Michael received his Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1975, and his Master’s in Educational Administration from Central Washington University in 1992. He and his wife Susan have been married since 1974 and reside in Lakewood, Washington. Their three grown sons are David (El Paso, Texas), Brian (Spokane, Washington), and Matthew (McGuire AFB, New Jersey). The joys of their lives are their two granddaughters: Hailey and April.

Museum-related projects that Dr. Henley is particularly proud of include developing extensive drop-in art classes for families with children, partnering with summer camps for individuals with special needs, and establishing a program for individuals coping with dementia-related illnesses and their care partners. His current work is related to curriculum development in relation to STEAM, therapeutic art experiences with hot glass, and exploring the intersection of technique and content in apprentice-based arts education.

Dr. Henley earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Toledo in Art Education, focusing on drawing. His doctorate was earned at Auburn University, with a dissertation entitled Adolescent Artistic Caricatures and the Sharing of Art, which examined the social groupings related to definitions of art, and the social context of making and sharing art as interpreted by teenagers. Dr. Henley continues to pursue academic research, examining social motivations of arts engagement, attribution theories of achievement in the visual arts, philosophical challenges in museum settings, and qualitative research methods.

When not working, Andrew enjoys computer gaming, playing terrible covers on guitar or piano, and drawing. During Saturdays in the fall, he wears and bleeds burnt orange and navy, while screaming “War Eagle!” as his Auburn Tigers never yield.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Clark received her BA in music education from Morris Brown College and received her MA in music with a specialization in vocal performance from Middle Tennessee State University. She obtained her teacher licensure from Belmont University for the states of Tennessee and Georgia for K-12 vocal/general music education.

Prior career highlights include earning The Orff-Schulwerk Level I & II Certification to teach children music, a tenured chorus member of the Nashville Opera, performing in several operas including Aida, Turandot, Tosca, La Boheme, Die Fledermaus and a scholarship to study abroad at the University of Siena, Italy’s Sessione Sense per la Musica, concerts, and solo performances held in: Siena, Rome, Lucerne, Calcio, Firenze, Venezia, Assisi, Pisa, and svizzera.

Ms. Clark recently made her solo debut in the film PORTRAITS-The First Black American Divas of Song and Opera; as Elizabeth Taylor-Greenfield.

Mr. Cooper has been instrumental in maintaining a strong public education arts program in the South Kitsap School District in spite of the recent downturn in the economy. He has been a consummate advocate for providing standards-based arts instruction for all children nationwide. His work as one of the primary writers of the 2014 NCAS Music Standards has influenced arts instruction across all 50 states. He is again working as a member of the OSPI Arts Leadership Cadre in aligning the state arts standards and national standards.

Bob currently holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music (with minors in Theatre and Visual Arts), two Master’s degrees, a K-12 principal certification, and a Washington State superintendent certification. He has personally taught kindergarten through college and, in addition to his administrator duties, is the director of the South Kitsap High School String Symphony.

In addition to his teaching and administrative work, Cooper still finds time to compose and arrange musical pieces in a wide range of musical genres. In the musical theatre realm his original works Bethlehem, Robin Hood: The Musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Star Songs have been produced in numerous venues up and down the West Coast. His works for student performing groups range from small choir to large band and orchestral pieces.

A digital professional with a passion for gender equality in tech, she has been able to impact change by founding GCON, a gaming community and annual convention for women players and developers in Saudi Arabia, born out of the need for representation on both the consumer side and the industry level. Her experiences have taught her to navigate cultural and logistical challenges: from fundraising and changing misconceptions about gaming to fighting off sandstorms, she never has a dull moment.

Today she finds herself even more motivated to turn her skills to social impact. Because the stories we tell ourselves matter, she wants to tell better stories about the future to come. Her goal is to promote consumption choices that are driven by more than convenience and self-interest and solve real-world problems at scale.