Context Philadelphia Tour Guides

After completing a master's degree in art history at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Rosie worked in the field of museum education for eight years. Here she was able to escape teaching with slides in a dark classroom, and had the opportunity to teach in galleries in front of the art works and found not only was it a better experience for her, but also a richer experience for the students. A few
years ago she returned to school to pursue a PhD. in art history at Temple University in Philadelphia. She teaches Italian Renaissance and Baroque art history and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Context in both Rome and New York and teach in the churches and galleries where many of the great works of art of her favorite periods are found.

Courtney LaRuffa holds a B.A. in architectural history from the University of Virginia and a Master's of architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked as professional architect in Philadelphia for many years and been involved in the design and construction process for many buildings in the city. Courtney has also worked in cultural resource management and as a historian for the Fairmount Park Commission where she did research on historic structures within Philadelphia's park system.

A native of Philadelphia, Tim Hayburn has long loved the history of his hometown. He formerly served as a tour guide in historic Philadelphia. Tim recently completed his doctorate in colonial American history with a focus on capital punishment in 18th century Pennsylvania from Lehigh University. Tim teaches US History at several of the area colleges.

Dena Ferrara earned her Master's of Art in Museum Education at the University of the Arts and her undergraduate degree in American History from LaSalle University both located in Philadelphia. She has worked at with several museums and historical societies in the greater-Philadelphia area in education and curatorial departments. She has a broad background in history and experience teaching, and particularly enjoys studying scientists of 18th century America and Philadelphia colonial history.

Justina's master's degree in early American material culture from the Winterthur Program at the University of Delaware complements well her interest and love of sharing Philadelphia with visitors. At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, she works as Site Manager for Mount Pleasant and Cedar Grove, two historic homes in Fairmount Park administered by the Museum. She also designs programs and trains guides to share the Museums' collections with the public. Working with Museum curators, preservation professionals, and other stakeholders, she advocates for public access to and interest in local historic sites.

Katie Wood received her B.A. from Smith College and her Master's from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware. She is currently completing her Ph.D. at Delaware with a focus on 18th and 19th century American art and architecture. In addition to her work with some of the top institutions in Philadelphia and Washington, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the American Philosophical Society, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum she has a strong interest in maritime studies, vernacular architecture, and Roman art.

Nenette Luarca-Shoaf holds a B.A. in Art History from the University of Southern California and an M.A. in the Humanities from the University of Chicago. She spent four years designing and conducting programs for adult audiences at the Art Institute of Chicago, and has also worked with the education departments of the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Delaware, where she specializes in nineteenth-century American art and visual culture, and has recently been awarded fellowships from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the American Antiquarian Society.

Lia recently completed her PhD in art history at the University of Chicago. She spent two years leading tours in Florence for Context while she conducted dissertation research. She has been the recipient of Kress and Mellon fellowships and has worked at museums in Chicago and New York. She currently works as a curatorial research assistant at an area museum and teaches art history at a local university. A resident of Astoria, Queens, Lia is excited about sharing her love of the art and culture of New York on her walks.

No biography information for Melanie Micir.

Julie McGinnis holds a B.A. in Art and Archaeology, with minors in American Studies and French Literature, from Princeton University, as well as an M.A. in Art History from the University of Delaware. She is currently a Ph.D. student in Art History at Temple University, with a focus on American art and architecture of the nineteenth century. Julie has worked with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Frick Collection, ART+AUCTION magazine, ARTINFO.com and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. An avid traveler, she has taught in France as well as the US, and has written extensively on public art in Philadelphia.