Dr. Patel earned her PhD, MA, and BAE from AAEP. She is a licensed art educator and has worked across the state of Ohio and with schools and communities nationally and internationally. Dr. Patel has served as a K-12 art educator in Fremont and Columbus, Ohio and worked as a non-profit director to lead culturally relevant curriculum initiatives, STEM/STEAM programming, and sustainable experiential learning work with schools and communities.

 

Dr. Patel's work in K-12 schools and non-profit spaces has fueled her passion for action research and narrative to further understand the role of art, art education, and art educators in creative ecosystems. Her current research explores art educators as creative initiators and explores narrative inquiry as ways to center empathy in art education praxis.

 

Dr. Patel will be honored at the 2024 Barkan and Marantz Award Ceremony on Friday, April 19.