Rheanna Abbott is an artist, strategist and facilitator dedicated to constructing catalytic situations that promote “wide-awakeness.”
Driven by curiosity and creativity, Rheanna loves nothing more than to lead others toward finding their flow. An artist, non profit consultant and facilitator, Rheanna is dedicated to supporting the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs that upend oppression. A strong leader with a wide breadth of experience as part of senior teams, she brings tenacity, creativity, and her values to every project she works on. An innovation coach, lecturer, and program designer, Rheanna uses her extensive knowledge of creative pedagogies in unexpected places— teaching MBA students how to notice deeply, guiding corporate teams in centering empathy in their practice, and leading artists in contextualizing their practice within large philosophical and political movements.
Facilitator and Consultant
2020 – Current
Rheanna collaborates with non profit organizations and corporate clients to infuse programming with creative instructional solutions. Borrowing from the arts pedagogy Aesthetic Education, and Universal Design for Learning, Rheanna supports the development of dynamic, equitable, and experiential learning opportunities.
Director of Education and Engagement at Planting Fields Foundation
2019-2020
Planting Fields Foundation preserves and interprets Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park as the premier public garden and Gold Coast estate for today and tomorrow while creating enriching experiences for the visiting public. As Director of Education and Engagement Rheanna oversaw the visitor experience. From considering accessibility to devising new inquiry-based content and training administrative staff, educators, and volunteers, she made time and space to learn all she could from the space and her colleagues while applying her expertise in educational best-practices.
Program Manager at Lincoln Center Education
2016-2019
The Arts in the Middle program seeks to measure the impact of providing fully funded arts programming over five years to NYC middle schools that previously had little or no arts education. As Manager of this program, Rheanna’s background as a New York City middle school arts teacher allowed her to collaborate effectively with partner schools, and find ways of ensuring that the relationships fostered were inclusive, productive, and reciprocal. She contributed to larger organizational initiatives by presenting at local and national conferences, including Lincoln Center's Summer Forum, contributing to Lincoln Center’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, and leading a team in the curation of artwork within Lincoln Center Education's first gallery space.