Teaching and Research focus

Arts-based education. Qualitative research methods.

Critical literacy education. Critical parenting.

 

Education

 

PhD candidate Georgia State University, Early Childhood and Elementary Education

                                                                                    expected graduation: Spring 2026

 

Certificate in Qualitative Research                                                           December 2024

 

MA     Georgia State University, Creative and Innovative Education        December 2020

 

BA      Sarah Lawrence College, Liberal Arts (Theatre)                                      May 2002            

 

University Teaching Experience

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.                                                         Summer, 2025

Instructor of Record, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Arts-Based Research

• Created multi-modal curriculum with readings and viewings, activities, and prompts. 

• Led graduate students to engage with and practice critical ABR methods in their educational fields.

• Grading and class management. 

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.                                                               Fall, 2024

Instructor of Record, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Culture, Equity, and Responsive Pedagogy

• Created and adapted multi-modal curriculum with readings and viewings, activities, and prompts.

• Led undergraduate students in engaging with and discussing critical texts in education literature and their application to early childhood/elementary teaching.

• All grading and class management. 

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA                                                           Spring, 2024

Co-Instructor with Dr. Jonathan Cohen, Department of Learning Sciences

Invent to Learn

• Led graduate students in interactions with dozens of online modules and maker technologies such as 3D printers, VR studio, laser and die cutter, and more. 

• Taught foundational concepts of maker education.

• Assisted grading.

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.                                                               Fall, 2024

Co-Instructor with Dr. L. Meyers, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Immersive Spaces

• Created multi-modal curriculum with readings and viewings, activities, and prompts.

• Led MACIE students in engaging with critical texts, images, and performances from multiple fields intersecting with education.

• All grading and class management

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.                                                       Summer, 2025

Teaching assistant, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Capstone 

• One-on-one consultations and brainstorms with students supporting their Capstone project (the final project/essay of the MACIE program).

• Led classes in qualitative research methods and coding techniques. 

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA                                                                Fall, 2022

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Culture, Equity, and Responsive Pedagogy

• Assisted Dr. Rhina Fernandez-Williams in teaching this undergraduate course.

• Developed exercises, engaged with students on readings and media.

• Assisted grading.

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA                                                                Fall, 2021

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Children and Media

• Assisted Dr. Laura Meyers in teaching this undergraduate course.

• Engaged with students on readings and media.

• Assisted grading.

            

Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA                                                   Spring, 2014

Guest Professor, Theatre Department                                               

Elements of Puppetry Design

• Teacher of record for this undergraduate course covering the following topics: history of puppetry in the US, international history of puppetry, performing with the puppet, puppet construction, writing puppet theatre, distinct forms of puppetry – shadow, rod, hand, body, toy theatre, object, etc. 

• Developed all course materials, lectures, syllabus, exercises, final project prompts.

• All grading and class management.

 

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Publications

 

‘Mantelpiece Theatre; An Autoethnocinematic Exploration of Grief Objects as Provocations for Parent-Child Conversations About Death and Loss’ with Janie Copple                                                                                                                                            (Under review, 2025)

 

‘A Bridge of Strings: Antiracist Puppet Theatre and White Parents’ Racial Socialization of their Children’                                                                                 (Under review, 2025)

 

Cited in Adapturgy; the Dramaturg’s Art and Theatrical Adaptation by Jane Barnette (2018), Southern Illinois University Press

 

Research Presentations 

 

‘Mantelpiece Theatre; Grief Objects as Provocations for Parent-Child Conversations About Death and Loss’                                                                                                  May, 2025

Session moderator, and first author with Dr. Janie Copple

International Conference of Qualitative Inquiry                                                     

 

‘Riding with Ruth: puppet theatre and the antiracist                                     December, 2024

socialization of white families’

Literacy Research Association conference

 

‘White Antiracist Socialization through the Performing Arts’.                                May 2024

International Conference of Qualitative Inquiry

 

‘Educators’ Night at the Center for Puppetry Arts featuring Ruth &               February 2024

the Green Book’

Panelist along with Meredith Evans, President of Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, and Jennifer Triplett, Principal of Oakhurst Elementary School.

 

‘Anti-racist education through performing arts integration’.                             October 2023

Graduate Conference for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity, Atlanta, GA

 

Research experience

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta GA                                                            Spring, 2024

Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

• Assisted Dr. Daniel Edelen in term analysis of over 200 peer-reviewed mathematics education articles from three major journals.

 

Georgia State University, Atlanta ,GA                                                                 Fall, 2021

Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education

• Assisted Dr. Ryan Ziols in preparation of manuscript for submission - Nationalized Anxieties, Spiritualized Traumas?: Examining the Historical Contours of Education,

Health Crises, and Alternative Onto-Epistemologies 

 

Museum Education

 

From 2012-2017, Michael was commissioned by the High Museum of art in Atlanta to create original performances for school groups, using arts-based education to prompt student learning and appreciation of exhibits, along with interactive outdoor performances for all ages. 

 

Tiovivo, 2017

Created and managed an all-ages shadow puppetry maker event in conjunction with outdoor sculpture exhibit by Jaime Hayon.

 

Gallery Interventions, 2017 

Created and directed dancers, art detectives, folk art singers and singing elevator operators in the permanent collection during weekly evening hours.

 

Ocean of Milk, adapted from the Mahabharata, 2016 

Created and directed shadow puppetry spectacle on the exterior walls of the museum, with the Emory Gamelan Ensemble.

 

Cabinet of Curiosities, 2015

Created and directed an operetta starring King Rudolph II for school groups visiting the ‘Habsburg Splendors’ exhibit.

 

The Museum at Night, 2014 

Wrote and directed a theatrical, educational performance for school groups visiting the permanent collection.

 

Home Bodies, 2014

Choreographed dance performances on plaza installation ‘Mi Casa Your Casa’ by Esrawe and Cadena.

 

Frida’s Heart, 2013 

Wrote and directed a theatrical, educational performance for school groups visiting the ‘Frida and Diego’ exhibit.

 

Go West, 2013

Wrote and directed a theatrical, educational performance for school groups visiting the ‘Art of the American Frontier’ exhibit.

 

Fast Forward, 2012 

Wrote and directed a theatrical, educational performance for school groups visiting the ‘Modern Moments’ exhibition.

 

Professional Experience

 

The Object Group, Atlanta, GA.                                                                           2012-present

Producing Artistic Director

• Artistic leader and CEO. 

• Managing, casting, staffing, grantwriting and grant management, budgeting and cash flow, marketing, human resources, lead producer, director and writer on productions.

• Created over 40 productions for all ages since 2012, in partnership with the Alliance Theatre, Georgia Aquarium, High Museum of Art, Dad’s Garage Theatre, Kennesaw State University, Chamber Dance Project, and Penobscot Theatre. 

• Production of annual Vital puppetry workshops for performers of color since 2021.

• Production of weekly Unexpected Encores performances for elders in six Atlanta memory care communities since 2021.

 

7 Stages Theatre, Atlanta, GA                                                                                  2012-2018

Co-Artistic Director

• Liason with press and government funders

• Writer and director of productions

• Management of interactive theatre festival 2013-2017 

• Grantwriter and grant management

• Budgeting and cash flow

• Facility management. 

 

The Center for Puppetry Arts                                                                                 2004-2013

Artistic Associate

• Writer and director of productions for young audiences. 

• Member of the Art group, deciding the season’s productions. 

• Program Director of Xperimental Puppetry Theatre program 2004-2013, identifying and curating artists, promoting creative team collaboration, liaising between artists and staff, and producing the annual XPT show.

• Grantwriter.

• Media and funder liaison. 

 

Awards, Fellowships and Grants

 

Awards

Princess Grace Foundation-USA, Gant Gaither award                                          2012

Theater Communications Group, New Generations Future Leader                       2010

Certificate of Recognition for Puppet Theater Design, Arlyn Award Society         2010

 

Fellowships

The Studios of Key West residency fellow                                                                2018

Hambidge residency fellow                                                                                      2015

Yaddo residency fellow                                                                                             2014

MacDowell Colony residency fellow                                                                         2013

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Grants

Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund                                                                                2024

Brightwings Foundation                                                             2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Mary Allen Branan Foundation                                                                                2022

NEA Artworks grant                                        2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021

City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs      2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Fulton County Arts Council                                      2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Jim Henson Foundation Project grant                                         2011, 2016, 2019, 2022

Jim Henson Foundation Family grant                                                                       2012

Jim Henson Foundation Workshop grant                                   2007, 2010, 2018, 2022

Reiser Lab, Alliance Theatre                                                                                    2020

Georgia Council for the Arts                                                       2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Princess Grace Foundation-USA, Professional Development grant                        2018

Princess Grace Foundation-USA, Special Project grant                                          2016 

Puffin West Foundation                                                                  2020, 2021, and 2022

Puppeteers of America grant                                                                    2007 and 2009

Meet the Composer Foundation grant                                                                       2007

 

Workshops

 

‘Bunraku and Tabletop Puppetry’                                                              2023, 2024, 2025

Emory University, Theatre Department

 

‘Introduction to Puppetry’                                                                                              2022

Spelman College, Atlanta, GA                                                                             

 

‘Devising from the Object’                                                                         2010, 2011, 2012

Alliance Theatre and National Puppetry Festival, Atlanta, GA

 

‘Adapting Literature to the Puppet Stage’                                                            2009, 2010

The Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta, GA