Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission, Commissioner At Large

Venus Evans, who was born and raised in Laurel County, Kentucky, is a tribal citizen of the Mi’kmaq Nation of Presque Isle, Maine. The Mi’kmaq are one of four federally recognized tribes of the state of Maine. Venus currently serves as Commissioner at Large for the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission (KNAHC).

Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission Coordinator

Tressa Brown received her BA in Anthropology from Transylvania University and her MA in Anthropology and Museum Studies from Arizona State University. She is currently the coordinator for the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission. She has worked for the past 35 years providing Native American educational programming for schools and the public.

Commissioner, Education Chair, Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission; College Career Navigator; Corrections Instructor

Chris Robinson has more than 25 years in public school, university, and corrections classrooms in rural and urban Alaska, the United Kingdom, and Kentucky. He spent a year at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian as their teacher-in-residence.

Digital Arts and Design Teacher

Stephen C. Newbold, Jr. is a Miami, Florida, native, artist, educator, and art leader based in Washington, DC. As a three-time alumni of the College of Fine Arts at Florida State University, he has earned two BA degrees, one in Art History and one in Political Science; a Master of Science degree in Art Education; and a PhD degree in Art Education. He desires to motivate and move people through art for social justice.

Artist and Educator, Saint Andrew’s School and NSU Art Museum

Lark Keeler is an artist and educator, connecting mind, body, and spirit over the past 24 years through experiences for learners of all ages and abilities. Lark was awarded the Florida Outstanding Art Educator of the Year in 2024, Elementary Art Educator of the Year in 2022, and Museum Educator of the Year in 2010. She has participated in the National Guild for Community Arts Education Leadership Institute and the NAEA School for Art Leaders. Lark has received certifications in mindfulness fundamentals and art therapy. She is currently chair of the Caucus on the Spiritual in Art Education, an NAEA Interest Group.

Art Educator, Olentangy Schools, Powell, OH

Jonathan Juravich began teaching elementary art in 2005. Social–emotional learning is his favorite topic for engagement, including his TED Talk “How Do We Teach Empathy?,” podcast The Art of SEL, and Emmy Award–winning program Drawing With Mr. J. He was named the 2018 Ohio Teacher of the Year, he was a finalist for National Teacher of the Year, and he was also the NAEA National Elementary Art Teacher of the Year in 2023. 

Art Educator, Cabarrus County Schools, Concord, NC

Chynna Oaks is a high school art teacher for Cabarrus County Schools, located just outside of Charlotte, NC. In 2021, she was the Middle Level Educator of the Year for the North Carolina Art Education Association (NCAEA) and she is currently NCAEA’s President-Elect.

Art Educator, Kingsbury High School, Memphis, TN

Marcus Watson is a seasoned art educator with 10 years of experience at Kingsbury High School, serving a diverse student population. He is an AP Art and Design Reader, district mentor for AP art teachers, and serves as the visual arts chairperson for the Memphis NAACP ACT-SO Program. His artwork, in watercolor, acrylic, and oil, explores identity formation and his experiences in parochial school.

Assistant Professor in Art Education, University of New Mexico

Gigi Schroeder Yu is an assistant professor of art education at the University of New Mexico and the president of the National Art Education Association Early Childhood Interest Group. She cofounded the New Mexico Collaborative Teachers Institute, a Reggio Emilia–inspired community of practice for early childhood educators from diverse contexts, including classrooms, museums, and arts-based programs. Her research explores collaboration as an affective entanglement among children, artists, and educators. From 2019 to 2024, she was an editor for the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) publication Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange.

Associate Professor, Teaching + Learning in Art + Design, Rhode Island School of Design

Shana Cinquemani is an early childhood and elementary art educator and researcher. Her research interests are grounded in ethical research practices with children, relationships between children and adults in the art classroom space, curriculum inquiry and theory in early childhood art, the conceptualization of children’s art as a meaningful sociocultural practice, and motherscholarship.

Art Teacher, Parker Elementary School, New Bedford, MA

Mary Geisser is the art teacher at Parker Elementary School in New Bedford, MA, and is Early Childhood and Art Education Certified in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She has taught art at the RI School for the Deaf and has experience as an early childhood teacher and college professor. Mary has worked to establish representation for early childhood education within the Rhode Island and Massachusetts Art Education Associations.

Early Childhood Educator, Santa Fe Early Childhood Center, Santa Fe, NM

Helen McDonald has taught in early childhood and elementary education for almost 20 years as a program director, classroom teacher, and arts coordinator. She is passionate about advocating for the strong image of the child and fostering children’s relationship to the expressive arts and the natural world through the lens of emergent curriculum.

Supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts, Adjunct Professor Visual Art 
Newark Board of Education and Kean University 

Antonia N. Germanos is the supervisor of visual and performing arts for Newark Board of Education, overseeing preK–12 arts programs focused on curriculum, instruction, teacher training, and community partnerships. She is dedicated to ensuring all students access high-quality arts education, experience belonging, and find joy in learning.   

Germanos has also served as a preK–12 art educator, spent 10 years in nonprofit arts education, led as President of Art Educators of New Jersey, and served as Eastern Regional Director of Supervision/Administration for NAEA. 

She holds two master’s degrees in public school administration and visual arts education from Kean University; a bachelor’s degree in painting and drawing from Mason Gross, Rutgers University; and New Jersey state certifications for school business administrator, principal, supervisor, and teacher of Art K–12. 

Visual Art Supervisor
Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland

Elizabeth Stuart has served as the visual art supervisor for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland since 2014. She received a bachelor’s degree in art education from the University of Maryland, College Park; a master’s degree in education from the Maryland Institute College of Art; and her certificate in supervision and administration and doctorate in educational leadership with a superintendent’s certification from the University of Maryland, College Park. Stuart taught elementary art for 9 years and was the content specialist for art, theatre, and dance for Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland, for 7 years. Stuart received the NAEA National Art Educator of the Year Award in 2024 and the NAEA Gilbert A. Clark and Enid Zimmerman Leadership Award in 2023. She has presented at museums, as well as numerous state and national conferences on various topics concerning artificial intelligence, literacy, and leadership.

Fine Arts Coordinator
Howard County Public School System, Maryland

Gino Molfino has served as an artist, teacher, advocate, and education leader for the Howard County Public School System for over 20 years. He has collaborated to develop state, national, and district fine arts policies and practices that cultivate innovation in public education programming, curriculum development, and professional learning for educators that honor the teacher as an artist and promote contemporary practices in artmaking. As the current coordinator of fine arts for the Howard County Public School System, Gino is responsible for the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the fine arts curricula, assessment materials, professional learning, and instructional supports for over 200 preK–12 fine arts (art, dance, theatre) educators in the district. 

NAEA Youth and Preservice Program Manager; Art Educator

Paula Liz was born in Puerto Rico and attended the Maryland Institute College of Art. She has teaching experience at public, independent, and charter schools in New York; Texas; Washington, DC; and Maryland. She is also bilingual, has taught elementary art at a two-way immersion school, and she was also named Maryland Art Educator of the Year in 2022. She recently authored Be a Creative Changemaker.

K–12 Multilingual Learner Program Coordinator, Legacy Early College, Greenville, SC

Rachel L. Biritz is the K–12 Multilingual Learner (ML) Program Coordinator (PC) at Legacy Early College, a 4K–12 public charter school, in Greenville, SC. With a population of over 500 MLs, Rachel coaches a team of seven ML teachers, as well as general education teachers, across three buildings, while also teaching newcomers. In her time as an MLPC and ML teacher, she has watched tremendous growth that is reflected in state report card data. As a PhD student at Clemson University, her research relates to how students who are not White nor Black are “othered” in education policy.

Marlena Myles, a self-taught Spirit Lake Dakota artist in St. Paul, Minnesota, brings Indigenous history, language, and traditions into modern contexts through children’s books, augmented reality, murals, and more. Her notable works include augmented reality public art installations such as the Dakota Spirit Walk, Sacred Hoop Walk, and Wodakota Walk. She has exhibited at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and other prestigious galleries, created a Google Doodle, and launched Wíyouŋkihipi Productions to promote Dakota culture. In 2023, she won the Knight Arts + Tech Fellowship and the Joyce Award, and created her first documentary, Realms of Resilience. 

Chidera Oforkansi is currently a junior at George Bush High School. With a strong passion for art, she strives to create pieces that depict the daily struggles of people, and she consistently finds inspiration in societal issues. This strong passion for art led her to join NAHS during her freshman year; she has since evolved not only as an artist, but also as a person. Being in NAHS has transformed the way Chidera approaches leading others by pushing her to be a compassionate and patient leader. Chidera hopes to someday become an artist who tackles challenging topics in unconventional ways while spreading her love of the visual arts to the rest of the world. 

I am Tanvi Kulshreshtha, a sophomore at BASIS Phoenix. Art has been a cornerstone in my life for nearly a decade as a steady outlet I have turned to: I have moved across three countries and multiple schools. My favorite art form is painting with acrylic paints because it allows for vibrant layering and depth. I especially enjoy painting people, as it offers the chance to capture the essence and character of an entire person on canvas. Through expression, posture, and even light and shadow, I can convey the individuality and emotions of my subjects in a way that feels both personal and profound. My appreciation for the arts is rooted in a desire to use it as a medium to inspire others, make a positive difference, and uplift voices. I strive to balance artistic skills and innovation with responsibility and compassion. My repeated leadership and artistic journey have honed me into a trusted, hardworking, and pioneering leader. 

Evan is grateful to further the arts in any way that he can. Other honors include: Jury-Selected Artist “Art on the Trail” 2023; Jury-Selected Artist Mass Cultural Council Hopkinton Diversity Mural 2024; Mass Cultural Council Grant Recipient to create first-ever Hopkinton Art Walk; Samsung American Legion Scholarship Recipient; Scholastic Art & Writing Awards 2021, National Reflections Literary Award Winner; Knights of Columbus Leadership Award First Place MA; Eversource Environmental Energy Conservation First Place State Winner. Extracurricular activities: Hopkinton High School NHS and NAHS; varsity track and field; varsity football; athletic office liaison to student council; weightlifting club; published artist in Marginal Literary Magazine. Community service: Evan serves as the official Broadway blogger for the Hanover Theater, MA’s second largest theater; The Memory Project for Africa; together with his brother, Evan created a rock garden at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in honor of his mom. Evan is a global ambassador to Ukraine with Soles4Souls, where he has personally collected, cleaned, and shipped over 3,000 pairs of gently used shoes since the outbreak of the war with Russia. He is also a three-time championship head coach for recreational youth basketball. Evan is an active fund-raiser for the Jimmy Fund, having completed the walk twice in honor of his friend Chris. Work experience: Evan created his own company, Evan-Uber, which serves as a shuttle service for the children of working parents. Evan was a legislative research intern for his local state representative this summer. Previously he served as a senior counselor at the Metrowest YMCA, where he received an award for his service. 

Sabrea Jordan (She/Her) is a 12th grader from Jackson, MS, where she is a visual arts student at Ida B. Wells APAC, and she also attends the advanced academic program at Murrah High School. She has been a member of NJAHS (2019–2021) and NAHS (2021–present), where she has served as NJAHS President and NAHS Secretary, Vice President, and President. 

Sabrea credits her participation in NAHS to leading her to her chosen future career in art education. Her passion and drive have led to her teaching art at the Mississippi Museum of Art, as well as receiving the 2024 NAHS Secondary Rising Star Award in Minneapolis. As a creative artist, Sabrea has received numerous art awards and opportunities to have her work displayed. These include being juried into the NAHS Juried Student Showcase in 2022, receiving a national Scholastic Art & Writing Silver Medal in 2024, and 14 regional Scholastic Keys. Additionally, her artwork has been published in multiple literary magazines and displayed in multiple museums and exhibitions, such as the Mississippi Museum of Art and Mississippi Crafts Center, and she was recently chosen to have multiple pieces displayed in the Black Art Now exhibit at the MMA.  

Outside of NAHS and art, Sabrea is a member of speech and debate, book club, and the Pleiades Literary Magazine, and she is also an honor roll student. Sabrea plans on majoring in art education in college, and she looks forward to being a member of NAEA in the future. 

I am Shriya Sharma, and I am a senior who loves to make art! I am currently the president of my school’s art club, NAHS chapter, and Science Olympiad team. I enjoy dabbling in the natural sciences due to the beauty and inspirational nature of nature! I enjoy reading art history–related materials both outside and inside of class, and I love visiting museums and galleries. I also love working with children and doing charity! I have participated in all of my school’s art auctions for charity and have donated many pieces to these auctions, which I also helped set up. I am a paid tutor at Mathnasium, and I also tutor kids in the humanities at my school. I enjoy studying history, art, and languages. I find languages, especially Latin, very relevant in the art history field, and I have participated in the National Latin Exam, where I placed second, and I also earned an honorable mention. Additionally, I am a member of my school’s HOSA chapter and academic team (which placed fourth at the state championship in 2023). I like doing many things, including playing the piano, but ultimately, I always fall back to art. I have heavily dedicated myself to art in high school (art is the top priority on my schedule), and I hope to become an art curator one day—or if I am lucky enough, maybe an artist. Next year I plan to double major in studio arts and art history at a small college, and I will most likely minor in science.

Professor, Arts Education & Curriculum Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington

Marjorie Cohee Manifold looks at the artistic practices of adolescents in interest-based (fandom) communities and how socioaesthetic interactions of fandom encourage and support development of self-identity, self-acceptance, appreciation of global expressions, and emotional well-being, while honing art learning and making skills. Her authored works include Art Themes: Choices in Art Learning and Making.

MFA; Concept Artist/University Professor

Jordan McCracken-Foster is a graduate of both RISD and the Academy of Art University majoring in Illustration and Concept Art for Video Games respectively. He is a concept artist that has worked in the animation and video game industries at places including DreamWorks TV Animation, Netflix & Magic Tavern. He is also an Teaching Artist at Art Prof and is passionate about teaching art to students.

PhD student; Artist, Public Library Teen Arts Volunteer 

I am a self-described “nerd,” who regularly attends Renaissance Faires and Comic-Cons. In addition to being a nerdy cosplayer who likes to make art, I also am academically curious. A favorite aspect of creating my pendants is that negotiating its individualized design feels like a form of inquiry. Often, I am asked to create objects associated with existing media or self-created characters.

Education Marketing Manager, Wacom 

Michele Dick is an educator first and foremost, and she brings her unique skills and experiences as classroom teacher, technology specialist, and digital learning coordinator with Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver, WA, to her role at Wacom. A sought-after conference speaker, professional learning expert, and innovator in integrating digital ink technologies into creative and core curriculum instruction, Michele provides essential support, expertise, and creativity into her role helping educators tap the power of digital pen and display technologies in their teaching practices.