About Me


EDUCATION
  • ​​Independent Education in the arts through studio work, direct work with clients and freelance work.  
  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Moravian College
  • Certified Early Childhood Education Teacher through State of Colorado​
  • Paid Internship at Reggio Emilia School- Boulder Journey School, Boulder, Colorado-working with young children 



 EXPERIENCE / SKILLS 
  • ​Freelance painter, illustrator and photographer- 20+years​​
  • Founder and Educational Therapist for Creative Aid LLC, Art Centered Educational Therapy
  • Denver University Prison Arts Initiative- Responder to Art and Reflection of Incarcerated Individuals in Colorado
  • ​Creative Director, Sunflower Art Studio 2018-present
  • Individualized creative support for children at Sunflower Art Studio 3+years
  • Founder of Educational Cooperative Costa Rica
    • Educational Therapy and support for children and families at Costa Rica International Academy in Brasalito, Costa Rica.  
  • Senior Educational Therapist​ at SAGE Center for Gifted-4+years
    • ​Planning and support for children and adolescents with needs including gifted, twice-exceptional, mental health disorders, processing disorders, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, grief and social-emotional development. 
  • ​Youth Counselor at Attention Homes-2.5 years
    • Counseling and mentorship for girls in a group home environment working towards independent living or reintegration into the home or alternative care.  
  • Volunteer Facilitator at Groundwork Psychotherapy and Learning
    • ​Equine assisted therapy to support at-risk adolescents including gifted and twice-exceptional.  
ART SHOWS AND PRESENTATIONS
  • 2006 Boulder, Colorado. Burnt Toast Restaurant.  Personal Art show- the use of collage and illustration to express interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. 
  • 2012 Denver, Colorado. Designed a Power Point Caregiver Training for Spanish speaking domestic workers to improve working conditions, living wages and inform them regarding labor rights. Translated into Spanish and presented by El Centro Humanitario. 
  • 2015 Boulder, Colorado. Walnut Café. Student Art Show, SAGE Center for Gifted- students aged 3-19 years. 
  • 2015 Boulder, Colorado. Walnut Café. Personal Art Show- The use of dolls in sculpture as an expression of identity. 
  • 2017 Boulder, Colorado.  Walnut Café. Personal Art Show- The use of photography from my travels to the West of Ireland and collage to express grief and loss, specifically related to the Great Famine and intergenerational trauma.  *see Personal Portfolio
  • 2017 Boulder, Colorado. Designed and presented a Power Point in the home for caregivers and parents regarding the complex needs of a highly gifted child with Sensory Processing Disorder and anxiety. 
  • 2017 Brasilito, Costa Rica. Designed and presented a Teacher Training to Spanish/English speaking teachers at Costa Rica International Academy regarding the cognitive, affective and regulatory strengths and needs of gifted/twice exceptional students.  
  • 2017 Dingle, Ireland Arts Festival Other Voices, inspired by cassette tapes.  Photograph entry.  
  • 2018 Gunbarrel, Colorado.  Revolutionary- Personal Art Show- Portraits of famous and inspiring revolutionaries. including Colin Kaepernick, Anthony Bourdain and Che Guevara.  
  • 2019 Live-Painting at The Morning Table Restaurant in Gunbarrel, CO.  Completed pieces were displayed weekly in the restaurant lobby. 
  • 2022 Long Range Group show at The Fire House Art Center, Longmont Colorado.  Wild Way Tapestry Weavings.  
Certifications and Continuing Education
  • Making Art About Death: A Six Week Class with Artist and Educator Jill Littlewood through Morbid Anatomy
  • Trauma-Informed Art Therapy and Trauma -Informed Expressive Arts Therapy through the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute Program, 12 clock hours. 
  •  Resilience, Posttraumatic Growth and Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts Therapy Practice through the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute Program, 6 clock hours.
  • Working with the Pain of Abandonment and How to Work with the Patterns that Sustain Depression through NICABM. 
  • How to Work with a Client’s Perfectionism through NICABM. 
  • How to Target the Limbic System to Reverse Trauma’s Physiological Imprint through NICABM. 
  • Expert Strategies to Help Clients Develop Distress Tolerance for Emotional Distress through NICABM