KID smART welcomes Nolan and Anderson to the team

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – KID smART recently welcomed Bridget Nolan as its managing director of institutional fundraising and Monica Anderson as its executive assistant and office manager. In these roles, they will help advance KID smART’s mission of engaging children and educators in dynamic, creative and relevant learning through the arts.

“We are delighted to welcome Bridget and Monica to our team," said Elise Gallinot Goldman, executive director of KID smART. "Their wealth of experience adds tremendous depth to our work, and we eagerly anticipate the unique contributions their talents will bring to our organization and the communities we serve.”

Nolan has a master’s degree in arts administration from the University of New Orleans, she is passionate about fueling the work of mission-driven organizations. Whether securing grants, connecting folks with meaningful causes, or strategizing major gifts, Nolan focuses on making philanthropy both purposeful and fun. She is a nonprofit fundraiser who believes that great missions deserve great resources. With a background in nonprofit management and corporate partnerships, she understands that building meaningful relationships—whether with donors, community leaders, or partners—is at the heart of impactful fundraising.

Anderson brings to KID smART a passion for organization, community engagement and a deep commitment to creating opportunities for children to thrive through arts education. Her expertise in nonprofit administration helps ensure that programs run smoothly and effectively, making a meaningful impact on young learners. She was born and raised in New Orleans and is a proud graduate of Sarah T. Reed Senior High School. With over five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she has dedicated her career to administrative roles supporting youth in foster care and after-school programs.

Founded in 1999, KID smART has served more than 63,000 students and 11,000 teachers, providing underserved students with the opportunity to experience dynamic, creative and relevant learning through the arts.

For more information about KID smART and its work to bring arts-rich education to greater New Orleans public schools, please visit kidsmart.org.

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About KID smART

Over the last two decades, KID smART has collaborated with more than 40 New Orleans public schools to blend the arts into academic lessons to make classrooms more effective and joyful places to learn. Through full-year artist residencies, students in KID smART Creative Schools prove to grow academically, artistically and emotionally. KID smART also partners with national thought leaders, including Harvard's Project Zero Classroom, to incorporate best practices in arts and education into its program model.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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