Carl Atiya Swanson is a creative with an M.B.A., a third-culture kid, and a practical optimist. His mission is to facilitate and support projects that bring people together, create beauty and connections, and make the world better. As a synthesizer and a bridge-builder, Carl brings nonprofit experience as Associate Director at Springboard for the Arts, a national leader in artist resources and artist-led community development. He launched Creative Exchange, a national platform for arts and culture stories and resources, and founded Cast Consulting as a way to work strategically with creative organizations. Based in Minneapolis, MN, he is a writer, poet, artist, and theater maker. Carl holds a B.A. in studio art from the University of Southern California and an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas Opus College of business.