Micki Dawson, Assistant Account Manager at Atomic Design

Micki Dawson is a self-proclaimed “guinea pig” – always ready and willing to start something new, whether it comes to education, work or his personal life. Currently defining a new role as Assistant Account Manager for Modular Systems at Atomic Design, Micki received his Bachelor’s in Music Industry and Recording Technology, as well as the first Master’s in Music Industry Studies, both from York College of Pennsylvania. 

Already carving a new path through his educational pursuits, Micki knew his next new adventure would be at Rock Lititz when he first saw the campus at Experience LIVE in 2019. It was only a matter of time. Working as a bartender after getting his graduate degree, Micki’s ever-expanding pursuit of new conversations led him to meet some team members from Atomic Design. Cut to the present day, when those new connections have become colleagues, and Micki is a thriving member of our community.

Micki’s love for events runs deep. He enjoys being a part of the creation of large-scale live event productions but also embraces small moments like fostering community through a potluck dinner. There his devotion is nothing new – it’s a lifelong pursuit. “I was doing two to three hundred hours of community service a year throughout high school,” he says. “I feel like that is also probably part of why I want to do these events with Rock Lititz. Or I'll show up to other people's events because community is really important to me, and I feel like a lot of people want community but don't want to put the work in to have community. And it is harder now with how digitized the world is, so it is nice when you're able to get everyone together.”

For Micki, being at Rock Lititz means being able to see and participate in the whole industry ecosystem. In addition to his role at Atomic, he is also getting back to his theater roots at Mickey’s Black Box, the venue on campus. 

One of Micki’s favorite parts of his job and this industry is that even the smallest things can have a big impact on a project. “When I can save a client's day because they need something ASAP — and yes it's a scenic element so it's not anything life-saving — but it is so helpful and it can really take their event to the next level. It’s nice to just be able to make a client happy and make their vision come to life.”

Outside of work he enjoys crocheting, gardening, hiking and giving back to his communities. He is very passionate about his engagement with Lancaster Pride, which welcomed an estimated crowd of 8,000 in 2024. As a previous board member for five years, he continues to be an active volunteer. His dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community has extended to the Rock Lititz Community, where he has launched the LGBTea+ and hosted queer networking events. 

As he continues to grow within the Rock Lititz Community, Micki remains committed to fostering connections, professional growth and trying new things as the “guinea pig” he tends to be!

Local recommendations:

• Pottery works
• Challas Arepa Kitchen
• Sai Gòn Café
• Lancaster Pride
• Lunar New Year event by Lancaster AAPI
  

“I love events, I love bringing people together, that's what I realized my passion was about. Even just throwing a potluck to bring others together, I’m happy helping people form connections