
Lauren Rosenberg, at right, with Katie Couric and Smithsonian Associates Director, Fredie Adelman, November 12, 2019.
by Kiren Jahangeer, Guest Blogger
As a Program Coordinator since 2013, Lauren Rosenberg comes up with ideas for programs and sees them through from concept to reality. She does a bit of everything when it comes to the Associates programming, but her primary focus is on culinary and pop culture programs. She also oversees SMITHSONIAN at 8, an after hours series, based on a theme for the evening, designed young professionals. She spends a lot of time thinking about how to create programs that will attract new and diverse audiences. Lauren was kind enough to spare some time and answer a few questions about her role and what she values most about the Associates.
What brought you to DC?
I grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, which is a suburb of Chicago. After attending college in St. Louis, I moved back to Chicago and lived in the Wicker Park neighborhood. My job at the Associates brought with it the move to DC.
My background is in fine art; I studied painting in college, and I have a master’s degree in arts administration. Before coming to the Smithsonian, I worked for the Chicago Office of Tourism for almost eight years, organizing large-scale public events in Millennium Park and at the Chicago Cultural Center.
What is the best part of your job/what is the most rewarding?
I love the creativity that comes with my job. I try to imagine, “what would be the most exciting program I could attend?” And then I get to make it happen! People I admire, topics in the news, my favorite restaurants; everything is fair game. And because it’s the Smithsonian, I tend to get positive responses from people when I reach out to them out of the blue. It’s fun to start with a dream and make it a reality.
Who is the most famous or unusual person you have had a as guest presenter?
I’ve been lucky to meet many famous people at Smithsonian Associates programs: Alec Baldwin, Bill Nye, Connie Britton, Taraji P. Henson, Katie Couric, B.J. Novak, Jodi Picoult, Erik Larson, Shonda Rhimes and the cast of Scandal…
As for unusual, I’ll just say that one speaker sprayed the stage with rosewater before we opened the auditorium to guests. That was unexpected.
Do you have a favorite Smithsonian museum to visit?
My favorite thing about the Smithsonian is that because the museums are free and in such close proximity, you can stop in a museum to see one exhibit or one object and move on to the next. When I have guests in town, I like to take them on a “museum hop,” where we see a couple of things in a few different museums.
If I were to pick a favorite, however, I’d say the American History Museum. I love seeing Julia Child’s kitchen and watching the videos of her on repeat. I also love all the pop culture stuff: Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, Kermit the Frog, and the First Ladies dresses.
What is the most unusual thing you’ve had to do as part of your job at Smithsonian Associates?
A week does not go by at Smithsonian Associates where we don’t do things that fall into the category of “other duties as assigned.” A few highlights include running down the street to fetch Jacques Pepin a bottle of wine, just a few moments before he went on stage; rescuing the Foo Fighters’ tour manager, who was locked in the Hirshhorn’s loading dock (and spraining my ankle in the process); and standing with Bill Nye while he signed books for over 1,000 guests until 1:00 a.m.
In many cases, I’ve asked volunteers to help me do these crazy things, and I know they will always say “yes!” without hesitation. And if they’re not standing in the book line with me until 1 a.m., they’re keeping an eye on the door and saying goodbye to guests. It’s amazing to be able to depend on such a committed and enthusiastic group of volunteers to make all these unusual (and usual) programs happen!