Hannah Kulis has been part of the MusiCares Team for over five years, serving on our Health & Human Services Team, Administrative Team, and now as Operations Manager on our Finance & Operations Team. She plays an integral role in MusiCares' day-to-day operations and streamlining workflows across the organization.
In addition to her incredible work at MusiCares, Hannah is a classical pianist. As a musician herself who is familiar with the unique challenges music industry professionals often face, she is grateful to be a part of an organization whose sole purpose is to help music people in need.
Below, learn more about Hannah's career growth at MusiCares and how the organization's lifesaving work keeps her motivated.
What does your job entail?
My role covers areas like governance, office administration, compliance, legal, and facilities management. I work frequently with our board, ensuring we adhere to our bylaws and policies, and I manage our general office procedures to keep our day-to-day operations running smoothly.
What led you to a career in operations management at MusiCares?
I first learned about MusiCares while I was interning with the Los Angeles Chapter of the Recording Academy. I was heavily involved in a mental health panel that the LA Chapter was producing in partnership with MusiCares. At the time, I was working towards degrees in classical piano and music industry at the University of Southern California, so I was surrounded by music people — and I was a musician myself. I was all too familiar with the hardships faced by those pursuing a career in music, and I was touched and excited to learn that there was an organization out there whose sole purpose was to help music people in need.
In 2018, I graduated from USC and serendipitously, there was a job opening at MusiCares as Administrative Assistant on the Health & Human Services Team! I still remember joyously accepting the job offer while I was drying my clothes at a laundromat in downtown Los Angeles.
I worked on the HHS team for two years, which was a transformative experience both personally and professionally. Each week, I'd stuff over a hundred checks into envelopes and mail them out to landlords, therapists, health insurance companies, and more — each check was paying for some expense in a music person's life, and each check was providing some sort of relief in a moment of crisis.
Then the pandemic hit, the music industry grinded to a halt, and in a time of deep uncertainty for everyone (me included), I felt so fortunate to not only still have my job, but to find even deeper purpose in the work I was doing. I loved my work on the HHS team, but knew now that I wanted to help MusiCares in a different way.
In 2020, Laura Segura joined MusiCares as Executive Director and hired me as her assistant. I'll forever be grateful to Laura for taking a chance on me because it was during this time that I feel my passion for operations emerged. I was able to take on projects that impacted MusiCares across all departments and benefitted the organization on a larger scale.
Last year, Laura promoted me from her assistant to Operations Manager where I've been able to continue to grow and improve MusiCares' operations. Without Laura's trust, guidance, and mentorship, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now!
What inspires you the most about working at MusiCares on the Finance & Operations Team?
Oh man, I love my team! Huge shout out to Roger, David, Emanuel, and our fearless leader Ryan. The "Finance" side of Finance & Operations is the work that never stops — the team is responsible for not only keeping MusiCares afloat, but ensuring all the relief checks are mailed out to our clients. I'm constantly inspired by their work ethic, kindness, patience, humility, and commitment to our mission. I feel lucky to work with them!
Do you have any advice for individuals just starting out their career in operations management?
Yes! The biggest piece of advice I'd give is to never stop learning — always be continuously developing your skills. I've taken in-person and online courses, read books, joined leadership organizations, and participated in mentorship programs that have all contributed to my professional development.
Another important piece of operations management is staying up to date on the latest tools and technologies that can help your organization be more efficient. I find efficiency particularly vital in the nonprofit space, where resources like staff and budget are often so limited. Things are rapidly changing in our world now more than ever before, so there are often new and better ways to get things done.
What keeps you motivated at work?
It really comes down to our mission. I've been a classical pianist for over 20 years, so I am well acquainted with the trials and tribulations of pursuing a music career. I love working for an organization whose sole purpose is to help music people.
Everyone values music, but I often feel that many are unaware of the challenges committing to a life in music creates. Freelance producers, songwriters and musicians don't have the luxury of obtaining medical or dental insurance through a 9-to-5 job, often resulting in thousands of dollars in medical bills or the inability to afford medications needed to simply survive. Natural disasters can threaten the livelihood of music professionals by ruining home studios, expensive equipment, and valuable instruments. And life on the road can be detrimental to one's mental health. These are just some examples of the many unique issues our music community faces every day.
When I'm having a not-so-great day at work, I'll think about the professional, lifelong harmonica player — who fell during a performance and knocked his teeth out — and I'll think about how we were able to help pay for his dental procedure and rent while he got back on his feet. Or I'll think about the music professional whose electricity was about to be cut off as she was coming home from the hospital, who required a breathing machine due to health issues. I'll think about how MusiCares pleaded with the utility company not to turn off her power as we sent a check to them for the bill.
When I think of these stories, whatever I'm facing in the moment doesn't seem as important, and I'm able to refocus on the bigger picture.
What are you most proud of in the last year at MusiCares, and what are you looking forward to?
I'm most proud of how far we've come as an organization — this has truly been a monumental year for MusiCares. In the last year alone, we've welcomed 11 staff members to the team, we've launched multiple new, major programs, and we've completed our 2020 three-year strategic plan. It's exciting and inspiring to see how much positive change has happened here in such a short period of time.
I'm looking forward to continuing to dig deeper into the MusiCares' mission: helping the humans behind the music, because music gives so much to the world. I feel we are at an inflection point in the music industry (and entertainment industry as a whole), and as a result, organizations like MusiCares are that much more critical to the health and wellbeing of the professionals we serve.