Ms. Cissell is the Visual Arts Subject Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent School Bothell. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Sonoma State University, as well as a Single Subject Teaching Credential in Art from Sonoma State. She completed the 2 year Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program through Humboldt State University. In Addition, she tested into the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy, where she completed a year of study in painting and drawing.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌​‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‍​‌​‍‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‍‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‍‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‍‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Ms. Cissell was drawn to BASIS Independent Schools for their STEAM and language-centered curriculum. She is excited to work with a diverse group of teachers who are experts in their disciplines. She is eager to collaborate with colleagues to create a visual arts curriculum that is rigorous, culturally sensitive, and cross-disciplinary.

Ms. Cissell believes a comprehensive visual arts education empowers students to explore, play, and embrace mistakes as integral parts of the creative process. Her curriculum is thoughtfully designed to build a strong foundation in technical skills—including line work, shading, and three-dimensional construction—while simultaneously nurturing each student's personal expression. Students engage with color theory, watercolor techniques, collage, and the elements and principles of design, culminating in artwork that conveys emotion, mood, and individuality. In her classroom, she emphasizes clear routines, a growth mindset, process over product, and the importance of kindness. Ultimately, her goal is to inspire confidence and independent thinking in young artists while helping them develop design skills and master a variety of materials.

Outside of school, Ms. Cissell enjoys kayaking, walks on the beach, art gallery shows and museums, traveling to the islands, and taking art classes. A fun fact about her is that she lived in Kodiak, Alaska, as a child, where her family spent every summer at an off-grid fishing site accessible only by float plane or boat.