Professional Experience

Carnegie Museum of Art, Education and Public Programs, Pittsburgh PA

Manager of Youth and Family Programs, January 2023 – present

• Established the first studio-based early childhood program for caregivers and early learners and enacted a year-round program for early elementary learners
• Completed training in Trauma-Informed Teaching and developed department wide procedures and methodologies to best support learners of all abilities and lived experiences
• Collaborate with curatorial and exhibition staff to create annual youth and community exhibitions and serve on development teams for museum-wide exhibitions and public programs
• Manage over 16 part-time staff, 10 seasonal staff, 3 teen advisory council members, two teen apprentices and two full-time staff
• Create annual budget for eleven education programs and work with connecting departments like finance, registration and development to track grants and scholarships

Artsmiths of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Education Manager, April 2021 – January 2023

• Forged relationships with local teaching artists, businesses and organizations and created on-site and outreach education programming
• Executed social media and print based marketing
• Input registration data and updated the website 
• Communicated with clients regarding programming

Art @ Home with Miss Jena, Pittsburgh PA

Owner, August 2020 – November 2022

• Developed and taught online arts education for individual students, local governments and organizations for both children and adults
• Created art boxes for at home learning that included online demonstrations to support learning
• Filmed, edited and distributed online content for my own business and other organizations like Waste Management

Studio Make, Pittsburgh PA

Studio Manager, September 2019 – August 2020

• Facilitated studio projects while interacting with adult caregivers and children visiting the studio
• Completed registrations and handled monetary transactions
• Created and posted social media content
• Developed curriculum and wrote marketing descriptions 

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and Media, Scaife School, Pittsburgh PA

Director of Studio Arts, May 2014 – November 2016

• Oversaw all studio arts programming for adults, children, families and groups
• Constructed and managed a budget of over $500,000, which included five full-time and three part time staff and over one hundred contractors
• Created yearly marketing budget and implementation plan and created collateral, website and social media content

Children’s Program Manager & Camp Director, August 2011 – May 2014

• Planned and budgeted for year round on-site child, teen and family studio arts programs
• Wrote published program descriptions and designed marketing materials
• Managed birthday parties, family events and coordinated group visits
• Created a volunteer program with over twenty participants per summer season
• Hired, trained and supervised over sixty teaching artists and two seasonal part-time employees

Carnegie Museum of Art, Education and Public Programs, Pittsburgh PA

Senior Education Specialist, August 2008 – January 2023

• Created lesson plans, taught classes and supervised projects based on students‘ museum experiences for diverse programs to students from preschool to high school
• Developed Covid-era virtual learning experiences for adults and children

Interim Program Supervisor, December 2016 – April 2017

• Supervised a team of six instructors and over ten assistants for programs that served 150 students
• Worked with registration, exhibition and marketing staff to coordinate program registration and end of term student exhibition
• Completed a SWOT report to be used when creating future programming

Camp Supervisor, Summer 2008 – 2009, 2011

• Recruited, interviewed and maintained records and schedules for volunteers
• Surveyed inventory and placed supply orders
• Created Pre- and Post-Camp policies and managed day-to-day operations

Lunch and Post-Camp Supervisor for Summer Art Camps, Summer 2007, 2008

• Organized medical and roster information for upcoming students
• Supervised up to one hundred children during lunch and recess
• Engaged up to twenty children in post care with art projects, field trips and games

Mt. Lebanon Extended Day Program, Hoover Elementary, Mt. Lebanon PA

Group Supervisor, September 2008 – February 2010

• Engaged up to thirty children in before and after school activities
• Organized and supervised off-site field trips
• Completed Pennsylvania Keys training as to better care for school aged students

Allegheny College, Bowman, Penelec & Megahan Galleries, Meadville PA

Gallery Assistant, September 2005 – May 2008

• Installed and removed artwork
• Greeted visitors and assisted visiting artists

Additional Teaching Experiences

Carlow University, Pittsburgh, PA

Adjunct Faculty, Art Methods and Materials for Elementary Education, Master’s Course, October 2024 – December 2026

Adjunct Faculty, Integrating the Arts, Undergraduate Course for Early Education, August 2025 – December 2025

Jubilee Christian School, Mt. Lebanon, PA

Teaching Artist Grades K-6, Sept 2021 – January 2023

Play Town Square, Mt. Lebanon, PA

Play Town Creator Collaborator/ Teaching Artist, January 2020 – March 2020

The Artsmiths of Pittsburgh, Carnegie PA

Teaching Artist, November 2019 – January 2023

Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Mt. Lebanon PA

Resident Artist, April 2018 – February 2023

Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie PA

Resident Artist, April 2021 – January 2023

JFCS Bridge Builders Summer Youth Program, Crafton PA

Teaching Artist, June 2022 – August 2022

Weekday Ministries, Mt. Lebanon PA

Group Supervisor, November 2016 – August 2019

Art Tutor, Mt. Lebanon PA

Private in-home tutor, 7 year old student, September 2012 – November 2013

Assemble: A Space for Art and Technology, Pittsburgh PA

Visiting Educator, Learning Parties, 2012 and 2020

Brentwood High School Middle School, Brentwood PA

Long Term Substitute Art Teacher, Middle and High School, May – June 2011

Foster & Jefferson Elementary Schools, Mt. Lebanon School District, Mt. Lebanon PA

Student Teacher, Art, January – March 2011

Foster & Jefferson Elementary Schools, Mt. Lebanon School District,  Mt. Lebanon PA

Student Teacher, Fourth Grade, March – May 2011

Winchester Thurston School, City Campus, Pittsburgh PA

Substitute Teacher, Lower and Upper Schools, September 2010 – January 2011

Education

Carlow University, Pittsburgh PA, 2011

Masters of Education in Elementary Education
Post Graduate Certification in Art Education K-12
Post Graduate Certification in Elementary Education K-6

Allegheny College, Meadville PA, 2008

Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art
Political Science minor