Bethany Williams

In a world that is at once beautiful and tragic, sacred and profane, profound and meaningless, I cultivate practices of care and connection that acknowledge and reflect the complexity that surrounds us. In shifting from self-centered modes of being to collaborative becoming-with, we have the opportunity to dream up multispecies ethnographies that prioritize co-creation and emergence. There is no better place to begin than in our bodies and backyards.

Current work
Artistic Director (Creative Projects and Marketing Manager), Perpetually Devastated (2017 - present)

  • Project Manager: From outreach to inquiries to guiding clients through the design and building phases, I am the touchstone for client communication. I convey customer needs and wants to our internal team. I write and test internal policies, procedures, and workflows to usher new clients into the business to keep our company and its subcontractors up to speed and working efficiently. I create and maintain contracts, write and file reports, I interface with clients, and I communicate with the press. I also compose legal documents, performance reviews, internal reports, advertisements, social media posts, and press releases. This all falls under the umbrella of managing client expectations and keeping buyers and internal team members informed of project progress.

  • Marketing and Administration: It is important that Perpetually Devastated be known as more than an Airstream shop. I create content (copy writing and personal essays, social media posts, event and narrative video, and more), produce events, and publish our work on platforms that portray our work as a multifaceted and ever-evolving practice of art-making. I maintain a marketing calendar, create content (copy, websites, SEO, social media posts, commercial and narrative video, etc), and publish this work on digital and analog platforms to portray Perpetually Devastated in its best light and introduce new potential clients and community members to our brand. 

Manager, Perpetually Devastated Acres (2021 - present)

  • Farm manager: In addition to growing all our own vegetables and raising animals, I operate a small regenerative cut flower farm using organic methods. Organized around an annual bouquet CSA (community supported agriculture) subscription, I promote, plan, plant, and eventually pick hundreds of stems per week for bouquet delivery and special events. I have supplied floral arrangements for the Bandon Cranberry Festival and the Port Orford Minimal Carnival.

  • Event producer: ‘Return of the Sun’ is an annual arts and ecology summer camp produced by Perpetually Devastated. I hand-select artists and naturalists (play writes, bands, DJs, yoga instructors, herbalists, foragers, etc.) to create unique programming, manage invitations and RSVPs, and provide on-the-ground coordination during the week-long event.

Previous work
Associate Instructor, University of California, Davis (2017 - 2021)
—With appointments in the English and University Writing Departments, I offered writing instruction and mentorship to international students, English language learners, and advanced undergraduates. I developed course curriculum, conducted seminars, facilitated discussion sections, and provided feedback. In 2020, I transitioned to a fully online mode of instruction and received positive feedback for maintaining a supportive and responsive remote learning environment.

Copy Editor, Dr. C. Edward Dawkins (2017 - 2020)
—Edited 50 years of Dr. Dawkins’ collected manuscripts and helped him self-published two volumes of short stories, poetry, and personal essays. This work included extensive re-writing alongside Dr. Dawkins and re-formatting many hundreds of pages to comply with self-publishing format requirements.

Copywriter, EyeVocab (2016 - 2018)
—Created copy and maintained a marketing calendar for proprietary language learning software.

Marketing Strategist and Interim Marketing Manager, Idealist Consulting (2015 - 2016)
—Facilitated work between the sales department and service providers, managed inbound and outbound marketing campaigns, and provided client consultation for Salesforce implementation and HubSpot marketing services.

Marketing Manager, The Portland Ballet (2014 - 2015)
—Managed email marketing campaigns and social media accounts, publicized season programming, and facilitated daily operations including checking students into class and communicating with instructors.

Administrative Manager, Sheepscot Creative (2012 - 2014)
—Created promotional and marketing material for nonprofit clients including print, online, and radio content. Managed social media accounts and provided assistance on production days (photoshoots, interviews, etc.).

Data Analyst, Twin Goats LLC (2013)
—Conducted research, analyzed surveys, and wrote reports on the effectiveness of and access to the Oregon Arts Commission’s grant programs including Operating Support, Grants for Arts Learning Arts Services Grants, and Arts Recognition Grants.

Publishing Assistant, Hawthorne Books (2012)
—Wrote press releases, author biographies, and promotional content for print, radio, and television coverage.

Education
MA - English Language and Literature / Environmental Literatures, University of California Davis, 2021

  • Designated emphasis in science and technology studies (STS)

  • Special study of 20th Century American environmental and agricultural literatures

  • Phd Candidate in English, University of California Davis, 2020

BA - English Literature, Willamette University, Salem OR, 2012

Presentations and publications