Betsy Maloney Leaf

Betsy Maloney Leaf serves as Assistant Professor and co-License Program Lead in the Arts in Education program within the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development, where she oversees interarts (visual art, dance, theatre arts) initial license programs and teaches undergraduate courses.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Minnesota
• MFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Colorado
• BA in Dance and English from Gustavus Adolphus College

Dr. Maloney Leaf's research investigates intersections of arts education, culturally relevant pedagogy, and educational policy, with specialized focus on dance pedagogy and social justice frameworks. Her work examines how arts education fosters equity for minoritized youth through community and school-based programs, emphasizing student visibility, ritual practices, and democratic classroom environments.

Her 2017-2023 publications reveal consistent thematic focus on antiracism, diversity, and youth empowerment across arts disciplines. Spanning journals like Studies in Art Education and Research in Dance Education, her work employs qualitative methodologies to center Asian American and Latinx student experiences, analyzing pedagogical relationships in kathak dance, media arts residencies, and professional theatre training.

No scientific awards were documented in the source material.

Information regarding graduate student advising and research grants was not provided in the available text.

Professionally, she serves on the editorial board for Dance Education in Practice and contributes to the National Dance Education Organization's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) work group, reflecting her commitment to advancing equitable practices in dance education.