The Team

LAURIE PHILLIPS
Co-founder and Executive Director

As an award-winning artist/designer, life coach and leadership trainer for over 25 years, Laurie (BA, CPCC) loves helping individuals and businesses find insights into their personal challenges and opportunities through conversations with museum art. Besides doing work at major museums on the east and west coasts, she's led workshops at Mayo Clinic, Mayo Medical School, Medtronic, Target Corporation, Adler School of Coaching, Children's Hospital Minneapolis, National Alliance on Mental Illness, St. Paul’s Monastery, Minnesota Jung Association, New England Museum Association, and the American Alliance of Museums. She’s a contributing writer for the forthcoming book, "An Empathy-Building Toolkit for Museums," edited by Elif Gokcigdem, PhD, publishing in 2026 by the American Alliance of Museums/Rowman & Littlefield.
Laurie@MuseumSage.com

KAREN OLSON
Museum Sage Trainer and Guide

Karen is a coach, workshop leader, writer and editor who helps people create more elemental, artful lives and a more peaceful, healthy world. Since she was in a flood, a tornado, an explosion in a cave, and lost at sea, Karen has been fascinated with elemental and energetic balance and has studied permaculture, holistic health, tarot, feng shui, and leadership development. Karen is the executive editor of American Craft magazine and was formerly editor-in-chief of Public Art Review, which covers international art in the public realm, and Utne Reader. She holds an M.F.A. in creative writing and a B.A. in art history and literature, and writes about art, culture, the environment, health, home, food, and spirituality for numerous publications. She also coaches people who want to live freely as their most natural, powerful selves, develop resilience, and turn their big ideas into real-world impact.

JADAH GREEN
Museum Sage Trainer and Guide

Jadah, owner of Epiphany House, is an alternative health care practitioner. She is dedicated to deep listening, seeking beauty and understanding, and being a respectful witness to those she journeys with. She loves the Museum Sage experience as it magically combines her love for museums, art history, and the ancient practice of making meaning through pictures and symbols. She is a student of the enneagram and the tarot. Jadah has a BFA in photography. She is a certified Spiritual Healer through the Arvigo Institute, a Reiki Master of the Usui/Holy Fire method, and a certified spiritual guide through Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality.

PAUL BOEHNKE
Museum Sage Guide

Paul Boehnke, PCC, sought after speaker, author and certified personal and business coach helps solo entrepreneurs overcome the negative self-talk that hinders their business growth. His clients find greater impact, make more money, and have more fun. As a classical musician, Paul Boehnke stumbled onto a unique process that not only helped his performances but could easily be applied to taming the negative thoughts of his own inner critic. Then he realized this process not only works for him but works for everyone, musician or not. In his book, "Thoughts On Demand: Turn Negative Self-Talk into Unstoppable Confidence" he shares the process that he uses to help clients transform that little voice in their heads that argues for their limitations into a champion of their potential instead.

MICKEY MOORE
Museum Sage Guide

Mickey, MBC, MAHD, is an energetic and purpose-driven executive dedicated to unlocking human potential and fostering organizational transformation. With extensive experience in strategic leadership, sales, marketing, and organizational development across media, non-profit, higher education, and consulting sectors, she is a courageous and persuasive communicator known for inspiring commitment and driving measurable success. Mickey works with Museum Sage via The Bailey Group.

VICTOR THOMPSON
Museum Sage Guide

Victor Thompson, MBA, is a Certified Executive Coach with 25+ years of experience in HR, change management, and DEIB. A former HR leader, he now helps organizations build high-performing teams and navigate transformation. Known for his expertise in leadership coaching and organizational development, Victor guides leaders to embrace inclusive strategies, address blind spots, and lead with confidence. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Rochester, and completed doctoral coursework at the University of St. Thomas and the University of Arizona. Victor works with Museum Sage via The Bailey Group.

CATHY BARR
Museum Sage Guide

Cathy Barr is an executive coach and consultant with over 30 years of experience driving leadership transformation in healthcare. Beginning as a bedside nurse, her early work in underserved communities fueled her passion for systemic change. Cathy now advises major organizations on mergers, board governance, and care delivery improvements. She empowers leaders to refine their executive presence, clarify goals, and build lasting legacies. Cathy serves on several boards, including Nurses on Board Coalition and CLUES. She holds a BSN from Niagara University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas – Opus College of Business. Cathy works with Museum Sage via The Bailey Group.

MARY STIEBER REYNHOUT
Museum Sage Guide

Mary is an executive coach with deep expertise in leadership development, career growth, women’s leadership, and life transitions. With a background in corporate, nonprofit, and higher education, she designs customized talent and development strategies. Mary has led global DEIB efforts and national mentoring programs for diverse women leaders. Her coaching empowers clients to pursue goals, face challenges, and prioritize well-being. She holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and a B.S. in Sociology & Music, with additional certifications in coaching, assessments, and trauma-informed care. Mary is also a dedicated volunteer, board member, and musician in her local community. Mary works with Museum Sage via The Bailey Group.

DUFFY PEARCE
Senior Account Executive

Having developed collateral for the launch of the Leadership Architect Suite — and then writing case studies for leadership development professionals who used those tools — Duffy is familiar with the challenges of team building. She’s also no stranger to event planning. In the 12 years she worked as a contractor and Interim Communications Director at Public Radio International, the events she planned for industry conferences were so successful that Current Magazine noted, “PRI always throws the best parties.” Once she experienced the Museum Sage process, she was immediately struck by what a powerful tool it could be for organizational development professionals. She’s excited that Museum Sage gives her an opportunity to do what she loves doing best – helping ensure that every event is purpose-driven, inspiring, and fun.  
Duffy@MuseumSage.com

DAN JENSEN
Account Executive

Dan is a versatile, skilled executive with more than 30 years experience managing marketing and sales initiatives, event and conference planning, and communications and promotional strategies for a variety of audience-focused businesses and organizations such as Minneapolis Institute of Art, NPR, BBC, MPR/APM, National Geographic, XM Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Ira Glass, Bob Edwards, Garrison Keillor, Tavis Smiley, Keb Mo, Peter Schickele, Yanni, Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, and Brian Setzer.
Dan@MuseumSage.com

RACHAEL O’BRIEN
Account Executive

Rachael is an experienced business account manager with a background in the computer hardware industry. She’s skilled in negotiation, communication, sales management, B2B2C, and international sales. Rachael is a strong research professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications and Mandarin Chinese language from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Rachael@MuseumSage.com

RACHEL ROPEIK
Museum Sage Consultant

Rachel is a museum educator and museum adventurer who brings thoughtful, playful, and progressive approaches to catalyzing change in arts and culture. She believes that art can be the spark for deep personal and communal realizations, and she loves coming to Museum Sage sessions with her coaching/facilitation hat on and her art historian hat off. Professionally, she has been the Learning Director at the Aspen Art Museum in Colorado, the Senior Manager of Public Engagement at New York City's Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and other museum roles at the Brooklyn Museum, MoMA, and the Met in NYC; and Dulwich Picture Gallery and The Courtauld Gallery in London. Personally, she's a dancer, a baker, a veteran of many different hair colors, and forever fascinated by pirates. In all of her life and work, she embraces experimentation, creativity, and equity.

JON SPAYDE
Co-Founder and Director of Publications and Curiosity

Jon came up with the basic idea of Museum Sage® while visiting the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis with Laurie Phillips. In addition to writing fiction and poetry and performing one-person stage shows, he’s a journalist with 35 years of experience writing about art, spirituality, psychology, and personal growth for many publications and organizations, including Art in America, ID Design, Utne Reader, Public Art Review, Experience Life, American Craft, the Whitney Museum, and ArtPlace America. His book How to Believe was published by Random House. He studied East Asian languages at Harvard and, briefly, comparative literature at Stanford, before flunking out and embracing journalism and creative writing.