Autumn Edmundson
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Cidaruh Jones - Education Coordinator, American Sign Museum
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Lauren Kowal - Doctoral of Musical Arts (DMA) Student, University of Maryland School of Music
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Artists as Administrators: Finding the Elements of a Performing Arts Nonprofit Organization that Facilitate Organizational Sustainability and Means for Artists to Create
Advisor: Rachel Skaggs

Molly McDevitt - Elementary Art Teacher, Strongsville City School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Mallory Petrucci
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Advisors: Dana Carlisle Kletchka and Richard Finlay Fletcher 

Anastasia Sotnikova - PhD Student, Department of Arts Administration, Education, The Ohio State University
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
LGBTQ+ Content Policies and Public Practice in a Major Museum. The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Case Study
Advisors: Dana Carlisle Kletchka and Richard Finlay Fletcher 

Katie Spets
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Mason West
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Ashley Austerman - Visual Arts Teacher, Mississinawa Valley High School, Mississinawa Valley Local Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Terrena Conson - Art Teacher, Shawnee Elementary School, Clarke-Shawnee Local Schools
Program: Art Education
Becoming a Reflective Teacher Educator: A Study on the Possibilities for Higher Education Arts-Integration Curricular and Pedagogical Practices
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

Mario D'Agostino - Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, Nova Southeastern University
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Flint Garrabrant - Art Teacher, Watkins Memorial High School, Southwest Licking School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Yanshuang Ji - PhD Student, Department of Arts Administration, Education, The Ohio State University
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Asian Americans’ Arts Participation in Columbus, Ohio
Advisor: Rachel Skaggs

Noelle Klein - Art Teacher, Hamilton STEM Academy, Columbus City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Morgan McDonald
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Joy Mistovich - Education Department Assistant, Digital UX Accessibility Specialist, The Butler Institute of American Art and Freelance, Ohio Museum Association Accessibility Committee Member, Ohio Museums Association
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Mary Morris
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Elizabeth Myers
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Tyiesha Radford Shorts - Education Coordinator, Maroon Arts Group and Community Artist-in-Residence, Urban Arts Space, The Ohio State University
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Stephanie Schieltz-Lowder - Art Teacher, Ansonia Elementary School, Ansonia Local School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Gabriel Simms
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Taylor Starkey (Daniel)
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Natalie Ward
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Kimberly Waters-Burghy - Visual Arts Teacher, Licking Valley Middle School, Licking Valley Schools and Regional Director, Central Ohio Art Education Association
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Avery Wood
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Julie York - Teacher, Thomas Worthington High School, Worthington Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Marlo Brown (Linch) - Art Teacher, Jerome High School, Karrer Middle School, Dublin City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Travis Deal - Manager of Academic Affairs, Cleveland Museum of Art
Program: Art Education
We Begin To Intervene: A Narrative Case Study of An Employment Model for Museum Educators at The Wexner Center for the Arts
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

Andrea Fackelman - Art Teacher, St. Mary Catholic School
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Jasmine Floyd - PhD Student, Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, The Ohio State University
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Emily Graham (Markey) - Teacher, The Hangout PDX
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Emma Hensley - Tour Coordinator, Cincinnati Museum of Art
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Bekah Leathersich Mertus - Assistant Director, Frost Tour Archaeology
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

Ariel March Williams - Visual Arts and Art History Teacher, Spring Street International School
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Desiree Morgan - Art Teacher, Benjamin Franklin High School, Benjamin Franklin Charter Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

My-Lien Olsson - Substitute Art Teacher, Kulturskolen, Agder
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Emily Schon (Hutlock) - Advancement Associate, Near West Theatre
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Advisor: Rachel Skaggs

Emily Schon is incredibly honored to be part of a small but mighty team at Near West. Near West is Cleveland's largest and most impactful community theatre with a mainstage season of intergenerational productions, in- and after-school programming, senior arts enrichment, and a variety of community events. Emily started at Near West right after graduating in spring 2023. Her role includes donor cultivation and stewardship, grant proposal writing, event planning, crafting correspondence, overseeing fundraising campaigns, and much more. Every day looks a little different, and Emily loves having the opportunity to collaborate closely with other departments. She is proud to work at an organization that truly transforms lives through accessible arts experiences.

Reflecting on her time in AAEP, Emily shared that AAEP was truly transformational for her and her career. Coming out of her undergraduate program during the pandemic, Emily was afraid to pursue a career in the arts and unsure of what her next step would be. Taking the leap to a new city and pursuing a graduate degree changed Emily's life. Everything from the course offerings to the professors to off-campus opportunities helped her grow in confidence. Being part of the Barnett Field School stands out as one of her favorite aspects as it exposed her to many organizations and arts leaders, shaping her outlook and empowering Emily to become the best version of herself. Spending time with a small group of her peers on a weekly basis supported Emily and gave her the sounding board she needed while working on her final project. Emily uses many of the skills developed in graduate school every day like working as a team, video editing, academic research, and especially survey/evaluation development.

Emily would advise current AAEP graduate students to embrace their unique perspective and background. If you're an introvert like her, putting yourself out there is difficult. But your point of view will only enrich the experience of those around you.

Want to contact Emily? Email her at emilynschon@gmail.com. 

Taylor Seay - Art Teacher, Chestatee High School, Hall County Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Zita Smith - Ceramics Teacher, Lorain High School, Lorain City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Summer Weinheimer - Art Teacher, Liberty-Benton Local Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Courtney Wood (Williams) - Art Teacher, Grant Middle School, Marion City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Jill York
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Leigh Ziegler - Administrative Manager, School of Design at Virgina Tech
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Turn Out the Vote: How Musicians Mobilize on Social Media
Advisor: Rachel Skaggs

In Leigh's role as the Administrative at Virginia Tech's School of Design, she supports faculty, students, and other staff members in daily operations as well as manages various teams of student employees. Leigh works closely with the School Director, and together, they ensure that the School is running smoothly. 

Leigh believes her AAEP degree has helped her prepare for her role(s) at Virginia Tech immensely. During Leigh's time at AAEP, her cohort in the Arts Policy and Administration degree path was small, allowing her to develop strong leadership skills. Organizations like COSAA (Central Ohio Students for Arts Advocacy) and Trace, Layer, Play also helped her develop these skills by being around peers of all different perspectives. Not only did AAEP help in the soft-skills area, the courses were rewarding. Courses like Organizational Leadership were impactful for Leigh to understand the how and why different organizations run, noting that higher education institutions are not too different from nonprofit organizations. Leigh appreciated the mentors she had during her time as well, finding them incredibly helpful and supportive, particularly Dr. Skaggs and Dr. Ballengee-Morris.

What advice would Leigh give to current AAEP students?

"Get involved, and find the opportunities that you wish to accomplish! I shared my academic and professional goals with my advisor, and her and I were able to achieve what I wanted to do."

Shane (Andrew) Cullen - Visual Art Instructor, Lighthouse Youth Center
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Meghan Decatur - Art Teacher, Justus C. Richardson Middle School, Dracut Public Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Paige Dempsey - Engagement Manager, Dublin Arts Council
Program: Art Education
Where Audience Relationships and Art Education Collide: Cincinnati Art Museum's Digital Programming in the Time of COVID-19
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

Dautri Erwin - Executive Assistant to Senior Leadership, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Advisors: Joni Acuff and Tiffany Bourgeois

John Grosvenor - Visual Art Teacher, West Carrollton High School, West Carrollton Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Heather Herbay - Art Teacher, Barker Elementary School, Upper St. Clair School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Amy Holihan - Deputy Director, Music Columbus
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Elevating Artists’ Voices: Examining Organizational Dynamics Between Ballet Company Dancers and Leadership
Advisor: Rachel Skaggs

Stephanie Manuele - Art Teacher, Cody Middle School, Park County School District 6
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Denise Meza Reyes - Horizons Student and Family Engagement Director, Brunswick School
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Kimberly Newman - Elementary Art Teacher, Michigan Math & Science Academy
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Esther (Rohui) Roh
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Mackenzie Sheldon - Art Teacher, Fredonia Middle School, Fredonia School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Abigail Tracy
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Xiaoxiao Bao - PhD Candidate, Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, The Ohio State University
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Lisa Brunswick - Visual Art Teacher, Celina Middle School and Celina High School, Celina City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Christine Ballengee Morris

Alice (Yu-Chin) Cheng - Lecturer, The Ohio State University
Program: Art Education
Reflect to Connect- Teaching Critical Dialogue in a Pandemic: A Teacher Reflection Participatory Action Research
Advisor: Christine Ballengee Morris

Celena Gilmore - Assistant Director, Conservation Center, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Advisor: Shoshanah Goldberg-Miller

Meagan Guild
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Shari Savage

Rachel Koral - High School Art and Creative Photography Teacher, Collier County Public Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Olivia Lancaster (Skoric) - Elementary Art Teacher, Clark Elementary School, Laurel Highlands School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Tatiana Marion Piche - Studio Ballet Instructor
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Christine Ballengee Morris

Cary Mitchell - Theatre Director, Grandview Heights High School, Grandview Heights Local Schools
Program: Art Education
Searching For Clues in Virtual Educational Theatre
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

De'Avin Mitchell
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
A Collection of 20 Poems: Using Poetic Inquiry in Response to Literature on Race, Work Policy, and Social and Cultural Theory
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Ashton Peck (Kelly) - Art Teacher, Gorsuch West Elementary School, Lancaster City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Brittany Schwarck - Art Teacher, Blacklick Elementary School, Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Shari Savage

Lauren Smith
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Shari Savage

Cassie Tirrito - Art Teacher, South Seneca Middle School, South Seneca Central School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Sarah Voll - Art Teacher, Elmwood Primary School, Shawnee Local School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Christine Ballengee Morris

Chloe Betts - Art Instructor, PD Studios
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Alexa Bolton
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Staysean Daley - Founder, Art Director, Illustrator, Kraasimages
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Alyssa Goot
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Shari Savage

Marcella Homan - Photographer, M.C. Homan Photography
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Karen Hutzel

Lynnette Ivey (Torres) - Director of Institutional Giving, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Drew Jones - Educator, Entrepreneur Academy, Emerald Campus, Dublin City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Layla Muchnik-Benali - Curatorial Assistant, Film/Video, Wexner Center for the Arts
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Richard Finlay Fletcher

Kelly Orlando (Ryan) - Art Teacher, Cuyahoga Heights Elementary School
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Karen Hutzel

Molly Patridge (Zambito) - Visual Art Teacher, Worthingway Middle School, Worthington City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Ruth Smith

Taylor Skelton - Children's Miracle Network Program Coordinator, Navicent Health Foundation Inc.
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Shelby Spence
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Ireanna Aleya Spencer (Peete) - Art Teacher, Lincoln Elementary School, Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools
Program: Art Education
A Historical Study on the Implications of Brown v. The Board of Education on Black Art Educators
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Karla Stahlecker - Art Teacher, Valley Lutheran High School
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Shari Savage

Shannon Thacker Cregg - Visual Art Teacher, McDermott Elementary SChool, Northside Independent School District
Program: Art Education
Collaboration and Connection: An Action Research Study on Inclusive Art Museum Programming
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

Sarah Will - Fine Arts Teacher, Central Crossing High School, South-Western City School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Karen Hutzel

Bridget Williams - Artist in Residence, Jackson Township Elementary School
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Melissa Akey
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Brooke Belohlavek - Art Teacher, Little Snake River Valley School, Carbon County School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Jessica Caldarone - Art Teacher, North Attelborough High School, North Attelborough Public Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Chelsea Dipman - Elementary Art Teacher, Garfield Elementary School, Marion City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Brianne Gladieux (Denton) - Art Teacher, Middle School East, Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Christie Guerrero (Paul) - Senior Instructional Designer, Agile Product Owner, Integration Innovation, Inc.
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Hilary Katz - Head of Teaching and Learning, Phillips Collection
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Joni Acuff

Christine Masucci - Director of Communications, Managing Editor, SBCA
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Candace Stout

Linzey Rice - Administrative Manager, Teachers College Dance Education EdD Program and the Arnold Institute for Dance Education Research, Leadership & Policy at Columbia University
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Exploring the Role of Partnerships in Youth Arts Programming: A Case Study of Project Jericho
Advisor: Jim Sanders

Miranda Rife - Attorney, Rife Law and GCAC Lawyer Referral Services Program Coordinator, Greater Columbus Arts Council
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Cultivating a Creative Community: A Case Study of the Gahanna Area Arts Council
Advisor: Dana Carlisle Kletchka

After completing the Arts Policy and Administration MA program, Miranda went on to earn her JD from Capital University Law School and now runs a law firm (Rife Law LLC) focused on serving creatives in Ohio. Miranda works with individual artists, nonprofit organizations, and creative businesses to strengthen their business practices and protect their tangible and intangible assets. As a solo practitioner, she manages all day-to-day aspects of the law firm and works with arts organizations to help educate artists about key legal considerations for creatives.

Are you interested in learning more about Miranda's experience? Email her at miranda@rifelawllc.com.

Keith Scanlon - Founder, ColoRule LLC, and High School Art Teacher, Gahannah Lincoln High School, Gahannah-Jefferson Public Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Christine Ballengee Morris

Zoë Schmid (Zwegat) - Major Gifts Officer, the College of Wooster
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Diversity, Inclusion, and the Visitor-Centered Art Museum: A Case Study of the Columbus Museum of Art
Advisor: Shoshanah Goldberg-Miller

Rena Winton - Visual Art Teacher, Woodrow Wilson High School, Long Beach Unified School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Veronica Abraham - Visual Art Teacher, Watkins Memorial High School, Southwest Licking School District
Program: Art Education
Advisor: JT Richardson

Kate Nordstrom (Bryant)
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Karen Hutzel

Kris Roberts - Project Coordinator- Software Tooling, Cummins Inc.
your little voice: An autoethnographic narrative on philosophy, technology, relationships, and the arts
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Advisor: Jim Sanders

After receiving his MA in Arts Policy & Administration, Kris worked for a regional arts council for several years as Operations Manager. His duties included accounting, website management, project management, event planning, and managing the state arts agency grant program in the region. Based on this experience, Kris moved to an administrative role in a global company, and then into his current project coordination role at Cummins Inc. In his project coordinator position, Kris describes himself as Scrum Master and as a facilitator/team coach for the US-based software team (9 developers) where he plans and aligns to meet software delivery goals. Kris also leads AOP planning, ongoing purchasing for an annual license budget of $1 million, and the designing and implementation of processes for development tool requests, approvals, purchases.

Reflecting on his time in the program, Kris shared that the AAEP program and internships set expectations and introduced topics and experience that were later very important in his arts administration role, especially regarding public policy (due to his state arts agency-adjacent duties), budgeting and finance, and program evaluation. AAEP also provided exposure to a breadth of professional experiences, which were later helpful in considering a path forward (or what might be less suited to his skills and interests).

Kris recommends that current graduate students engage fully in the content, even if it seems uninteresting or irrelevant at the time. Kris writes, "The future is unknowable, and some topics may become much more relevant later; it's helpful to have a bit of prior experience to draw from. Within the curriculum, find ways to follow your interests within the bounds of an assignment; it's an arts program, be creative. Academia can be rigid, try to find something to inspire and engage you with the subject matter. Follow the rules, but don't be afraid to make the experience meaningful for yourself."

Rachel Rowen - 6-8 Art Educator and Senior Faculty Union Representative, Indianola Informal K-8, Columbus City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Karen Hutzel

Rachel Rowen is an art educator in a city wide lottery public school. She teaches grades 6-8, collaborate with community members through the arts, and is active in her teachers union.

The art education program helped Rachel develop skills for education, as well as meaning making and expression through the arts, and the technical skills needed to understand various media.

Rachel recommends students take art classes to further understand art and take psychology, to further understand humans. She also advises students to learn how to take care of themselves so that they may continue their very integral work through the arts in this world.

Rachel is available at rachelnovember1@gmail.com to further discuss her career and time in the AAEP Art Education MA program.

Patrick Callicotte - Mental Health Specialist, Dublin City Schools
Program: Art Education
Advisor: Shari Savage

In addition to a Master of Arts degree in Art Education, Patrick also holds a Masters in Social Work (The Ohio State University). Patrick currently serve as a Mental Health Specialist within Dublin City Schools, where he provides direct social-emotional support to students through individual and group sessions, with a focus on IEP/504 goals, skill-building, and emotional regulation. Patrick's role also centers on collaborating with teachers, administrators, families, and outside providers to reduce mental health barriers and ensure students have equitable access to their education.

Patrick notes that his AAEP degree was foundation in shaping the way he approaches his work today. Through his graduate coursework at OSU, Patrick developed a deep understanding of inclusive practices and the role of social justice in education, which continues to guide how he supports students in accessing their learning. Patrick's thesis work on inclusion in art education taught him how to design creative, equitable learning environments, and the program as a whole expanded his understanding of the many ways artmaking can be used to foster expression, connection, and growth. These transferable skills, including collaborating across diverse perspectives, using creativity as a tool for problem solving, and advocating for equitable access, are central to Patrick's current role as a Mental Health Specialist where he regularly integrates artmaking into student support.

Patrick's advice to current AAEP graduate students is is to embrace the full range of opportunities the program offers and to stay curious about how art and education intersect in diverse ways. "Take time to explore different approaches to artmaking and teaching, and lean into the program’s focus on social justice and inclusion, as those themes are highly relevant across many careers. Build strong relationships with your peers and professors, because those connections can continue to shape and support your professional path long after graduation. Most importantly, trust that the skills you are developing such as critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, and advocacy are widely transferable and will open doors in ways you may not expect."

Interested in speaking with Patrick? Email him at patrickcallicotte@gmail.com

Marly Coldiron - Individual Giving Manager, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Cultivating Creativity: The Columbus Museum of Art and the Influence of Education on Museum Operation
Advisor: Candace Stout

AAEP offered Marly a wonderful friendship and mentorship with Wayne Lawson and connections to the Columbus non-profit and arts and culture industry.

Josh Coy - Executive Director of Arts Partnerships and Programming, Ohio University
Program: Arts Policy and Administration
Making Places or Making Waves: Cultural District Policy Making Considerations for the Public Good
Advisor: Wayne Lawson

Josh credits AAEP for the skills he currently uses, particularly the practical knowledge, cultural connections, and strategic priorities taught by Professor Emeritus Wayne Lawson, which had a profound impact on what is important to Josh in leading any of the organizations he has since graduation. Josh recommends current AAEP students get involved in student leadership opportunities that allow them to try out their skillset while in college.

Morgan Green - Senior Program Manager, Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland
Program: Art Education
One Practice, Three Studios: A Comparative Case Study of Three Studios for Artists with Disabilities
Advisor: JT Richardson

Since graduating from the Art Education Master's program in 2012, Morgan has gone on to become the Senior Program Manager with Ohio's local council of Girl Scouts, Ohio's Heartland where she oversees outdoor education and leadership programming for girls as well as training and recruitment for adult volunteer members in their 30-county delivery area.

Morgan encourages students to not pigeon-hole themselves. She shares that you might land a dream job at an art museum right after graduation and you might not-- but it's all relevant and every skill gained in every job (even the ones that feel pointless) will get you closer to where you're meant to be. She also recommends students keep in touch with their peers from school. "Even if you decide to leave academia, you will still have those valuable personal connections and may form partnerships later on that surprise you!"

 Are you interested in learning more about Morgan's experience in AAEP or her position at Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland? Send her an email.