Rate My Professor Michaelann Kelley

Michaelann Kelley, Ed.D., is the Chair of the Department of Creative Arts and Associate Professor of Art and Design at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She holds an Ed.D. from the University of Houston, an M.A. in Education, and a B.A. in Art from the College of Mount St. Joseph, now Mount St. Joseph University. Before assuming her current positions, Kelley served as Director of Visual Arts for Aldine Independent School District in Houston, Texas, for seven years, where she focused on developing visual art curriculum and instruction at the district level and rebuilt the PK-12 art program, increasing art educators from 36 to 94. Prior to administration, she taught high school art for 23 years at Eisenhower High School in Aldine ISD. She returned to Mount St. Joseph University in 2021. Kelley's extensive career also includes leadership roles in the Texas Art Education Association, such as YPAE/YAM chairman, conference positions, and President-Elect.

Her scholarly work centers on teacher education, collaborative professional growth, narrative inquiries, visual arts education, critical thinking and social-emotional learning in education, school reform, and ongoing teacher learning within knowledge communities. Kelley has co-authored over 27 publications, including the book Knowledge Communities in Teacher Education: Sustaining Collaborative Work (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020) with C. J. Craig, G. A. Curtis, P. T. Martindell, and M. M. Perez; Examining Gender Issues in Education: Exploring Confounding Experiences on Three Female Educators' Professional Knowledge Landscapes (Frontiers in Education, 2023); Reflection through Critical Friendship: Promoting Growth of Teachers (Frontiers in Education, 2022); and Charting Waters of New Seas: The Scholarly Contributions of Elliot Eisner (Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2021). She has presented at national and international conferences, including the Texas Art Education Association, Ohio Art Education Association, National Art Education Association, American Educational Research Association, and the International Study Association on Teacher and Teaching in Glasgow, Scotland (2025). Kelley's honors include the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Mission Award, Mount St. Joseph University's highest mission honor; Ohio Art Education Association Higher Education Division Award and Distinguished Fellow (2024); Lone Star Advocate Award (2024); Texas Art Education Association Distinguished Fellows Honor (2021); National Art Education Association Western Region Supervision & Administration Art Educator Award (2020); and Emerging Scholar Award from Mount St. Joseph University (2023). She is the only art educator inducted as a fellow in two states for outstanding contributions to art education. Additionally, she held a solo exhibition titled “Moments” at the Delhi Cultural Arts Center in 2024, featuring 20 photographs.