6th Designing for Empathy® summit & workshops - DELEGATES

Lisa Abia-Smith is the Director of Educational Outreach at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene/Senior Instructor with the University of Oregon School of Planning, Public Policy and Management, where she teaches courses in arts and healthcare, arts management, museum studies, and accessible arts curriculum development. She is nationally recognized for her research and teaching on arts in healthcare. She is author of “Preparing the Mind and Learning to See: Art Museums as Training Grounds for Medical Students,” published by Routledge Press. She presents nationally and internationally at conferences on arts, healthcare, and marginalized communities. Since 2016, Lisa Abia-Smith began conducting arts-based workshops for 3rd year medical students from Oregon Health Sciences University in order to improve empathy and observation skills; and arts and healthcare sessions for medical professionals (oncologists and nurses) from Good Samaritan Hospital Pastega Oncology Center, Corvallis, Oregon. The art-based sessions for expression and enrichment are used for the prevention of stress, depression, and staff burnout. Lisa earned a master’s degree in Museum Studies from John F. Kennedy University, a bachelor’s degree in art from St. Mary’s College of California, and studied art history and painting at Leo Marchutz Art School in France.

Dr. Boyle is a graduate of National university of Ireland Galway in 1987 and has worked in the United Kingdom as a consultant old age liaison psychiatrist for most of her career and most recently as honorary Associate Professor in Medical Education at Leicester Medical School. She is interested in educating all doctors about frail older people many who have a co morbid mental disorder such as depression and dementia. She has a wide experience of medical education having worked in a variety of educational leadership roles regionally and nationally in the United Kingdom before leading undergraduate medical training for frail older people in the 5 year MB course at Leicester Medical School.

Gretchen Coss is a visionary leader, educator, and designer with over twenty-five years of experience in global brand management, experience design, and placemaking. Prior to G&A, Gretchen was Vice President/Director of Graphics for Gensler LA; and owned her own agency, Coss Creative, where she led design and development for large-scale, mixed-use projects for over 11 years. Gretchen joined G&A at its inception to lead strategic visioning and pursuits, contributing to the firm’s worldwide growth and esteemed reputation. She is a passionate educator and active industry leader, serving on the board of the Society for Experiential Graphic Design for six years, where she was a past president and helped to launch their education foundation; and as a past adjunct professor for the Master of Exhibition Design at the Corcoran College of Art + Design, where she won a faculty award for exemplifying innovative teaching techniques. Gretchen continues to lead museum planning and visioning workshops throughout the world for organizations such as IMCC, MAAM, CTA, SEGD, and AAM.

Nina Cooper Dewees started her career as a health and physical education teacher, sports coach, and athletic director at the high school and college levels. From 2001 to 2011, she and her husband lived in an apartment within the Bryn Athyn College women’s dormitory, as they raised their four children, while working with hundreds of amazing young women. These decades in education were foundational in her learning and teaching about, as well as practicing empathy.

In 2011, she began working for Bryn Athyn Church – helping to connect people with a wide variety of meaningful volunteer activities and learning programs. She spearheads a number of support programs, such as Stephen Ministry – a one-on-one Christian caring/listening ministry. This led her to work with colleagues to create their church Pay-It-Forward Crew - a volunteer program focused on more practical ways of helping people facing difficult life times, such as meal preparation, yard-work, and other housework. In every moment of her professional and personal life, empathy is critical. She is thrilled to participate in this Summit.

Throughout his career, Ariel Efron has worked to make museums agents of change. His background in documentary filmmaking has provided him with a special vantage point on how to imbue interactive storytelling with narrative film qualities, while pushing the boundaries of technology to maximize what can be achieved both cognitively and emotionally to create lasting social impact. 

Ariel’s exceptional immersive media experiences have received numerous awards for outstanding contributions to our field. His projection mapping film installations, mixed reality projects, interactive media experiences, and historic and biographical multimedia installations have been recognized by the Telly Awards, AAM Muse Awards, SEGD Global Design, Core77, and Communicating the Arts, among others. Ariel now serves as Group Director for Creative Services at Art Processors.

Adam Erickson is a nonprofit leader and cultural producer who works with world class artists, thinkers, and leaders as well as with dynamic grassroots organizations across the United States. As Executive Director of Peninsula School of Art, he supports people at all stages of creative life while fostering a culture of belonging and inclusivity in rural Door County, Wisconsin. Erickson has served as an advisor and senior strategist on a number of social justice initiatives. From 2016 to 2020, he directed ArtPlace America’s national network building initiatives and strategic communications. Before ArtPlace, he managed the Aspen Institute Arts Program, where he brought together leading voices from a variety of sectors, with the purpose of accelerating arts-driven social change, service, and innovation. He is a founding member of Vital Little Plans, an artist collective and giving circle which supports equitable, place-based efforts that are arts-driven and community-led.

Danyel Ferrari is a PhD candidate at Rutgers University’s School of Communication and Information Studies in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies. She earned her MA in Gender Studies at Central European University, with a focus on International and European Refugee Law. She holds an MFA from Hunter College City University of New York and Bachelors degrees in Fine Art and Visual Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has a professional background in art journalism and arts administration. Her research considers contemporary art's engagement with empathy and affective responses in audiences in person and through social media.

Hannah is a doctor specializing in adult psychiatry in Leicester, England. She currently works in the perinatal mental health team, supporting families in the antenatal and postnatal period. Alongside her clinical work, Hannah has a keen interest in medical education, and is currently completing her MSc in Clinical Education. She has been involved in numerous educational projects over the years, with undergraduate medical students, postgraduate medics and allied healthcare professionals, and within high schools. She is a facilitator for the Medicine Calling project, which aims to educate young people about careers in mental health, and foster positive and empathetic attitudes towards those with mental illness in future healthcare professionals. Outside of work, she enjoys family time, her dogs and Star Wars.

Angela Gaddie-Edwards has supported families and children in the Philadelphia area for more than 28 years as an educator and administrator. She is a strong leader that is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, motivating individuals, and building relationships with community stakeholders. Her  educational journey has been in Pennsylvania, as a graduate of Temple University where she received a B.BA. in Business Management, Arcadia University-M.Ed., and Cheyney University-M.Ed. Educational Leadership. Angela is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a lifetime member of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.

Karleen Gardner is the Kathleen C. Sherrerd Deputy Director for Learning and Engagement at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Previously, she served as Director of Learning Innovation at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), where she led institutional initiatives in Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion, collaborative exhibition planning and interpretation, community engagement, and audience research and impact. She was the founder and director of Mia's Center for Empathy and the Visual Arts, a multi-disciplinary research project focused on measuring the impacts of the arts in fostering empathy. Previously, she was Curator of Education at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and on the board of the Museum Education Roundtable. Gardner is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences and a contributor to field-wide publications and is a peer reviewer for the Journal of Museum Education. She is a graduate of the Getty Leadership Institute and the National Arts Strategies Senior Management Institute. She holds a BA in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, a BA and an MA in Art History from the University of Mississippi, and an MS in Museum Education Leadership from Bank Street College.

Amy is the Educational Programs Manager at Glencairn Museum. Her work at Glencairn includes creating and delivering programming to school students, homeschoolers, families, educators, and adults. Outside of the museum her interests include painting and illustration, hiking, and travel. Her background is in early childhood education, and prior to her joining the Glencairn team, she taught third and fourth grades in a traditional classroom setting and educated in nature-based spaces in Australia. In line with Glencairn's mission to stimulate reflection, build understanding, and foster empathy, Amy's work is actively and passionately looking for new ways to bring empathy-based design into the museum education world.

Brian Henderson has served as director of Glencairn Museum since 2013, where he has helped refine and strengthen the museum’s mission to interpret art and artifacts as expressions of religious belief and practice, with the goal of inspiring self-reflection, building understanding, and fostering empathy. In a piece for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Brian wrote, “What do we gain by using works of art to sincerely open ourselves to the perspectives and testimonies of [others]…who [hold] beliefs that differ from our own? Perhaps by looking for the goodness in people, and engaging in self-reflection, we can develop empathy for others in our thoughts and actions while also bringing our own beliefs into sharper focus. When we next enter a museum or gallery, may we cross that threshold with openness, engage with art “from the inside,” and be willing to be transformed.”

Jahnna is the Marketing and PR Manager at Glencairn Museum. Her responsibilities include creating innovative strategies to increase museum attendance, improving visitor accessibility through new programs, and coordinating annual events.  Her background is in business and economics, and she has found it fascinating to see the similarities and differences between the business and museum sectors. She is passionate about Glencairn's mission of nurturing reflection, understanding, and empathy and sharing that mission with Museum visitors. Outside of the Museum, she enjoys spending time with her family, the outdoors, and playing pickleball. 

Abby is a founding partner at Lorem Ipsum, an experiential design agency, and has over 23 years of experience in storytelling through physical and digital design. She has crafted dynamic and inspiring narratives for global brands, companies and institutions, using cutting-edge technology to communicate compelling and thoughtful messages. Abby has won multiple design, film and directing awards such as the SEGD Honor Award, HOW International Design Award, Muse Award, to name a few, and maintains affiliation with associations including SEGD, AIGA, and the American Advertising Federation. She has shared her expertise at conferences including xLab’s Speakers Series in New York, at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, and MuseumNext and currently hosts her own experience design podcast, Matters of Experience. Abby received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Film Production from Boston University and holds a BFA in Fine Art from the University of Newcastle.

Nina Howard is an innovative leader in the fashion industry; spearheading a creative production team that utilizes the runway to communicate stories that entertain and inspire through a lens of art and empathy. Off runway, she serves as a style coach, wardrobing women throughout the country while equipping them with confidence and style. Over the past 18 years she has partnered with a cutting-edge international clothing company to enrich the lives of women, specifically focusing on diversity and inclusion.  She is especially passionate about bringing awareness and empathy through the art of fashion while empowering and enriching women, youths, and newly released inmates. For more than three decades her experience as a buyer, merchandiser, stylist, product developer and notable retail owner has served and inspired varied communities. Nina lives by the mantra 'we must lift as we climb’. 

Alisa Katz is a multimedia producer and experience designer. Ignited by a BA in film and photography from UC San Diego and training from the Film Academy of Prague, she spent a decade in the LA film industry in key production roles on several features including “Miami Vice” and Ed Zwick’s “Defiance”. Her passion for storytelling, placemaking, and evolving technology led her to a Masters of Art+Design from NC State University, launching a vibrant career crafting multimedia exhibits for prestigious museums like the International Spy Museum and the Museum of Tolerance. Currently, Alisa works at the forefront of digital therapeutics where she designs apps to help people dealing with mental health challenges. She enjoys sharing ideas and has served as a panelist and juror at events including SXSW Interactive and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Based in Florida with her husband and pup, Alisa remains dedicated to leveraging storytelling and technology for the betterment of lives.

Dr. Dorothy Kosinski is the Director Emerita of The Phillips Collection, after serving as the Vradenburg Director and CEO of The Phillips Collection from 2008-2022. At the Phillips, she launched a major six-year partnership with the University of Maryland and established a permanent satellite campus in Southeast DC at the Town Hall Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC). Dr. Kosinski diversified and expanded the museum's collection and programming, notably acquiring photography and contemporary art, establishing paid internships and fellowships, and hiring the museum's first Chief Diversity Officer.  

In August 2013, Dr. Kosinski was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Council on the Humanities. In December 2017, she was recognized by the Ambassador of Italy with the Order of the Italian Star, a distinction recognizing her outstanding contributions to the arts and promotion of Italian culture. In 2022 she was named Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. She currently serves on the Board of the Sherman Fairchild Foundation and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. Other notable Board seats included the  Musée Rodin from 2010-2015.   Dr. Kosinski received a BA from Yale University and an MA and PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University.

Dr. Kosinski has written and edited many books and catalogs on a variety of art topics including 19th Century Symbolism, Dada, Surrealism, 20th Century sculpture and contemporary art, and innovative and socially impactful museum practice. 

Dr. Kosinski has been awarded a resident fellowship at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles in 2024.

Yuliia Kravchenko, Independent Ukrainian Scholar, Trainer in the Program “Philosophy for Children” (P4c). She was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar in the Department of Arts and Humanities, Teachers College, Columbia University (2021-2022). Between 2016 and 2023 she was Head of the Critical Thinking Development Lab in the National Center “Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,” where she organized camps for teenagers in the following subjects: “Philosophy,” “Ukrainian Culture,” and “Cultural Diplomacy.” She is founder and organizer of “The 1960s and the Dissident Movement: A Festival for Young People" (2017-2022), an annual event that brings together students and teachers. All these events were successful educational decolonizing practices. After the full-scale Russian invasion Yuliia initiated Project "Color of Peace" for supporting Ukrainian children and teachers through philosophising practices in cooperation with foreign facilitators.

Christine McDonald joined the leadership team as Head of Education at Glencairn Museum in 2015 when she was brought on board to help reshape the museum’s mission and create and implement a new strategic plan. Now serving as a consultant, Glencairn’s focus on religious art and history has allowed Christine to engage her passion for creating content and experiences to stimulate a positive curiosity and appreciation for societal worldviews and practices across cultures and time. Prior to her work at Glencairn, Christine served as researcher, writer, and editor for Feo Pitcairn Fine Art on a variety of multimedia projects emphasizing the importance of preserving wilderness. Her writing and editing on the 2015 Smithsonian exhibition “Primordial Landscapes: Iceland Revealed” led to her serving as editor of the fine art book of the same title. In addition to her work for Glencairn Museum, Christine serves as a free-lance content consultant and creator on various projects designed to encourage reflection and build understanding.

Terri McNichol, Principal, Ren Associates, is a former museum director and award-winning artist. She is the designer and developer of  imaginement® an assessment tool for college undergraduates’ curiosity-driven research and auto-ethnographies.  McNichol's consulting, conference presentations, research and publications highlight student transformative museum experiences and wise management. She has been a sponsored speaker at international museum and management conferences in the UK; Taiwan; Beijing, Kunming, Xian and Shanghai China (PRC). She holds a master’s degree in Chinese art, art history and language, Asian art history; she taught studio and Asian art history survey at both community college and university level for over twenty-five years.

Lorie Millward has 35 years in the museum field and has served as an educator, designer, DEAIJ advocate, and boat-rocker. She has applied her expertise in Human-Centered and Liberatory Design in many ways, from formal classrooms and informal settings to venue and exhibit design to challenging systems and structures. Lorie is currently an independent consultant, President of the Western Museums Association, and Grandma to the world's greatest kids.

For over 40 years, Paul Orselli has worked to create inventive and playful museums and exhibits. He is now the President and Chief Instigator at POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) an exhibit design and development corporation that he founded. Paul has consulted on museum projects in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. His clients include such notable organizations as the New York Hall of Science, the Exploratorium, the National Science Foundation, ICOM-ITC in Beijing, Muzeiko in Bulgaria, and Science Projects in London.  He has taught and lectured at numerous universities on museum topics and has presented at professional conferences around the world. Paul is also a two-time grant recipient of the Fulbright Specialist program.

Micah Parzen is an experienced nonprofit leader, attorney, anthropologist, and agent of transformational change, who seeks to authentically partner with others in creating a ripple effect of good in the world. He has served as CEO of the Museum of Us (formerly the San Diego Museum of Man) since 2010. Widely regarded as a thought leader in the arts & culture/non-profit sectors, Micah is regularly invited by the likes of BoardSource, the Smithsonian Institution, and the American Alliance of Museums to deliver keynote addresses, serve on panels, and otherwise share his perspective on the most vexing issues of our day. In the past three years alone, his team’s work has been featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Washington Post, and the Atlantic, among other high-profile platforms. While practicing as an attorney, Micah was a Partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group and the Pro Bono Legal Services Coordinator at San Diego’s largest law firm. While practicing as a psychological and medical anthropologist, he conducted ethnographic fieldwork on the Navajo Nation studying a wilderness therapy program for Navajo adolescents. In addition to serving as a trustee at La Jolla Country Day School, Micah currently serves as the President of the Board of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, a collaboration of 28 arts & culture institutions in Balboa Park, which sits on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Kumeyaay Nation. Micah holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University, a J.D. from UC Davis, and a B.A. in Anthropology from UC Berkeley. 

Laurie Phillips’ Museum Sage® is an experience that inspires soulful conversations and personal discoveries using museum artworks. Visitors ask a question about their lives and receive insight from an artwork they encounter. Guided by personal-coaching techniques, they connect at a deep level with the art, the people they’re playing with—and their inner sage. This highly individual experience was noted by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in a section of their TrendsWatch devoted to personalizing the museum. Laurie has presented Museum Sage at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, and the High Museum in Atlanta, among others, and she offers it as a virtual program too. A life coach, leadership trainer, and award-winning artist and designer, Laurie has led workshops and presented at institutions that include the Adler School of Coaching, Children's Hospital Minneapolis, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), St. Paul’s Monastery, Mayo Clinic, Mayo Medical School, Medtronic, Target, New England Museum Association, and the AAM.

Beth Redmond-Jones is the Vice President of Exhibitions at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Prior to her current position, she was the Vice President of Engagement and Education at the San Diego Natural History Museum (TheNat). Beth is an accomplished and award-winning museum professional with extensive experience in exhibitions, master and strategic planning, museum programming, facilities operations, and financial management. Under her leadership, exhibition and digital teams have won numerous awards including the American Alliance of Museum's (AAM) Excellence in Exhibition Competition, AAM's Sustainability Excellence Award, AAM's Excellence in Label Writing Award, AAM's Media and Technology MUSE Award, and the Balboa Park Sustainability Award. Beth holds a master's degree in museum studies from John F. Kennedy University and a bachelor's degree in art history from the University of New Hampshire. She served on the board of the National Association for Museum Exhibition, a professional interest group of AAM, and AAM's 2019 and 2020 National Program Committee. In 2006, Beth was recognized by the convergence of Museum Talent Project as a next-generation leader who demonstrates creativity and innovation in leadership, learning, and organizational change. She has been actively exploring how museums can more effectively serve those with unapparent disabilities, especially autism, sensory processing challenges, and mental health challenges.

Jennifer Richter is a public school teacher from Western New York. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Education and Elementary Education. Jennifer earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education.

Jennifer studied Yoga and Qigong in Toronto, Ontario under the direction of Sujun Chen, where she earned her certifications. She furthered her yoga studies at the Himalayan Institute of Buffalo, where she earned her advanced certificate and was initiated into the lineage of teachers.

In 2022, she published a book entitled, Heart Sense. Cultivating Awareness, Loving Kindness, Care and Compassion. 

Our Omphalos is an Educational Wellness Consulting Company which she founded in 2022. The company is committed to providing quality, customized wellness programming for children, teens, adults, organizations and businesses.

Karma is a Tibetan Refugee born and raised in the small village of Sumdo, Leh Ladakh in India. He completed his schooling in Tibetan Children Village (TCV) Ladakh and pursued his graduation in Commerce from Maharaja Sayajirao University Baroda. He then completed Masters in Library and Information Science from Central University of Gujarat in 2014. As a Library Science professional with cutting edge knowledge he used his academic skills and knowledge to gain experience as Librarian in the TCV Selaqui for 5 years. He then competed for public service commission and got selected as an Archivist cum Photographer in The Tibet Museum, Department of Information and International Relations, Central Tibetan Administration, where he has been working since 2020. Apart from professional skills, he is a person with sincerity, honesty and humility at the core of his values, which drives him towards his passion of life-long learning.

Sarah is a creative leader who has worked in the Design Industry for over 25 years.  She has led departments at both Art Processors and Gallagher and Associates, as well as spent years organizing and developing exhibit content at RAA in New York City. When living in Amsterdam she founded her own business, teaching foundational art to Children and Adults as well as leading Corporate Team Building workshops. Sarah is an industry ambassador, thought leader and all around enthusiast for the experience design industry and the change it can create in society by including multiple perspectives and shifting people's perceptions.

Rachel is an Associate Professor in Medical Education at the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare,  University of Leicester and an Honorary Consultant in Psychiatry at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. She has worked with the University to develop and deliver a pre-medicine year at Leicester Medical School for students from less advantaged backgrounds which offers a bespoke empathy-focused curriculum. She helped secure funding for the new Centre for Empathic Healthcare and works for the Centre as Curriculum Development Lead. She also founded and continues to support a recruitment to psychiatry project, Medicine Calling, aimed at inspiring young people to consider a career in mental health. In her clinical role she works in dementia care services and has an interest in liaison psychiatry.

Ray Williams (MA art history, UNC-Chapel Hill; EdM, Harvard Graduate School of Education) is the director of education and academic affairs at the Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin.  He has held similar positions at the Harvard Art Museums, the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries, and the University of North Carolina’s Ackland Art Museum.  Major projects he has conceived and directed have: explored the museum as a site for interfaith dialogue and understanding; activated American art collections to support immigrants preparing for the US citizenship exam; and included local and contemporary voices from Asian American communities in exhibition interpretation. In the past fifteen years, much of his teaching in museums has been designed to meet the needs of health care professionals.  For UT’s new Dell Medical School, Ray provides three workshops for all first-year medical students designed to build skills in observation, empathic communication, and resilience.  He has a particular interest in palliative care and mindfulness practices, having worked with hospice professionals and chaplains for many years and volunteered as a support group facilitator for the Austin Center for Grief and Loss.  In partnership with a psychiatrist who leads an intensive out-patient program for trauma survivors, Ray has designed museum experiences that support skills being learned in cognitive behavioral therapy.  He was a member of the AAMC’s committee on the arts and humanities in medical education and recently co-authored Activating the Art Museum: Designing Experiences for the Health Professions published by the Alliance of American Museums in 2023. Ray completed a certificate program in Narrative-Based Medicine through the University of Toronto and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in “Animals in Human Health” through the University of Denver in preparation for developing a therapeutic farm/craft studio.