NY-SC5136 - How Museums Help Build Dementia Inclusive Communities

Founder and Director of Creative Spark Art Therapy, a community and private art therapy practice. Her community work includes being an Arts Action Team member for Dementia Inclusive Durham, as well as a partnership with The Nasher as resident Art therapist and consultant for Reflections: The Nasher Museum’s Alzheimer’s Program.

Emery H. Mikel, MA, ATR-BC, LCAT, LCPAT provided studio art therapy to the elderly and people living with dementia throughout the Washington, DC area until her relocation to Huntington, NY. She created and conducted her own contract service with 15-20 retirement homes. She studied Transpersonal Art Therapy at Naropa University. She is the founder and director of Water & Stone: a transpersonal and contemplative creative arts therapy collective. She also mentors therapists, supervises interns, and guest lectures at George Washington University and Nazareth College. She received her MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology: Art Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, CO.

Director of Education and Public Programs at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Ruhle leads Reflections, the museum’s Alzheimer’s program, and all public programs. She is a board member for the NC Alzheimer’s Association and was named 2014 Museum Educator of the Year by the NC Art Education Association.