Organizers

Linda Johnson is the founder of MATCH Studio and Consulting where she teachers private piano lessons in her music studio and is a clinician and consultant for Music Education, Arts Integration, and STEAM. She studied piano and vocal music at the University of Texas at Austin, and her professional affiliations are with the Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Technology in Music Education (TI:ME), and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Ms Johnson has 23 years of teaching experience in elementary and secondary classrooms with general music, AP Music Theory, piano, and elementary, middle, and high school choir.

After leaving the classroom in May 2019, she began to work with Big Thought in Dallas, TX as an instructional partner where she trains and observes teaching artists in the Thriving Minds After School and Summer programs. Most recently, Ms Johnson finished her Level I Specialist and Level II Leadership Arts Integration Certification through The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. She is now a Certification Coach for the Level I certification program, writes articles, and creates content for online courses and professional development with IAS.

When Linda attended her first virtual EdTech EdCamp this spring, she immediately realized the need to organize a similar forum where arts educators could learn, connect, and exchange ideas. She firmly believes that the arts serves as an alternative access point to acquire knowledge that is meaningful, relevant, and culturally responsive. She is equally passionate about showing teachers how to change routine education through artistic thinking and expression, and is looking forward to the learning that will take place with the first EdCamp Arts 2020. Twitter: @lindajohnsonMSC

Elizabeth Ann Silvestre Bongat is excited to start her third year as the choir director of the Pieper Ranch Middle School Viper Choir in San Antonio, Texas! She is committed to fostering a sense of community, acceptance, and achievement through choral music.

Ms. Bongat will begin her ninth year of teaching choral music in the 2020-2021 school year. Her choirs consistently earn sweepstakes at UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation. Prior to starting the choir program at PRMS, she had the pleasure of teaching 7th and 8th grade choir in Houston, TX as an assistant director at North Shore Middle School from 2012-2018 and elementary music in Bastrop, TX at Bluebonnet Elementary School and Mina Elementary School in 2012.

Ms. Bongat graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX in December 2011. While there, she was proud to be a member of the Texas State Chorale, University Singers, and Women's Chorus. In the Spring of 2012, she received the distinction of Outstanding Senior in Music Education at Texas State University.

Ms. Bongat is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, and Texas Music Adjudicators Association. In 2016, she served as the guest conductor of the Channelview ISD Elementary Honor Choir. She also served on the panel of adjudicators for the concert portion of the Region 9 North Zone Junior High School Choir UIL Concert and Sightreading in 2019.

Rodney Dittmar is currently in his 25th year of teaching music, and his 22nd in Seagoville and Dallas ISD. He considers himself blessed to have been the very first teacher of Modern Band and Guitar in Dallas ISD and is in his 21st year of teaching what we now call Modern Band. He is also very proud to be the Fine Arts Department Head at Seagoville High School.

Rodney is also the Regional Program Specialist for a non-profit called Little Kids Rock, which is a non profit organization that provides instruments and training to Modern Band programs all over the country, including Dallas ISD and Seagoville High School. In addition to serving the students on his own campus, this program also gives him the opportunity to help other teachers professionally all around the district.

Rodney loves teaching and performing music, but his favorite thing is being a husband and father. He and his lovely wife Renee will have been married 20 years this Labor Day!

Shawna E. Longo is the General Music (Music Technology) teacher and Arts Integration Specialist at Durban Avenue School, Hopatcong, NJ. She also serves as the Arts Integration & STEAM Specialist for TMI Education; Coach for The Institute for Arts Integration & STEAM; and an Ambassador/Consultant for Music First, Hal Leonard, and Jamstik. With 19+ years of teaching experience, Mrs. Longo holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; a Master of Public Administration in Arts Administration from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ; Supervisor/Curriculum Director’s certification from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ; and certification as an Arts Integration Specialist (Level 1) as well as certification as an Arts Integration Leader (Level 2) from The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. She is a clinician and consultant for music education, music technology, arts integration, and STEAM. She is also a recipient of the 2019 Mike Kovins Ti:ME Music Technology Teacher of the Year, 2019 New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education, 2019 Teach Rock Star Teacher Award from The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, 2018 NJMEA Master Music Teacher Award, and 2016 Governor’s Educator of the Year for Hopatcong Middle School. Twitter: @shawnalongo

Stacey S. Lotten is a native of New Orleans, LA where she was surrounded by unique culture and inspired to study the art of dance for many years. She has an energetic love for children, dance, and an arts education, that caters to aiding in the whole, healthy-self of the student learner. After receiving her Master of Education Degree (M.Ed.) and a Teacher’s Certificate in Secondary Education in Modern Dance at Texas Christian University, Stacey began her career as dance director for 15 years at Lancaster High School. She served as Department Head and Lead Instructor before moving into the role of Coordinator for the Visual and Performing Arts Departments for Lancaster Independent School District. Currently, Stacey is serving her sixth year in administration as Assistant Fine Arts Director for Lancaster ISD and helped facilitate the opening of the first elementary arts academy in the district where she is Artistic Director.

Secondary education has afforded Stacey the opportunity to choreograph, produce and co-direct 200 participant shows annually at the Meyerson Symphony Center and the Majestic Theater. Stacey has been able to bring visiting artists from professional companies and studios to workshop for the fine arts department. She is the facilitator, organizer, producer, for almost 10 district-wide student performances throughout the academic year.

Stacey performed with Beckles Dancing Company for 6 years and Exhibit Dance Collective for 3 years. Both companies are based out of the South Dallas Cultural Center, which aims to expose an underprivileged demographic. She enjoys performing, teaching, and making connections to community. Stacey is grateful for her continued educational leadership and performance opportunities.

Renee Schumacher is the Oshkosh Area School District (OASD), WI ArtsCore Arts Integration Coordinator. Prior to her ArtsCore Coordinator appointment, Ms. Schumacher was a K-12 art teacher in the OASD from 2012 to 2018. In 2015 Renee attended a year-long, ArtsCore professional development program in arts integration. After completing the program, she worked to integrate core content into the K-12 art curriculum, trained other teachers on the process of arts integration, and spoke at numerous state-wide conferences about arts integration strategies, lessons, and programs. In the fall of 2018, Renee transitioned out of the k-12 art classroom and began her current position as ArtsCore District Coordinator.

Born in Wausau, WI, Schumacher’s areas of greatest passion and interest growing up were in the visual arts, theater, and music. As a result, Renee attended Pewaukee Technical School for Graphic Arts and Design (where she also studied Police Science and Culinary Arts) in 2004. Eventually her visual art interests drew her to photography, and she attended the Milwaukee Area Technical College for Commercial Photography. After attending the University of Wisconsin Fond du Lac and obtaining a degree in Studio Arts and Science, Ms. Schumacher went on to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and PreK-12 Art teaching certification at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2012. Renee later completed a Master of Educational Leadership in Teaching and Learning degree in 2019 and her Certification in Arts Integration in 2020.

In her spare time, Renee enjoys cooking, kayaking, collecting Star Wars memorabilia, and spending time with her friends and family.

Lela Bell Wesley is originally from London, England and grew up in Beaumont, Texas. She is a highly skilled, organized, and passionate professional with a strong background in education, counseling, and the fine arts. She possesses over 20 years of teaching experience, designing programs, training adults, and writing curriculum for programs with a wide range of people from professional artists, underserved youth, students with special needs, and the gifted and talented. Her training as a principal intern, counselor, manager, dancer, actor, and teacher have allowed her to listen to others, work collaboratively, discover innovative ways to solve problems, create vision, and continue growing the organizations in which she has served. Mrs. Wesley’s passion is to lead individuals to serve the next generation and build students to be socially and emotionally equipped to critically think, innovate, collaborate, and contribute to our society with their unique purpose. she also loves God, her family, and the gift of dance. She holds a BA in Psychology, a MS in Counseling, and master’s work in educational leadership. She holds and educational certification in dance, PE, and principal as an instructional leader.

Brenda Mullard is a Fine Arts Coordinator for the Green Bay Area Public School District in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Prior to her Fine Arts Coordinator position, Brenda was a K-12 art teacher for the Neenah Joint School District from 1997 to 2017. In 2018 Brenda began the planning process and development of the Washington Middle School for the Arts. The Washington School for the Arts was a welcome addition to the Green Bay Areas Public Schools Fine Arts Pathway and now welcomes 80 students in grades 6th - 8th who participate in an arts-integrated style of learning. Originally from Fond du Lac, WI, Brenda grew up with a father who was a special education teacher for 40 years and was no stranger to the classroom. Mrs. Mullard knew she wanted to be an art teacher since the 2nd grade. As a result, attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with an emphasis on K - 12 Art Education. After beginning her teaching career in Neenah, she soon returned to UW Oshkosh where she graduated with a Masters of Science Degree in Educational Leadership and Administration. Brenda holds principal licensure, a Director of Curriculum and Instruction License, and has earned her Certification in Arts Integration in 2020.

In her spare time, Brenda loves to spend time with her husband Corey, her children, Madison, Brayden, and Jack as well as their two dogs Macie and Ivy. She is an active working artist who loves to design stickers, paint, and creates art prints from her original artwork.

Camika Spencer is a writer, author, artist and arts in education instructor in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She attended Texas A&M Commerce (BS in Radion Television/Journalism) Wilkes Univerisity (MA in Playwriting), and Wilkes University (MFA in Creative Writing Education.) She is currently working on her fourth novel.