Abbie Wynn
University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, TN
Abbie Wynn is an interdisciplinary artist and educator from northwest Tennessee. Her main areas of focus include ceramics, collage illustrations, and K–12 education. She is currently seeking a degree at the University of Tennessee at Martin and is an MFA applicant to the University of Memphis.
Amanda Rullman
Sterling College
Wathena, KS
Amanda Rullman is a senior at Sterling College, but this is her second time in college. She made the decision to return to college for another degree after substitute teaching at her children’s schools, when she realized she enjoyed teaching. Amanda is now not only a full-time student finishing a history education degree, but also the elementary art paraprofessional for K–5 at Riverside Elementary in Elwood, KS. This job led her to realize how much she loves teaching art to littles. When Amanda was younger, her art teachers told her to focus on anything else because she was not good at art. She realized she could be the type of teacher she should have had—one who encourages all students to explore. Amanda is a firm believer that everyone is an artist of some type.
Anupam SIingh
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
Anupam Singh is currently a PhD candidate in the Art and Visual Culture Education Program and the program manager of the Design Lab at the Student Engagement and Career Development Department at The University of Arizona. He is the founder of the Council for Arts and Social Practice, which is a platform for transdisciplinary artistic research and practice for facilitating critical dialogues on cultural sustainability. He is also a social practice artist whose work exists at the intersection of art, society, and pedagogy. Anupam has worked and exhibited nationally and internationally, including in India, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Germany, Colombia, and the United States. His scholarship is informed by postcolonialism, the sociology of absence, tribal critical race theory, and cultural studies.
Ashley Feldman
University of the Arts
Philadelphia, PA
Ashley Feldman is an artist who delved into the world of creativity at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where she earned her BFA. Her artistic pursuits include painting and sculpture, showcasing a diverse range of skills. Currently immersed in a master’s program for art education, Ashley is driven to impart her passion and knowledge to aspiring artists.
Bailey Gaver
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
Bailey Gaver is a painter and art educator currently pursuing a master’s degree in art education at Georgia State University. She has a passion for unlocking in young people the confidence and joy making art can provide, and a commitment to creating a fun, encouraging, and safe environment for creative exploration. Bailey’s personal work focuses on impressionistic scenes of nature and portraiture in oil, gouache, and watercolor. She strives to make art that celebrates bold color, texture, and qualities of light that invite the viewer into a world of warmth and nostalgia.
Carolyn Henry
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Carolyn Henry is an Iowa native with a BFA from Iowa State University (ISU). She dabbled in a multitude of mediums during her time at ISU and found herself particularly drawn to painting, drawing, embroidery, and ceramics. Carolyn is also very close to completing her master’s degree in teaching at The University of Iowa, combining her two loves—creating and teaching art!
Chenyu Huang
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, NY
Chenyu Huang is an emerging artist born in China and based in New York. Chenyu’s artistic journey began with her BFA in Fashion Design at the Pratt Institute, and she is currently pursuing her MA at Columbia University. Immersed within a realm of storytellers, Chenyu utilizes her artistic skills to capture the profound essence of nature. Her creations unfold a mesmerizing narrative, a celebration of life’s intricacies and warmth.
In her expressive journey, Chenyu invites viewers to delve into the beauty emerging from the interplay of light and shadow within life’s intricate tapestry. Beyond her artistic endeavors, Chenyu enriches her journey by hosting public art education workshops, seamlessly merging psychology and visual art to craft engaging and transformative experiences for participants. Her artworks have graced exhibitions in New York and California, contributing to a diverse and dynamic artistic narrative.
Chesney Brown
Northwest Missouri State University
Lee's Summit, MO
Chesney Brown will receive her BS in Education in spring 2024 from Northwest Missouri State University. She plans to become an art teacher in the state of Missouri. Chesney has also received awards at multiple gallery exhibitions, including the Artists Who Teach exhibition in Maryville, MO; the MAEA Spring Art Exhibition in Springfield, MO; and the Student Juried Exhibition in Maryville, MO. She plans to return to the Kansas City area to continue her teaching career, as well as making 3D art.
Christina McCurry
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
Christina McCurry is a dedicated preservice teacher who is always excited to learn new media and techniques to teach her future students. Christina’s preferred media are graphite and acrylic and oil paints.
Clare Murray
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, NY
Clare Murray is a visual artist and 3rd-year art and art education doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her current research explores how children influence museum design. Other research interests include codesign, children’s drawings, civic engagement, cultural citizenship, and promising practices in early childhood art museum education. She has worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant in her graduate school institutions.
Clare holds an MEd in Art in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, an MA in Early Childhood Education Policy from Teachers College, and a BA in Economics and Latin American Studies from Colby College. She cofounded and leads a nonprofit art museum bus designed with, by, and for young children in her home state of Connecticut. In 2018, she was awarded a Fulbright Predoctoral Research Grant to study the art educational programming of a network of independent cultural spaces in Spain, and she continues to research and publish work regarding children and their museum experiences.
Clare is also an active member of the International Council of Museums Committee for Education and Cultural Action, the National Art Education Association Public Policy and Arts Administration Interest Group, and the International Art in Early Childhood Organization.
Corey R. Breneisen
Kutztown University
Muncy, PA
Corey R. Breneisen is an artist and art educator living in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Corey received her MFA in Painting from the Pratt Institute and is currently completing her MEd and K–12 certification in art education at Kutztown University. Her artwork has been exhibited internationally, as well as throughout the United States. Corey is passionate about helping students develop their artistic vision. She has taught a wide range of age groups from preschool through undergraduate university students, though her favorite group of students to teach are high school students on the precipice of discovering their creativity. Outside of the studio and classroom, Corey enjoys exploring the vast number of hiking trails near her home, kayaking along the Susquehanna River, or attending a yoga class.
Courtney McDaniel
Indiana University Bloomington
Asheville, NC
Courtney McDaniel is a painter and early educator. As an artist, she explores the interior nature of introverts and how to use art to work through traumatic experiences. She brings the same contemplative approach to teaching preschool students. By exploring themes of communication, collaboration, and empathy, Courtney works to create meaningful art experiences for young students to encourage connection. She is currently a doctoral candidate pursuing an EdD in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Art Education at Indiana University Bloomington.
Dan Li
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX
Dan Li currently works as a visiting assistant professor of art education in the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University. Prior to this role, she served as an art education academic specialist at Michigan State University. She earned her PhD in art education from the University of Houston.
Dhee-Ghee Palmer
Online Oregon Schools—K12 Stride
Prineville, OR
Dhee-Ghee Palmer is a reformist, activist, and woman leader of color art educator with 4 years of experience teaching high school visual and media arts. Dhee-Ghee is currently a virtual high school teacher at Online Oregon Schools (K12 Stride) and is pursuing a doctoral degree in educational and organization leadership from Concordia University, St. Paul in Minnesota. She sponsored the first National Art Honor Society (NAHS) chapter for K12 Stride and received at least five championships in the on-the-spot art competitions during her elementary and high school years in the Philippines, including the Oregon state championship. Dhee-Ghee was a juror for the 2023 K12 Art National Competition and a presenter at the 2023 NAEA Convention in San Antonio, Texas, and the Oregon Art Education Association convention. She exhibited juried work in 2023 at the Maryhill Museum of Art in Washington. Dhee-Ghee’s leadership mission core is DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) and fashion design; in the future, she aspires to travel and teach art to the children of indigent lands.
Elizabeth Kruse
Huntington University
Huntington, IN
Elizabeth Kruse is a sophomore at Huntington University majoring in visual arts education with minors in fine arts and production technology. She is heavily involved in her university’s art and theatre departments. Elizabeth’s hobbies include sewing, crocheting, and crafting.
Emma Fricks
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
Emma Fricks is from Piedmont, South Carolina, and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education at the University of South Carolina. She enjoys volunteering in the university’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, where she is a representative of the School of Visual Art and Design, as well as programs that explore art with youth. As a child, Emma knew she wanted to be a teacher and will be a fourth-generation educator upon completing her degree. Her elementary school art teacher inspired her to teach art, and she continues to share her passion for art with others. Emma believes it is important to give all children access to exploring their own creativity. Art has changed her life for the better, and she hopes to help impact future generations of artists by giving them as many opportunities as possible!
Eric P. Goins
University of Maryland
Middle River, MD
Eric Goins was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated with a BFA from The Cooper Union in 2020. He continued his practice by teaching art in New York and Baltimore County. Currently Eric is enrolled in the master’s certification program at the University of Maryland in College Park. In his free time, he enjoys bookbinding, reading manga, and making boxes.
Hannah Coe
Ball State University
Farmland, IN
Hannah Coe is a current art education student at Ball State University. She enjoys working with all different media, her favorites being paint and metal. Hannah enjoys storytelling and writing as well, and she’s currently working on publishing her first novel. She lives in a small town called Farmland with her partner, dog, and two cats.
Hannah Nelson
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND
Hannah Nelson is currently an art education student at North Dakota State University. Set to graduate in fall 2025, she plans to pursue her passion of inspiring students through art and creativity. Hannah admires all aspects of art and is particularly fascinated with painting. She is excited for this opportunity, and to see what the future holds for her as a future art educator!
Hyunsoo Alice Kim
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York, NY
Hyunsoo Alice Kim is a multidisciplinary artist and researcher who holds a BFA in Textiles from Rhode Island School of Design and an MS in Textile Design from Philadelphia University. She is currently a doctoral candidate and instructional staff of the Creative Technologies Team in the Art and Art Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Jennifer Kaye
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL
Jennifer Kaye is a PhD candidate and graduate teaching assistant studying art and design education at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Her upcoming dissertation research focuses on self-directed learning among preservice art education students. Prior to her doctoral work, Jennifer completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in art and design education at NIU with her master’s pilot study focusing on LGBTQ+ representation in children’s animated media. Outside of academia, Jennifer works as a teen services specialist at the local library, and enjoys spending time with her cats, reading, and making art.
Jenny Fryer
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Milwaukee area, WI
Born and raised in New York City, Jenny Fryer traveled the country before settling in California. She graduated from California State University, Chico with a BFA in Studio Arts Painting and Drawing, BA Education—Art, and AA Photography and Art History from Butte College. Jenny currently lives in Wisconsin with her husband, children, and dog. She is Scoutmaster to a female unlinked BSA troop, helping them learn and grow into strong young women. Jenny is living her dream career teaching art to children and adults, teaching techniques and skills to bring their imaginations to life.
Jordan Shuping
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
Jordan Shuping is a preservice member of the National Art Education Association. She is from Sumter, South Carolina, and is currently attending the University of South Carolina. As a senior in the art education program, Jordan is also working on her Master of Arts in Art Education. She received the Outstanding Senior Award in Art Education, and her artwork has been featured in juried exhibitions. Currently, Jordan is working with the Stormwater Collaborative Residency Program as the art educator. During her summers, she enjoys teaching pottery classes at local art camps.
Joseph Geheren
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
Joseph Geheren has been a member of the National Art Education Association for close to a year now and is the current president of the NAEA Student Chapter at James Madison University. He is also the current chapter development chair of the honorary art fraternity, Kappa Pi.
Karen Willard
Virginia Commonwealth University
Palmyra, VA
Currently in her junior year pursuing a BFA in Art Education at Virginia Commonwealth University, Karen Willard is a seasoned professional with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in business administration from Gardner–Webb University. Seamlessly transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship, she served as an adjunct business instructor while managing a small business specializing in custom art and handbags for over 14 years.
With a robust background in both business and academia, Karen actively contributes to the development of young minds as she prepares for a career in K–5 art education. Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, she has a rich history of teaching art in community-based programs. Committed to making a positive impact, Karen volunteers with Opening Minds Through Art, guiding elderly dementia patients in creating meaningful abstract art weekly. Her diverse skill set and passion for both business and art education underscore her dedication to fostering creativity and enriching communities.
Katherine Stutzman
Taylor University
Shipshewana, IN
Katherine Stutzman is a senior at Taylor University studying art education.
Keisha Oliver
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA
Keisha Oliver is a Bahamian social artist, art historian, and educator whose cross-disciplinary practice explores themes of identity, social equity, and cultural heritage within the African Diaspora. She is an assistant professor of art and design at the University of The Bahamas and a PhD candidate in the dual-title Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies program at The Pennsylvania State University.
Keisha is the copresident of Penn State’s Graduate Art Education Association and serves on the board for several arts, education, and community organizations, including the Palmer Museum of Art National Advisory Council, Penn State’s Graduate School Alumni Society, Caribbean Intransit Arts Journal, the Pennsylvania Art Education Association’s DEI Committee, and The Bahamas Ministry of Education’s National Strategic Visual Arts Committee.
Kendall Rena Mansfield
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
Kendall Rena Mansfield received her bachelor’s degree in visual arts and is now working on her master’s degree in art education at Brigham Young University. She currently serves as a full-time artist-in-residence with the Utah Division of Arts and Museum while teaching workshops among K–12 students in Utah. Kendall is known for her multimedia background in digital and film photography, media arts, oil and acrylic paintings, installations, and Native American arts. She continues showcasing multimedia at various exhibitions and galleries and furthers her American and British cinematic arts studies.
Kyla Stimpson
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Pfafftown, NC
Kyla Stimpson is a practicing artist and a visual arts student teacher in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Kyla has a strong passion for visual arts and inspiring the future.
Kylee Bryan
Oral Roberts University
Tulsa, OK
Kylee Bryan has been studying art for more than 12 years; art is her greatest passion in life. She was a member of the National Art Honor Society for 4 years, serving as president of her high school’s chapter. As a student, Kylee participated many times in the NAHS competitions. Now she is a 3rd-year college student at Oral Roberts University with a planned graduation date of December 2024 with a BFA in Art Education. After graduating, she will begin teaching art in public secondary schools in Texas. In her free time, Kylee most often paints in watercolor but is a potter at heart. Her goal is to eventually achieve a master’s degree in art history and begin teaching art at the postsecondary level.
Maddie Mattheu
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
Maddie Mattheu is an artist from Louisville, Kentucky, in her final semester studying studio art at the University of Kentucky (UK). After graduation, she intends to pursue a graduate degree in arts administration with the hope of working for an organization that advances the arts in Kentucky. She currently works for the UK Art Museum and as a research assistant helping to collect oral histories of Kentucky art educators. In the summers, Maddie works for the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, where she has the privilege of mentoring some of Kentucky’s best young artists in the school’s visual arts program. Outside of her work and education, Maddie continues to cultivate her own artist practice, especially in drawing, painting, and fiber arts. As an artist and future arts administrator, she is passionate about the development of diverse and inclusive arts programming and making the arts accessible to everyone.
Maeve Munson
University of Georgia
Atlanta, GA
Maeve Munson is a 2nd-year art education graduate student at the University of Georgia (UGA). After she received her BA in Interdisciplinary Art and Design in May 2022, Maeve opted to stay at UGA to get her master’s degree as well. In her 1st year in the art education graduate program, she worked to make connections in her program and statewide. Maeve volunteered to be a coordinator with her new cohort to plan and execute the Tunnel of Dreams, an interactive outdoor exhibit through the Spotlight in the Arts program at the University of Georgia. She also accepted a position on the Georgia Art Education Association (GAEA) board as their student chapter representative, a position that had been vacant for many years. Through her connections in GAEA and her position on the board, she is currently researching the impact that professional associations have on preservice and early career teachers.
Marzia Farhana
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
Marzia Farhana, an artist and researcher, is based in Dhaka, London, and Richmond. She earned her MA in Fine Arts from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Notably, her large-scale multimedia installation, Ecocide and the Rise of Free Fall, was exhibited at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in India. Her works have been showcased in prominent national and international venues like the Museum of Contemporary Art Barcelona, the Office of Contemporary Art in Oslo, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in India, India Art Fair, Bangladesh Art Week, Dubai, KrinzingerProjekte in Vienna, Dhaka Art Summit, and the Kathmandu Triennale in 2017. Marzia has also been a resident at the Delfina Foundation in London (2018).
Marzia constructs precarious multimedia installations by developing hybrid forms of creative works intersecting with different media, including paintings, prints, collages, assemblages of found objects, texts, and moving images. Her practice is time- and space-based and ongoing. Her socially engaged art projects facilitate collaborations and participation and reinforce the possibility of coauthoring works of art that reinvent empathy and emancipation. The pedagogical turn of her artistic practice facilitates fostering social and environmental justice and empowering marginalized, vulnerable communities.
She lives and works in Dhaka and Richmond and is pursuing her PhD in Art Education at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Nicole Cervi-McKeever
California State University, Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
Nicole Cervi-McKeever is a current student at California State University in Fullerton, California. She is an aspiring art educator and will be earning her Bachelor of Arts in Art Education this upcoming spring.
She is greatly inspired by the creativity of students and those who love to educate them in all realms of art! Nicole hopes to find a place in the education system to encourage students to express themselves in drawing and painting; these are her greatest joys, and she would love to pass them on through teaching and volunteering. Nicole also enjoys creating her own works of art, being with her family and friends, and running and hiking.
Nicole Wakefield
Indiana University Northwest
Munster, IN
Nicole Wakefield is currently a graduate student at Indiana University Northwest, working toward a master’s degree in secondary art education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Eastern Illinois University in 2021. Nicole has always had a passion for art and creativity. The art room was the one place in school where she felt she could succeed. She hopes to create a welcoming environment where all students feel like they can explore their creativity and hone their skills.
Nupur Manoj Sachdeva
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Nupur Manoj Sachdeva is a researcher, educator, curator, and multidisciplinary artist. Currently, she is a PhD student in the Arts Administration, Education, and Policy Program at The Ohio State University. Through her art-based praxis, she explores themes like identity, belonging, translanguaging, the postcoloniality of language, transnational feminist praxis, artivism, and decolonizing theories. She has a strong background in graphic design, textiles, retail, and management. With her interdisciplinary and global experiences, Nupur is interested in curating museum and community spaces that educate, advocate, and foster intergenerational creative engagement.
Nupur’s research interests include arts-based research methods, edu-curational praxis, creative civic engagement through the arts, and translanguaging. She had a chapter published in the 2023 book, The Routledge Companion to Decolonizing Art, Craft, and Visual Culture Education.
Pin-Hsuan Tseng
The Pennsylvania State University
State College, PA
Pin-Hsuan Tseng is a middle school artist–teacher–researcher–activist from Taiwan. She is a PhD candidate in art education with a minor in curriculum and instruction at Penn State. She has presented for the National Women’s Studies Association, the National Art Education Association, the International Society for Education Through Art, and more. She has received several awards, including the Ecology and Environment Interest Group Award from the National Art Education Association in the United States, the a2ru Scholar Award in the United States, and the Outstanding Art Star in Teaching in Taiwan.
Pooja Modani Nair
Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA
Pooja Nair, currently pursuing her MFA, serves as an educator teaching visual arts and ceramics at Williams Secondary Montessori School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her artistic focus lies in portraiture. In addition to her academic and creative pursuits, Pooja serves as a regional coordinator for the North Carolina Art Education Association, underscoring her commitment to advancing art education in the region. Her diverse engagement in academia, teaching, and professional coordination underscores a comprehensive dedication to the arts, establishing her as a valuable contributor to both artistic and educational spheres.
Rachel Yan Gu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL
Originally from China, Rachel Yan Gu is a ceramic artist and an art educator. She received a BFA in Ceramics at the China Academy of Art before earning her MFA in Ceramics at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Currently she is studying in the art education PhD program and working as a ceramic instructor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Rainey King
Crossroads Preparatory Academy
Kansas City, MO
Rainey King, a Kansas City–based artist and visual arts educator, combines a passion for art and teaching to inspire others. Rainey explores personal and universal human experiences in their artwork, focusing on mental health awareness. Crossroads Preparatory Academy engages students in real-world learning, emphasizing the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice through amplifying student voices. Rainey’s philosophy in art education is rooted in nurturing creativity and fostering critical thinking, believing these skills to be fundamental in shaping insightful and expressive individuals. As a juror for the National Art Education Association, Rainey is excited to contribute their perspective, shaped by both their artistic practice and their experience in the classroom, to support and celebrate the flourishing talents of fellow educators and emerging artists.
Rosemary McGeady
Maryland Institute College of Art
Baltimore, MD
Rosemary McGeady is an artist, researcher, and teacher based in Maryland. She is currently a preservice art teacher in the Master of Arts in Teaching Program at Maryland Institute College of Art. She also earned her BFA in Interdisciplinary Sculpture from Maryland Institute College of Art. As a teacher, Rosemary aims to foster curiosity, empathy, and resilience through the exploration and discovery of creative thinking and ways of being. Her interdisciplinary art practice explores sculptural, drawing, and photographic processes grounded in ecological thinking as a way to consider the body and self within a relational environment.
Ryan Martin
Northeast Elementary School
West Hartford, CT
Ryan Martin is an elementary school art teacher in the Vernon, Connecticut, public school system. Every day Ryan inspires his students to reach their potential and express their own creative voices through the arts. When time allows, he is also a freelance illustrator and designer with projects ranging from book illustrations to logos. Ryan earned a BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design and an Art Teacher Certificate from Southern Connecticut State University.
Sabine Croy
Ball State University
Muncie, IN
Midwest born and raised, Sabine Croy (she/her) is a photographer and artist from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She currently attends Ball State University and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Art Education. Nationally recognized, some of her most notable achievements are being a National YoungArts winner in 2021, being a four-time National Scholastic Art and Writing Gold and Silver Medal winner, and being published in The New York Times’s Coming of Age in 2020 book publication.
Somewhat ”raised” with art from the age of 4 (her mother is also an artist), Sabine found a deeper passion for the creative process. In fact, her biggest artistic influence is her mother. Sabine values creating work that is deeply personal to her and provokes an inward sense of reflection from viewers and herself. She finds her most profound inspiration from her rural upbringing, nostalgic memories of childhood, and introspection.
Samantha Martinez
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
Samantha Martinez is an artist, educator, and ethnobotanist. She has spent time working in seed conservation, on organic farms, with a tribal environmental health program and ecological restoration cooperative, in community gardens, and cultivating bioregional herbalism and traditional handcraft in the Northwoods of Wisconsin and along the shores of Lake Superior. Samantha is a passionate student of practices that support biodiversity and the restoration of culture, connection, and wellness. She feels great joy and purpose at the intersection of earth-based art, craft, and ancestral skills and education.
Sara Stranahan
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Walpole, MA
Sara Stranahan has been a preservice member of the National Art Education Association and her state association for 2 years. She graduated from Endicott College in 2023 with a BFA in Studio Arts and a concentration in Secondary Education, and a minor in Creative Arts Therapy. She is now taking classes at UMass Dartmouth to complete her master’s degree in art education. Her current job is a permanent substitute teacher at a local high school. For the 2024–2025 school year, Sara hopes to be able to start teaching art at the middle or high school level. She has always been passionate about art and discovered an interest in creative arts therapy during undergraduate study. Sara is an abstract artist, as well as a ceramicist. She works in multiple media, uses found objects, and makes art based on feelings. Her love for creating and teaching art is infinite!
Sarah Shafi
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilant, MI
Sarah Shafi is a recent honors graduate from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in K–12 Visual Art Education and a minor in K–12 Spanish Teaching. She is passionate about multicultural education, arts advocacy, and art education beyond the classroom. Her research interests include museum education, educational statistics, and cultural exchange programs.
Sean Harris
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI
Sean Harris is a recent graduate of Eastern Michigan University. His concentration is in 2D media; he also enjoys 3D media. Sean plans to teach art to high school students.
Sedigheh Fathollahzadeh
Purdue University
Lafayette, IN
Sedigheh Fathollahzadeh, an accomplished artist, has exhibited her paintings in more than 30 national and international exhibitions. With a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and two master’s degrees in fine arts and art education, she is currently working toward a doctoral degree in special education at Purdue University. Over the past decade, Sedigheh has dedicated herself to providing art education to diverse age groups in educational institutions, universities, and in the private sector. At present, she is deeply involved in the development of her latest series, showcased on her website: https://sedighehfathollahzadeh....
Seoyeon Jenn Kim
The University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
Seoyeon Jenn Kim is a PhD student in the Art and Visual Culture Education Program at The University of Arizona. Seoyeon was born in Seoul, South Korea; grew up in the United States; and pursued art education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Seoyeon taught in diverse environments and has worked with preK–12 students and preservice art teachers in both the United States and at Gwangju National University of Education. Seoyon’s current research interests evolve around curriculum and instruction, storytelling, visual literacy, picture books, social justice, counternarrative, and critical race theory through the lens of art and visual culture education. As an educator and an art advocate, Seoyon wants to create and encourage inclusive learning and creative environments where every person can achieve all-around development in diverse areas through creativity, critical thinking, aesthetic sensitivity, and cultural awareness through multimodal dialogue and expression.
Shannon Durbin
California State University, Long Beach
Los Angeles, CA
Shannon Durbin is a teacher, academic advisor, and artist who recently completed her educational doctorate at the University of Southern California, which focused on how academic advisement supports community college students who identify as African American or Black with the goal of transfer to 4-year universities. Shannon teaches and advises at California State University, Long Beach, and she volunteers at the Neighborhood Youth Association where she teaches comic creation. She has a self-published comic book series titled niteswimming, which follows the story of two LGBTQ+ high school students navigating their last year of high school against the 90’s backdrop of grunge, puck rock, and the AIDS crisis. You can find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sh... and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/s.k....
Sylvia Rodriguez
Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI
Sylvia Rodriguez is an artist, educator, writer, social justice activist, and student teacher in the Teaching and Learning in Art and Design department at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). She graduated from RISD with a BFA in Illustration and a concentration in Theory and History of Art and Design. Sylvia is currently attending grad school at RISD. Her work in children’s media illustration centers children of diverse identities, particularly with diverse abilities, races, and families.
Yasaman Moussavi
The University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Yasaman Moussavi is an artist and educator. She is a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia and holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in visual art. Yasaman has lived and worked in various countries, including Iran, the United States, and Canada. Her diverse lived experiences and teaching in different art programs have shaped her artistic vision and pedagogical approach. In her art practice, she employs papermaking processes to explore alienation, displacement, and uncertainty. Yasaman is fascinated by how the immersive and embodied experiences of public spaces and site-specific art can stimulate the imagination, thereby creating opportunities to navigate and adapt to the feelings of alienation caused by precarity. Her art has been showcased in many exhibitions, both nationally and internationally. She has cocurated and served as a juror in many art exhibitions. Yasaman is a cofounder of Didaar Art Collective, a community-based Iranian art collective.
Yihan Jiang
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Yihan Jiang is a passionate art educator and practitioner who brings more than 3 years of experience empowering students across primary, secondary, and educational institutions. Yihan is currently pursuing a master’s degree in art education from the University of Florida. Yihan has led enriching hands-on art programs that stimulate creative confidence and cultural perspectives. Yihan’s teaching roles have centered on developing immersive cross-disciplinary education models that integrate creative outlets and local customs. As a research assistant, Yihan has contributed to projects driving innovations in museum education, digital platforms, assessment methodologies, and combining arts with STEM disciplines. Yihan is deeply committed to advancing visual literacy and unlocking every child’s inner artist.
