ASN Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President: Dr. Anthony McWright, Principal, Responsive Arts and STEAM Academy (RASA), Denver, CO
1st Vice President: Jason Patera, Head of School, The Cooper School, Charleston, SC
2nd Vice President: Dr. Melinda Zacher Ronayne, Head of School, Chicago Academy for the Arts, Chicago, IL
Treasurer: Vee Popat, Director, Fine Arts Center of Greenville County Schools, South Carolina
Secretary: Dr. Drew Williams, Principal, Utah Arts Academy, St. George, UT
Immediate Past President: Dr. LaShawn Frost, Executive Director of Student Services, Sarasota County Public Schools, Sarasota, FL

 BIOS 

Harold "Mike" Bashay is an impassioned educational leader with a profound dedication to arts education, instructional leadership, and school administration. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision, Mike's educational background is complemented by his fervent commitment to fostering creativity and innovation.
Throughout his esteemed career, Mike has held pivotal leadership roles, notably as Assistant Principal at Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts. There, he not only oversaw athletics, magnet programs, and facilities but
also infused his passion for the arts into every aspect of his work. His tenure as Dean of Students at Del Sol Academy and Silvestri Junior High School further underscored his commitment to nurturing student talent within the realm of arts education.
In his recent role as Assistant Principal at Desert Oasis High School, Mike led transformative initiatives in curriculum development, instruction, and restorative justice, all while advocating for the integration of arts education. Now, as Principal at K.O. Knudson Academy of the Arts, Mike channels his unwavering dedication to the arts into guiding the school's mission of fostering a culture of creativity and innovation.
Driven by his passion for the arts, Mike actively seeks opportunities for professional growth, exemplified by his participation in the Center for Educational Excellence Institute hosted by the Nevada Association of School Administrators in 2020. With his profound understanding of the transformative power of arts education and his collaborative leadership style, Mike Bashay is poised to make a remarkable impact on the Arts Schools Network Board.
 
Jessica Brown serves as the director of “Burrell Arts,” overseeing both the elementary and secondary schools. In this role, she leads, along with her school team, a robust arts program. Jessica has worked in education for nearly 25 years. She has a strong background in leading arts programs and magnet schools that are nationally recognized.
 Jessica hails from Philadelphia where she served as a principal for 13 years and was a founding principal of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush. In Philadelphia and Aurora, Jessica works hard to create impactful changes to ensure that all students feel welcome and supported. She listens to students about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). She is excited to bring that same focus on diversity, equity and inclusion to any community she works in.
 Jessica earned her bachelor's degree in history from Kenyon College. She also has a master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in administrative leadership from Lehigh University. Jessica is excited to expand arts opportunities for students in Aurora Public Schools.
 
Rebecca Bullen has worked with Perpich Center for Arts Education since 2010. Her positions have included
media arts teacher, arts education specialist, and during the 2013-14 school year, she worked with Crosswinds
Arts and Science School to develop its visual and media arts program. She most recently served as Chair of the
Studio Arts Department and High School Assistant Principal. Bullen started as High School Principal in 2023.
Previous to her roles with Perpich, she served as the associate director, youth program co-director, producer,
and instructor of the non-profit TVbyGIRLS. She wrote media arts curriculum and taught and designed courses
for a diverse community of youth throughout MN.
As a media artist, in addition to artist residencies in MN K-12 schools, she worked for 7 years at MN Public
Television (TPT) as a producer. An active artist and educator, Rebecca has presented at local and national conferences including Arts Educators of Minnesota, Arts Schools Network, TIES, the Religious Educators Association, and the National Arts Educators Conference. In 2012 she received the Robert Rauschenberg Power of Art Award. Bullen is a member of the inaugural 2021-2022 Class of Minnesota ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) Emerging Leaders. She was awarded the Arts & Cultural Education Leadership Certificate by Arts Schools Network and Creative Generation during the Arts Schools Network Annual Conference in October, 2022.
Rebecca has an Associate Degree from Russell Sage College, NY; a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design; a K-12 Visual Arts Licensure from Concordia University, St. Paul; a Master of Leadership in Education; and PK-12 Administrative Certification from the University of Minnesota.
 
Isaac (Ike) Daniel is a Detroit, MI native whose musicality was cultivated during the Motown era by the Motown greats.  Because of limited career opportunities for Black professionals, international musicians were only able to teach at the High School level.  As a result, Isaac was taught by many of the Motown greats such as the world famous Funk brothers. At the tender age of 17, Isaac was recruited to join the Duke Ellington Orchestra traveling throughout the United States as guitarist under the Direction of Mercer Ellington. After several years on the road, Isaac joined the United States Navy where he honorably served for over 23 years.  During his time in service, Isaac became an accomplished conductor serving as one of the first black directors the US Navy Band.
In 2007, Isaac joined the Duke Ellington School of Arts to develop an orchestral program and soon was promoted to lead the Instrumental Music Department.  As Chair of Duke Ellington’s IM Department, Isaac developed a staff, orchestra and small ensembles who would go on to win National competitions.  Often times, the Duke Ellington groups were the only black students competing and they always placed in the top levels.  Currently Isaac leads the direction of Duke Ellington’s arts programs as Vice Principal of Arts; Orchestral Conductor; and Guitar instructor.
Isaac holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regents College of New York; a Master’s Degree in Conducting and Theory from the University of Memphis; a Graduate Certificate in Education Administration from the George Washington University; and is current working on a Doctoral Degree in Education Leadership from George Washington University.

 
Jonathan U. Davis is an arts educator, performing artist and administrator who is dedicated to
creating high-quality experiences in the Arts for students in the public schools. After graduating
from The Colorado College with a Bachelors in Drama & Dance, Jonathan established himself
in Boulder, Colorado as a community leader in the arts. In the early years of his career,
Jonathan found great fulfillment in starting a dance studio for children, running a dance-theater
company for people of all ages, and founding an NGO called Voice of Youth, which toured India,
New Zealand and South East Asia, amplifying the voices of young people. Over the course of
his 25 years in the field of education, Jonathan remains steadfast in his commitment to create
access and build transformational experiences in the arts for young people.
In 2008, Jonathan was invited to join the founding faculty of The Studio School, in Northglenn, Colorado. As the Performing Arts Director and Dean of the Arts, Jonathan U. Davis spent over a decade at The Studio School, building one of the few examples of a comprehensive arts program for students in a public elementary school. With high-quality instruction in music,
theater, dance and visual arts, as well as a strong focus on Arts Integration throughout the curriculum, The Studio School is a gem of arts education within the public schools of Colorado.
In the later years of his tenure at The Studio School, Jonathan attended the University of Denver, where he received a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy. At this point in his career, Jonathan made a choice to return to his home state of New Mexico and shift his focus to school administration. During his tenure at Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary, in Zuni, NM, Jonathan worked with a variety of
local organizations and community leaders to bring the traditional arts and culture of the Zuni people into a central focus at this amazing Title I school, which serves 95% Native American students. Jonathan learned a great deal during his time in Zuni about the patience and commitment that is required to support a community to thrive through the public school system.
Jonathan is currently the Principal of Kearny Elementary, a budding school for Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, NM, where he lives with his wife and their two children. Jonathan’s commitment to well-balanced arts programming and the curricular focus of Arts Integration as a primary mode of successful classroom instruction is unwavering. As Principal of Kearny Elementary, Jonathan has established a unique partnership with the Santa Fe Opera ALTO program, which brings teaching artists into every classroom at all grade-levels across the school to collaborate with teachers and students in the pursuit of a fully-fledged Arts Integration curriculum.
 
Timothy Farson is the current Principal at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SDSCPA), a college preparatory, arts-focused Title I public magnet school for artistically passionate students in grades 6-12 located in Southeastern San Diego.  After studying Philosophy at New York University and Kent State University, Mr. Farson earned an M.A. in Philosophy and teaching credentials in English and Science from San Diego State University. He began his educational career as an English and Science teacher at SDSCPA in 2009. Mr. Farson inspires the SDSCPA community through the hope and promise of a transformational art and academic education.
With his belief that to engage the mind, we must engage the heart, Mr. Farson has empowered the SDSCPA community to elevate academic and art instruction through (1) the Accrediting Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS) comprehensive review process; (2) implementing an innovative arts integrated academic curriculum through the University of California Curriculum Integration (UCCI), where the arts are used as a means to access and lift academic instruction; and (3) calibrating sequential art and academic instruction through Marzano, Warrick, & Simms’ High Reliability Schools: The Next Steps in School Reform.
Mr. Farson has also been integral in shaping the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Strategic Arts Plan for San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD), promising equitable access to a high level, arts college preparatory curriculum throughout all SDUSD.  Mr. Farson is excited for the opportunity to join innovative thought partners, leaders, and professionals in discourse through shared beliefs regarding the importance of the arts and education in our society. Mr. Farson is incredibly grateful to the many people who have contributed to his journey as a budding arts leader.
 
Dr. LaShawn Frost is an experienced and skilled educator.  A born leader, Dr.  Frost is an alumna of the “Art of Leadership” Institute at Harvard University, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a select group of educational leaders across the country.  Named Sarasota County’s 2019 Principal of the Year, her experience in this high-impact training for emerging leaders, helped to foster an appreciation for understanding the complexities of leading in 21^st Century schools.  Dr. Frost is currently representing the Tampa Bay Region in the 2019/2020 Leadership Florida Co-hort.  This is a true expression of the great leaders chosen to impact the State of Florida.
LaShawn Frost is the Executive Director of Student Services for Sarasota County Schools. She was previously the Principal of Booker Middle School, a Visual Performing Arts School but spent previous years at Booker Middle School as an assistant principal and Venice High School, in charge of curriculum, master scheduling, Small Learning Communities, professional development and other critical aspects of the learning environment.  Named by Biz941 as one of Sarasota’s 2012 “Women to Follow”, Dr. Frost has been one to follow, as seen in the work that she has done to impact her schools and community.  Dr. Frost spends much of her time working with teachers across the country to assist them in the development of professional growth and development plans to enhance their ability to work with all students. She has served on various district committees and is certified by the Florida Department of Education in School Principal, Educational Leadership and Counseling. 
  
Lee Anthony Gibbs II serves as a consultant for G Major Education Group.  He previously served as the Creative and Performing Arts Officer for Prince George's County Public Schools. He began his career in education in 2011, starting as a Vocal/General Music specialist and filling multiple roles with increasing responsibilities.
Since 2019, as the Creative and Performing Arts Department Leader, he provides programmatic, curricular, and pedagogical oversight to six art content offices and a thriving arts integration program.
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Lee Gibbs completed his undergraduate degree in Music at Morgan State University, his graduate degree in Educational Leadership at Loyola University Maryland and is currently enrolled in a doctoral program in School System Leadership at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is the father of two amazing children and married his best friend and true love on September 16, 2023.
 
As a proud alumnus of the Girard Academic Music Program, a performing arts magnet school in Philadelphia, PA, Anthony Gray-Bolden’s formative years were shaped by the harmonious integration of academic and musical excellence. His studies as a vocal major and Double Bass led to remarkable performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Philadelphia Singers. He also participated in state competitions at Hershey, Pennsylvania. Notable experiences include singing at the historical Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal, Canada, performing on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum for the Thanksgiving Parade finale, and joining voices with members of Boyz II Men in All City Choir.
Fueled by his passion for counseling and educating children, he pursued a K-12 Special Education Certificate from Immaculata College, a Master of Education Degree in Curriculum Instruction and Educational Leadership from Penn State University. He taught four content areas as a Special Education teacher at Chester County Intermediate Unit for six years, followed by two years as a Dean of Students. He served as an Assistant Principal for seven years at the Middle School level and five years as the Principal at Anna P. Mote Elementary School. Currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with a research focus on increasing enrollment and fostering a sense of belonging for Black and Latino males in performing art schools.
Dean Bolden is serving his third year at Cab Calloway School of the Arts. His vision for CCSA is to normalize opportunities for our student artists to participate in the creative economy space, strengthen our students’ leadership capacity for global impact, and establish workforce learning opportunities through our art pathways. He is a member of the second cohort of fellows to the University Delaware Accelerate Innovation Educators Fellowship program. The program seeks to help school leaders foster a culture of innovation that permeates across faculty, students, and the wider community to increase outcomes of students and their future success. Dean Bolden works closely with the Cab Calloway School Fund, which is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to create art enrichment opportunities to CCSA students and children in the Wilmington, Delaware region. He is currently advising the CCSF board through their first strategic planning process as well as establishing innovative outreach initiatives to increase accessibility to robust arts education.

Brad Hill, Ph.D. is a passionate advocate for immersive arts specialty education, equity of opportunity in schools, and the promotion of critical consciousness at all levels of secondary education. He taught for twelve years at the secondary level and has been an administrator for eleven.  He is currently Vice President of Specialty & Academic Studies at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, a school which was one of the founding member institutions on the Arts School Network and whose notable alumni include Suzanne Collins, Laverne Cox, India Ramey, and Maria Taylor. 
Hill’s original research focuses on the phenomenon of students’ transformative experiences in immersive, secondary arts schools like some of the member institutions in the Arts Schools Network. His doctoral work in Educational Studies in Diverse Populations at the University of Alabama at Birmingham led him to successfully ground a theory and conceptual model of the process experienced by students in immersive, secondary arts schools. Hill’s work also examines education and diversity issues within large metropolitan areas, including urban, suburban, and exurban communities and has begun garnering reception and attention at national and international conferences for presentation and discussion, and his theoretical model’s replicability and transferability has drawn interest from Harvard’s Project Zero. His other research focuses on how social movement literature impacted the rise of a fine and performing arts secondary schools movement in America between the 1920s and 1980s.  In 2016, he was selected as a Summer Fellow in Independent School Leadership at Vanderbilt as well as a Peabody Lecturer on Arts, Language, and Culture.  In 2006 he earned National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Master Teacher Certification and was a recipient of the United States Presidential Scholars Program’s Teacher Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Education through National YoungArts Foundation.
 
Rob Koenig has been the Director of the Toledo School for the Arts since July 2022. TSA is an Ohio public community (charter) school that was opened in 1999. It educates students from 22 different school districts, having 780 students grades 6th through 12th. Rob’s daughter started at the school when it opened and graduated in 2004. He was part of the Board of Directors from 2001 until 2015 and was the Chairman of the Board from 2002 to 2010. Rob was Awarded a Star on TSA Walk of Fame in 2010. He was then elected to the board again as a member again for 2016-2022.
Mr. Koenig received his Jurist Doctorate from New York Law School, receiving the Walter M. Jeffords, Jr., Distinguished Writing Award at graduation. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Case Western Reserve University. After law school Mr. Koenig was a Law Clerk to Honorable Nicholas J. Walinski, United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Western Division for two years. Thereafter, he joined the law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP. Rob practiced construction and employee benefits litigation for 38 years at Shumaker.
Rob has been married to Casey O’Brien Koenig for more than 40 years. They have two children and four grandchildren. Rob enjoys providing sound design for plays and musicals for local high schools and community theater groups.
 
John Lawler is the CEO of P.S. Arts in Los Angeles. He is the immediate past Principal of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA).  He has had a lengthy career as an award-winning director and writer, with stage, opera, film, and television projects in New York, Los Angeles, London, Munich, and elsewhere.  He was the founder of the award-winning Annex Theatre in Seattle, has been a Guest Artist at Sundance, the Eugene O’Neill Center, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and has received two writing awards at the Austin Film Festival. 
Mr. Lawler is also the founder of ArTES Magnet, recipient of a California Gold Ribbon School award and designated as an Arts Schools Network Exemplary Arts School.  Working with the California Institute of the Arts and the Huntington Library, he co-founded the Arts Consortium, a non-profit organization tasked with facilitating deep partnerships between arts institutions and schools.  In 2016, Mr. Lawler was honored as the Administrator of the Year for Los Angeles Unified School District.  He became the Principal of LACHSA and Executive Board member of the LACHSA Foundation in 2018, with a mission to continue the school’s outstanding achievements while ensuring equitable access to students from all corners of Los Angeles County, especially students of color and those who come from under-resourced communities.
  
Meredith Leighty is the principal of Belmar School of Integrated Arts and has been for 8 years. She was instrumental in transforming this neighborhood elementary school into an arts integrated school four years ago, with a strongly held belief that the arts should be accessible to all children. BelArts is a public K-5 school that is part of the Kennedy Center's Partners in Education program.   
Meredith is on the Board of Directors of Think360 Arts for Learning (Colorado chapter of Young Audiences) where she advocates for the arts in the broader community. Meredith Leighty serves her community in a broader role as Mayor of Northglenn, Colorado, where she actively engages with the Northglenn Arts and Humanities Foundation, providing arts experiences to her community and using yet another platform to promote arts education for all.  
  
Anne Maschler is the principal and co-founder of ArTES Magnet, a pilot school within the Los Angeles Unified District. Anne earned her BA in Education at the University of Hamburg, Germany and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership at California State University Los Angeles. She was a member of the Center for Collaborative Education’s Los Angeles Principal Residency Network, a recipient of the Denise Davis-Cotton Emerging Leader Award from the Arts Schools Network and has served as a coordinator for English Learner Programs and Title 1 Programs, an instructional specialist and an assistant principal. She is currently a member of the executive board of the LAUSD Pilot School Organization.
Anne is passionate about teacher leadership in education and ArTES’ mission to provide students from the under-resourced communities of the San Fernando Valley access to outstanding arts programming. Under her leadership, ArTES has been recognized as an Arts Schools Network Exemplary Arts School, a California Department of Education Exemplary Arts Program and a Magnet Schools of America School of Distinction. In her quest to create a healthy work-life balance, Anne spends her free time in her woodshop or climbing local mountains.

Jeanette McCune has been appointed as Executive Director of SchoolTalk, a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring equitable access to education and successful postsecondary outcomes for youth with disabilities in the District of Columbia. In this role, Jeanette will oversee SchoolTalk’s strategic direction, operations, and programs that support youth with disabilities as they navigate secondary education and transition to postsecondary opportunities. She will also work closely with community partners, schools, government
agencies, and families to advocate for inclusive policies and practices.
Jeanette brings over two decades of invaluable experience from The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where she most recently served as Senior Director of School and Community Programs. In this role, she provided strategic vision, budget oversight, and led a
team overseeing local and national arts education programs for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her background includes designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that foster arts education, professional development for teachers, and comprehensive community engagement. Jeanette’s work focused on ensuring students with disabilities and other marginalized students were intentionally and thoughtfully included as part of a comprehensive strategy in support of all students.
Jeanette holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Business Administration from Drake University. She currently serves on several local and national advisory boards focused on arts education accessibility, including the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Project, MINDPOP, and
the Boris L. Henson Foundation.

Kesha McKey has deep roots in NOCCA’s creative history, starting as an alum from the Dance Department on NOCCA’s original campus, and later as a part of the Dance Faculty and the Dance Department Chair.
Kesha is a skilled performing artist, choreographer and educator born and raised in New Orleans and has served the New Orleans community as an art educator and culture bearer for over 25 years. She received her BS in Biology pre-med from Xavier University of LA and an MFA in Dance Performance from UW-Milwaukee. She co-created and served as the Program Coordinator for the Ashé Cultural Arts Center Kuumba Institute Youth Program which provides cultural arts education to children throughout the greater New Orleans area. She is also the founding Artistic Director of KM Dance Project (KMDP), a dance-theater company that gives agency to the voices of Black dancers and choreographers in New Orleans, creates art that illuminates racial injustices and celebrates African-American culture, and the untold stories of Black people.
With an extensive local and national performance career as well as a commitment to equitable access to arts education, Kesha has been able to provide rigorous cultural arts education and pre-professional training to young aspiring artists in Louisiana. She continues to grow as an accomplished artist and educator and is committed to cultivating the next generation of artists, giving them the tools and agency to speak their truth.
 
Mentor, performer, coach, teacher, administrator, and director are just a few of the titles that Anthony McWright, Ed.D. has held along his journey to advocate for the arts. Growing up in the rural Mississippi Delta, Dr. McWright fell in love with music at an early age and attributes his parents and teachers for the love and support that launched his life-long educational career and impressive performing biography.
Dr. McWright earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Delta State University, his master’s degree in Music Education as well as a Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi. After serving as a teacher and administrator for more than 20 years, Dr. McWright decided to pursue his Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Denver Dr. McWright has been blessed to serve as a building-level administrator in both Mississippi and Colorado for over 20 years. Currently, Dr. McWright serves as the Principal of the Responsive Arts and STEAM Academy (RASA) in Denver, CO. When asked what Dr. McWright cherishes most in his position as Principal, he credits the ability to collaborate with all stakeholders to improve opportunities for all students in the arts.
 
Dr. Artesius Miller is the Founder and CEO of the Utopian Academy for the Arts Charter School Network.  He is recognized as a visionary leader in K-12 education who founded the first authorized charter school by the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia.  His academic strategies have helped Utopian scholars outperform their local school district schools in all subject areas.  Miller also serves as the Vice Chairman of the State Board for the Technical College System of Georgia and as an adjunct professor at Morehouse College’s Center for Excellence in Education.
 
 
Phil Miller is the Chief Development + Marketing Officer for The School of Arts + Enterprise Foundation. Phil was the first Artistic Director in the history of The School of Arts & Enterprise. He has previously served at The School of Arts and Enterprise (The SAE) as the first Executive Producer in the history of the school, the Director of Theatre (the position he was originally hired for) and the Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair. His commitment to dynamic cross circular arts education, expansive programming, professional marketing, and branding practices and arts accessibility is at the core of his artistic philosophies championed at The SAE.
Miller is an award-winning actor, director, and producer. Most notably he is the former Producing Artistic Director of the Covina Center for the Performing Arts completing the inaugural season and subsequent seasons after a 10-million-dollar theatre renovation. He was also the founder of the Young Performer’s Institute and the Founding Artistic Director of the Workman Arts & Entertainment Academy. Miller has been an arts educator and arts advocate for the past 19 years. His diverse work includes classroom instruction, marketing and sales, strategic and staff development, curriculum development, and work as a program consultant throughout Los Angeles County. He regularly teaches Master Classes in musical theatre performance, arts branding and personal marketing for the performer and producing.
His current work at The School of Arts & Enterprise includes overseeing the full restructuring of all school-wide artistic staffing, artistic departments, curriculum, marketing and programming. He is responsible for the awarding of The SAE with the designation by the California Department of Education as an Arts, Media and Entertainment Professional Development Site and along with his staff The SAE being honored as Exemplary Art School by the Arts School Network in the spring of 2019.
Miller is a member of the Stage Director’s and Choreographer’s Society and an alumnus of Lincoln Center’s Director’s Lab West. He holds a clear CTE Supervisory Credential in Arts, Media and Entertainment and is a Board Member of the Inland Valley Repertory Theatre. He resides in Glendora, CA with his rockstar wife Griffin, and is father to future movie star/cupcake decorator, Molly, and future police officer/professional golfer, Hudson.
 
Jason Patera is the Head of School at The Cooper School in Charleston, South Carolina.  He had been part of the Chicago Academy for the Arts community since 1992, from being something of a teenage “intern” to later serving as a faculty member, Chair of the Music Department, Assistant Head of School, Principal, and Head of School.
A jazz pianist and drummer, Patera is a summa cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, where he studied arranging and contemporary writing and founded the college’s newspaper The Groove. Patera also holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership, has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for excellence in teaching, and was named a Golden Apple Leader of Distinction in 2018.
Patera is the author of “I Can Do Hard Things, or: How Much It Hurt to Run 100.6 Miles” for Chicago Athlete Magazine. Inspired by Academy students, his TED talk “Life at the Intersection of Excellence, Purpose, and Passion” describes the power of rejecting mediocrity, defying our limits, dreaming audaciously, and loving the journey.
 
Vee Popat is the Director of the Fine Arts Center of the Greenville County Schools. The Fine Arts Center (FAC) is South Carolina’s first public school for the visual, performing, and creative arts, offering pre-professional education in Architecture, Creative Writing, Concert Dance, Digital Filmmaking, Music (Jazz, Chamber Strings, Percussion, Recording Arts, Winds, and Voice), Theatre (Performance and Design/Production), and Visual Arts. Vee started as Director of the FAC in 2019 and was named as Greenville County Schools’ Administrator of the Year in 2022. With 20 years of experience as a public school educator, Vee served as a band director for the first 9 years of his career before moving into the administrative level. He holds a B.A. in Music Education from Virginia Tech, an M.M. in Jazz Education from the University of Miami (FL), and an M.S. in Educational Administration from the University of Scranton. 
The bulk of Vee’s career as a music educator was in the award-winning programs of the Randolph Township Schools in Randolph, NJ, where he was twice named “Teacher of the Year.”  His tenure as an administrator began as an Arts Supervisor, serving in that role in the Randolph Township Schools and the West Essex Regional School District (North Caldwell, NJ). He then served 6 years as West Essex Middle School Principal before moving to Greenville to become the Fine Arts Center’s Director. Vee currently serves on the Board of the Greenville Center for Creative Arts and Palmetto State Arts Education. He also maintains an active career as a saxophonist and educator, playing jazz gigs in both South and North Carolina, and teaching sax lessons in person and over Zoom. He lives in Greenville with his wife Heather, who is also a GCS Educator, and their three children - Nate, Charlotte, and Addison.
 
Melinda Zacher Ronayne is the Head of School at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She was previously the Director of Visual Arts at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Ronayne joined Interlochen in August 2010 and led all aspects of visual arts education at the Interlochen Arts Academy and Camp, including the management of a 1,500 sq. ft. professional gallery and visiting artist program. Over the years, Ronayne oversaw the redesign of the visual arts curriculum and assessment system; the creation of a service learning in the arts program, including a partnership with the Munson Medical Center, and several large collaborative projects with other arts and academic divisions. Ronayne developed and implemented several new visual arts Camp majors including High School Experimental Fashion, Intermediate-Advanced Drawing and Painting, the Junior Visual Arts Major for ages 8 – 13, and two week-long Institutes in Precious Metals and Experimental Drawing and Painting.
Ronayne has been named a Distinguished Teacher for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Over the last ten years, her students have consistently been Finalist recipients in the National YoungArts competition, Gold Medal recipients in the National Scholastics Art and Writing Awards and she has taught two Presidential Scholars in the Arts and seven Presidential Nominees.
Prior to coming to Interlochen, Ronayne taught AP 2D and AP Drawing at the Design and Architecture Senior High School in Miami. While at DASH, she served in a program that brought high-level arts instruction to inner-city youth at the Miami Edison Senior High School in Little Haiti. Ronayne has worked as an admission counselor and the coordinator of scholarship programs at the Maryland Institute College of Art and has taught International Baccalaureate Studio Art at Forest Hill High School in West Palm Beach, FL. 
She is a regular presenter at the state and national level on the topics of arts and health, service learning in the arts, collaboration and portfolio development. This includes conferences for the Arts Schools Network, the National Art Education Association, the Michigan Art Education Association, and the Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Leading Ethical Improvement in Healthcare Symposium at the McCombs School of Business in Austin TX. Ronayne is actively involved in her local community as well where she serves on the Board of Trustees for the Great Lakes Children’s Museum and volunteers at the Cowell Family Cancer Center.  Ronayne is an interdisciplinary visual artist. She received her MA in Arts Education and BFA in general fine arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Ronayne lives in Chicago with her husband Justin and two daughters, Quinn and Sadie.
 
Teren Shaffer is an award-winning arts manager, educator, and conductor based in Orange County, CA. He serves as the President & CEO of Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) and President of the California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) Foundation, where he oversees a staff of approximately 500 employees and an organizational budget of more than $40 million. OCSA and CSArts-SGV are both nationally recognized public charter schools, which offer a rigorous academic education and pre-professional arts training to 3,500 students in grades 7-12 from more than 150 cities throughout Southern California.
Mr. Shaffer began his tenure at OCSA in 2011 as Music Director and Conductor of the internationally acclaimed Frederick Fennell Wind Ensemble. He led the ensemble to become a finalist in The American Prize for Wind Ensemble Performance and to present a concert at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. In 2014, the ensemble was the first band from Southern California to perform at the Midwest Clinic. This is the largest annual music conference of its kind, hosting nearly 20,000 educators and performers from more than 30 countries. He was quickly recognized for his leadership, being promoted to Director of the Instrumental Music Conservatory and then to Dean of Arts.
Prior to his appointment to President & CEO, Mr. Shaffer served as Executive Vice President for both OCSA and CSArts-SGV, overseeing a team of development, marketing, public relations, special events, and graphic design personnel. In this role he was also involved in strategic management of the arts conservatory programs, CSArts Academy extracurricular classes, and special projects. Launched in OCSA’s 30th anniversary season, Mr. Shaffer assisted in facilitating the school’s Master Artist Series, which brings industry professionals to campus to work with students. The series features collaborative performances, master classes, and residencies with internationally acclaimed artists, such as: Wynton Marsalis, Deborah Voigt, Misty Copeland, Joshua Bell, Lythgoe Family Productions, Ali Stroker, Matthew Morrison, and many others.
Mr. Shaffer was previously on faculty at Chapman University and also served as General Manager for the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. He has received many prestigious awards for his work, such as The Kennedy Center’s Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award, the Arts Schools Network Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton Emerging Leader Award, Stanford University's Exceptional Teaching Award, and Orange County Department of Education’s Outstanding Arts Educator.  Shaffer earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and bachelor’s degrees in instrumental conducting, music performance and music education from Chapman University.

Ahava Silkey-Jones is a national leader in the arts, education, and civic sectors. She is a former K-12 Principal and Executive Director and currently serves as the Vice Provost for the School of Creative Arts, Entertainment and Design at Dallas College.  She is passionate about supporting programs and organizations that are working to connect, build pathways, and inspire through the arts.  At Dallas College she provides strategic leadership, manages 12 galleries and 7 performance halls, supports 300 faculty and staff and over 22,000 students across seven campuses. 

 
Ashley Stone, DM is the Student Recruitment Specialist for the UNLV College of Fine Arts and an instructor of Applied Voice Lessons and First Year Symposia, serves as a consultant for prospective College of Fine Arts students. Dr. Stone is charged with aiding the recruitment endeavors of the Schools of Architecture and Music, the Departments of Art, Dance, Film, and Theatre, and the Entertainment Engineering & Design Program at UNLV. She joined UNLV in 2016, and prior to her appointment as a recruitment specialist, she served the College of Fine Arts as a Strategic Planning Coordinator and the School of Music as a Visiting Lecturer of Music.
 Dr. Stone, a mezzo-soprano, earned a Doctorate of Music degree from Indiana University, a Master’s Degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor’s Degree from Texas State University.  Dr. Stone is a member of the Arts Schools Network and has given presentations on her thesis topic, The Gamification of Opera Workshop, at both the National Opera Association's 2017 National Convention and the 2014 New Music Educator’s Symposium. 
 
Drew Williams, Ed.D.currently serves as Executive Director and founder at Utah Arts Academy (UAA). He earned his Masters in Educational Leadership and his Doctorate of Education in Strategic Planning and Organizational Theory. Having performed for three decades as a professional touring and studio musician, as well as serving as a dedicated educator and administrator, Drew found the perfect fit in an arts-focused school. Always an advocate for arts education, Drew’s interest in creating UAA was the perfect way to blend his educational passion with an environment to advance students' abilities and excel creatively. Drew began his journey as a woodshop teacher, and when he and his wife (also a talented musician and songwriter) decided to move to Nashville, TN., they both continued to play music and work in education. Throughout their years in Nashville, they toured with groups nationally and internationally, released three studio EP’s and, most importantly, had three beautiful children: Emmy, Holland, and Beckham. Drew is thrilled to be part of ASN, continuing his passion for arts education and the impact it has on students and ultimately the world. 
 
A Dallas native and proud Booker T. Washington graduate, Garry Williams is an artist and arts educator with over 20 years of experience in education. Serving as a teacher, advocate, and administrator, he has worked diligently to ensure that scholars and teachers have meaningful opportunities that promote excellence in the arts and academics.
As a Director of Fine Arts, Garry worked with all performing and visual arts disciplines from PreK through 12th grade. This included the development of a cohesive vertical pipeline for instruction in visual arts, piano, dance, theater, and vocal music. He illuminated the importance of educational exposure experiences by partnering with arts organizations and supporters, such as, The Dallas Opera, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Black Dance Theater, and North Park Center. He also served as an executive producer for the district’s annual fine arts production, held at both the Meyerson Symphony Center and the historic Majestic Theater, which showcased the talents of 300+ scholars.
Garry obtained a Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of North Texas. He is humbled and elated to have the opportunity to return to his alma mater, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, as the Principal and serve alongside a creative and passionate group of artists, educators, and scholars.
 
Kim Wilson, Ed.D. is the Director of Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) Institute, a statewide partnership between South Carolina (SC) Department of Education, SC Arts Commission, and Winthrop University. She has twenty-five years of experience in arts education and administration. ABC Project's mission is to provide leadership to achieve quality, comprehensive arts education for all SC students. Her teaching and administrative experiences began in community education, which included such roles as Director of Education at Pewabic Pottery, a historic Arts and Crafts era production pottery, in Detroit, MI, and Executive Director for Sawtooth School for Visual Arts in Winston-Salem, NC. Over the last twelve years, Kim has focused on public arts education. After only teaching four years in public education, Kim was recognized as the 2012 Arkansas Teacher of the Year. Since that time, she has transitioned into empowering all educators with creativity-fostering teaching practices and advocating on the power and influence of arts education for student development.