Hola! I’m Mara Nicole Criollo-Rivera, a museum educator and picture book illustrator passionate about teaching across the arts, media, and culture. I have 5+ years of experience teaching across museums and nonprofits, working with K–12 students, university students, and adults.

Currently, I serve as a Museum Educator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and as a Community Arts Initiative Liaison at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Additionally, I am pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching in Arts Education at Tufts University.

Outside of academia, I am the illustrator of Dos / Two, a bilingual children’s picture book created with the mission of connecting communities and celebrating Puerto Rican culture.

My leadership and advocacy in children’s media and education have been recognized by the Obama Foundation through the 2023–2025 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service.

Download Resume

Publications

Press

Experience

  • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — Boston, MA, USA (2026-Current)
    Museum Educator

  • Boston Athenaeum — Boston, MA, USA (2026-Current)
    Bilingual Storytime Reader and Community Events Volunteer

  • Boston Public Library (Roslindale Branch) — Boston, MA, USA (2026-Current)
    Bilingual Storytime Reader

  • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston — Boston, MA, USA (2025-Current)
    Community Arts Initiative Liaison

  • River Arts of Morrisville Inc — Morrisville, VT, USA (2025-Current)
    K–6 Contracted Art Instructor

  • Hipocampo Children’s Books — Rochester, NY, USA (2025-Current)
    Children’s Book Illustrator and Marketing Assistant

  • University of Rochester (The Burgett Intercultural Center) — Rochester, NY, USA (2023-2025)
    Program Assistant

  • The Paley Center for Media — Manhattan, NYC, USA (2023)
    Peter Roth Intern

Education

  • Tufts University — Boston, MA, USA (2027)
    MAT in Art Education

  • School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University — Boston, MA, USA (2026)
    Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio Art — Illustration

  • Otis College of Art and Design — Los Angeles, CA, USA (2025)
    Summer of Art Program — Concept Art

  • Santa Reparata International School of Art — Florence, Italy (2025)
    Renaissance Drawing Techniques

  • Nanyang Technological University — Singapore (2025)
    Art, Media, & Design Program

  • University of Rochester — Rochester, NY, USA (2025)
    B.A. in Digital Media; Minor in Business

Honors and Awards

  • Obama Foundation (2023-2025)
    Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service

  • The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (2022-2023)
    Undergraduate Fellowship Program