EASTON, MD—ArtScene | The Podcast, Queen Anne’s County Public Schools’ premier platform celebrating the real lives of arts educators, recorded a landmark one-hour video episode this past weekend at the Academy Art Museum during the Maryland Art Education Association (MAEA) Summer Retreat. The special episode featured a powerhouse panel of leaders who have helped shape arts education across the state and nation: Michael Bell (QACPS), Lisa Stuart Whitehead (PGCPS), and Gino Molfino (HCPSS).
Hosted by Michael Bell, 2022 NAEA Eastern Region Supervisor of the Year, QACPS 2024 Outstanding Leadership Award winner, and 2024 NAEA National Supervisor of the Year, the episode explores what it means to lead with vision, build with trust, and inspire through storytelling.
“I’m a big-picture guy who challenges the process—but with care—because people don’t just follow who’s in charge,” Bell shared during the episode. “They follow someone who takes charge, makes them feel inspired and creates opportunities for them to shine. We are our stories.”
This live taping marked the second-ever live ArtScene video episode recorded during a statewide conference, following the October 2024 MMEA session at Kent Island High School—host of Maryland’s first-ever state music conference held on the Eastern Shore.
What made this episode especially memorable was the convergence of three generations of award-winning arts leadership:
- Dr. Lisa Stuart Whitehead, Instructional Supervisor of Visual Art for Prince George’s County Public Schools and the 2024 NAEA National Art Educator of the Year, recognized for extraordinary national impact and service;
- Gino Molfino, 2021 NAEA National Supervisor of the Year, Past President of MAEA, and 2024 NAEA Supervision and Administration Division Director-Elect;
- and Michael Bell, whose transformative leadership in Queen Anne’s County has sparked a wave of teacher recognitions, national student awards, Maryland’s first Fine Arts Signing Day, and the creation of ArtScene as both a statewide art exhibition and storytelling podcast series.
Together, the trio shared reflections on navigating systemic challenges, elevating teacher voice, advocating for the arts, and preparing the next generation of educators and student leaders.
“This episode is a masterclass in leadership and legacy,” Bell said. “To sit down with Lisa and Gino—both mentors, colleagues, and pioneers—was an honor. I’ve known and worked with both of them for over two decades. We talked about everything from staying connected to what quality programming really looks like. And it always starts with quality teachers.”
The full video episode premieres August 1st on ArtScene | The Podcast, available on Spotify. Audiences can expect bold ideas, plenty of laughter, and a candid, heartfelt conversation between three of Maryland’s most influential voices in arts education—leaders who are shaping what’s next, one story at a time.
This panel followed an hour-long hands-on Visual Journaling workshop led by Michael Bell and Andrea Schulte, where they shared the success of Bell’s groundbreaking Visual Journaling high school course for grades 10–12, launched this year in Queen Anne’s County Public Schools.
Next up, on Tuesday, July 29, Bell travels with Kent Island High School Principal Dan Harding to the Walter’s Art Museum in Baltimore for the first-ever statewide Principal Symposium, hosted by the Maryland State Department of Education’s Fine Arts Office and Arts for Learning Maryland. Bell will once again take the stage, joining a distinguished statewide panel alongside Karl Stewart (Carroll County), Dr. Lisa Stuart Whitehead (Prince George’s County), Brian Schneckenburger (Baltimore County), and Chan’nel Williams-Howard (Baltimore City).
About ArtScene | The Podcast:
ArtScene | The Podcast explores the untold stories behind educators who inspire creativity every day. From classroom triumphs to system-wide innovations, each episode offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the people making arts education matter. Subscribe to “ArtScene | the Podcast” on Spotify at https://anchor.fm/artscene. Also available on iTunes, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your favorite podcast.