Meet our instructors

Bennett Portillo (they/he) is an arts educator passionate about play, exploration, deconstruction, and community building as essential components to learning through the arts. Bennett has lived along the East Coast, from Richmond to Philadelphia and currently Providence. They hold a BFA in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and are a graduate student in the Teaching and Learning in Art and Design (TLAD) department at RISD.

Hi there! My name is Charlotte Faubert, and I am an MA graduate student in the Teaching and Learning in Art and Design (TLAD) department. Prior to attending RISD, I received my bachelors of science in psychology at Union College. My background in psychology informs my practices as an art educator. I aim to relate my art projects to the development/ socioemotional needs of young students, the context of which I have a strong understanding from both my degree in psychology and my time working as a pre-K teacher at Bright Horizons in Brookline, MA. My time engaging in research and real world educational practice has taught me that young children best engage with and learn from creative practices when they are able to play, imagine, and make mistakes through their art. My goal as an art educator is to instill a sense of curiosity, openmindedness, and compassion within each student, and to encourage them to be unashamedly themselves! 

Dr. Shana Cinquemani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching + Learning in Art + Design (TLAD) at the Rhode Island School of Design, with a specialty in elementary and early childhood art education. She has worked as a museum educator, a preschool teaching assistant, as well as an elementary and middle school art teacher. Shana has published her research in various peer reviewed publications and edited collections, and is currently co-editing a book on motherscholarship, young children, and the arts. She has presented her work at local, national, and international venues, and is also the past president of the Early Childhood Art Educators Interest Group for the National Art Education Association. She lives in Rhode Island with her 9 year old son, husband, two cats, and their dog.

My name is Xiao. I am an art educator working with children, youth, and families across schools, museums, libraries, and after-school programs. My practice centers on creating space for students to lead their own explorations, make choices, and co-construct meaning. Last year, I had the chance to explore bookmaking with Mini Makerz. We created pop-up books, flag books, and wearable books, merging storytelling and material exploration in unique and playful forms.

Claire Meagher is a visual artist and K–12 art educator based in New York City. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching & Learning in Art & Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University. In her teaching and personal work, Claire explores themes of identity, community, and memory across a variety of media including collage, digital media, and mixed-media. She has worked in cultural and community centers such as La Casita in Syracuse and Mini Makerz through Providence Public Libraries, as well as at the RISD Museum. She now teaches elementary art 3K-5th in NYC Public Schools. As an educator, Claire combines her studio practice with a philosophy of art learning that emphasizes expression, agency, and meaningful engagement.