Patricia Cadigan, M. Ed., has been named Artcobell Vice President, Learning Environments. Ms. Cadigan joined Artcobell in 2019 after 28 years in public education, including more than 18 years in school administration.

“I am passionate about student success,” says Ms. Cadigan. “Working with school districts across the United States and Canada, I’m connecting with leaders who are transforming learning across their campuses by transforming the learning environment. Understanding how design, layout, and the configuration of spaces directly impacts student engagement and achievement, I find it critical that we support schools in finding solutions that fit them.  I understand the importance of engaging everyone – students, teachers, parents, community – in the process and developing tools that can help them all be successful.”

This move marks Artcobell’s continued focus on helping schools transition their educational furnishings to meet the needs of current and future learning strategies, reinforcing the need for greater student engagement and providing safe, secure, and supportive environments in which they can learn. Ms. Cadigan concentrates on building strategic relationships with schools, as well as the architects and interior designers, project managers and contractors they work with, providing professional development, training, and research to connect learning spaces with best practices for teaching and learning.

“Patricia has a unique perspective that allows her to see the challenges of transforming learning environments from the perspective of the school leadership and the diverse team of professionals they work with,” says Rick Parker, President, Artcobell. “Her expertise helps teams better visualize how furnishings can promote engaging and supportive learning environments. In this role, she has helped many schools make the connection between their vision of student achievement and the way they set up their learning environments.”

Cadigan is author of the Next Gen Spaces blog on Artcobell.com, as well as numerous other planning resources that she uses in online and in-person collaboration with schools. She is an active presenter at national and local education-focused events, including LearningScapes (A4LE) and the National School Board Association (NSBA), and is currently completing her Accredited Learning Environments Planner (ALEP) certification. Artcobell is a manufacturer of innovative K-12 school furniture, made in the United States for today’s flexible learning environments.