Brittaney Browne With a background in both art and special education, Brittaney Browne brings a unique perspective to the classroom. Having earned a credential in both Art and Mild/Moderate Disabilities, she uses her passion for art as a tool to accommodate and reach students with a diverse range of needs. |
Janet Brownell Janet Brownell was a 20-year veteran teacher of high school Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering. In the summer of 2018, she left the classroom and now serves as a full-time Educational Technology Coach with the Butte County Office of Education. It is her mission to connect teachers to 21st Century tools and to each other. |
Teresa Cotner Dr. Teresa Cotner has been a professor of Art Education at the California State University (San Bernardino and Chico campuses) for 19 years. She earned her PhD in Art Education at Stanford University, her MA in Art History and Single Subject Art Credential at Cal. State L. A., and her BA in Art at Sonoma State. Currently, Dr. Cotner supervises an early field experience teaching art for future teachers at the Janet Turner Print Museum on the Chico State campus and she is the Director of the Northern Region of The California Arts Project. |
Mary Crowlie Mary Crowlie is an Elementary Fine Arts Specialist in Chico California. Prior to becoming a Fine Arts teacher, she taught for many years as a "regular" ed 5th and 6th grade teacher. It was there that she learned to put together curriculum that infused the visual arts, dance, and theater into her lessons. Now, as an art teacher she enjoys reversing the process by connecting her art lessons to literature, science and social studies. |
Abbie Ehorn Abbie Ehorn is the music specialist who has developed a music program that includes world drumming, recorder, ukulele, guitar, folk dance, and singing for grades preschool through 8th grade. She is trained in therapeutic group drumming for all ages and works with the community including Veterans, dementia patients, at-risk teens, hospitals, and mental health agencies to provide drumming for positive health outcomes. |
Greg Ellery Greg Ellery is a seasoned stage performer with film experience in acting and production. Since his return to Chico a couple of years ago, Greg has entered the world of education, teaching acting at Butte County Juvenile Hall, and working in Special Education for Chico Unified School District. |
Sandy Fisher Sandra Fisher has been working for the Shasta Union High School District since 1997. She has been teaching visual arts at Enterprise High School specifically Art I and Computer Art & Design. In addition to teaching art, she has been intermittently part of the math department. She attended Shasta College, Sonoma State University and received her teaching credential through Simpson University. In her spare time she enjoys the outdoors and creating wearable art from found and recycled objects. |
Merryl Goldberg Dr. Merryl Goldberg is a Professor of Music at California State University San Marcos and Director of the ART=OPPORTUNITY campaign of Center ARTES, a university center dedicated to restoring arts to education. Her publications include Arts Integration: Teaching Subject Matter Through the Arts in Multicultural Settings as well as other books, articles, chapters, editorials, and blogs. |
Cris Guenter Cris Guenter, Ed.D., is a professor in the School of Education at California State University Chico. She teachers in the multiple subject, single subject, and graduate programs. Prior to coming to Chico in 1987, she taught K-12 art and gifted and talented for 10 years in Pennsylvania and Wyoming. She has received many accolades over the years including Outstanding Teacher at Chico State, California Outstanding Art Educator, and the 2008 National Art Educator of the year from the National Art Education Association. Cris is very interested in the intersection of the arts and technology. |
Joe Hilsee Joe Hilsee received a BA in Theatre from CSU, Chico in 1988 and an MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University in 1991. He worked as a professional actor for many theaters including Portland Center Stage, Utah Shakespeare Festival and five years with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, OR. Hilsee returned to Chico in 2000 to assume the role of Artistic Director of the Blue Room Theatre, a position he still currently holds. During his 19 years in Chico, Hilsee has directed or acted in over 110 plays for the Blue Room, Rogue Theatre, Theatre on the Ridge and CSU, Chico. He has taught theatre classes for both Butte College and CSU, Chico where he also works as a graphic designer. |
Cameron Kelly Cameron Kelly is Gallery Director at Chico Art Center and teaches in the CSU, Chico Honors Program and Butte Community College Art Department. Kelly recently designed the “Remembering the Ridge” Camp Fire memorial interactive art installation at Meriam Library at CSU, Chico and serves on 1078 Gallery Exhibitions committee. She was interim Director for University Art Gallery and has taught in the CSUC Art Dept. Kelly received a Master of Fine Arts from California College of the Arts with emphasis in sculpture, social practice and curatorial studies. |
Denver Latimer Denver Latimer is the Slow Theatre Executive Director. He has co-founded three major, successful local theater efforts in Butte County: the Butcher Shop Theater Festival, the Blue Room Theatre, and Slow Theatre. Latimer graduated from the University of Washington and received his Masters in Theatre from the Yale School of Drama. He has produced, directed, and acted on both coasts, and conducted dramaturgical research and literary management at the Yale Cabaret and NY Theater Workshop. Latimer is also a criminal defense attorney and has a deep commitment to helping youth in the criminal justice system. |
Lisa Morgan Lisa Morgan was recently named Director of Alternative Education for Glenn County Office of Education and will oversee Wm. Finch Charter School, Success One! Adult Charter School, the Glenn Adult Program, Success One! Printing & Graphics, CTE Programs, the “Studio 129” recording studio, “The Rusty Wagon” work training program, and the Glenn Literacy Program. Past positions in alternative education include administrator of the county-wide Opportunity program (five different classrooms in different districts around Glenn County), administrator of Willowglen Court School (Glenn County juvenile hall), and teacher of the largest Opportunity class in Glenn County where she taught all subjects in classes of eighteen at-risk students at C.K. Middle School in Orland. |
J. Pouwels Born in Invercargill, New Zealand, Pouwels originally came to the U.S. to play music. Ultimately he found visual art to be the creative form that best allowed him to express his life experiences. After receiving a B.F.A. in Painting from Sonoma State University in 2002, he earned an M.F.A. in Painting and Drawing from Miami University in 2004. Since 2006 he has been teaching at CSU, Chico where he is Assistant Professor of Foundations and Drawing. He also teaches graduate and undergraduate studies in painting and drawing. |
Mark Pullyblank Mark Pullyblank is the CEO of Theia Interactive, creators of immersive VR (virtual reality) experiences for top AEC companies, developers, and manufacturers. He is also the Head of Animation for the online education platform CG Spectrum.com, a lecturer at CSU Chico, and a visual effects artist whose feature film credits include blockbuster films ranging from Avatar to two-thirds of the Peter Jackson Hobbit movies. |
Reta Rickmers Reta Rickmers has been teaching high school art for 29 years. She teaches at Pleasant Valley High School where she is also the VAPA Department Chair. Her classes include Introduction to Art, Drawing, and Art Studio 1, 2, and 3. She has also taught APStudio Art, Sculpture, and Ceramics. She is the advisor for the Chico chapter of the National Art Honor Society, and is also a studio artist who sells her work locally. |
Aaron Sauberon Aaron Sauberan is currently the Principal of Loma Vista and moderate-severe special education programs ranging in age from preschool-adult for the Chico Unified School District. Aaron earned a BFA with art education certification from School of Visual Arts and and a MA in early childhood special education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Aaron is drawn to working in special education for its opportunities to creatively problem solve and to support those who have interest in the arts. |
Kate Stover Proud to be fourth-generation Tulare County, California born and raised, Kate is driven by deep local roots and a passion for ensuring equitable access to the arts. For the last 15+ years, Kate has shared her love of learning with students across the state. She taught in Kern and Ventura Counties before returning home to the Tulare County Office of Education in 2009. Kate represents Tulare County and the Central Valley as the Region 7 Lead for the CCSESA Arts Initiative and the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee (CISC). |
Joy Thomas Child Parent Institute Creative Arts Director Joy Thomas possesses dynamic expertise in the arts and human services, having served in roles ranging from theatre instructor at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in DC to community outreach and education specialist in child abuse prevention and intervention. Joy has served as the director of many creative arts camps, instructed college theatre arts courses, and has taught performing and visual arts for groups ranging in age from three to seventy years. |
Allison Ward Allison Canfield Ward has been learning to play and playing to learn alongside children and adolescents for as long as she can remember. Her first formal teaching job as a music specialist in 2002 partnered her with a fabulous mentor where she learned the art, fun, and humility of collaborative teaching in a small school setting. She has a fondness for developing or executing Orff-Style lesson plans that involve familiar folk tunes, dances or games, and percussive accompaniments. |
Tami Watson Tami Watson started her teaching career at Grant High School in Van Nuys in 1989, where she taught photography, ceramics, and art as part of the founding Humanitas team there. Her Master’s in Art Education was based on her work with Humanitas and the role of art in an integrated curriculum. Since the fall of 1994, Tami has worked full time at Enterprise, teaching as part of integrated teams at the freshman and junior levels for several years, and teaching Art I, II, III, and AP. She has been part of several student mural projects in the Redding community and on the Enterprise campus. |
Pat Wayne Pat Wayne has held the position of Program Director of CREATE CA, California’s Statewide Arts Education Coalition since 2015. Prior to joining CREATE CA, Pat served as Deputy Director of Arts Orange County, the county-wide arts council. She has held the positions of Manager of Community Programs for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Deputy Director of the Columbus Arts Council (Ohio), and Managing Director of MoMing Dance Center (Chicago) and Merrimack Regional Theatre (Boston). |
Debbie Yarrow Debbie Yarrow has worked in public education, higher education, non-profit, for-profit, and government organizations throughout the country. Currently she serves as arts education coordinator at Creative Sonoma, managing the Arts and Trauma Teaching Artist Residency Program in the Sonoma County public schools. From May 2018- June 2019, 133 teaching artist residencies have been offered free of charge to K-12 students. |
Laurie York Laurie York is an Educational Technology Coach for the Butte County Office of Education. She spent thirteen years prior as a fourth-grade teacher. She is a co-founder and current Vice President of North State CUE, a CUE affiliate inspiring innovative learners in Northern California. She is also a moderator for #CAEdChat, a Seesaw Ambassador, and a Google Educator. Her passion for connecting #CARuralEd teachers and administrators through 21st Century teaching and learning is woven into each of her roles. |
The California Arts Project (TCAP) will lead all Day 2 sessions on the new California Arts Standards. TCAP is a collaborative, statewide network of arts educators, TK through University, with the mission of improving teaching and learning in dance, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts and in the career arts, media, and entertainment. TCAP’s network of Teacher Leaders actualize TCAP’s mission through ongoing professional learning and inquiry. TCAP is one of the nine California Subject Matter Project. TCAP’s network of Teacher Leaders advocate for and strive to ensure access for all California students to a sequential, comprehensive, and excellent standards-based arts and career arts education.