February Lunch with NEMA

After a year of unmeasurable strife in the world, our nation, and our industry, paying attention to our workplace environments is more important than ever. "Fostering tolerance" and "promoting empathy" are phrases we often see in descriptions of museum programming, but how often do we live out what we teach? Do museum offices reflect the practices we espouse publicly? Turning our own museum education methods inward might do us some good. This workshop will examine the compelling use of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) as an effective approach to breaking down silos between departments, bringing together various levels of staff, and creating a respectful place where employees bring their best selves. Join us for an engaging conversation as well as some guidelines for how to recreate what you've learned back at your home institution.

As the Principal for Yellow Room Consulting, Erin brings her 15 years of experience from the art world and museum education to industries and sectors looking for innovative ways to increase empathy, build employee curiosity and respectfulness, and improve their team dynamics. A trained Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) facilitator, she specializes in adult learning, innovative program development, and cross-discipline meaning-making in institutions of all types. She received her BA from the University of Virginia in art history and archaeology, her MA from the University of Alabama in American studies, and her Certificate in Museum Studies/Education from Tufts University. She serves on the Steering Committee of the Greater Boston Museum Educators Roundtable and as the Ed PAG co-chair for NEMA. Since 2008, Erin has produced and led arts-in-medicine programs with her physician-scientist husband for a variety of audiences from the MFA Boston to the German International School to Vilnius University in Lithuania.