2022-23

Arts Ambassadors

The Arts Department of the San Francisco Unified School District proudly presents the 2022-2023 Arts Ambassadors as part of honoring individuals and organizations who have inspired our educational community through the excellent work they have done to promote the vision and the promise of the Arts Department and SFUSD.

Arts Ambassadors are from various parts of our community, including Arts teachers, students, Arts Coordinators, Principals, teaching artists, and Community Based Arts partners. This years winners are truly representative of the Arts, the Arts Department, and San Francisco's cultural programming. This year's Arts Ambassador have helped to create unique experiences that surprised, delighted, entertained and educated SFUSD students all year. Our Arts Ambassadors are members of the greater San Francisco community and share the desire to increase access to the arts, they are champions for the arts and as ambassadors they are unique―and influential―and they help build public awareness of the arts and foster a greater understanding of our vision. They are one of the building blocks of effective advocacy. They will lay a strong, broad foundation of good will and good information to support future resource growth and development for the arts not only in SFSUD, but also in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The SFUSD Arts Department is proud to recognize these Arts education leaders and champions for the Arts with the 3rd annual list of Arts Ambassadors!

ADMINISTRATORS

Jessica Arnott, Principal Spring Valley Science School

My name is Jessica Arnott. I am the proud principal of Spring Valley Science Elementary School. I believe all students should have access to the Arts. Arts allow students to embrace their creativity and imagination. For many of our students it is a way to de-escalate, meditate, and soothe their minds, body, and souls. The Arts are just one of the many ways our students can express their many talents and another reason to be proud of themselves.

Suniqua Thomas, Principal

Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School

I am a native of San Francisco committed to the community that I serve. As a high school student art and dance class gave me time to relax, reflect, and be creative. I truly believe that students need arts to center and express themselves. Arts provide a valuable outlet for our students to pour into, relieve stress and shine.

Danielle Loughridge,

I have been in the Early Care and Education field for over 25 years. I hold a MA in Early Childhood and my scope of work includes experience as a classroom teacher, administrator, coach, and consultant in the California Bay Area.

I am passionate about fostering and promoting intentional learning outcomes by offering children ample opportunity to engage with a variety of materials in settings that are intentionally designed. My work is deeply rooted in the belief that ALL children have a right to learn, explore, and express themselves through hands on art experiences. By doing so, children are able to make sense and meaning about the world and themselves.

ARTS COORDINATORS

Ana Ornelas,

Marshall Elementary Arts Coordinator

My name is Ana Ornelas and I have been a teacher at Marshall Elementary for the past 7 years. Next year I will be taking on the role of Visual Arts Teacher, while pursuing my Marriage and Family Therapy license at USF. Art is important to me because it is often the first thing children learn to do before reading and writing, art is a powerful form of expression. In the future, I would love to see art used as a tool for therapy and social

Byanca Munoz,

Sunnyside Elementary Arts Coordinator

Art has given me a voice, an outlet, as well as inspired me. My goal when teaching art is to encourage students to be brave, use a new medium, try a new style, learn about a new artist. I think its important student not only be a part of the creative process but see that anything is possible through artistic expression.

Cecilia V. Ponce, Dolores Huerta Elementary Arts Coordinator

Art is inherently a part of being human. I strongly believe in allowing children to explore, enjoy, and connect with the art that is within them. There is nothing more soul filling than the arts.

Andrea Gonzalez,

Mission High School Arts Coordinator

Andrea Nicolette Gonzales was born in Fort Worth, TX and moved to the Bay Area to attend The San Francisco Art Institute where she earned a MFA in 2014. While in graduate school she was a recipient of the Murphy and Cadogan Art Award and received a studio fellowship through SFAI. In 2018 she placed 2nd at The World Body Painting Festival in the installation art category. She is currently a 2022-23 San Francisco Arts Commission recipient and is creating a series of photographs honoring Latinx educators in SFUSD. She paints directly on the skin, clothes and objects to question notions of embodiment, connections between an individuals’ body, personal identity, imposed identity and social acceptability. Shortly after graduation from San Francisco Art Institute in 2014 she founded a photography department at Mission High School where she currently teaches. Additionally she is an Art 21 Educator and collaborates with the San Francisco Museum of Modern art to enrich art curriculum in SFUSD schools. She has a passion for teaching the arts to San Francisco youth. “I am deeply honored to serve the Mission High community. There is no greater joy that I receive than teaching students how to express their identity and personal narratives through visual arts.”

Ogodimma Nina Fabunmi,

Marina Middle School Arts Coordinator

Nina Fabunmi is a Traditional, Digital and Multimedia Artist & Educator, a UX Researcher and Designer with an MFA Painting from the Academy of Art University where she was a member of faculty from 2014 - 2016. She joined the SFUSD in 2015 and has an MAE Education with Teaching Credential in Single Subject Art from Alliant International University. Her work has been exhibited in Europe, Africa and America. She has won several art awards and has been published in renowned art magazines such as the American Art Collector, Southwest Art, SF Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine and Artist Portfolio Magazine. She is prolific in a variety of art mediums and known for her emotionally charged expressive technique, which

is primarily derived by the use of a palette knife. She is vast in portraiture, figures, landscapes, sculpture and cityscapes. Inspired by her African roots and environment, she captures beauty and energy and other societal themes. Her work is in the permanent collections of Golden State Warriors Stadium and is a celebrated Chase Center Artist, in the South East Arts and Cultural Center, in 49 South Van Ness and other prominent establishments. She brings her knowledge, skills and experience into her classrooms, teaching students to creatively express themselves through different forms of art. Her students have won prestigious awards in organizations like the California Art Club and have shown art in spaces like The Palace of Fine Arts. She continues to remain active in the Bay area art scene while also extending her passion for the arts to her teaching.

Dom Nguyen, San Francisco International High School Arts Coordinator and Citywide Arts Youth Festival Web Designer

Tien (Dominico) Nguyen is the Arts Coordinator and 10th grade Visual Arts Instructor with the San Francisco International High School. Dominico joined SFUSD as a high school math teacher with San Francisco International High School in August 2020. Previously, Dominico taught Grades 8 to 12 Visual Arts as well as AP: Drawing, 2-D Design, and 3-D Design. In addition, he taught IB Visual Arts Middle Years Programme (MYP) as well as the Diploma Programme in both the standard and higher levels (SL & HL). Dominico believes that everyone can create art when provided a safe and inclusive environment for hands-on art skills learning as well as the encouragement to take risks.

TEACHERS

Heidi Seretan

Heidi Seretan is the special education department head and founding teacher of AccessSFUSD: The Arc, a community-based for students 18-22 with disabilities in SFUSD. San Francisco as the campus! Community partnerships are the cornerstone of the Access programs and Heidi has developed and fosters dozens of community collaborations including A.C.T., California Academy of Sciences, SF MoMA, Children's Creativity Museum, Haight Street Art Center, Ciclo Sewing Lab, Rec & Park, SFMTA, and SFPD, just to name a few. Her students both work in museums and the arts as well as take classes. The arts are essential for the Access students, providing them a creative outlet to express themselves, develop self-efficacy, and develop their passions. For the students, being able to share a YouTube video you were a part of with your friends and family is empowering! Highlight's of their creative endeavors include dance videos, photography short films, flash mobs, musical performances, digital and visual art, offering free inclusive public dance classes, the annual Holiday Sing Along, and Spring Art Show. The arts also serve as a tool for her students in their advocacy efforts- her Access students have performed multiple times at City Hall, hosted the R-Word Rally, Disability Change Makers at SFPL, and won first place in SFMTA's Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest for their original performance. And who doesn't love a happy hour...for her 21+ students and community partners, Access Happy Hour, their inclusive drag show at Oasis, gives the students a safe space to experience night life and have performance opportunities!

Kirsten B. Janssen

Kirsten Bahrs Janssen (MFA BA)

I am an arts educator and practicing artist teaching in the Visual and Performing Art department at Lowell High school since 2002. I’ve taught at Mission H.S., J.E. MacAteer HS, UC Berkeley, James Lick M.S. and I’m 30+ year SFUSD art teacher, fostering individualized artistic growth through student’s inherent desire to engage in materials which express their beingness and expand their curiosity with a deep sense of creative purpose. In the Bay Area community, I have nurtured and supported many student artists to aspire and consider the arts as a career-through portfolio development, documentation, access to community programs, critiques, exhibitions and an array of projects which refine and question their definition of what art can be. The interconnection in the art room between my students and my own art practice serves us all as catalyst for personal insight, intuitiveness, emotional growth, openness and a universal consciousness.

John Mansfield

John Mansfield has been at Lawton Alternative School most of his life. Attending the K-8 school as a child, he just happened to be assigned to teach music there immediately upon being hired by SFUSD. When he was a student, his parents were musical artists-in-residence at the school. Simply put, both Lawton and music are in his blood.

John knew he wanted to become a music teacher as early as high school. His musical family always encouraged him to share his love of music with others. At Lowell High School, his choir teacher taught him the beauty of singing in an ensemble, as well as how to sight-read (thanks Mr. Jefferson!). John received his Bachelor of Music Education and teaching credential from San Francisco State University. He currently teaches band, orchestra, recorder, Kodaly-based general music, choir, and ukulele. In addition to teaching music, he also serves as the arts coordinator for his school, as well as the AIM Elementary Music Representative. He enjoys working with the same students year after year, seeing them grow into the amazing, creative, and compassionate people they can become. As a music educator, he believes that art can give meaning to a confusing world, and help students process emotions and feelings that are otherwise too complex to express. John believes in giving each and every student the tools that one develops from studying music: working as a team, self-reflection, permission to make mistakes, and life-long enjoyment of something beautiful.

In addition to his teaching, John also has a vibrant performance career. This season, he sang with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Volti, and the SF Renaissance Voices. In the past, he has also joined the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, as well as Cappella SF. During the pandemic, John wrote and recorded children’s songs in collaboration with KTVU’s SF Loves Learning. When he isn’t teaching or performing classically, John enjoys playing ukulele with his wife in their band, The Letterboxers.

Carrie Wing

My name is Carrie Wing. I have been a public school arts educator for the past 9 years, teaching students ranging from Pre-K through 12th grade. I currently work for SFUSD Arts serving three school locations: McKinley Elementary, Mission Education Center, and Hillcrest Elementary. To me, the arts are the glue that binds all learning together and enhances the human experience. Only through the arts, was I able to access depths in knowledge, insight, and inner peace. I strive for my students to see what the arts can unlock for themselves, their communities, and this greater earth.

Elizabeth Medrano, Teacher on Special Assignment

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, Dr. Martina Ayala, Director

Dr. Martina Ayala is a visionary leader, founder and pioneer of innovative programs and schools, consultant, and management executive of 35 years, working for different institutions of higher education, and social service nonprofits serving inter-generational multicultural communities.

An award-winning filmmaker, recognized educator, and community leader. She has curated art exhibits in San Francisco and Los Angeles focusing on the Day of the Dead, gentrification, curanderismo and women. Dr. Ayala has produced numerous concerts and cultural events through Martina La Latina Productions throughout the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Mexico.

She is an academic scholar and activist that holds a Doctorate in International and Multicultural Education from University of San Francisco. Her life’s work has focused on Chicano film, spirituality, literacy through the arts, and issues related to education, inclusion, social justice, immigrants, people of color, family strengthening, resilience and trauma informed care.

Dr. Ayala is an inspirational and transformative leader and coach; her work supports those who are seeking to discover their life purpose and personal truth. She is committed to creating supportive and equitable spaces for artists and providing access to quality cultural art programming for families in San Francisco.

Ross Holzman, Create Peace Project

Ross Holzman is an artist, peace activist and social entrepreneur. He is the founder and executive director of the arts-education organization Create Peace Project. A passionate and prolific artist, Ross loves facilitating collaborative arts experiences and empowering positive feelings through the creative process. Ross employs his philosophy that the cultivation of self-awareness through self-expression is one of the most powerful tools for strengthening our connection to our self, to others, and the world around us and thus creating peace. Ross is a published author, accomplished public speaker, and arts facilitator; having lead 20 murals and 15 mosaic murals in SFUSD schools in the past fifteen years. He has worked with more than 10,000 students in the hands-on creative experience of making these murals together. 2022/23 mosaic mural projects include Sanchez, Sunnyside, Monroe, New Traditions and Mission Education Center. You can learn more about his organization: www.createpeaceproject.org and his personal painting work: www.originalross.com

Jess Baron, Founder and Executive Director of Guitars in the Classroom

Guitars in the Classroom's mission is to expand the role of music in education and elevate student engagement by making purposeful, inclusive music a joyful and integral part of literacy, academic, and social-emotional learning throughout the school day, and beyond.

https://www.guitarsintheclassroom.org/

SFUSD STUDENT ARTS AMBASSADORS

Natalie Wong, Balboa High School

I am Natalie Wong and I love to draw, read, cook, sew, and play video games. The arts are important to me because it allows me to express myself creatively and put my imagination to picture. I also like making pretty things and art allows me to do that. I am always serving :) ...my community with my art!

Natalie Deiner-Lincoln High School

Natalie Deiner is a senior at Abraham Lincoln high school and is attending UC Santa Barbara in the fall for Environmental Studies. She got involved in the arts through classes at school and Youth Art Exchange. She is also on the board of directors for the Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area. Over the years, she has seen the positive benefit of the arts in her peers, and in her communities. She has seen people gain a passion they didn’t know that they had and find a new way of bringing joy into their lives.

Kaden Tobias - Galileo HS

As a junior Kaden created the highest quality Video of that year, always striving to create interesting yet creative content. This year as a senior, Kaden served as TA/IWE to the Video teacher and edited highlights of numerous school activities. He also mentored many classmates, teaching them technical aspects of camera and Adobe Premiere Pro. He continued to show his high creativity in art during photography class and always brings his thoughtfulness and clear critiques to class and fellow peers. He is an artist through and through using his creative, passionate persona in all his classes, including Start up Academy - thinking outside the classroom and how to use the arts to help him in presentations, product development and much more. Kadien received a full four year scholarship to SF State where he will be pursuing Video.

Davia Ferree - Galileo HS

Hi! My name is Davia and I've been interested in the arts since I was little. I have tried many forms of art types, whether painting, music, animation, or film. Art has always helped me express myself and share what I cannot through words. I use video editing and graphic design skills in school to make advertisements for the robotics team. I also sew many costumes for the drama group (and act for them as well when I have time). Last but certainly not least I try new types of art just for fun! I am very grateful for this award and hopefully, it will help me continue to participate in the arts, in all of its forms. Davia has also worked diligently this past year producing weekly G-House TV Broadcasts. They have produced excellent video work and graphic design products, and is invaluable with their skills of equipment and keeping it in order and working. When our lightboard busted, the company wanted $350 for a repair visit. Davia repaired it and created a prompt sheet to teach other students how to use it correctly. They are dedicated to the arts, is apart of the afterschool drama club and that helped bring a play back to Galileo after 5 years, is also on the robotics team and a talented animation artist always going above and beyond what is asked. We are proud to have Davia at Galileo and are looking forward to 2 more years with them.

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