The ArtSpace Faculty:

Exceptional Children's Department

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Heather Garrido (K - 5th Grade EC Teacher/Coordinator) was born in Bronx, NY. She earned a B.A. in Anthropology and a M.S. in Special Education and Migrant/Multicultural Education at two locations of the State University of New York.

Heather began her teaching career as a family/school liaison and tutor for children of migrant farm workers. She has since taught Head Start, English as a Second Language and Special Education in various settings.
Heather's artistic passions include poetry, drawing, folk crafts and photography. When she is not teaching she enjoys working on her biodynamic garden in the hills of Madison County where she lives with her husband.

Vanessa Marsden (EC Middle School Teacher/Coordinator) was born in Stockport, England. She graduated with a B.A. in English (minor in Art) from Appalachian State. She obtained her teaching certificate in Special Education/K-12 through Western Carolina University. Vanessa worked for six years in the United States Coast Guard; three of those six years Vanessa worked as a Marine Science Technician.

After gaining her teaching certification, she was a Special Education teacher in McDowell County Schools at the high school and elementary school levels for four years. Vanessa is a painter and enjoys watercolors and acrylics. She makes cards and pictures to commemorate special occasions, plays the guitar, hikes and bikes and travels as much as possible. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Rachael Hilliard (EC Assistant) was born and raised in central Florida. She moved to Asheville in 2004. She attended Seminole Community College in Florida and Southern Utah University working towards a bachelor's degree. She initially worked at ArtSpace as the coordinator for after school program. In 2006, she began working with the EC department.

She enjoys photography, music, dancing and writing. Her hobbies include traveling, swimming and hiking with her six year old son, Gabriel, who attends ArtSpace.

Connie Olson (EC Assistant) was born in Minnesota and raised in CA and FL. She earned her B.A. degree in Special Education from Florida State University followed by a year of graduate study for her certification in Learning Disabilities. Connie taught Special Education classes for three years and then took a sabbatical to raise and home school her two sons and a daughter.

Connie joined ArtSpace in 2003. Her interests include reading timeless literature, growing perennials, making anything with fabric, baking and hiking. Connie lives with her husband, Ed, in Swannanoa.

Gail Forsyth (Speech-Language Pathologist) was born and raised in Scotland, where she did her undergraduate work at the University of Edinburgh. She graduated in 1995 with a M.A. in Communication Disorders from Appalachian State University. She works with preschool and school age children both at ArtSpace and in private practice.

In addition, Gail is a licensed Massage Therapist with a private part-time practice. When not providing therapy of one sort or another, Gail performs and records with an a cappella group called The Muses (http://www.ashevillemuses.com). She is also an avid photographer, gardener, world traveler and cat lover. In 1999, Gail co-authored (with Tom Kerr) and did photography for the popular guidebook "The Underground Asheville Guidebook".

Holly deSaillan (EC Assistant) received an A.A. in Early Childhood Education from Aims Community College and a B.A. in Visual Arts from the University of Northern Colorado. She joined ArtSpace in 2003.

She is a professional artist and maintains her studio in the river district where she also teaches adult and children's classes.

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