Gerard Atkinson is the Summer 2014 Research Services Intern at Americans for the Arts. Originally from Australia, Gerard began his career in research science before moving into intellectual property and industry policy. At the same time, he pursued a part-time career as an opera singer, singing principal roles for multiple companies and ensembles. This exposure to the sector ignited a desire to move into the arts full-time, with the goal of helping to build and lead sustainable arts organizations based on data-driven decision making. Gerard is currently completing a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts (Arts Management) at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.