2025 NAEA National Convention

Graduating from Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma helped to facilitate attending the University of Tulsa on full music scholarship. After completing an undergraduate degree in Double Bass Performance, and earning an additional Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Ceramics and Sculpture, performing with the symphony became her career focus. A second job with Starbucks supplemented income and within 1 year, she was serving as Store Manager for two corporate locations. She left Starbucks having designed training systems for all levels and operating her own stores as training facilities developing both bench strength and facilitating new store openings. She came to teaching by adopting an elementary school as a Partner in Education helping an art teacher who had no visual arts experience to design curriculum and volunteering as in-class support discovering her passion for education. She has now taught art for 17 years in both urban and suburban districts in two states at all levels from PreK through twelfth grade and Advanced Placement Studio Art. She is currently in Houston Texas and holds a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and will graduate in May with and Ed.D in K12 Organizational Leadership. Current research interests are applying coping skills for ADHD that are learned in the art classroom to core subjects to facilitate and engage in learning and Professional Development while securing the priority of fine arts for all students.