Kirsten McNally

Kirsten McNally serves as Education Manager at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, where she brings extensive experience in both museum and school-based education. After earning her BFA in Photography and MAT in Art Education from Rhode Island School of Design, followed by an MSEd in Leadership in Museum Education from Bank Street College of Education, she has dedicated her career to creating meaningful connections between educational institutions and museums. Her professional journey includes significant roles as Director of Museum Programming at Children's Museum of the Arts and teaching positions at PS 20 Clinton Hill, where she developed innovative arts curriculum integrating gardening and science education. At Cooper Hewitt, she focuses on helping teens, K-12 educators, and college students incorporate design thinking into their practices. Her experience includes developing specialized programs for children with physical disabilities, integrating art into American Sign Language education, and creating STRIPES animation classes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Through her current work, she continues to build bridges between formal education and museum learning, making design education more accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.