MENTOR SEEDLING FOUNDATION 2017 – Current
Seedling's mission is to support children challenged by parental incarceration with innovative, research-driven, school-based mentoring in Austin and selected sites in the surrounding Central Texas area.
Children of prisoners are a hidden population. They are often living in unstable situations and are at a greater risk for academic and emotional challenges or succumbing
to risky behaviors.
Mentoring can provide the caring, consistent presence of an adult friend that research has shown to be a major protective factor in building resilience among at-risk youth. Mentors have been the reason that a child decides to go to school instead of getting into trouble. They’ve been the reason children have taken an interest in music, art, or sports. Most importantly, they provide compassion and companionship to children who are often in high-risk situations.
BIG ARTIST LITTLE ARTIST BIG ARTIST 2017 – 2019
Launched in 2007, Little Artist BIG ARTIST is a unique mentoring experience that pairs professional artists with fifth-graders from East Austin elementary schools. BIG ARTISTS provide their time and professional experience as working artists to guide their Little Artists to envision, plan, and create at least two pieces of artwork during their 10 week
one-on-one collaboration.
Little Artist BIG ARTIST provides an opportunity for students to celebrate creativity, develop personal expression, and strengthen social skills while engaging in positive adult communication in an after-school setting.
GIVING VOICE MENTOR VSA TX 2017
VSA Texas, a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit, delivers excellent cultural, professional, educational and public awareness arts services to communities with diverse abilities.
Arts experiences enhance the skills, confidence and quality of life for people with disabilities. We support this by offering programs that enable educational achievement and career success, events that feature the work of our artists, and specialized arts training for artists, educators and service providers.
Recognizing that every person has a voice that deserves to be heard, VSA Texas partners with supporters, volunteers, community organizations, educators, and state and local governments across Texas to promote and facilitate people with and without disabilities working together to create inclusive and strong communities.
We challenge ourselves and our communities to build bridges and strength by making cultural programming and venues available to all.
BOARD MEMBER AUSTIN EMERGING ART LEADERS 2017
Austin Emerging Arts Leaders is a chapter of the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leaders Network focusing on the cultivation and support of Austin’s early-career arts professionals and the strengthening of the field across disciplines and generations through professional development, networking, and knowledge sharing opportunities.
