2025 NCECA BOARD CANDIDATES AND E-BALLOT
NCECA Board and Staff Members, Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Virginia.
One way that members of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Art participate in governance is through e-balloting to select candidates for certain positions on the board of directors. Director at Large (2025-2028) and Student Director at Large (2025-2027) are the two positions subject to election in 2025. Member-elected Directors at Large and Student Directors at Large serve critical roles in NCECA's governance, strategic planning, and public engagement. All active members of NCECA will be eligible to cast one ballot for each of the two open positions.
The e-ballot election, which takes place via SurveyMonkey, opens in late February and closes on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 4:00PM/MST. All active NCECA members will receive a personalized email invitation to participate in the e-ballot. This message will be transmitted to the email address associated with your NCECA Membership profile.
If your NCECA membership is active and you did not receive an invitation to the ballot, please check your spam folder and then log into your user profile to verify that your membership has not lapsed. Once you have ascertained that your membership is active, please email office@nceca.net to request a ballot invitation. Should you discover that your membership has become inactive, please renew before March 28 to cast a vote in the 2025 election.
Meet the 2025 Director at Large Candidates.
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2025 NCECA Candidate
Director at Large -
I am deeply committed to fostering cross-cultural exchange and innovation in ceramics. With a global journey that began in Hong Kong, I bring a diverse perspective as an educator, artist, and advocate for the ceramics community. As an associate professor at Queens College, CUNY, and senior consultant at the Taoxichuan Art Center, I have bridged cultures and advised on impactful programming.
If elected Director at Large, I will leverage my experience organizing exhibitions and reviewing proposals to support NCECA’s initiatives. My goal is to advance sustainable projects and inspire collaboration, enriching the global ceramics landscape.
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Sin-ying Ho earned an MFA from Louisiana State University in 2001. Ho is an associate professor at Queens College, City University of New York; advisor of Taoxichuan Art Centre, Jingdezhen, People’s Republic of China; and board member of Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts and Museum of Ceramics Art in New York.
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2025 NCECA Candidate
Director at Large -
As a ceramic artist and educator with over 10 years of experience, I am dedicated to
fostering inclusivity, dialogue, and cultural exchange within the ceramics community and beyond. My work honors underrepresented narratives and bridges diverse perspectives, focusing on the power of art to tell stories and build connections. I believe ceramics has the unique ability to inspire understanding and empathy across cultures and experiences. If elected as NCECA Director at Large, I will advocate for equity, collaboration, and meaningful engagement. Together, we can create opportunities for growth, innovation, and connection, ensuring NCECA remains an inclusive and vibrant organization for all.
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Nathan Murray is a ceramic artist and educator based in Lincoln, Nebraska. His work explores diverse cultural narratives. Murray holds an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Florida and creates sculptures inspired by individuals' stories. He is currently working on his upcoming exhibition, Color Theory 2.
Meet the 2025 Student Director at Large Candidates.
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2025 NCECA Candidate
Student Director at Large -
If chosen as Student Director at Large, I intend to give insight into the experiences of current university students. As someone who has experienced the university setting throughout the pandemic and as a transfer student, I understand that the path through an undergraduate program is not always linear. I have found a strong sense of community throughout my experience, and I believe it is most important to work on community building in the university space as I have found out that I rely on and value my peers immensely. I am confident that my experiences would help create and maintain an inclusive and enjoyable space for students.
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Aislinn Baker is in her senior year of undergraduate studies at Utah State University pursuing a BFA. She has received the Caine Scholars Award and engages in her community as the president of the USU Ceramics Guild and the Ceramics Department's representative on the Art and Design Unity Board.
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2025 NCECA Candidate
Student Director at Large -
Many students are unaware of NCECA’s valuable resources, such as fellowships, grants, portfolio reviews, and national showcase opportunities. To address this, we must enhance outreach, not only in universities but also in art centers and post-baccalaureate programs. I believe year-round mentorship is vital to support emerging artists, offering guidance in career planning, networking, and application reviews. Serving as a Student Director at Large will not only allow me to help bridge the gap between today’s NCECA and tomorrow’s, but it will also teach me how to be a better mentor to my own students in the future.
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Asma Waheed, a Pakistani-born American ceramic artist and mother of four, resides in Ellicott City, Maryland. She earned her BA in Education from West Virginia University and an MA in Ceramics from Hood College. An MFA candidate at Maryland Institute College of Art, she has exhibited nationally and is an NCECA Graduate Fellowship recipient and Collaboration and Engagement Committee member.
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2025 NCECA Candidate
Student Director at Large -
As NCECA Student Director at Large, I aim to expand NCECA's reach beyond traditional academic boundaries, creating an inclusive environment that embraces diverse approaches to ceramic art. Drawing from my experience as a studio head and graduate student, I understand the challenges emerging artists face and recognize the critical importance of supporting underrepresented voices, particularly women, in the ceramics community. I will focus on developing platforms for experimental work and student exhibitions, providing opportunities for innovative artists to showcase their unique perspectives. Additionally, I hope to establish structured mentorship programs that bridge the gap between academic training and professional practice, helping students navigate career paths in both traditional and non-traditional ceramic arts. Through these initiatives, I hope to foster a more dynamic and accessible ceramics community that nurtures emerging talent while preserving and expanding upon NCECA's rich legacy of artistic excellence and education.
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Jamie Westermeyer (she/her) is a sculptor whose semi-autobiographical narratives explore identity and womanhood. She is currently pursuing her MFA at Rochester Institute of Technology and previously served as Head of Studio at Clayroom Inc. in San Francisco for four years.
Watch the 2025 Candidates.
“Hello NCECA!, My name is Sin-ying Ho, and I am honored to be considered for the position of Director at Large. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to NCECA and help shape the future of ceramics. My journey in ceramics began in Hong Kong and has taken me around the world, inspiring my passion for cross-cultural exchange. Teaching and exhibiting internationally has given me valuable insights into the global ceramic community.
Currently, I’m based in Queens, New York, where I serve as an Associate Professor at Queens College, City University of New York, teaching ceramics to BFA and MFA students. My studio practice bridges two major ceramics hubs—New York and Jingdezhen. These experiences have deepened my understanding of both the academic and practical aspects of ceramics, enabling me to mentor and inspire the next generation of ceramic artists.
In addition to teaching and artistic practice, I’ve held leadership roles, such as senior advisor at the Taoxichuan Art Center in Jingdezhen, China, and advisory board member at the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts and the Museum of Ceramic Art New York. These roles have allowed me to bridge cultures, advise on impactful programming, and foster international collaboration. If elected Director at Large, I aim to support and initiate special projects aligned with NCECA’s mission. I bring experience in organizing exhibitions and reviewing programming proposals to NCECA’s board. I’m eager to contribute to the annual conference and other initiatives, ensuring that our programming reflects innovation and sustainability. My ability to think critically about priorities and budgetary requirements will help advance projects that enrich our global ceramics landscape.
I look forward to working with fellow board members and the NCECA community to inspire and support artists, educators, and enthusiasts in this vibrant field.
Thank you for your support and consideration!” - Sin-ying Ho
“Hello, NCECA community! My name is Nathan Murray, and I'm excited to announce my candidacy for NCECA Director at Large. I'm a ceramic sculptor and educator based in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a passion for celebrating diverse cultural narratives through the medium of clay.
For over 10 years, I've dedicated my practice to creating ceramic sculptures that honor the unique stories and experiences of individuals in my community. Teaching, community engagement, and art-making are at the heart of my work. I firmly believe that art has the power to reinforce community resilience and culture, fostering meaningful connections and dialogue.
If elected as Director at Large, I will work to develop initiatives that support artists from all backgrounds and create more opportunities for dialogue and collaboration within the ceramic community and beyond. I'm committed to amplifying the cultural significance of ceramics and ensuring that NCECA continues to be a platform where diverse voices thrive.
Thank you for considering me for this opportunity. I look forward to serving as Director at Large and bringing my passion for art, education, and community building to our vibrant organization.” - Nathan Murray
“Hello NCECA, my name is Aislinn Baker, and I'm excited to share that I'm a board candidate for NCECA Student Director at Large. I'm based in Utah, where I'm an undergraduate student pursuing my BFA at Utah State University. My community there is very important to me. I'm always motivated by my peers to do better, and NCECA has been so beneficial in exposing me to the importance of our communities and the importance of having access to as much information as possible.
I feel that there's always room for more in our community, and I love that our differences are celebrated in the ceramic space. I'm a big believer in the power of coming together to share our findings and art with one another every single year. To me, learning as much as I can about the field has been empowering and necessary to my development as an artist.
My journey through school has not been a straightforward path, as I imagine a lot of current students have experienced, especially through the pandemic. As a transfer student and a queer person, I've learned the importance of advocating for myself, and I'm confident in my ability to be a good advocate for others. I think that every voice is important for the progress of our community, and no idea should be left unexplored.
Thank you, and I hope to meet you at the conference this year!” - Aislinn Baker
“Hi, I love NCECA! I consider NCECA my home because it has always made me feel included, even during my first NCECA, which was held online during the pandemic. It's the community and the people that make me look forward to all the meetings and in-person conferences. It is a place not only to get educated but also to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and exchange ideas. I always return from NCECA feeling inspired and energized. I have turned the inspiration and energy I gain from NCECA into preparation to transform my practice. This energy has reshaped my artistic practice, research, and teaching.
My name is Asma Waheed, and I am running for Student Director at Large. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past year and a half serving on NCECA’s Collaboration and Engagement Committee. I have learned so much working with Heidi and Rhonda on the Multicultural U Fellowship, the Welcoming Committee, and the Fellowship Selection Committee. There are many students who are still unaware of what NCECA has to offer, including fellowships, grants, portfolio reviews, and opportunities to showcase work nationally. We need to find better ways to reach those students—not just in universities but also in art centers and post-baccalaureate programs.
As Fabiola De la Cueva said, "It is not how far you come in your career but how many people you bring along with you." I believe in mentorship, and I feel it is vital. Good mentors can be invaluable in career planning, networking, and application reviews. If elected, I look forward to connecting the NCECA of today with the NCECA of tomorrow. Thank you.” - Asma Waheed
“Hi, NCECA! My name is Jamie Westermeyer, and I'm excited to be running for Student Director at Large. I'm currently based in Rochester, New York, pursuing an MFA in Ceramics at the Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Crafts. My journey in ceramics has given me a unique perspective that spans both academic and community settings.
As the former Head of Studio at Clay Room in San Francisco, I managed a vibrant community space where I coordinated programs supporting hundreds of students annually and worked with over 25 teaching artists. This experience showed me the power of ceramics to build bridges across diverse communities. One of my proudest achievements at Clay Room was organizing several Empty Bowls events that raised over $12,000 for the SF-Marin Food Bank. I also helped develop partnerships with organizations like Westside Community Services to bring ceramics to underserved communities. These experiences align perfectly with NCECA's mission of fostering an inclusive and supportive ceramics community.
Looking ahead, I see tremendous potential to strengthen the student experience within NCECA. I want to expand opportunities for emerging artists through additional exhibition spaces and create structured mentorship programs to help bridge the gap between academic and professional practice. Having been both a student and a studio leader, I understand the challenges of this transition and want to ensure NCECA continues to evolve as a supportive platform for the next generation of ceramic artists. My commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices, particularly women in ceramics, drives my vision for service. I believe in creating spaces where all voices are heard and valued, and where students feel empowered to contribute to the future of our field.
I would be honored to serve as your Student Director at Large and work collaboratively with the board to advance these goals. Thank you for your consideration.” - Jamie Westermeyer