Education

2021-Joint PhD programme with the University of Antwerp, Belgium

Work Experience

2023: Part-time teacher, Department of Cultures, University of Helsinki, Finland

2016-2019: Archives Specialist (2018-2019)/Library Technician III (2016-2018), Archives and Special Collections, Max Chambers Library, UCO, USA

• Archivist, chief curator, chief art collection manager, chief collection researcher, chief educational program developer, student internship supervisor, grants writer, event coordinator, and donor relationship assistant

2013- 2016:  Melton Gallery Service Representative, College of Fine Arts and Design, UCO, USA

• Chief curator, chief art collection manager, budget and contract manager, registrar, chief researcher, chief educational program developer, student internship supervisor, grants writer, and donor relationship assistant

2013-2015: Art Education Adjunct Instructor, College of Fine Arts and Design, UCO, USA

2012: High School Art Teacher, Edmond Memorial High School, USA

2011-2015: Assistant Gallery Manager/Curator, Red Dirt Gallery and Artists, USA

• Curator, fundraising assistant, events coordinator, and art instructor

2007: Art Intern, City of Oklahoma City, Parks & Recreation Department, Oklahoma, USA

Leadership and Supervision Experience

2015-2019, Supervisor: student internship program (undergraduate and graduate students)

• Museum professional training: Collection management, registrar, curation, collection research, exhibition installation, and event planning and preparation

2013-2019, Art Collection Manager/Registrar

• Developed and managed exhibition spaces in all 4 floors of the Max Chambers Library
• Reorganized art collection management system and developed database files

2011-2019, Chief Curator/Co-Curator

• Curated more than 50 art exhibitions and organized more than 30 educational programs
• Developed collaborative programs with various academic departments and local and regional non-profit organizations

Teaching Experience

2023: Part-time teacher, KUMA-KP504-Globalising Institutions of Cultural Heritage, UH, Finland

2023: Part-time teacher, KUMA-KP502-Processes and Communities of Cultural Heritage, UH, Finland

2021: Guest Lecture, ART4143-History of Museum Practices, UCO, USA

2020: Guest Lecturer, KUMA-KP503-Politics of Memory and Oblivion, UH, Finland

2013-2016: High School Art Camp Instructor, museum studies lessons, UCO, USA

2013-2015: Art Education Adjunct Instructor, undergraduate and graduate courses, UCO, USA

2011-2014: Summer Art Camp Instructor, Red Dirt Artists and Gallery, USA

2012: Art Teacher, introduction to advanced art courses, Edmond Memorial High School, USA

2007-2012: Art Teacher, Teaching studio art at various elementary schools and kindergartens, USA

Publication History (2016-2019)

Exhibition booklets and curatorial statements by the Archives and Special Collections, Max Chambers Library, UCO, USA (selected samples)

• 2019: March, “Foreword” Nevertheless She Persists: Honoring Women
• 2019: February, “Foreword” Black Magic: A Journey of Black Music in America
• 2018: November, “Foreword,” Indigenous Visual Sovereignty
• 2017: Februrary, "Introduction," Old North- Celebrating Oklahoma Art and Commitment to Education 
• 2016: December, “Foreword,” Central African Art in Global Context
• 2016: November, “Foreword” and “Woody Crumbo,” Evolution of Native American Art: Traditional to Contemporary

Exhibition catalogue

• 2017: January, “Richard Goetz” and “D.J. Lafon,” Oklahoma Pride: The Next 50 Years of Oklahoma by the Melton Art Reference Library, Oklahoma City, USA

Grants, Awards, and Honours

2022 Kone Foundation Grant (2024), Kone Foundation, Finland  

2022 Special Research Fund (BOF) Fellowships for Joint PhDs, University of Antwerp, Belgium

2022 HYMY Traveling Grant, HYMY Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland

2020 Kone Foundation Grant (2021-2023), Kone Foundation, Finland

2020, Kalevala Koru Cultural Foundation Grant 2020, Kalevala Koru Cultural Foundation, Finland

2019, Finnish Government Scholarship Pool 2019-2020, Finnish National Agency for Education, Finland

2019, HYMY Traveling Grant, HYMY Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland 

2018: Emerging Scholar Award, Eleventh International Conference on the Inclusive Museum, Common Ground Research Networks, University of Granada, Spain

2017: UCO Library Employee of the Quarter, Oklahoma, USA

2016: Registrar Committee - Mountain-Plain Museum Association (MPMA) Scholarship, USA

2016: Melton Reference Library Study Abroad Scholarship, USA

2016: American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Fellowship, USA

2015: University of Central Oklahoma Temporary Faculty Start-up Grant, UCO, USA

2015: MPMA/Kansas Museum Association Conference Scholarship, USA

2007: Resolution Commending, Oklahoma City Arts Commission, City of Oklahoma City, USA

Other Key Scientific or Academic Merits

Task Force (Diversity and Equality)

• 2018-2019: Black History Month Task Force, Native American Heritage Month Task Force, Women’s History Month Task Force, and Hispanic Heritage Month Task Force, UCO, USA

Donor Assistant

• 2017: Successful donation agreement with over 350 artworks (European and American), over 4000 books and auction catalogues, and over US $100,000 endowment to the UCO Library

Grant Writer

• 2017-2019: Project Director/Grant Administrator, Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions (PAG), National Endowment for Humanities, US $6,000
• 2015-2019: Project Director/Supervisor, UCO Internship Program, UCO Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR) Grant, US $35,000
• 2017: Project Director, Supplies and Equipment Grant, UCO STLR Grant, US $500
• 2015-2016: Project Director, Museum Assessment Program Grant (MAP), AAM, US $6,000

Reviewer (Conference and grant proposals)

• 2021: Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG) Annual Conference
• 2019: ICOM-Kyoto 2019, UMAC Annual Conference
• 2018-2019: UCO STLR Grant and Transformative Learning Conference

Art Exhibition Judge/Talent Judge

• 2016, 2018: Edmond Art Association Spring Art Show, Oklahoma, USA
• 2015: Children Poster Contest for The Youth Art Day, Edmond Citizens Bank, Oklahoma, USA
• 2014: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., 77^th District Talent Hunt
• 2013: Oklahoma Art Education Association, Young Talent in Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA

Professional Artist

• 2006-present: Collected in New York, Oklahoma, Vermont (USA), and Japan
• 2007-2016: Assistant mural painter, represented in more than 10 cities in Oklahoma, USA
• 2006-2013: More than 20 solo, juried, and group art exhibitions, including New York City, USA
• Publications 2006-2012: Featured in Oklahoma Gazette, Edmond Sun, and Gallery and Studio