Meet the Open Studies Team
Open Studies
Fueling Your Creativity
We fuel creative journeys through convenient and innovative learning models that provide broad access to MICAs rigorous art and design education.
Open Studies Team
Amy Hodges received her BA in Photography from Virginia Intermont College and a Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University. Amy joins Open Studies (OS) as the Director of Administrative Services after thirteen years as the Executive Assistant in the Provost’s office.
In this newly redefined role, Amy will help advance the work of OS as part of the leadership team and work to ensure that it has strong business practices that support innovation and growth. She will be providing strategic leadership for the creation, implementation, and organization of project and resource management strategies with the goal of achieving greater office efficiency and effectiveness. Amy will also create plans to ensure agility and effectiveness of OS hiring practices for contract faculty and staff while managing processes associated with compliance, contracting onboarding, and record keeping. In addition, she will work to balance operational budget requirements to achieve long term business goals.
Amy is the recipient of MICA’s Lori L. Stuart Award in 2014 and the Fred Worthington Memorial Award in 2019.
Over the course of his 30-year career in higher education, Barry has served as a tenured faculty member, department chair, dean, and vice president and provost. In his most recent role as senior vice president, he was responsible for monitoring the $400M construction phase of the Senior Learning Community (SLC) on the campus of Purchase College, including coordination with the SLC Executive Director, the PCAC/PLSC Board, its counsel, and the college’s cabinet. Barry oversaw the development of non-credit and credit-based intergenerational learning, including oversight of the Director for Intergenerational Learning and Continuing Education who created, planned, and administered quality educational programs that promoted life-long learning opportunities for youth and precollege students, and the residents of Broadview, the Senior Learning Community on the Purchase College campus. Before his work as senior VP, Barry was the provost at Purchase and oversaw the Schools of Art and Liberal Arts and Sciences, Central Technology Services, Purchase College Library, Office of International Programs and Services, The Neuberger Museum of Art, and the Performing Arts Center. During his ten-year tenure at Purchase, Barry reconfigured the communications program in Liberal Studies; redesigned and relaunched international studies as a unit devoted to global education; reorganized Liberal Studies core offerings; launched an English Language Intensive program in Continuing Education; conducted a feasibility study for the Center for Engagement, which is launched in the fall of 2018. Barry continues to direct in the theatre professionally having just concluded a run of the play Staring and Spitting into the Abyss at the New York City Solo Festival. He has directed productions throughout the Midwest and in Texas, Edinburgh, Atlanta, and Colorado. Barry and his wife, Carol, a medical dosimetrist, enjoy flyfishing, travel, and time on their boat on the Hudson River.
Dashielle Horn earned an MA and PhD in English from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, following a BA in English and History from Salisbury University. While completing her graduate work, she taught first-year writing and literature courses at Lehigh before moving on to lead the tutoring center and College Writing programs at SUNY Purchase College. Because her doctoral research is not particularly relevant to the work she currently does, it’s now more of a hobby! She focused on British women novelists of the eighteenth century. Her dissertation investigated the formation of the spinster figure and early women writers’ efforts to write opportunities for single lives into existence. Other hobbies include needlecraft and adopting senior cats— she has a clear personal brand.
Dashielle joined MICA's Open Studies department in June 2020 and serves as the Director of Graduate Student Success for the MPS programs (Data Analytics and Visualization, the Business of Art and Design, Product Management, and UX Design) as well as the dual degree MA/MBA Design Leadership program in partnership with Johns Hopkins University. Her role entails overseeing admissions processes, providing student support, managing student academic standing processes (leaves, withdrawals, probations, dismissals, and returns), developing programming, and strategic leadership regarding student success and retention.
Dashielle was awarded the 2023 Distinguished Service to Graduate Students Award.
Hashi Jayasinghe arrived in the US on a Fulbright scholarship and earned a PhD and MA in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies, both from the University at Arkansas. Her BA in English is from the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka.
After completing her graduate studies, Hashi worked as adjunct faculty for the Liberal Arts departments at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Colorado Community Colleges, University of New Hampshire, Richard Bland College of William and Mary, University of Wyoming, and Laramie County Community College. She then joined Verto Education as the Associate Director of Academics and Faculty Development where she developed curriculum and conducted professional development training for faculty, student success coordinators, and programming staff in seven global locations.
Hashi joined MICA full-time in the Department of Open Studies in December 2022 as the Instructional Designer. Her role entails designing courses for Open Studies, faculty tech support, promoting best practices for the delivery of class content online, and creating professional development opportunities for faculty.
During her free time, she loves to read non-fiction, dabble with watercolor painting, and hike with her two dogs.
Kate Porter earned both her B.F.A in Photography and M.A.T. at MICA. She also earned a certificate of Advanced Study in Organizational Change, College of Graduate Studies and Research at Towson University and holds an MSDE Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate Art PreK-12 as well as being MSDE Administrator I and II Certified. Prior to coming to MICA, Kate worked as the program director for Youth in Focus (a non-profit youth development photography organization in Seattle, WA) and as the assistant principal for the Baltimore Design School.
Kate served as the director of youth and community education in Open Studies for 5 years. In this role she provided strategic and logistical leadership and direction for all programs serving young students (grades K-12) and community education for life-long learners through MICA’s Open Studies academic unit. These programs included: Young People’s Studios/High School Studios; the PreCollege Art and Design Residency Program; the Art and Design College Accelerator Program; Community Education; and Professional Practice. The director also managed and implement any new or special initiatives related to the K-12 or community audiences.
Kate was promoted to Associate Dean of Open Studies in April 2022 where she focuses on leading organizational strategy, strengthening operational efficiency and effectiveness, oversight and management of area policy, regulatory compliance, accreditation, assessment, program review, academic services and resources, etc. for all Open Studies programming including degree programs, lifelong learning programs, and youth programs and Enrollment Services processes.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boston College and spent six years working in clinical nursing, including bone marrow transplant, brain injury rehabilitation, postpartum, and outpatient procedures. She also earned her Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and a Masters in Fine Arts from American University and works as a multi-disciplinary artist.
Katie joined the Maryland Institute College of Art in February of 2023 as a Graduate Program Coordinator: Student Focus. In the Office of Graduate Studies, her work included planning for graduate orientation and commencement, in addition to administrative support for MICA’s 14 residential graduate programs. Katie started her new position as Academic Coordinator in June 2024, transitioning to support for MICA’s Writing Center and student retention and success initiatives.
Katie is a Halloween enthusiast, non-fiction reader, aspiring gardener and proud mom to her golden retriever, Ginger.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with a concentration in the Civil Rights Movement from the University of Baltimore in 2006. In 2011, she earned a Master of Arts in Legal and Ethical studies, also from UB.
Her professional experiences include work as an Academic Specialist at University of Baltimore in the Legal, Ethical, and Historical Studies department, and various roles with the full and part time MBA programs at the Carey Business School.
Katie joined the Open Studies department at MICA in May of 2022, and is thrilled to have joined such a dynamic and enthusiastic team. Outside of building a career in higher education, Katie enjoys many passions: gardening, hiking, pit bull and rescue dog advocacy, taking long walks around Baltimore, knitting, baking, concert going, eating great food, watching movies, and reading - especially historical non-fiction and fantasy novels - and spending time with her wife and two teenage children.
Nakita has earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature from the University of Maryland-College Park an M.S. in Professional Writing from Towson University ,and a doctoral degree in Lifelong Learning in Adult Education with a focus in Online & Distance Education from the Pennsylvania State University. Her professional experiences include direct student support in roles at the Pennsylvania State University and Anne Arundel Community College. Outside of her experiences working in Higher Education, Nakita has also worked at a non-profit, where she provided programmatic support to grant dedicated to increasing the number of underrepresented students earning graduate degrees in STEM.
Nakita joined the Open Studies team in October 2021, her work in the unit focuses on holistic support to students enrolled in the MPS programs (Data Analytics and Visualization, the Business of Art and Design, Product Management, and UX Design) as well as the dual degree MA/MBA Design Leadership program in partnership with Johns Hopkins University. Her dissertation worked to understand how adult-learners seek and utilize information during the college admissions process.
Her hobbies include listening to and singing along to her favorite songs, attending concerts, traveling, and watching a ton of reality tv and anime.
Natovian McLeod graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 2015 with her BFA in General Fine Arts and her Master of Art in Teaching in 2016.
She was an Elementary Art Teacher in Baltimore County Public Schools for 6 years and in 2022 she was awarded Maryland Elementary Art Teacher of the Year.
Natovian has facilitated professional development focused on artist reflection, literacy skills, and student engagement. Her practice addresses anti-racist and culturally responsive practices in art.
Before becoming the Director of Youth Programs and Community Education at MICA, Natovian was the program coordinator for MICA's Art and Design College Accelerator Program (ADCA) and for the PreCollege Art and Design Residency Program. She is committed to arts education and hopes to promote more access and educational opportunities for students in Baltimore.
Samuel King earned a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Louisville. Previously a high school social studies teacher, he taught American history and civics to 12th graders in Kentucky. Additionally, Samuel has experience in both the private sector and higher education as a software administrator.
Samuel joined the MICA Open Studies faculty in April 2023 and specializes in instructional technology administration. Samuel holds multiple IT certifications and is continuing to earn additional certifications for professional development.
While no longer in the classroom, Samuel defines himself as a teacher at heart and prides himself on being involved in higher education administration and helping to deliver quality education for all students.
