Peggy Benkeser

Peggy Benkeser
ArtsNow Music Consultant

Peggy Benkeser is a celebrated creativity coach, consultant, and arts integration specialist. She most recently served as the Director of Arts at The Galloway School where she led the revitalization of the fine arts program and introduced arts-integration practices across grades prek-12. During her tenure as the music teacher at the Cliff Valley School, Ms. Benkeser created an arts-integrated music curriculum for students aged 2 years through grade 8 incorporating elements of Orff Schulwerk, World Music Drumming, and the Ritmia Program. She founded the CV World Music Ensemble and facilitated students in the creation of four original musicals. A professional percussionist by training, Ms. Benkeser received 3 awards from ASCAP/Chamber Music America for Adventurous Programing while the artistic director of Thamyris, New Music Ensemble. She holds a Masters Degree in Music Education and Performance from Georgia State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance from the University of Illinois.

Consultant – Jenevieve Goss

Jenevieve Goss
ArtsNow Consultant

Jenevieve has been working in elementary classrooms for over ten years and recently joined Kennesaw State University as an assistant professorship role teaching undergraduate and master’s courses a supervisor of student teachers. Jenevieve is passionate and motivated by student-centered learning and creative, authentic exploration of all the subject areas. Jenevieve has an Arts Education degree from Buffalo State College, a master’s in Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB), and a doctorate in curriculum instruction. Since 2018 she has served as a governing board member and chair of the academic committee for Fulton Academy of Science and Technology. Jenevieve is a committed educator and believes in the power of arts integration across the curriculum.

Consultant – J’miah Nabawi

J’miah Nabawi
ArtsNow Consultant

J’miah, bilingual in Spanish and English, is a multifaceted performance storyteller and self-publishing author of his World-Beat Books. His storytelling is known for incorporating story-specific vocabulary and songs in the languages of Twi, Spanish, French, Yoruba, Japanese, Gullah, and Ki-Swahili during his performances and reflects the musical folktale drama style. J’miah’s work with children and youth in underserved rural and urban areas has been recognized by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives the Mayor of Boston, MA, and the Miami Dade City Council in Miami, FL. He is also a recipient of the National Storytelling Network's ORACLE Award for Outstanding Service and Leadership in the Southeast Region for his community leadership through storytelling."

Consultant – Debi West, Ed.S, NBCT

Debi West, Ed.S, NBCT
ArtsNow Visual Arts Consultant

Debi is a long-time teacher and advocate for art education and is currently the fine arts department chair at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee. She is the former President of the Georgia Art Education Association, has served on various boards for the National Art Education Association, and is currently the NAEA Southeastern Vice President. Debi has won numerous awards as a teacher and is an accomplished artist and author, receiving national recognition for her work, “The Art of Making Art.” She has published 10 books and resource guides and is a contributing editor for “Arts and Activities” magazine. Debi has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of South Carolina with a concentration in studio art, an art teaching certificate from the Moore College of Art and Design, an MAEd (art education), and Ed.S (art education) from the University of Georgia. She is also a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia.

Consultant – Shannon Green

Shannon Green
ArtsNow Visual Arts Consultant

Shannon, a former museum educator at the High Museum of Art, is a practicing visual artist and has created installations for Art on the Belt Line in Atlanta, Dashboard Co-op and Flux Projects. She is the co- founder of the Indie Craft Experience, a local organization featuring hundreds of local, regional, and national artists. Her classroom experience includes working with students and teachers to integrate visual art into curriculum and promote visual literacy. She is currently merging science and art through the process of creating natural pigments and paints from native rocks and plants. Shannon holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and studio art from the University of West Georgia and is also certified from the National Center for Montessori Education. She is passionate about working with students and teachers to create meaningful connections through the arts.