Teaching Artists

KID smART artists are professionals in their field with experience working with the children in New Orleans’ public schools. KID smART teaching artists meet twice monthly to share effective strategies for teaching, for assessing student progress and for evaluating their work with students and teachers. KID smART is committed to building the capacities of teaching artists through on-going research of best practices. Currently, KID smART is focused on identifying national and international best practices for using the arts to work with children who have been or are experiencing trauma.

Teaching artists have an indispensible role as catalysts for creativity. Our artists inspire children to make positive changes happen in their own lives.

Jenna Bonistalli creates small works on paper through stitching, drawing and painting techniques.  She is dedicated to practicing craft traditions and experimenting with raw materials to make handmade paper, dye and paint.  Jenna has taught arts-based curricula in both school and community settings and has also worked as a teaching artist in the New York City schools through City Lore, the Rubin Museum of Art and independent grants.  She believes in working with students on collaborative, community-based projects to integrate local arts resources in public education.  Jenna earned a BA from New York University's Gallatin School, and a MSEd from Bank Street College of Education.  She studied at Penland School of Crafts and the School of Visual Arts.

Keith Duncan received a BFA from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, and an MFA in art education from City University of New York, Hunter College.   He has exhibited throughout the United States, including solo exhibitions in New York at Taller Boricua Gallery, Gallery X, Danny Simmons’ Corridor Gallery, and Independent Arts Gallery.  He has been awarded a Camille Cosby Fellowship and a Joan Mitchell Foundation grant.  In 2001 his work was commissioned for NASA in Washington, D.C.  He has taught the visual arts in enrichment and summer programs for ten years, most recently at Samuel J. Green Charter School.  Keith has shown works recently through Prospect 2, the international contemporary art biennial in New Orleans, and at the Canary Gallery on Julia Street.

Aminisha Ferdinand was a theater performer across the country for ten years before entering the field of arts education.  She was a middle school drama teacher in Atlanta, then returned to New Orleans to work in the Very Special Arts program in Jefferson Parish and the Upward Bound program at Tulane University.  While working toward her MA in Educational Theatre at NYU, she designed costumes for elementary school productions and chaired the board of Theatrix, a student-run theater company.    She also studied at the Center for the Theatre of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro and worked with Invisible Children in Gulu, Uganda.  As a KID smART Arts Coach, Aminisha facilitates arts integration workshops for classroom teachers, coaches KID smART teaching artists, and serves as artist-in-residence at Langston Hughes Academy.

Douriean Fletcher is a jewelry designer and artist. Douriean believes that artistic expression was and is a key device to express the voice of the underrepresented and the silenced. During studies abroad in South Africa, she interned with both rural and urban organizations focusing on education of native peoples post-apartheid. She developed an interest in Zulu culture and art. After retirning to the states, she joined Public Allies Los Angeles because of her commitment to social justice. Through her own life struggles, she found her niche in sculpture and jewelry making. She moved back to new Orleans to give back to its community, to continue to work through her nusiness, eKlektik eKhos, and to further her career as an artist.

Joseph Furnari is a theatre artist and educator who views drama as a medium of self-observation, discovery and transformation.  He is a 2008 Surdna Arts Teachers Fellow, holds an EdD in Art and Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an MA in theatre from Montclair State University.  Joe has over twenty-five years experience as a teaching artist and classroom teacher.  He has coached beginning and early-career teachers in curriculum design and implementation, assessment and classroom management.  He is the BYOV Coordinator for the New Orleans Fringe Festival.  Over the years, Joe has produced, directed and acted in numerous productions in professional and educational theatre.  He will be teaching a professional development workshop on Process Drama in the Classroom for AXIS.

Sean Glazebrook is an actor and teacher. He is a founding member of The NOLA Project, a New Orleans-based theatre company focused on producing original work and engaging new audiences. He has worked with students from a range of grade and experience levels at Tompkins Square Middle School, NOCCA|Riverfront and the Porch Community Center.  He holds a BFA in Theatre and History from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and certification in Shakespearean Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.   As a KID smART Arts Coach, Sean facilitates arts integration workshops for classroom teachers, coaches KID smART teaching artists, and serves as artist-in-residence at McDonough City Park Academy.

Jarrell Hamilton is a dancer, choreographer, actress and activist.  She has studied her craft at NOCCA|Riverfront, NORD/NOBA Center for Dance, and Southern Methodist University/ Meadows School of the Arts.  She has performed and worked with a score of locally- and nationally-known choreographers.  Jarrell was honored with the Coming Up Taller Award in Washington, D.C., which was presented by former First Lady Laura Bush, and she was chosen Outstanding Dancer from the Meadows School of the Arts Dance Department.  Currently, she teaches dance throughout the city of New Orleans, using her craft as an outlet for social change.

Chris Kaminstein is an actor, writer, director and arts instructor.  He is co-artistic director of Goat in the Road Productions, a New Orleans-based theater company devoted to creating new work, fostering the growth of local theater artists, and educational outreach.  Chris has appeared in plays at Le Chat Noir, the Marigny Theater, and has premiered work at the New Orleans Fringe Festival and State of the Nation.  He holds a BA from Wesleyan University in theater studies, and has experience teaching improvisation, writing, acting, and movie making to students of all ages.   In addition, Chris leads professional development for classroom teachers in using theater techniques in the classroom.

Jessica Lozano is an actor, director and educator.  She received her BA in Theatre and History from Loyola University New Orleans.  Jessica has taught Literature and Social Studies at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Westwego, was a full time Fine Arts, Speech and Drama teacher at Mount Carmel Academy, and is currently the resident drama director at Academy of the Sacred Heart.  Jessica is active in the film and theatre community of New Orleans.  She became SAG eligible in 2005 and is a member of Cripple Creek Theatre Company.  Jessica believes that a comprehensive arts education is critical and essential to the success of each student's educational process. 

Francesca McKenzie is an actor and educator. She is a company member of Cripple Creek Theatre Company in New Orleans, and she has worked with the NOLA Project, Goat in the Road Productions, New Noise, and Junebug Productions. She received her BA at Santa Clara University with a double major in Theatre Arts and Environmental Studies.  In 2011 she completed her AmeriCorps service at the Edible Schoolyard New Orleans. As the Apprentice Garden Teacher there, she taught integrated science-garden classes at Samuel J. Green Charter School.  In 2007, she lived in California and founded an organization called Arts Reach that provides after school art programming in the San Jose area.

Heather Muntzer is a visual artist and educator with a background in traditional fine art, social practice work and community art.  She has a BFA from California College of the Arts, with a minor in Art Education.  While living in the Bay Area, California, Heather taught art within the public school system and wrote and implemented academic intervention curriculum.  In New Orleans, she continues her studio arts practice, showing work within the St. Claude Arts District.  She has worked with arts integrated programming within the Forest Park Housing Projects in Algiers, and has developed and implemented arts integrated curriculum within a variety of schools.  Heather is working towards her Masters in Education from Mills College and is certified in Secondary Teaching in the Arts.

Andrew Vaught is a drama instructor and co-founder of Cripple Creek Theatre Company in New Orleans.  Cripple Creek is dedicated to producing theatrical works of cultural, historical, and political significance.  Andy has a BA in History, Drama and Distinction from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.  He has supervised the creation and performance of student theatre work and created and designed curriculum aimed specifically at inner-city and at-risk youth.  He has worked with students to create original works dealing with subjects ranging from The Civil Rights Movement to the Fall of the Roman Empire.

Seva Venet is a professional guitarist and banjoist who came to New Orleans from Los Angeles where he worked as a musician and taught music to hundreds of students of all ages.  His musical expertise is in New Orleans traditional jazz, but he has been known to perform Cajun and Zydeco, Country and Western, Blues and Rock and Roll, Latin and street beats.  Seva has performed with legendary musicians including Tuba Fats, Dr. Michael White, Greg Stafford, Treme Brass Band, Shannon Powell, Lars Edegran and Lionel Ferbos.  In addition to working as a side man on guitar and banjo, Seva leads his own band, the Storyville Stringband playing concert venues and festivals as well as Preservation Hall.