EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

Master of Science in Art Education, August 2009

Massachusetts College of Art and Design : Boston, Massachusetts

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education, May 2002

Syracuse University : College of Visual & Performing Arts and School of Education : Syracuse, New York

Massachusetts Initial Certification : Visual Arts, PreK - 12

Massachusetts Department of Education, issued February 2005

Special Needs Visual Arts Teacher: Doctor Franklin Perkins School, October 2004 - PRESENT

• Implement lesson plans for 175 students in grades K – 12, at a private, residential and day treatment school
• Currently developing K-12 Visual Arts Curriculum for agency
• Teach a population of students with a wide range of mental and emotional disabilities, including Asperger’s Disorder, ADHD, Autism, PTSD, ODD, Bipolar Disorder, and Dyslexia
• Maintain accurate records of assessment, behavioral data, treatment conference comments, budgetary expenditures and incident reports
• Update and maintain campus exhibits of student artwork, including annual production of agency’s “Kids’ Art Calendar”

Professional Development experiences

• Cultural Diversity Education Committee, co-founder and chair, 2005-present. Committee meets need of delivering educative programs to students and staff in area of Cultural Diversity throughout agency
• Strategic Planning Team, 2007. Inter-departmental taskforce for determining the agency’s trajectory in fulfilling its mission and meeting the needs of clients in the contemporary moment.
• Summerfest Planning Committee, 2005-present, coordinator for 2007. Team designs and implements a six-week curriculum for the organization’s annual summer session. Responsibilities include ordering and distributing supplies for teaching staff, developing lesson ideas and themes, accumulating resources for teaching staff, and organizing the agency’s afternoon activity offerings
• Perkins Book Club, co-founder and chair, 2005-present. A subsidiary of the agency’s Social Committee, the club meets bi-monthly to allow staff to discuss selected titles
• Healthy Living Committee, 2007-present. Design, print and distribute committee’s semi-annual newsletters, targeting students’ families and students’ health-related activities
• Green Committee, 2008-present. Inter-departmental committee which analyzes the agency’s practices in resource usage and targets “green” advocacy within student and staff populations
• Youth Art Month Planning Committee, MAEA-sponsored event, 2007 and 2009. Member of planning committee for 2007 and 2009 Youth Art Month celebration at the Worcester Art Museum. In 2009, designed and distributed announcement postcards for events

Conferences & Workshops

• Power of Art: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities, The Lab School of Washington, May 2006

A two-day workshop, sponsored by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, in which a select group of art educators from across the country learned effective methods of using art to teach students with learning disabilities, while visiting the Lab School’s innovative campus

• CEC National Convention, Council for Exceptional Children, Boston, 2008
• Connections: AANE Annual Conference, Aspergers Association of New England, 2007 and 2008
• A Day with Rick Lavoie, Gordon College, 2007
• Unified Arts, New England League of Middle Schools, November 2005

• Co-Supervised a student staff of 18 Community Advisors, facilitating weekly staff meetings, conducting biweekly one-on-one supervisory meetings, and fostering leadership development
• Advised student-representative Hall Council in implementing educational and community-development programming within a first-year residence hall
• Administratively responsible for housing placements, facilities maintenance, school-sponsored activity budget, and adjudication of policy violations, including serving as mentor for the University’s Student Appeals Board
• Advised two Living & Learning Communities: the Public Achievement House and the Carlson School of Management Leadership Houses, fostering direct cooperation between housing offices and academic departments

• Administratively responsible for housing placements and facilities management within three residence halls, accounting for more than 800 residents
• Managed two distinct Main Desk operations within two residence halls. Supervised twenty-five student employees, directed budgetary spending, and maintained mail operations for three residence halls
• Co-advised a staff of 13 resident advisors, attending weekly staff meetings and fostering their individual leadership development. Worked together with the staff to create hall-wide programming initiatives
• Advised a student-run Community Council to create educational and community programming
• Collaborated on departmental Diversity Education Committee
• Awarded the “Departmental Impact Award, 2002-03” for contributions to the Office of Residence Life and “Educational Program of the Year, 2002-2003”

NAEA National Convention, April 2009, RIAEA Fall Conference, November 2008, and MAEA Spring Conference, May 2008

• Exposed participants to the concept of an art classroom’s Hidden Curriculum and its inherent challenges for students on the Autism Spectrum, especially those with Aspergers Syndrome.

NAEA National Convention, April 2007 and MAEA Fall Conference, November 2006

• Discussed art educators' changing roles to adapting to students' evolving interaction with the Arts, particularly with advancements in technology, such as WIKIs and Web 2.0

• MSAE Thesis Show, Arnheim Gallery, Massachusetts College of Art, 2009
• Student Gallery, Computer Arts Center, Massachusetts College of Art, 2009
  New Boston Artists, Kick for Nick Benefit Exhibit, Boston, 2009
  Que Fenomenal, Teaching Artists’ Experiences in Ecuador, Massachusetts College of Art, 2008
  Annual Members Show, Arts/Wayland, Wayland Public Library, 2008 and 2009
  Windows of Remembrance, Office of Residence Life, SyrStudent Gallery, Computer Arts Center, Massachusetts College of Art, 2009
  New Boston Artists, Kick for Nick Benefit Exhibit, Boston, 2009
  Que Fenomenal, Teaching Artists’ Experiences in Ecuador, Massachusetts College of Art, 2008
  Annual Members Show, Arts/Wayland, Wayland Public Library, 2008 and 2009
  Windows of Remembrance, Office of Residence Life, Syracuse University, 2003
  PRIDE, Office of Residence Life, Syracuse University, 2000-2001 versity, 2000-2001

• National Art Educators’ Association, member since 2000
• Massachusetts Art Educators’ Association, member since 2005
  
• Council for Exceptional Children, member since 2007
• Arts/Wayland, member since 2008

• Personal Artmaking: Photography, Sculptural and Multimedia Installations, Design and Video
• Experienced in: Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, Printmaking, Textiles and Digital Imagery
• Technological Proficiency: Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash Interactive