AKINS 'ASH' POWDERCREATIVE OPERATIONS MANAGER

Wilmington, DE · TRAVEL READY

CREATIVE OPERATIONS
MANAGER.

I make the work.
I manage the details.

Creative Operations Manager and working photographer. I run the production system around creative work: scoping briefs, coordinating contractors and clients, scheduling shoots and deliverables, managing budgets, and shipping galleries on deadline. My background in operations and accounting keeps the people, schedule, and cost in balance while the work is being made.

Selected work
Akins 'Ash' Powder, creative operations manager
AKINS 'ASH' POWDERIndependent creative / Since 2017
LIVE EVENTSCREATIVE PRODUCTIONCONTENT STRATEGY

01 / Selected projects

STORIES.
FROM THE GROUND.

Editorial coverage for Glass & Gain Magazine, followed by commissioned work. Research, production, photography, and writing.

Read the magazine
Keke Palmer speaking with Dr. Chanda Reynolds at Wilmington Public Library
01 / Book talk / Wilmington Public Library

KEKE PALMER

Planned the coverage end to end, hired and briefed the videographer, managed the stakeholder review, and delivered the feature for a timed Monday release.

Role

Producer, photographer & writer

Crew

One videographer

Delivery

Sunday review · Monday, 10 a.m. release

Behind the work

Plan

Coordinated with the library's Marketing Director, prepared a call sheet and shot list, and researched Palmer and her book. Hired the videographer to capture the talk for this unpaid press assignment.

Deliver

Photographed the event, edited the images, and wrote the feature. Coordinated the Sunday-night executive review and the Monday 10 a.m. publication window.

Result

The coverage drew hundreds of shares. The library also used it to bring preorder customers back to collect their books.

Read the feature
A performance at Delaware Music Network's Open Mic Jam Session
02 / Monthly coverage / Wilmington Public Library

DELAWARE MUSIC NETWORK

Led an 18-month media campaign for DMN, coordinating photographers, videographers, and a designer, and shipping editorial coverage on a recurring monthly cycle.

Role

Campaign lead, photographer & writer

Work

3 video contractors · 1 designer

Result

100K+ monthly Instagram profile views during the campaign

Behind the work

The work

Owned the campaign and managed four contractors: one for live-performance video, two for interviews, one for graphic layouts. Set the production schedule, briefed each contributor, and tracked delivery. Photographed the monthly Open Mic Jam Sessions at Wilmington Public Library and supplied featured artists with images at no cost to them.

The reach

The campaign generated more than 100,000 Instagram profile views per month for DMN over 18 months, based on my recollection of the account analytics. Artists also used the photographs in social posts, flyers, press kits, and investor decks.

The story

I turned 18 months of coverage into an essay on artist development, local visibility, and the relationships that sustain a music scene.

Read the feature
Seth Witcher performing at Wide Awake Festival
03 / Festival coverage / Baltimore

WIDE AWAKE

Researched the festival lineup, planned the coverage schedule, and shipped a festival feature and image collection within 48 hours.

Role

Photographer & writer

Crew

Solo assignment

Delivery

Festival feature, image collection, and 12 collaborative social posts

Behind the work

Plan

Organizer Phil Lee invited me to cover the festival for Glass & Gain. Researched the artists scheduled for my coverage day, chose the performances to follow, and built a shot list around the festival schedule.

Deliver

Ran the shoot solo on a tight festival schedule, edited the images overnight, and wrote the feature over the weekend. Coordinated the post schedule so the gallery and article shipped together.

Result

The article and photographs supported roughly a dozen collaborative posts, generating tens of thousands of views for the festival.

Read the feature
Performers and audience at Departed S4E1 in Philadelphia
04 / Live music / The AVE Live

DEPARTED S4E1

Secured access with the organizer, researched the lineup, planned the shoot, and delivered a full gallery and article by 8 a.m. the next day.

Role

Producer, photographer & writer

Crew

Solo assignment

Result

Artist profile photos & repeat booking

Behind the work

Plan

Approached Katerina Sky for access, researched the series and lineup, and built shot lists and artist profiles for the night's coverage.

Deliver

Ran the shoot on the night, edited overnight, and delivered the full gallery and article to the artists by 8 a.m. Coordinated the approval and publication window so the post went live around 10 a.m.

Result

Collaborative posts earned tens of thousands of views. Katerina Sky, Ben Arsenal, and Sky Society used the images as profile photos. Katerina booked me again.

Read the feature

Featured review / July 2025

ZEEKY EL.
THE CODICES.

Album criticism shaped by an artist interview, performance photography, and a live session of "Fly Propaganda." A closer look at the ideas behind the music.

Read the review

Commercial work / Monthly event coverage

SPEEDY RECORDS.

Speedy Records hired me for monthly event coverage. I run the production: photography on the night, edited galleries on a 48-hour turnaround, and wrote and designed the sponsorship decks they used to secure the CC's Rooftop booking during Miami Music Week. I also produced a press release to promote ticket sales and coordinated the content calendar around the monthly events.

View CC's Rooftop coverage

Selected documents

THE WORK BEHIND THE WORK.

Speedy Records sponsor offers

Sponsorship copy, package structure, and deck design. Sample packages created for prospective partners; shown as strategy, copy, and design work.

View PDF

Artist press sheets

EPKs for Speedy Records artists and a separate press sheet for DJ Niknax, an independent client.

View PDF

Trolley Night Raw proposal

A proposal prepared for Atlas Restaurant Group, covering a branded event concept, audience capture, media delivery, and service pricing.

View PDF

02 / Professional experience

PEOPLE.
NUMBERS. DELIVERY.

Corvia Accounting Partners

Formerly Office Service Solutions · New Castle, DE

2020 to 2025 · Returned 2026 to present

Operational ownership across an eight-person firm: workflow design, process improvement, budgeting, financial controls, vendor and contractor coordination, and reporting. Handled RFPs and drafted and vetted client-side proposals for new business.

Returned / July 2026 to present

  1. Administrative Coordinator

    Coordinate internal systems and workflows across the firm. Led a four-week HubSpot-to-Zoho migration: data preparation, field mapping, imports, and team training.

October 2025 to July 2026

  1. Career break

    Family caregiving.

First tenure / December 2020 to October 2025

  1. Staff Accounting Manager

    October 2024 to October 2025

    Managed 3 to 6 bookkeepers: set workloads, reviewed time cards, tracked billable goals, and ran weekly team meetings. Owned the operational review cadence for the team.

  2. Client Account Manager

    December 2023 to October 2024

    Managed client relationships end to end: led new and existing client meetings, coordinated onboarding, and supported owners through business formation.

  3. Bookkeeper

    December 2020 to December 2023

    Maintained clients' books and financial reports. Translated records into reporting clients could act on, and kept deadlines on a recurring monthly cycle.

Glass & Gain Magazine

Independent music publication

2024 TO PRESENT

I launched the BTS newsletter in 2024 and rebranded it as Glass & Gain in 2026. I run the editorial production: planning coverage, coordinating photographers, videographers, and writers, managing the content calendar, and shipping features and reviews on deadline. The publication now includes an additional writer and a videographer, with more contributors planned.

Editorial production

  1. Publisher & Creative Producer

    Plan coverage, prepare artist research and shot lists, hire and brief contractors, agree fees, and coordinate stakeholder reviews and delivery deadlines.

    Run the content calendar across editorial and social. Photograph events, edit galleries, and write features and reviews. Coordinate publication with venues, organizers, and artists.

    View selected projects

Live Nation Entertainment

The Queen · Wilmington, Delaware

2017 to 2019

Worked at The Queen, a historic Wilmington venue with capacity for more than 1,100 guests. Supported event preparation, live shows, and turnover across fast-changing show conditions.

Guest Services & Event Operations

  1. Guest Services & Event Operations

    Coordinated with security and production teams on guest flow, setup, strike, and turnover. Helped keep the venue ready for performers and audiences on show nights.

03 / Leadership

BUILD THE GROUP.
KEEP IT RUNNING.

Delaware Music Network

Treasurer & Board Member

2024 TO PRESENT

I helped establish DMN's financial operations and guided its transition to tax-exempt status. Own the budget, reporting, and compliance work for the organization.

Responsibilities

  • Finance & compliance

    Set up corporate banking, keep the books for program funds, manage invoicing, and oversee compliance. Own the reporting cadence to the board.

  • Media & artist development

    Owned an 18-month media campaign from planning through delivery. Coordinated three video contractors (one covering live performances, two covering interviews) and a graphic designer handling layouts. Managed the production schedule, content calendar, and delivery cadence. The campaign generated more than 100,000 Instagram profile views per month for DMN over 18 months.

Delaware Music Initiative

Board Member

JANUARY 2026 TO PRESENT

Support the organization through branded proposals and bookkeeping review. Bring operational and financial-management experience into board discussions.

Responsibilities

  • Proposals

    Create branded proposals that present the organization's work clearly and consistently for partners and funders.

  • Bookkeeping review

    Review the books and bring accounting experience to board discussions.

BNI Wilmington Empowerment Exchange

Founder & Treasurer

FORMATION: SEPTEMBER 2024
CHAPTER LAUNCH: MARCH 2025
DEPARTED: LATE 2025

I led six months of formation work before launching the chapter in March 2025. Built the chapter's financial base and served as Treasurer until late 2025.

Responsibilities

  • Chapter operations

    Opened the bank account, set and collected dues, and kept spending within members' means. Set the operating cadence for the chapter.

  • Reporting & recruitment

    Prepared financial and recruitment reports to track the chapter's progress and guide weekly decisions.

04 / Skills

OPERATIONS,
STUDIO, SYSTEMS.

Creative Operations

Production planning, project intake, scheduling, prioritization, deadline management, and stakeholder communication across multiple concurrent projects.

Creative Production

Briefing, coordinating, and shipping creative work from planning through final delivery. Working with photographers, videographers, designers, writers, and other contributors.

Project Management

End-to-end ownership of campaigns, features, and event coverage. Production schedules, content calendars, contractor agreements, and post-production pipelines.

Studio & Photo Workflows

Shoot planning, on-site execution, and gallery delivery for live events, festivals, headshots, and editorial coverage. Rapid-turnaround post and asset handoff.

Contractor & Vendor Coordination

Hiring, briefing, and managing photographers, videographers, designers, and other creative contractors. Setting scope, agreeing fees, and tracking delivery.

Budget & Financial Controls

Budget ownership, invoicing, expense tracking, and reporting. Cost awareness applied to creative operations so projects ship on plan.

Workflow Design & Process Improvement

Building repeatable workflows and SOPs. Identifying bottlenecks and improving efficiency across systems and teams.

Stakeholder & Client Communication

Managing relationships with clients, artists, organizers, vendors, board members, and internal teams. Setting expectations and keeping delivery on track.

Photography & Post-Production

Working photographer covering concerts, festivals, headshots, and editorial assignments. Editing in Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic, sequencing, and delivering finished galleries on deadline.

Automation & Systems

Using technology and automation to improve operational workflows. Hands-on experience with CRM systems (HubSpot, Zoho) including data migration and team training.

05 / Clients & collaborators

CLIENTS &
COLLABORATORS.

Explore client work

Selected organizations and artists I have worked with.

Indigo Studios

House photography

Wilmington Public Library

House photography / Editorial coverage

Wide Awake Global

House photography

Delaware Reggae Coalition

House photography

Speedy Records

House photography

Delaware Health Care Facilities Association

Campaign photography

Delaware Community Foundation

Campaign photography

DJ Niknax

Event content / Long-term client

Artists & touring work

Artist galleries and tour content.

Events, venues & editorial

Event and editorial galleries.

06 / In their words

IN THEIR WORDS.

He is very hands-on and attentive when we’re establishing the goals of different shoots beforehand, as well as at the shoots themselves.
DJ NiknaxLong-term client
There’s never a question if he will be there early, let alone on time. He fully understands the expectations you provide to him, and he will outdo those expectations with the quality of his work.
Slim DizzleProduction Manager & Host · SDP Open Mic
This was more than a blog, it really felt like Ash understood who we were. He not only captured incredible photos of our festival, he shared genuine thoughts that were powerful and clear.
Philip LeeChief organizer · Wide Awake Festival
Asher was awesome to work with. He took initiative and reached out to us ahead of our tour, and offered great services.
Ben SuarezThe Hip-Snacks
Excellent work!! Highly satisfied with the final product, Love the professionalism and workflow I’ll be back for more !
Antonio WilsonSpecial Events Video Producer
Ash took some amazing photos of me performing at Departed. I loved his dedication to his work, professionalism, and the quick delivery of the pictures.
Katerina SkyPerforming artist · Departed S4E1

08 / Contact

LET'S WORK.

Available for full-time roles and ongoing contracts. Live events, creative production, and content strategy.

Based in Wilmington, Delaware. Available for travel.

Download résumé LinkedIn