Cassie Stephens has been an elementary school art teacher since 1998 and currently teaches in Franklin, Tennessee. She’s the author of three books, host of a popular podcast and has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on her social media accounts. Cassie’s infectious personality, fun and informative lessons, and homemade outfits that tie to her lessons have made her a favorite of art teachers from around the world.

John Carlberg is the President and CEO of Dixon Ticonderoga Company, an industry leader in educational and fine art products. Dixon Ticonderoga is the maker of Prang in addition to Ticonderoga pencils, Fadeless bulletin board paper and Tru-Ray construction paper. Dixon Ticonderoga is also a leader in the fine art industry, including venerable brands like Strathmore, Canson, Daler - Rowney, Arches, and Princeton Brush.

Mario Rossero is the Executive Director of National Art Education Association, the leading professional membership organization exclusively for visual arts, design, and media arts education professionals. Mr. Rossero has also served as senior vice president of education for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, since July 2015. Prior to his administrative roles, Mario taught visual art for nearly 10 years across Pittsburgh and Chicago, primarily in elementary and middle school.

Nolen V. Bivens joined Americans for the Arts in 2021 as President and CEO and has supported and advocated for the arts as a national asset for much of his life. A retired U.S. Army Brigadier General, he supported pioneering research and policy about the benefits of the arts to service members and Veterans suffering the invisible wounds of war and is a staunch believer that the arts’ greatest impact is at the community level.

Jordan Rhodes is a Ph.D. Chemist turned artist based in Pawtucket, RI. Jordan’s art practice started out as a way to relax in his leisure time after working in the lab, but quickly grew into his passion. In his third year of graduate school, Jordan reluctantly began sharing his work on Instagram and people noticed! Jordan now has more than 330K followers on Instagram. Jordan works with traditional and digital media, with gouache paint as a current favorite. Jordan’s work is primarily portraiture, but prides himself on constantly learning and trying new things.

Rita Gibson is the Brand Manager for Prang and is responsible for all product performance and innovation. Rita’s charge is to ignite creativity by offering superior products that deliver an unparalleled learning experience for young art enthusiasts. Prior to this role, Rita managed education marketing for the company, working directly with teachers, schools, districts, and organizations. Her team, along with teacher-created innovation, helped create standards-aligned lesson plans to keep students engaged, while providing fresh content for teachers.