Ruth Ann Evermann to be Featured in "Cambridge Publishing's 101 Top Industry Experts"
Ruth Ann Evermann helps children with special needs through art therapy

CHICAGO, IL, March 10, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ --Ruth Ann Evermann, ATR-BC, LCPC, Art Therapist and Teacher at Jose de Diego Community Academy, has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in educational art therapy.

Ruth Ann Evermann is an educator of 47 years who began with an interest in languages, especially Spanish. Later in her career she moved into special education, where she made an interesting discovery. "I was working with special needs children and a lot of them could not speak or would not interact with other people," Ms. Evermann said in her exclusive Cambridge interview. "Whenever we did art tasks they would either start babbling to each other or they would make eye contact with us and smile. That would be the only time that they would do that."

Ms. Evermann's curiosity about this phenomenon led her to explore art therapy, which she has now practiced for 15 years. Every day, she works with 4 to 15-year-old children who are dealing with issues ranging from domestic violence and death to a breakdown in communication between family members. "Part of it includes working with families and parents, because you can't really work with the children unless the parents have a sense of what you're doing and their role in it," she noted. Although it can be intense, the solid contact with children and parents is the highlight of Ms. Evermann's professional career. She also values the personal and professional contact with her teaching peers.

Ms. Evermann has taught post-graduate work at Northwestern University and graduate-level studies at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She has also instructed teachers at her school and social workers within the system. Over the next five years, Ms. Evermann will consider transitioning into private practice. She will, however, continue to teach at the elementary school level.

Ms. Evermann is involved in the Golden Apple Foundation, which instructs teachers on how to use storytelling in their classrooms. She is also involved with the Mental Health Association of Illinois, the Illinois Art Therapy Association and the American Art Therapy Association, Inc. She received a master's degree in art therapy from the University of Illinois in 1994; a master's degree in bilingual special education from DePaul University in 1984; and a master's degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin in 1972.

This year, Ms. Evermann was chosen to be featured in "Cambridge Publishing's Top 101 Industry Experts." Such an honor is reserved for select individuals demonstrating personal and professional accomplishment.

Press Release Contact Information:

Ellen Campbell
Cambridge Who's Who
Public Relations
498 RXR Plaza, West Tower
Uniondale, NY
USA 11556
Voice: 516-535-1515 x1266
Website: Visit Our Website