Welcome to Creativists in Dialogue’s new series: Innovator, Artists & Solutions, where we explore creativists who are tackling some of society’s most significant problems. To launch the series, we talk with noted creativity experts Dr. Jessica Hunter and Kris Stanec of The Colorado College Creativity & Innovation initiative.
Jessica Hunter is an educator and curator with over 20 years of experience working within academic and museum contexts. Since 2006, she has worked with faculty across disciplines at Colorado College to design experiences and assignments that weave creative problem-solving and visual literacy activities into courses across disciplines.
She holds a B.A. in Art History from Colorado College and an M.A. also in Art History from the University of Colorado. She completed a Ph. D. in Creativity from the University of the Arts in 2022, where she explored the intersections of art, perception, and creativity.
She has extensive training in visual literacy pedagogies and has adapted these methodologies to support interdisciplinary learning and creative development in education and museum contexts. Jessica has presented her research on creativity, visual literacy, and education at multiple conferences nationally and internationally.
Kris Stanec, M. A., has been exploring creativity, critical thinking, the arts, and education for most of her life.
Kris first began teaching an arts integration course at Colorado College in 1996. Since then she has developed courses and programs as a faculty member in the Education Department, as Director of the Partnership for Civic Engagement, and most recently, as Director of Museum Education at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. These courses and programs have inspired people to embrace the creative process for deeper reflection and learning.
As a reflective practitioner who crafts meaningful practices, she uses inclusive pedagogies to bring theory into action. Kris has worked with pre-service teachers, led professional development workshops, and presented at conferences to bring creativity, critical pedagogy, and arts integration strategies to students and educators at all levels.
Kris is known as a leader who creates community and engages many voices to build successful, dynamic, and impactful programs.
For more information about The Colorado Collage as well as about Jessica and Kris, click here.
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Innovators, Artists & Solutions, Part 1 of our Conversation with Dr. Jessica Hunter and Kris Stanec of The Colorado College's Creativity & Innovation Program