COLLEGE AGENCY - Key Persons
Craig has been with The College Agency since the very beginning of the agency, when he and his wife Denise founded the The College Agency back in 2003. Prior to 2003, Craig spent six years touring the country as the lead singer and songwriter for his six-member acoustic/rock group, Fade 2 Shade. Nominated Music Act of the Year in 2001, Fade 2 Shade was selected for countless NACA and APCA showcases, including showcases at the 2001 and 2003 NACA National Conventions. During his performing days, Craig performed at over 800 colleges and universities in 38 states. Now with The College Agency, Craig oversees a number of responsibilities including marketing, advertising, website, accounts payable/receivable, artist relations, as well as overseeing most office processes and functions.
Dave Helem is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer from Chicago, Illinois. He attributes his sense of humor to the fact that he believes there is something funny in every facet of human life. He has headlined numerous venues and has performed on tour in numerous cities with Hannibal Buress and Tony Rock. He has also toured with Doug Stanhope and Tracy Morgan. Dave successfully completed a two-month residency at the Woolly Mammoth Theater in Washington D.C. for Second City's Black Side of the Moon, where he helped create and write the most successful selling show in the history of that theater. He was a writer for Comedy Central's Hood Adjacent. Dave recently taped Laff Tracks (Tru TV) that will air in the fall of 2018. He is currently living in Los Angeles as a staff writer for the FOX sitcom REL.
Denise has been with The College Agency since the very beginning of the agency, when she and her husband Craig founded The College Agency back in 2003. Prior to 2003, Denise was a co-owner in another booking agency that she founded and ended up selling her portion of that agency to start The College Agency. As a national booking agent and business owner, Denise has been recognized by NACA with the Sarah Boatman Award in the Northern Plains region, as well as named Associate of the Year 4 times, 2011, 2009 & 2007 in the Northern Plains region and 2005 in the Wisconsin Region. Denise has served on the National Board of Directors for NACA for four years and spent 3 years on the Executive committee. Now with The College Agency, Denise oversees a number of responsibilities including management and training of the agents, development of new booking arenas, business forecasting, business development, artist development, conference attendance, as well as overseeing office processes and functions. During her free time, you will typically find Denise mentoring young women in interview skills and image make-over, going to the pool with her son David and her daughter Savannah, or heading to a movie with his husband, Craig. She loves her season passes to Valley Fair where she and her son David have conquered all of the Roller Coasters and hope to eventually take on the ride "Venom Steel".
Emily Galati is whip-smart and not afraid to prove it. Known for her relentlessly clever style, Galati's routine combines sharp, short quips with longer stories tangling in recurrent punchlines. She brings a social awareness and quick-wit to her shows which may include riffing on a friend's home birth with a taut one-liner. Emily isn't afraid to delve into jokes that are controversial - occasionally bruising some feelings along the way and then gleefully waiting for those shocked and chagrined reactions after delivering the punchline. She's been seen on Conan O'Brien, Last Comic Standing, and Comics Unleashed. Emily performed in the "Best of the Midwest" Competition at Gilda's LaughFest. She was a semi-finalist in NBC's Stand Up for Diversity, and finalist in the "Bob and Tom" Comedy Contest. She performs regularly at the legendary Zanies Comedy Club in Chicago. Emily was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona where she enjoyed sunny days and swimming in December. She currently resides in Chicago, Illinois and misses her pool.
Hayden joined The College Agency team in July of 2018. He has a performance background as an actor and musician and is very excited to share the wonderful artists on our roster with the world. A Minnesota native, Hayden grew up on a small hobby farm where he trained horses, played in the dirt, and learned the importance of hard work. Performing and employment has brought him across the nation, from the center to living on both coasts and and maybe your state next! Currently based in NYC Hayden enjoys hobbies such as woodworking, guitar, long-boarding, and enjoying delicious cuisine.
Neil Hilborn is a College National Poetry Slam champion and a 2011 graduate with honors from Macalester College. In 2013 his poem OCD went viral, garnering over eleven million views to date, making it the most-viewed slam poem ever. He has been featured on such news outlets as NPR and The Wall Street Journal, and he is the author of Our Numbered Days. Originally from Houston, Texas, he now lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Your next performer was a College National Poetry Slam Champion has been featured on Huffington Post, NPR and other news outlets for his poem, OCD which went viral in 2013. It has garnered over 13 million views, making it the most-viewed slam poem on YouTube. Please welcome, Neil Hilborn!
Job Titles:
- Regional Agent
- TCA Team Member
Shawna is the TCA team member that serves the South, Central, and West regions. She is committed to helping campuses book quality inclusive programming that is entertaining and educational. With a passion for social justice, Shawna always keeps her eye out for programming that can create change on campuses with engaging and affective material. As part of the LGBTQIA+ community and with her knowledge gained from her work as an activist, she brings a unique perspective to this team by focusing on the diversity of the roster and being mindful of representation in as many diverse communities as possible.
As a Minnesota native and graduate of the University of Minnesota, she is proud to call this Northern part of the Midwest her home. Shawna has learned that what keeps her heart full is to continually learn, be challenged, and to experience new and diverse things. With a variety of interests, outside of work you will find her all over the Twin Cities dancing, making art, volunteering her time as a board member for a local non-profit, exploring new activities, or traveling to new places of the world.
Skylar is a new face here at the College Agency, and a face that you will rarely see without a smile! Skylar is a versatile model, blogger and social media branding expert. After giving up her Miss Wisconsin USA title in September of 2017, she began working with USA State Pageants putting her skills to use and working hands on with titleholders from across the midwest. Now with the College Agency, Skylar will take on a variety of roles. She will work primarily as an agent, while also assisting in areas such as digital marketing and social media. Skylar is excited to dive headfirst into this new endeavor and as a recent graduate, she is excited to be working first-hand with students to help them find programming that is a perfect fit for their school!