for day-to-day operations of a historic house museum, including staff oversight; maintaining membership records; assisting the Board of Directors with meetings, fundraisers, and special projects; and developing publicity materials.
1987, University of Maine, Orono, ME
Assistant Professor of Art History
Taught Modern Art.