Hi, I’m Claire Buffie Adkisson, and I’m a producer and creative strategist, with a focus in arts and advocacy.

I strongly believe that the way to create social and political change is through storytelling and dialogue.

The way to tell good stories is to investigate lived experiences and listen for opportunities to connect. I take pride in serving as a conduit to help people discover and communicate their stories on stages and screens of all sizes. Human-centered storytelling is the central thread in all of my work.

Education

Georgetown University, 2013
Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications

Ball State University, 2008
BFA Visual Communications

I have always had a fascination with talent and a curiosity about people. Though I danced for 18 years, I never wanted to be a professional performer, but I have wanted to work in the arts since I can remember (well, after my marine biologist phase). In 2008, I moved to NYC from Indianapolis, IN and officially began my career as a photographer and graphic designer. After eight years as a photographer full-time, I moved into video production at Reproductions and then Dance Lab New York as creative director and producer. I love to run a tight production budget and timeline while also being able to exercise my creativity by directing in the room, interviewing talent, and leading post-production for impactful narrative storytelling. The word “spreadsheet” came up in multiple toasts at my wedding, and that’s quite telling.

Along the way, I stumbled into the Miss America Organization, and it uniquely impacted the trajectory of my life. Being Miss New York gave me my primary platform for advocacy in LGBTQ+ equality; it sent me to grad school at Georgetown University with its scholarship awards; the combination of a masters in Integrated Marketing Communications and my pageant experience allowed me to start my business DEFINE, LLC, coaching and mentoring over 140 women across 42 states, including 4 Miss Americas and 2 Miss America’s Teens in public speaking and advocacy platform development.

At the end of the day, whether it’s helping young women develop their voices on topics from human trafficking to media literacy to neurodivergence, or producing a new musical, or creating artist features and short documentaries, it’s all human-centered storytelling.

Nowadays, I’m either at MoMA, serving as the Assistant Director of Creative Operations, or at home with my husband, snuggling our new little boy, August.