2024 Election

State level positions up for re-election include President and Treasurer. Deadline for Voting is April 1, 2024 
Read information about the candidates below. Use the voting button to vote. Questions about elections? Please contact the NYSATA Elections Coordinator, at [email protected].

 Congratulations to the new President-Elect

KELLY VERDI
 President-Elect

NYSATA has been embedded in my artistic lifeline long before I became an art educator in 2005. My very first participation as a student with the NYSATA Portfolio Project cemented my connection with this amazing organization. This initial experience sparked my passion for arts education and made me realize the important role NYSATA plays in the arts advocacy platform. I have always felt that having an organization like NYSATA in my educational and professional corner is invaluable.

Having served in different capacities on the NYSATA BOT since 2010, I have been able to work alongside such a supportive collective. I am in awe constantly of the talented, creative, and scholarly people we have as members. Members who continue to inspire me to be a better educator, mentor, advocate, and creative soul. In NYSATA, I have found my tribe. The brightest, most colorful, and most inspiring tribe I have ever been a part of. NYSATA provides a voice for arts education. My passion for our profession and the importance the arts play in my life are why I believe in this organization so much. Every year our organization grows in numbers and we only get stronger as we grow.

When thinking about my goals as president, I reflect on the 2023 NYSATA conference theme ‘Inspire”. Every program NYSATA is part of, and every opportunity we develop for our members, is meant to inspire. As president, I will focus on ways to inspire our teacher population. By connecting with our new teachers, creating support services for our retired members, and strengthening our relationships with pre-service programs, we can continue to inspire our collective membership. Every one of our members has something to bring to the proverbial easel. I encourage members to not only be part of an event or art show but be part of the planning, design, or revisions of programs. Each of us has a voice and something we can contribute to NYSATA. To discover, inspire, and encourage members to be part of our organization, PD series, conferences, and programming we will need to re-evaluate how these opportunities reflect our mission of equity, diversity, and inclusion. As the world around us changes our membership must reflect that progress. I hope to inspire and be inspired by others. To collaborate with other creative minds and to keep advocating for the arts in any capacity available. The arts are such an integral part of everything we are. I hope to help create and foster programming in the coming years that continues to help and build on the existing blueprints NYSATA has established. What NYSATA stands for and its focus on Art Education advocacy is my passion. It would be my honor to serve as your NYSATA President-Elect. I ask that you please consider voting for me during the 2024 election. 

Congratulations to the Re-Elected Treasurer

AMANDA FALLING
Candidate for Treasurer

Serving as the NYSATA treasurer for the past two years has been a great experience, and one which I hope to continue. My goal for a second term as treasurer is to continue to work with the Board and Executive team to ensure that our organization is operating efficiently and in a way that best serves our membership and, indirectly, the students we teach. Arts Education is an important cornerstone of education, and we provide an important service in the support, advocacy and professional we are able to offer to our colleagues across the state. I also hope to build on the existing foundation to keep our financial well-being solid and organized. As a logical thinker, I believe I approach matters and treasury in a way that can help keep NYSATA on the current trajectory to transition into a more digital world.