Ms. Kathleen Donovan came to public education with a BFA the visual arts, experience as a Creative Director in the marketing department for the Connecticut Credit Union League trade association and a working expertise in owning and operating her own freelance graphic design business while raising two young boys at home. In 2004 she began working as Computer Literacy educator at Myles Elementary School at the New Hartford Central School District which led to her to a NY certification as an K-12 Education Technology Specialist and completion of a Masters of Science degree from College of St. Rose in Albany NY. She accepted a new teaching assignment in 2014 as a STEM Enrichment Specialist for all of the elementary schools in New Hartford District and continues to work with elementary school students on interdisciplinary learning. She is a lifelong learner in STEM education and has earned a graduate certificate from Tufts University in the Teacher Teach Engineering Program in 2018 and in 2021 she was accepted into the New York State Master Teachers program (Mohawk Valley) where she continues to work with colleagues and educators from across the state on STEM and STEAM professional development. Currently, she is in the graduate program at SUNY Buffalo State Center for Applied Imagination learning about creativity and the ways to teach and facilitate the creative problem solving process to all ages.

"In the whirlwind of developing my pedagogy of a STEM enrichment educator I am often left humbled at the vertices I encounter. By this I mean, that with every engineering challenge I unfold for my elementary-aged students, the YouTube videos and other age-appropriate resource material I gather to assist in their engagement, I am bereft of all the knowledge I need to convey in the limited time I have with them. I imagine how I could float them in on the sciences, on an abundance of wonder; or on a description of how a math calculation can assist the stability of their design; or how a flash-prototype is a great way to make their thoughts immediately tangible. There are so many avenues to explore to invoke their creative resources, but I have learned to lean into the one reliant skill that most elementary school children have: their imagination. I remind them that when Mr. Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge” he was reminding all of us to have the courage to explore our own unique creativity. Creativity is our main ingredient to fuel the big ideas and design solutions for everyone to benefit from." -   Kathleen Donovan