Kari Giordano teaches art, design, and photography to grades 7-12 at Mount Everett Regional School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor of Fine Art from State University of New York at New Paltz and her Master of Art from Rhode Island School of Design. Beyond her teaching duties, Giordano serves as the K-12 Arts Curriculum Leader as well as advisor to numerous school organizations. Awards and honors include the prestigious James C. Kapteyn Award for Excellence in Teaching, Berkshire Community College’s 40 Under 40 Award, and State University of New York at New Paltz’s 40 Under 40 Award. Giordano has had over a dozen articles published in SchoolArts Magazine, a national art education publication, has presented her design curriculum at the National Art Education Association National Convention and has been invited to speak at the New Paltz Women in Leadership Summit. Outside of education, Giordano owns and operates a freelance graphic design and photography studio. She lives and works in Berkshire County, Massachusetts with her husband and two young sons. For her inquiry project, she is excited to study rural arts education and how practical, place-based projects can connect rural students with their local communities in an age where urbanization has a profound impact on rural districts.