Amanda Galbraith is a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. For eighteen years, she served as an art educator with Bartlett City Schools in Tennessee. Galbraith has served on the Tennessee Department of Education’s subject matter expert committee, two standards revision committees, a textbook and instructional materials advisory panel, and numerous curriculum development teams. She has received the Tennessee Art Education Association’s West Tennessee Art Educator of the Year award two times—in 2011 and 2013. In 2019, Galbraith was named the Tennessee Art Education Association’s Art Educator of the Year. She is a frequent presenter at local, state, and national conferences.
Participants will engage in practical and thought-provoking interactive sessions that connect contemporary arts research, trends, and Academy learning to targeted arts initiatives at multiple levels within schools, districts, and beyond.
Dain Olsen is a national leader and specialist in media arts education with more than thirty-five years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and program developer. He is currently president, CEO, and co-founder of the National Association for Media Arts Education, and has authored a book on the subject for Routledge Press. Olsen led the establishment of media arts in Los Angeles Unified School District and the development of National Media Arts Standards, now adopted in thirty-nine states. He has served as a consultant and presenter for numerous state conferences and for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the College Board, and the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Olsen has also taught at Otis College and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is an intermedia artist in video, sound, interactive, and multimedia theater.
Dain Olsen is a national leader and specialist in media arts education with more than thirty-five years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and program developer. He is currently president, CEO, and co-founder of the National Association for Media Arts Education, and has authored a book on the subject for Routledge Press. Olsen led the establishment of media arts in Los Angeles Unified School District and the development of National Media Arts Standards, now adopted in thirty-nine states. He has served as a consultant and presenter for numerous state conferences and for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the College Board, and the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Olsen has also taught at Otis College and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is an intermedia artist in video, sound, interactive, and multimedia theater.
This session will present the basics of artificial intelligence and media arts, with new insights into research-based benefits for learning, cognitive development, and student preparation for a digital society. Attendees will explore the concept of designing media arts and AI trans-disciplinary projects for holistic student learning outcomes and the practical possibilities for future educational models.
Nolan Jager Loyde received a degree in music education from the University of North Texas, his master’s degree in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University, and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education and community leadership from Texas State University. He serves as the director of fine arts for the Round Rock Independent School District. He has performed and conducted on many world class stages, including the Midwest Clinic and the Texas Music Educators Association Convention. Loyde is a nationally recognized adjudicator, clinician, and advocate, appearing at Music for All and Drum Corps International events and numerous state music educator conferences and marching championships. Loyde is passionate about sharing his experiences and perspectives with educators, students, and community members who advocate for student achievement through the arts.
Nolan Jager Loyde received a degree in music education from the University of North Texas, his master’s degree in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University, and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in education and community leadership from Texas State University. He serves as the director of fine arts for the Round Rock Independent School District. He has performed and conducted on many world class stages, including the Midwest Clinic and the Texas Music Educators Association Convention. Loyde is a nationally recognized adjudicator, clinician, and advocate, appearing at Music for All and Drum Corps International events and numerous state music educator conferences and marching championships. Loyde is passionate about sharing his experiences and perspectives with educators, students, and community members who advocate for student achievement through the arts.
Delve into this multifaceted exploration of excellence in arts education encompassing diversity, equity, and inclusion; leadership and team development; and the data that drives student achievement. Using elements of the creative process, we will develop sense-making strategies to dissect the student experience. Attendees will also explore their own experiences in education to help drive strategic improvement within their program, campus, and district.
Dain Olsen is a national leader and specialist in media arts education with more than thirty-five years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and program developer. He is currently president, CEO, and co-founder of the National Association for Media Arts Education, and has authored a book on the subject for Routledge Press. Olsen led the establishment of media arts in Los Angeles Unified School District and the development of National Media Arts Standards, now adopted in thirty-nine states. He has served as a consultant and presenter for numerous state conferences and for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the College Board, and the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Olsen has also taught at Otis College and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is an intermedia artist in video, sound, interactive, and multimedia theater.
Dain Olsen is a national leader and specialist in media arts education with more than thirty-five years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and program developer. He is currently president, CEO, and co-founder of the National Association for Media Arts Education, and has authored a book on the subject for Routledge Press. Olsen led the establishment of media arts in Los Angeles Unified School District and the development of National Media Arts Standards, now adopted in thirty-nine states. He has served as a consultant and presenter for numerous state conferences and for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the College Board, and the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Olsen has also taught at Otis College and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is an intermedia artist in video, sound, interactive, and multimedia theater.
Media arts is widely experienced in our society but little appreciated for its diverse educational applications and holistic approach to student development. This session will provide an overview of the discipline, along with various examples of its production forms and broad learning outcomes. Attendees will learn the basics for implementing and scaling up media arts programs for school-wide benefit.
Dain Olsen is a national leader and specialist in media arts education with more than thirty-five years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and program developer. He is currently president, CEO, and co-founder of the National Association for Media Arts Education, and has authored a book on the subject for Routledge Press. Olsen led the establishment of media arts in Los Angeles Unified School District and the development of National Media Arts Standards, now adopted in thirty-nine states. He has served as a consultant and presenter for numerous state conferences and for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the College Board, and the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Olsen has also taught at Otis College and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is an intermedia artist in video, sound, interactive, and multimedia theater.
Dain Olsen is a national leader and specialist in media arts education with more than thirty-five years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and program developer. He is currently president, CEO, and co-founder of the National Association for Media Arts Education, and has authored a book on the subject for Routledge Press. Olsen led the establishment of media arts in Los Angeles Unified School District and the development of National Media Arts Standards, now adopted in thirty-nine states. He has served as a consultant and presenter for numerous state conferences and for organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the College Board, and the National Association for Media Literacy Education. Olsen has also taught at Otis College and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is an intermedia artist in video, sound, interactive, and multimedia theater.
In this hybrid session, Dain Olsen will lead a conversation with members of the Arts Education Alliance to outline their priorities and illuminate ways to connect with their ongoing and future work.
The Arts Education Alliance, which includes representation from the Educational Theatre Association, the National Art Education Association, the National Association for Media Arts Education, the National Association for Music Education, and the National Dance Education Organization, seeks to amplify the value of arts education through advocacy work.
Christen Robl is an art educator, arts administrator, and board certified art therapist working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ms. Robl is currently the coordinator of visual and media arts at Pittsburgh Public Schools overseeing the arts programming across the district. In this capacity she works with adults and young people who are stakeholders in the district community. Throughout her professional experience, Ms. Robl has demonstrated a dedication to the arts as a foundation for the growth and development of confidence and identity in various applications. She is committed to advocacy for equitable access and engagement with creative and mental health supports. She served as an artist educator with the Andy Warhol Museum and has created resources for the Smithsonian Learning Lab. Ms. Robl continually seeks opportunities to enhance her professional presence and ability to serve the populations with whom she works.
Christen Robl is an art educator, arts administrator, and board certified art therapist working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ms. Robl is currently the coordinator of visual and media arts at Pittsburgh Public Schools overseeing the arts programming across the district. In this capacity she works with adults and young people who are stakeholders in the district community. Throughout her professional experience, Ms. Robl has demonstrated a dedication to the arts as a foundation for the growth and development of confidence and identity in various applications. She is committed to advocacy for equitable access and engagement with creative and mental health supports. She served as an artist educator with the Andy Warhol Museum and has created resources for the Smithsonian Learning Lab. Ms. Robl continually seeks opportunities to enhance her professional presence and ability to serve the populations with whom she works.
Art is more than self-expression—it is a catalyst for transformation, shaping how we understand ourselves, connect with others, and navigate an ever-changing world. This session emphasizes meaning-making as the heart of artistic and professional practices and explores how creativity fuels innovation, builds cultural intelligence, and deepens the capacity for empathy and growth. Through interactive experiences and reflective practices, participants will examine how the creative process sharpens critical thinking, strengthens community, and inspires purpose-driven action.
