NAEA Convention and Programs Manager Announces Retirement

Please join the NAEA community in celebrating Kathy Duse’s contributions to the National Art Education Association as she prepares to retire from the position of NAEA Convention and Programs Manager in July 2024.

Kathy Duse has been with NAEA for 39 years, and during this time she has played an important role in shaping the NAEA National Convention, as well as supporting association programs, governance, operations, and more.

Since she began as an administrative assistant with NAEA in September 1984, Kathy’s work has shifted and broadened to meet the evolving needs of the association. She has served under the leadership of three executive directors and has supported 21 presidents in their leadership roles. Her work with programs has covered nearly every topic or effort NAEA has offered since the beginning of her tenure, and it has also included National Awards, Elections, Distinguished Fellows, and School for Art Leaders.

While Kathy’s involvement has made an association-wide impact, her work with the NAEA National Convention has been prolific. During her time with the organization she has scheduled more than 24,000 Convention sessions, supported 28,000+ presenters and co-presenters, thousands of Convention attendees, and hundreds of exhibitors in 21 cities.

In honor of Kathy’s vast contributions to NAEA, and in celebration of her upcoming retirement, we are happy to announce the Kathy Duse Fund for NAEA National Convention Scholarships. We invite you contribute to this fund, which will be distributed among NAEA’s Art Educator Scholarships to provide assistance for NAEA National Convention attendance. Please join us in celebrating Kathy Duse by supporting visual arts educators with meaningful experiences at future Conventions.

On a personal note, Kathy also met her husband of 31 years, Phillip, at NAEA’s Reston office, and many of our members have met their daughter Gabrielle, who has traveled to NAEA National Conventions since she was an infant. (She attended her very first Convention at 4 months old!) and then worked alongside her Mom for 6 years at the NAEA Info Booth. For Kathy, NAEA has been an extended family, and we are honored to have her as an integral part of the NAEA family!

“It has been my privilege and honor to have worked for NAEA for almost 40 years. I’ve met so many wonderful art educators over the years and many have become my friends for life! I always believed the members have the hardest job and I was always happy to be able to help in any small way I could when you reached out.

It will be strange at first to not be working each day, but I know I will find many things to do—and will have more time to enjoy my family (husband, daughter, and granddaughter) and to experience new adventures as they arise.

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your world!”

—Kathy Duse

Donate to the Kathy Duse Fund for NAEA National Convention Scholarships.