Dr. Mitra Reyhani Ghadim, LCAT, ATR-BC, is a NYS licensed, registered art therapist, researcher, author, and educator. She works with the NYS Office of Mental Health, currently at Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Center. She worked as a full-time museum art therapist for nearly a decade, making contributions to the ArtAccess Programs and Autism Initiatives of the Queens Museum, as well as Nassau County Museum of the Arts. She also worked in adult clinical settings such as Mount Sinai South Nassau inpatient behavioral unit, in community-based programs for older adults, and is an artist in residence at The Living Museum. She has years of experience working with individuals with mental illness and children and adults with disabilities in museums, community, and clinical settings. She currently teaches at Hofstra University and LIU Post. Mitra holds an M.A. in Creative Arts Therapy, an M.F.A. in Visual Arts, and a doctorate in Art Therapy.

Lauren Daugherty, LMHC, ATR-P, is the Arts-based Wellness Experiences Manger and full-time art therapist at the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University Bloomington. In this inaugural position at the museum, she established art therapy programming for individuals of all ages and abilities, including children from backgrounds of abuse and neglect, individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities, and Indiana University students. She obtained her master’s degree in art therapy from the Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI where she completed her thesis research on art therapy in art museums. She is passionate about assisting others in personal growth through connecting and responding to museum collections in meaningful ways and utilizing art-making and the creative process to promote health and well-being.

M.A., ATR-BC, Senior Researcher at the Public Design Research Center at Hongik University’s Graduate School and the founder of PSDI (Psychosocial Design Initiative) Research Lab. She focuses on researching and practicing socially prescriptive design for diversity, inclusion, and sustainability. Previously, she worked on museum projects for families with autism at the Autism Initiative team of the Queens Museum’s Art Access program. Later, at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, she planned and piloted new art therapy projects for elderly individuals with cognitive impairments and their families, aiming for an inclusive museum experience. She was also a founding member of the Purme Foundation Nexon Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, where she served as an art therapist and supervisor, managing the art therapy department and providing therapy, counseling, and education. She holds a B.F.A. in Industrial Design from Hongik University and an M.A. in Creative Arts Therapy from Hofstra University in New York. She is an international member of the American Psychological Association, a Board-Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) in the U.S. with supervisory qualifications, and a licensed curator in Korea for museums and galleries. Her co-authored book Creating Safety Through Public Design (2024) and translated work Art Therapy for Developmental/ Learning Disabilities: A Humanistic Approach (2019) reflect her dedication to the intersection of art, therapy, and design.