Ms. Cusimano teaches Engineering and Art at BASIS Independent School Bothell. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design and has produced professional work across multiple industries, including fashion, film, and publishing.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‍‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‍‌‌‍​‌‍​‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Through this varied professional experience, Ms. Cusimano discovered a passion for teaching and guiding young students as they develop their own creative voices. For the past 2.5 years, she taught art while encouraging students to explore their unique skills and interests through hands-on practice. She firmly believes that artistic ability is a learned skill and that, with dedication and persistence, anyone can grow and excel. She emphasizes that studying art is a lifelong journey and encourages students to enjoy the process, wherever it may lead.

While her professional background is rooted in the arts, engineering has always been an integral part of her thinking. Coming from a family of engineers, Ms. Cusimano learned early on that art and engineering are deeply connected—both require curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to learn from trial and error. In her classroom, students are challenged not only to create visually strong work, but also to solve problems, test ideas, and turn imagination into reality. Creative risk-taking is encouraged, and students learn how to adapt when challenges arise.

Ms. Cusimano’s goal is for students to develop resilience, flexibility, and confidence, equipping them with critical thinking skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

Outside of school, she spends time painting in her studio and creating art with her son. She specializes in oil painting, particularly portraiture, and has sold her professional work both domestically and internationally since 2011. In her free time, she enjoys music, tennis, and watching competitive figure skating and baseball, and she is an avid gamer.