Who We Are
Switchback Group’s mission is to strengthen communities through place, people, culture, arts and creativity.
A core belief of Switchback Group is that Creative Expression is fundamental and essential to our humanity. Connections with each other and with Nature are crucial to our health and sense of well-being.
Our primary goal is to help communities and organizations to find common ground among their multiple communities and to realize their collective vision by integrating arts, culture, creativity and natural heritage to enhance cultural and economic vitality, strengthen cultural values, and to build community character and a sense of place.
Culture is the summation of everything human, and the output of our life experience
Creativity is Innate to All People
The Power of Art and Cultural Participation is transformative
Diverse Voices Make the World Go Round
Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat
Joy is Essential
“By nature, I’m an explorer. That informs all of my endeavors. I’m curious to understand how people and place intersect – how the culture of the present has evolved from the past., and how the culture of the future can be envisioned from the present”
Passionate for cultural geography, environmental history and the arts, Switchback Group’s Principle, Christina Rusnak, brings over 20 years of successful experience in both corporate and non-profit executive leadership, management consulting, cultural entrepreneurship, strategic and tactical planning, and research and analysis, organizational development, operations, communications, and project management.
Excelling in all facets of planning and organization, Ms. Rusnak’s strength is connecting people and organizations – building partner relationships. This provides her with the ability to see the big picture and drill down to details. Ms. Rusnak is an engaging speaker, presenting nationally on the topics of place, landscape, community, advocacy and the arts. Her articles and blogs have appeared in arts journals and industry websites.
Christina Rusnak’s education and experience in Business, Arts Leadership, Music and Cultural Planning provides a solid and comprehensive foundation for arts and cultural planning, and placemaking work. She serves as a grant panelist for The Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Ms. Rusnak serves on the boards of the International Alliance for Women in Music and Signal Fire Arts. An active composer, she is a member of the Landscape Music Composers Network. As a member of the American Planning Association (APA), Christina adheres to the highest professional and ethical standards. She hold Masters degrees in Music and Arts Leadership from the University of North Texas, and post graduate Cultural Planning certification from the University of British Columbia.
Switchback Group operates as a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)