Dr. Quanice G. Floyd is a renaissance woman who wears many capes. Born and raised in NYC, she has spent over a decade in Washington, DC where she has received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from Howard University and Kent State University respectively. Her passion for arts administration led her to pursue her second Master’s degree in Arts Management at American University and is currently a doctoral student at Drexel University. Quanice was recently appointed as the Executive Director of National Guild for Community Arts Education after previously serving as the Executive Director at Arts Education in Maryland Schools Alliance, an arts education advocacy and service organization. She is also the Co-Founder of the Arts Administrators of Color (AAC) Network, an organization committed to empowering artists and arts administrators by advocating for access, diversity, inclusion, and equity in the arts in the DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas. She has also been a public-school music educator where she taught elementary and middle school general music, chorus, band, and orchestra. Quanice serves as a commissioner for the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities and is an alumna of Fractured Atlas’ Artist Campaign School, the National Guild for Community Arts Education's Leadership Institute (CAELI), ArtEquity's Racial Facilitator Cohort, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Music Educators and Arts Administrators Academy, 4.0 Schools' Essentials Program, and the Arts Education Collaborative’s Leadership Academy. Quanice received the Americans for the Arts' American Express Emerging Leader Award and the Arts Advocate of the Year Award from the Coalition of African Americans in the Performing Arts.

Jeff M. Poulin is an American creative, educationalist, arts administrator, and social entrepreneur whose work is focused on understanding creativity and accelerating the people, organizations, and systems which cultivate it. With almost two decades of experience in the creative, cultural, and education sectors, Jeff leads a suite of organizations, which focus on understanding creativity and accelerating the transformation of the people, organizations, and systems which cultivate it, including Creative Generation, the Foundation for a Creative Generation, Creativity Codex, and the Ingenium Consortium. He is widely published and has presented at over 500 conferences across the U.S. and around the globe. Jeff has been appointed to the faculties of Arts Management at several universities and consults with regional, national, and international institutions worldwide. He hails from Portland, Maine and has earned degrees in arts management, cultural policy, and education from Oklahoma City University, University College Dublin, and University of Glasgow.

Noah Bragg is a Co-Executive Director and a Lead Project Facilitator at Maine Inside Out. He joined MIO as a volunteer in 2016, served as an Americorps VISTA member, and joined the staff team in 2019. He holds a B.A. in English & Theater and Latin American Studies from Bowdoin College and is a proud alumni of the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. He is a practitioner of nonviolent communication, theater of the oppressed, popular education and ensemble creation.

Emma Campbell is an arts administrator and dance educator from Southern Maine. She is currently the Director of Fine Arts at Thornton Academy where she leads a team of a dozen arts educators in visual, performing, and media arts. Emma is known across the state for her passionate advocacy for dance education and has worked extensively with the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Department of Education in initiatives that include curriculum, assessment, accessibility, and sustainability. Most recently, Emma served as a national mentor in Dance Education for the National Dance Education Organization. She has a deep commitment to advancing dance as both an art form and an educational tool. Emma holds a Bachelor's degree from Bates College in Anthropology and Dance, a Masters from Savannah College of Arts and Design in Arts Administration, and this spring will complete her CAGS from UNE in Advanced Educational Leadership.

Dr. Hrenko is a Professor of Art Education and Associate Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Southern Maine. Her current scholarship is within the field of integrated arts and multimodal creative literacies. She uses her position as a teacher educator in the visual arts as a place where several intersections occur; between art and culture, community and school; and interdisciplinary education. She comes from the Midwest where she worked in public and Native American BIA schools, assisting k-12 teachers as they work to integrate the visual arts and Native cultures across curricula. She holds a PhD in Art Education from the University of Minnesota, and a BFA in Art Education from Southern Illinois University.

Jessie is a dance and health practitioner and an artist-educator based in Brunswick, Maine. Her work at the intersection of movement and health has led to her current role as Intervention Coordinator on a cross-disciplinary dance and neuroscience research team at Wake Forest University. In addition to her work at Wake Forest, Jessie has taught courses on the topic of Dance and Health at Colby College and the University of Southern Maine, where she is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Theater. Jessie holds an MFA in dance from the University of Maryland, and a BFA from the North Carolina School of the Arts. Jessie was named a 2024 National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow: New England, and used her Fellowship to work towards an arts-based social prescribing program for Maine communities.

Chiara Liberatore is a Co Founder, Co-Executive Director and theater facilitator at Maine Inside Out. Prior to MIO, she worked in numerous settings using original theater as a tool for social change. She started as a volunteer for the Prison Creative Arts Project at the University of Michigan, co-facilitating ongoing theater workshops in multiple adult prisons in Michigan. She continued on as program staff at Music Theater Workshop (now Story Catcher's Theater) in Chicago, working both with incarcerated youth inside the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center and with youth in neighborhoods directly impacted by the Prison Industrial Complex. Chiara is committed to practicing the values and pedagogy learned through her deep study of the work of Paolo Friere and Augusto Boal and Theater of the Oppressed technique. Chiara holds a B.A. in Psychology and English Literature from The University of Michigan and a completed internship at the Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory in New York City.

Meghan is an interdisciplinary artist and educator who enjoys working with a wide range of ages and abilities. She has always been curious about resilience and adaptability in education and how the arts can make learning accessible to everyone. Meghan holds masters degrees in Counseling/Art Therapy and Fine Arts. She is an avid learner and is certified in arts integration. She continues to expand her skills and enjoys learning collaboratively. Her breadth of experience supports current best practices in education including social emotional learning. Her work has included curriculum and program development, collaborative teaching, and implementing professional development. Meghan has been a certified SCUBA diver for 40+ years and is committed to environmental stewardship. When she is not busy with her academic and artistic endeavors, she can be found outside, likely at the beach, with her husband and three kids.

Brianne Lolar is a citizen of the Panawahpskek (Penobscot) Nation and lives on Alenape Menehan, also known as Indian Island, in what is now called Maine. She graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s in Social Work, a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education, and a Master’s in Literacy. Brianne worked in the Panawahpskek community with the elders and youth for years before moving into the classroom to teach kindergarten, first, and second grade. Currently, she is bringing voice and representation to Wabanaki through partnerships with Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators and organizations as the first Wabanaki Studies Specialist with the Maine Department of Education.

Beth Lambert is the Chief Teaching and Learning Officer at the Maine Department of Education, where she leads a dynamic portfolio of innovative initiatives that empower students and educators across the state. Her leadership encompasses State Standards, Early Learning, Interdisciplinary Instruction, Learning through Technology, Support for Multilingual Learners, Multitiered Systems of Support, and Maine’s Digital Content Library (MOOSE).

Beth’s roots in arts education run deep. She began her tenure at the Maine DOE as the Visual and Performing Arts Specialist, bringing her background as a theater educator to the state level. Her work has consistently championed the power of the arts to drive engagement, creativity, and interdisciplinary learning.

With nearly 25 years in education, Beth has served as a middle and high school teacher, school administrator, and policy leader. She has taken on leadership roles focused on curriculum and assessment, student-centered teaching, and teacher leadership, always advocating for the transformative role of the arts in education. In her community, she has extended this commitment by serving on her local school board, including as chair of the policy committee.

Beth holds a Master of Education in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Teacher Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Master of Public Policy Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. Her expertise bridges educational practice and policy, ensuring that arts education remains a vital and integral part of Maine’s educational landscape.

Susan B. Barre is the Immediate Past President of the Eastern Division of the National Association for Music Education and a Past President of the Maine Music Educators Association. Her term in office here in Maine was marked by a National Association for Music Education (NAfME) state membership award. Mrs. Barre spearheaded structural changes for the Maine Music Educators Association to include moving MMEA from a 501C6 to a 501C3 organization, hiring an accountant, and adding a position for a part-time paid executive director. These changes ensured that MMEA would promote transparency and maintain integrity at the highest level for their members. Now having been an arts educator for more than thirty years, Mrs. Barre has taught instrumental and choral music, French Horn at Bowdoin College, owned a preschool music program, and is currently in her eighteenth year as band director for grades 5-12 in Waterville, Maine. She is a cofounder of the Elm CIty Community Music School in Waterville. Mrs. Barre is Chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department in Waterville and holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and Horn Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Science in Instructional Leadership from the University of Southern Maine.

Andrew Forster, a retired music educator from the Messalonskee School DIstrict, has dedicated more than three decades to fostering musical excellence and inspiring countless students. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of New Hampshire and recipient of a Master of Music from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Forster’s career is marked by a commitment to excellence in education. During his tenure at RSU #18, Oakland, he directed instrumental music programs, including concert bands, jazz ensembles and chamber music groups, and he spearheaded innovative programs such as music production and technology workshops. He is a sought after guest conductor for many music festivals in Maine and New England. Forster’s accolades include being named Maine Music Educators Association Music Educator of the Year, the Kennebec County Teacher of the Year award and most recently, an Outstanding Music Educator Award from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Beyond the classroom, Forster co-founded the Acadia Wind Ensemble and Mid-Maine Youth Orchestra, creating enriching musical opportunities for educators and students across Maine.

Heidi O'Donnell is a passionate and dedicated creative secondary arts educator with 29 years of experience shaping young minds. A National Board Certified Teacher, she currently inspires students at Belfast Area High School, where she also serves as the advisor for the Outdoor Adventures Club, the sponsor for the National Art Honor Society, and co-leader of the National Honor Society. Born and raised in Maine, Heidi's commitment to her community and profession runs deep. She has held numerous leadership roles within the Maine Art Education Association, advocating for arts education across the state. Nationally, she has served as the National Art Education Association Eastern Region VP and currently volunteers for the as the Eastern Region Secondary Division Representative, ensuring the voice of secondary arts educators is heard. A lifelong enthusiast of the outdoors, Heidi is a long-time scout and scout leader, and she is currently planning to section hike the Appalachian Trail over three summers. Her dedication to both art and adventure makes her a truly remarkable educator and community member.

Beth Wilbur Van Mierlo is an artist and an educator. She has dedicated her professional and adult life to promoting the importance of both arts and education and facilitating insightful and productive connections through artistic practice. Over two decades ago, Beth founded Oak Street Studios, A Young People’s Art Institute, where she serves as director, curriculum developer, and instructor. In 2013, she co-founded Side x Side, a non-profit organization dedicated to the empowerment of youth through the arts working side by side with teachers, students and artists to cultivate creativity, strengthen academic achievement, and build connected communities.

Beth holds a BFA in sculpture and drawing from the University of Southern Maine and lives with her husband and three children in Portland.

Matthew Cumbie (he/him) is a collaborative dancemaker, writer, and artist educator. His choreography and dancemaking- considered “a blend of risk-taking with reliability, [and] a combination of uncertainty and wisdom,”- weaves together a physical vocabulary of momentum and clarity, moving imagery, and a commitment to relationship-building and community participation. Through his creative projects, he has developed performances around and about Herman Melville and his historic home Arrowhead, collaboratively created intergenerational and afterschool community dance programs in central Maine, and expanded opportunities for LGBTQ+ communities to celebrate and see their connections to the places they live. He has been commissioned and supported by places like Dance Place, the Kennedy Center, the Berkshire County Historical Society, and Harvard University, and by the NEA, NEFA, the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities, and the Arcus Foundation. He has also been an artist-educator with Jacob’s Pillow, including their Curriculum in Motion program, and continues integrating artistic approaches and facilitation strategies in classrooms and with teachers in PG County (Maryland) and Waterville, ME. Matthew has an MFA in dance from Texas Woman’s University and is on faculty at Colby College.

Bridget Matros came to Maine in 2013 after 12 years in Boston where she designed and ran the Art Studio exhibit at Boston Children’s Museum, among other art programs around the city. At the time she was also a performing musician and event producer. Prior to that, Matros studied Sociology and Psychology at Oberlin College while completing a fellowship in nonprofit leadership. Bridget taught music and art at Cornerspring Montessori in Belfast for five years while growing a fleet of programs at Waterfall Arts. She also travels New England as a teaching artist. As the Youth & Family Outreach Manager, Bridget makes sure everyone has access to art. She teaches workshops, afterschool programs, and camps, trains parents and teachers, and creates fun All Ages Arts Happenings.

Signature MiMi (she/siya/they) is an intuitive arts practitioner, multi-hyphenate artist, and currently the 8th Poet Laureate of Portland, ME. She is one half of the eclectic duo, Signature Soul, who creates with words, sounds, visuals, space, nature, technology, and community to inspire and share stories of strength, survival, and serendipity. Siya designs and offers tools & spaces for people to experiment with creative expression as an avenue for cultivating community, self-actualization, and lifelong learning. MiMi shares that open mics are their love language and you can find them hosting Creatives Gathering, 3rd Wednesdays of the month at Mechanics’ Hall. For bookings and more information about MiMi’s offerings, visit www.signaturesoul.love.

Jeri Pitcher came to Maine for a summer theater job in 1987 and has continuously worked as a teaching artist, theater educator, director, playwright, and performer ever since. Her work is dedicated to devising original theater through a collaborative group process which, most often, explores the questions: how do we connect to the past and how can we, together, create the future?

As a founding faculty member at Maine Arts Academy, Jeri served as the Director of the Theater Program and Arts Faculty Chair. She teaches as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Maine at Augusta and has created innovative projects with community partners, such as: the UMA Interactive Theater project, The Lonely Soldier, and CREATED EQUAL theater programs.

As a teaching artist, Jeri has completed well over 100 theater residencies, creating original theater in Maine schools in her 25+ years of experience. She worked at The Theater At Monmouth, an Equity LORT repertory company, for 13 years as a director, actor, and playwright and served as Second Stage Director and Associate Artistic Director in her tenure at TAM.

You can learn more about Jeri at: www.creativeground.org/profile/jeri-pitcher

Marty Pottenger is a social artist, activist, and community organizer based in Portland, Maine. She is known for her innovative approaches to community engagement and her ability to bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage social issues and create positive change. She founded Art At Work (1993), a national initiative to introduce creativity as a tool for municipalities and communities to address significant challenges. Projects during her 8 years with the City of Portland include police poetry calendars to address historic low morale, printmaking and story circles to address racial discrimination within the Public Works Department, and a theater performance with African-born students and police officers after the fatal police shooting of a Sudanese man. She has worked with communities, unions, universities, and municipalities throughout the United States as well as in several other countries. Pottenger has received numerous awards and fellowships including a MacDowell Fellowship, an OBIE Theater Award for her theater project ‘City Water Tunnel #3’, and ATHE’s ‘Visionary’ award. From 2022 to 2024, she served as a consultant for the NEA’s Our Town program. www.artatwork.us

Mollie is the Executive Director of the Cultural Alliance of Maine, a statewide non-profit advancing the visibility and capacity of our diverse statewide cultural sector via collective learning, research, communications, and advocacy. Mollie was born in Calais and raised in the Bangor area. She is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen with roots in Washington County and St. Stephen, New Brunswick. She holds a masters degree in Arts Administration & Cultural Policy from the Institute for Creative & Cultural Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London, and spent 10 years working with cultural organizations in New York, Lisbon, London, and Berlin before returning to Maine in 2019. Mollie serves on the boards of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society and the Jesup Memorial Library in Bar Harbor. She lives in Lamoine.

Tyler French (he/him/his) is a writer, teaching artist, and arts administrator living in Hallowell, ME. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Artistic Planning and Community Engagement for Colby College’s Arts Office. He works with cultural and social service organizations as well as independent artists to support their programmatic development and evaluation, facilitate partnerships and connections, and build capacity for meaningful impact. His first full-length book of poetry, He Told Me was published by Capturing Fire Press and he is a co-creator and baker for Queer Cookies, a hybrid poetry/cookbook, poetry series, and bake sale supporting queer-identified poets. He holds a masters in Public Humanities from Brown University.

Time: 6:30pm
Location: Green Block + Studios (map)

“Broken Clock” is an original play about incarceration, gun violence, grief, family, trust, and time. Chasing your mom’s car down the street… being given your first gun… finding brotherhood in the streets… fighting for a loved one to come home from prison… These are a few of the moments from “Broken Clock” expressed through theater, poetry, music, and dance. The play is created by and continually developed by the performing cast with facilitation by Amanda Huotari. The play also features audio recordings of currently incarcerated MIO artists. Following the performance, the audience will be invited to dialogue with the performers about the themes of the play. Visit  www.maineinsideout.org/brokenclock for more about the play.