About smARTee

 Dr. Joan K Monin is an Associate Professor at the Yale School of Public Health and Director of the Social Gerontology and Health Lab at Yale. Her research focuses on older adult relationships, health, and emotion processes. Dr. Monin was awarded Fellow status by the Gerontological Society of America (2017), Society for Experimental Social Psychology (2020), and American Psychosomatic Society (2023). She also enjoys integrating art with nature and meditation, including through painting, watercolor, fiber arts and print-making. Dr. Monin holds a B.A. from University of Rochester and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. 

Linda Bennett is an active docent at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. For 13 years, she has led museum tours for grades K-12, college and university students, adults, individuals with memory loss, and lifelong learning groups. Previously, Bennett served as Vice President of the Foundation for Senior Living, University Development Officer at the University of Michigan, and as a Speech and Language Pathologist. Bennett holds a B.S. from Ohio State University and an M.S. and M.P.H. from the University of Michigan. Her philosophy is that “Art can uplift our spirits and feed our soul. Art is not a luxury; it is a necessity to live joyfully.”

Elaine Berson is a supporter of the arts and lifelong learning. She is passionate about visiting museums, collecting art, and learning about diverse artistic traditions through global travel. Elaine holds a B.A. in Biochemistry from Boston University and Associate’s Degree in Nursing from Rockland Community College. As a Registered Nurse in New York, she worked in the Medical-Surgical Nursing Unit at Good Samaritan Hospital and Nyack Hospital. Elaine participates in the smARTee focus group to pilot new art tours before they are publicly launched. She is a proud grandmother to seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. 

Sharon Smith teaches and works in Montreal. She holds a B.A. from McGill University. Additionally, she earned a Teaching Certificate (K-secondary) from University of California, Berkeley, and a major in Fine Arts from the University Concordia, then a degree in Early Childhood Education from Vanier College. Sharon studied artistic approaches of Rudolph Steiner and Reggio Amelia. Her teaching experience allows her to reach a clientele ranging from children to elders. Currently, she offers courses, workshops, seminars, and watercolor classes in artistic creativity. Her artworks are found in North America, Europe, and Asia.