Appearances
Below represents a sample of the range of work I do with educators, caregivers, and organizations.
2025: Outdoor Play and Learning Institute via Washington Nature Preschool Association (WaNPA) and Washington Association for the Education of Young Children (WAEYC)
Session Presentation: Cultivating Curiosity: Orienting Early Learners Toward Justice Through Nature-Based Learning
2024: Live Conversation with Jyoti Gupta of The Colourism Project about children as culture makers and how adults can support and facilitate the co-creation of culture with kids.
2023: Podcast Appearance: Radical Mothering Ep1 with Fran Liberatore on working full-time while unschooling 2 kids, letting go of control, and how education can look all kinds of different ways for different families.
2023: Facilitated Workshop: Co-Creating Community Through Art: A Workshop for Educators offering a practical arts-based activity for the first week of school to build classroom community for any grade level
2023: Step Up Conference: Moving Racial Equity Forward via Leadership Snohomish County
Session Presentation: Why Art is the Key Ingredient for Raising Anti-Racist Kids View podcast appearance about our session here
2022: Live Conversation with Rebecca of Studio Sprout sharing tips for educators and caregivers for starting big conversations in developmentally-appropriate ways
2022: Live Conversation with Fran Liberatore of Radical Mothering about homeschooling and talking with kids about social justice
2021: Presenter & Panelist at Delta Kappa Gamma Society International State Convention: Facilitated an affinity session for white educators on unpacking white cultural norms, power, privilege, and interrogating personal bias in their teaching practice. Panelists: Susan Gray (M.A. & M.Ed), Paige Wescott (Ph.D), & Suzie Hodges (Ph.D).
2018: Special Education Law Conference via National Business Institute (Yakima, WA)
Session Presentation: Successfully handling disciplinary actions for students in special education.
2021-2024: Core member of the Co-Create to Liberate facilitation team via Radici Studios - a multiracial team of art therapists and educators providing a range of professional development to organizations on the transformative power of art for intergenerational healing. Workshops guided participants through using the arts as a medium for engaging kids, families, and communities around issues of bias, anti-racism, inclusivity, justice, and collective liberation. Facilitators: Steph Balon (MFT), Amber Simmons (MFT), Jen Bloomer (MA), & Susan Gray (M.Ed & M.A.)
2015-Present: Teacher training and certification, program design, faculty development, state-level education advocacy, member of various advisory boards, workgroups, and policymaking for public education in WA state.