SMARTS Welcomes New Staff

The talent at SMARTS continues to grow with the addition of a new Program Manager and new Assistant Director this fall.

We are excited to welcome Liberty Long to the SMARTS Family as Program Manager. Liberty will work with our community partners including Akiva Academy, Autism Society, Leonard Kirtz, Liberty School District, South Side Academy, and more. She is spearheading our Beats & Empowers programming that offers classes in hand drumming, visual art, dance, and theater for students with special needs.

Liberty Long, an artist and educator from Navarre, Ohio, holds a Bachelor's degree in Visual Art and a Master's in Education from Mount Vernon Nazarene University. With a strong background in visual arts, educational resources, and arts integration, she has engaged in a variety of creative pursuits. Before joining SMARTS, Liberty taught a range of subjects to students of all ages. She is passionate about fostering creativity and artistic expression in all people, believing that the arts play an essential role in life. Liberty is thrilled to become part of the SMARTS family, and looks forward to both utilizing and expanding her professional skills in this exciting new role.

You can read the feature on Liberty in The Business Journal: https://businessjournaldaily.com/long-joins-smarts-as-program-manager/

SMARTS is also pleased to welcome Abbie Twyford Wilson, Assistant Director. Abbie has jumped right in, taking the lead on planning our annual SMARTS Family Dinner, that was held on Wednesday, November 20. She is a double graduate of Youngstown State University, with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Education – Student Affairs Leadership and Practice. She has a strong background in events management and brings eleven years of experience in higher education, with a focus in college student leadership development. This will support her work with our college-aged student assistants in their own professional development and future youth arts workforce development programming.

“I am excited to use my skills in new ways and remain connected to Downtown Youngstown through SMARTS. The philosophy that ‘every person is an artist’ encourages my own creative pursuits and allows me to connect them with my professional growth.” A native of the Ohio Valley, Twyford Wilson has called the Mahoning Valley home for several years, and was most recently the Director of Student Activities for Eastern Gateway Community College. She lives in Youngstown with her husband, Brian, and their twin two-year old budding artists.

In her new leadership role as Assistant Director, Abbie supports programming and organizational development with the program managers and by working with community partners. She helps coordinate the planning and execution of fundraising events as well as tracking, preparing, and writing grants while serving as the front-line person in absence of the SMARTS President, Becky Keck. “Abbie has already made a huge positive impact on our team and daily operations with her expertise, creativity, and attention to details. We are incredibly excited to have her as part of our leadership team,” said Becky Keck, SMARTS President and Founder.

You can read more here:
https://businessjournaldaily.com/twyford-wilson-joins-smarts-as-assistant-director/

https://www.vindy.com/news/local-news/2024/11/smarts-school-welcomes-new-assistant-director/