Hello, fellow creatives! I am a passionate life-long learner who geeks out on all things art education. My passion for it was sparked in 2009 by my art teacher at a local community college. Go, teachers! Being a type-A research nerd, I began searching for resources and came across The Art of Education. I immediately became an avid reader of the AOE blog. Throughout my undergraduate, master’s, and professional teaching journeys, I found myself continually referring back to resources from the Art of Education. They were highly relatable in a time that there was so little relevant research and supports for art educators.

In college, I began teaching art. My first gigs were teaching special needs adult art courses while also teaching at a juvenile detention center. Both were possible thanks to art grants. Two years later, I graduated with my bachelor’s in Art Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and I scored my first art teacher position within their public school district. I was ecstatic and ready to change the world! But, my rose-colored glasses became quickly tarnished. My official first year of teaching was at five different schools, teaching kindergarten and 8th-grade art while acting as an arts integration specialist. Oh, and this was part-time, so I also kept my art teaching job at the juvenile center as well. To say it was a whirlwind is a vast understatement. I learned a ton! And, my car was basically a studio storage space.

Thankfully, the following year, I began teaching high school art full-time. It was in this position, that I held for seven years, that I flourished the most. My classroom was a studio, a home-away-from-home, and I loved seeing the positive impact that art education had on student’s lives. With time, I developed a strong pull to share and learn from my colleagues. I made it a priority to attend art education conferences, collaborate with colleagues, and analyze data from my classroom. But I knew I wanted to be a change agent on a larger scale. I knew I wanted to extend the positive rippling effects of art education beyond the four walls of my classroom. I told my colleagues for years that I wanted to teach teachers, and low and behold, in 2020, I saw a posting for an adjunct faculty position at the Art of Education University. I applied and ended up switching to solely teaching for AOEU.

Throughout my first year at AOEU, I wrote curriculum and assessments for the master’s program and loved not only the work but the culture and climate of this incredible university. This work led to my current role as an Associate Professor & Curriculum Specialist, where I write curriculum for our university coursework.

At home, my husband and I prioritize family time with our two kiddos and our immediate families. We love hosting small gatherings with quality companies. On my own, I enjoy DIY projects, hiking, reading, yoga, coffee, swimming, and laughing with friends. I’m a “simple things in life” kind of person who loves being home or soaking up time outside.

Professional Achievements: 

Faculty Emoji Award for curriculum and assessment writing  2021

Committee Department Chair Active 2016–2020

Advanced Placement Art and Design Training 2018

Masters in Education Learning, Teaching & Curriculum (2017)

Academic Resource Development Committee Active 2016–2017

Presentation: Missouri Art Education Association (2017)

Bachelor of Science Art Education (2012)