Dr. Nicole Crane (MS 1999, PhD 2006) is an art teacher at Elbridge Gale Elementary School in Palm Beach County with more than 20 years of experience in education.

Dr. Crane served on the Florida Arts Education Association Board of Directors for eight years, including serving as President from 2016-2017. She has been honored by FAEA as Florida Elementary Art Teacher of the Year in 2011 and Florida Art Teacher of the Year in 2020 and was named the 2021 National Art Education Association Elementary Art Educator of the year.

In addition to her passion for art education, Crane’s blood pumps garnet and gold. She is a donor to the Department of Art Education – having supported student conference attendance – and actively serves the West Palm Beach Seminole Club. This past August, with her help, the West Palm Beach Seminole Club completed a fundraising campaign to endow a new scholarship fund for First Generation Students from the area to attend FSU.