This will be my third year at Palisades Elementary and my thirteenth year of teaching art education. Before making the leap to teach elementary art education I taught middle school for ten years for Omaha Public Schools. I hold a BA in art education and an MA in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In 2005 I was selected as the Nebraska Outstanding Art Educator of the Year. I love art and art education. Art is such a powerful tool to learn about humanity and ourselves. Art was one of the first visual languages and affects our daily lives. I also am currently serving as the co-past president of the Nebraska Art Teachers Association. This leadership roles is giving me the opportunity to have a positive impact on art education and improve my own pedagogy. I am always on the go. I have my own artistic practices. I am a practicing artist and have a studio at Hot Shops. I exhibit my work regional and am beginning to expand my horizons to showing nationally. I also am a swing dancer and teach social swing dances of the jazz era with the Omaha Jitterbugs. When I am not painting, teaching, leading, or dancing I love to spend time with my husband, my cat Ivan, and my dog Luna.