​​Here is a little bit about me... I hold an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art & Media and a BA in Professional Photography. I am an adjunct instructor in the Digital Photography degree program at SNHU, and produce experimental films and photo books. I also create short documentaries for nonprofits serving children with special needs and social justice issues. Additionally, I am the lead art instructor and serve on the board of The Yet Mindset, which is a Northern Illinois-based nonprofit that provides professional development and in-class social/emotional learning activities to public schools and private clients. I also provide virtual and in-person art classes to children, teens, and adults.

 

I believe an innovative approach to learning that uses many modalities creates discovery, awareness, and critical change within an individual. These are the core ideas that guide my work as an educator.

 

My goal is to foster transformative learning whenever possible, meaning that students leave my courses with an enhanced perspective on the subject we are studying, as well as a deeper awareness of ourselves and the world around us. This is achieved through open and respectful lines of communication, encouragement, flexibility, sensitivity towards each student’s circumstances, and constructive criticism that nurtures each student’s creative voice and skill set.

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Earlier in my career, I taught photography and visual art in a variety of venues, including art leagues, underserved schools on Chicago’s South Side, and community colleges. During that time, my husband and I opened a gallery space, where we worked with commercial clients, independent filmmakers, community groups, college students, and international artists.

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My most recent short experimental film was an official selection of the 2023 Brooklyn Film Festival. My most recent short documentary profiled a child with an extremely rare genetic disorder, and helped raise over $35k for his family. A notable previous client of mine was the Illinois Hunger Coalition. I produced a public service announcement for Pandemic-EBT that aired on various platforms, including television. P-EBT was a federal program that provided families with financial assistance to provide meals for their children when school was remote during the early stages of the pandemic.

YOUR TURN is my first photo book, and unlocks richer meaning in images by engaging you, the viewer, as a collaborator. By asking you to title each image in the book, it presents the opportunity to connect with (and extract) the latent stories crafted not only by my photography, but by your own unique projections. Your interpretation of each image is equally as valuable as my intention.

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Awards and Distinctions

Interview feature in Bold Journey Magazine

Nominated for the "Distinguished Online Teaching Award" at SNHU

Recipient of the "Advisors Recognizing Excellence Award" at SNHU

Co-creator of the "Visual Arts Student Instagram Feature" program at
SNHU, where student work is featured on SNHU's Instagram stories

Featured faculty in "Early Engagement" video series at SNHU

Featured Faculty in SNHU Newsroom

Featured faculty on SNHU Digital Photography degree program page

Official Selection/Filmmaker of the Brooklyn Film Festival, 2023

Finalist in the Paris International Short Festival, 2023

Semi-finalist in the San Jose Independent Film Festival, 2023

Featured artist in The One Moto Show, Portland, Oregon, 2023

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