Unique Experiences

Item Description

Ever wonder what it means to run a non-profit? Maybe you have visions of finally starting that neighborhood cat rescue, a circus, or providing provisions for the city's unhoused. Whatever your interest, Mara can talk you through the ins and outs of first steps.

With nearly 30 years of experience, Mara co-founded Treehouse Shakers alongside business partner Emily Bunning, and has learned how to navigate the many different waves of fundraising, writing grants, updating branding and marketing.

In this one-hour meeting, Mara will take you on the road map on how to get started, first steps, and what you need to have in place before you take that leap into the do-good world of non-profits.

About Mara
Mara McEwin (Artistic Director, Writer, Co-Founder Treehouse Shakers) is originally from Wyoming and co-founded Treehouse Shakers in NYC with Emily Bunning in 1997. Responsible for implementing the artistic vision of Treehouse Shakers, Mara has also written, directed and sometimes performed in all of Treehouse Shakers’ 20 original dance-plays. She has helped to create ongoing arts in education programming for preschools to colleges, and has led numerous teaching artist and classroom trainings in Treehouse Shakers’ unique artistic style.

Also a professional storyteller, Mara was named “Best Storyteller of New York” by New York Press. She has been an artist in residence for over 30+ years in both public and private schools, and has performed throughout the nation’s schools, festivals, theaters, colleges, and community events. She is currently the featured teller for F.I.T’s Toy Design Department, and has been a teller for Baby Gap, Miramax, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center, Turtle Pond Publications, Chocolate Sauce Publishing, Tribeca Film Festival, to name a select few. Mara was the subject for a qualitative dissertation on the inclusion of storytelling in the classroom by Dr. Barb O’Neill, a leading childhood specialist, and a featured speaker at the Transform Challenging Behavior Conference, the AATE 2021 National Conference, and the Theatre and Dance for the Very Young Conference in 2022.

Mara co-created Niñopalooza, an all day rock concert for kids and Niño Nada, a summer festival of children’s work that was acclaimed by the New York Times. Some of Mara’s favorite acting credits include Bloomsday on Broadway with Stephen Colbert and Alec Baldwin, which aired on NPR as well as The Sandpiper at Symphony Space, NYC.

She is a writer, voice-over artist and story consultant for Activity Works, an interactive educational video-web series for classrooms across the U.S. Mara served as a long-time board member and co-chair of Development for International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY), and on the Ad Hoc Committee for Flushing Town Hall in Queens, NY. She currently serves the School Leadership Team at Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School. To read more about life with Treehouse Shakers, living the artists’ life, or raising a creative family visit www.marastreehouse.blogspot.com.

Item Special Note

Expires: October 29, 2025