Amanda Koonlaba is a mixed media artist, curriculum designer, and teaching artist with experience teaching both visual art and traditional courses. Her career has been driven by the power of the arts to reach all learners. She taught first grade and third grade for six years at a Mississippi Whole Schools Model School in Tupelo. She was named the “Elementary Art Teacher of the Year” for the state of Mississippi in 2016 and received the Arts Integration Service Award from Mississippi Whole Schools. She is also a published author and frequent speaker at education conferences.

Koonlaba’s background in education and her professional artistic talents allow her to integrate high quality, standards-based lessons and curriculum for schools and teachers. She is on a mission to ensure every student in America has access to a high-quality arts-based education. Koonlaba offers workshops for children and adults that build artistic skills while developing capacity for creativity. She is a whiz at creating truly original, creative experiences and arts-integrated lessons to teach any standard for a wide range of learners. She can also work with organizations to get their team on board to complete a large-scale work of art in no time.