About Me
About Me
Ami Kantawala, Ed.D.
Researcher | Writer | Educator | Arts Advocate
Ami Kantawala, Ed.D. is a scholar, arts educator, and program administrator with over two decades of experience in art teacher education, leadership, and community engagement. Her research is grounded in critical historical inquiry, counter-narratives, and leadership through a social justice lens. She investigates questions around undocumented and marginalized histories, biographical and postcolonial studies, international art education, mentoring, research methods, and the role of theory in educational practice.
Currently, she serves as Adjunct Associate Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Lecturer at Boston University, where she teaches graduate-level courses in leadership, research methods, writing for publication, and art education histories. She works with pre-service and in-service educators, museum professionals, and teaching artists in PK–16 and alternative learning spaces—helping them build reflective, responsive, and justice-oriented practices.
Ami brings a growing specialization in educational technology, developed through years of designing asynchronous graduate courses. She is especially interested in how EdTech and AI can extend culturally responsive pedagogy, research and reflexive practice into remote and hybrid learning environments.
From 2020 to 2023, she served as Senior Editor of Art Education, the flagship journal of the National Art Education Association. She led a 50-member editorial board, mentoring a wide range of authors and producing 18 issues that explored racial injustice, civic agency, war trauma, and pandemic resilience—alongside practical curricular tools for educators.
At the heart of her work is a belief in education as a space for transformation—where lived experience, research, and reflection come together to build inclusive and imaginative futures.
Education
-
Teachers College,
Columbia University
Doctor of Education
Master of Education -
Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay, India
Bachelor of Fine Arts -
Certificate in Higher Education Leadership Training for Women in Academia (HERS)
Expertise
- Culturally Responsive Pedagogy & Social Justice Education
- Critical Histories of Art Education
- Practitioner Inquiry &
Teacher Research - Academic Writing, Editorial Leadership & Mentorship
- Program Design, Grant Writing & Conference Planning
- Educational Research Methods
- Instructional Design &
EdTech Integration - Public School Partnerships &
Parent Leadership (NYC)
Experience
- 20+ years of teaching experience in higher education
- Former Senior Editor of Art Education (2020–2023)
- Directed national conferences on art education history; raised $65K+ in funding
- Managed arts administration programs, including budgets, staffing, and strategic partnerships
- Developed and led asynchronous online instruction and instructional design initiatives
- Engaged in NYC public school leadership and community advocacy
Core Strengths
Research & Curriculum Design
- Deep expertise in qualitative research, cultural history, and art education
- Focus on Critical Race Theory, counternarratives, and inclusive pedagogy
- Designed and taught online graduate courses that integrate equity-focused leadership
Writing, Editing & Content Leadership
- Senior Editor, Art Education (2020–2023): Led editorial team, peer review, and issue curation
- Authored books, articles, and editorials on equity, cultural history, and education
- Teach a graduate-level Writing for Publication course that helps students develop, revise, and prepare manuscripts for submission to academic journals
- Skilled in editorial development, coaching academic writers at the high school and college levels, and facilitating inclusive, reflective dialogue through community-based initiatives like parent book clubs
Program & Administrative Experience
- Managed graduate admissions and scholarship processes as Program Manager at Teachers College
- Supervised staff, coordinated internship placements, and developed MA and Doctoral-level research project guidelines
- Served as a museum educator at the Worcester Art Museum, teaching art to children in a creative, hands-on learning environment
- Supported fundraising and donor engagement as a Development Assistant at the Danforth Art Museum
EdTech & Learning Technology Integration
- Taught asynchronous, online graduate courses in research and leadership through Boston University’s MA in Art Education
- Committed to accessible, tech-integrated learning design that prioritizes equity and reflective practice
- Strong understanding of online pedagogy and digital tools for higher education and adult learning
Grant Writing & Institutional Advancement
- Secured competitive grants from the Teachers College Provost’s Fund, Spencer Foundation, and National Art Education Foundation
- Collaborated with institutional partners and sponsors for large-scale initiatives
- Raised funds and wrote grants for K–12 school programs and nonprofits
