Joanne Serraino
Joanne Serraino was born in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1942, and lived with her family, in Rochelle Park, N.J. She is a Sicilian, Napolitan, Florentian, Italian American.growing up for the first 12 years of life, 75 feet from the railroad tracks. While there, she became a Brownie and then a Girl Scout. In addition, as a child, she received professional training as a tap dancer in the Michael Bell Tap Dancing Studio in Hackensack and performed in recitals in New Jersey. Mr. Bell wrote that she was the best tap dancer that he had ever seen. She earned her B.A. from Rutgers State University, an M.A. at Jersey City State College, and a Doctorate MFA, from Pratt Institute, 1983. Joanne was advised to write a book based on her art history research, by Wendy Liscow, Professor of Art, a t Michigan State University, now as a staff administrator at the Dodge Foundation in Morristown, N.J. In addition, she was advised, to write another book, based on related art history research, by Professor George McNeil, (deceased), internationally recognized painter and art historian, Pratt Institute. In high school she won The Rutgers State, Poetry Reading Contest and a 4 Year Scholarship to Rutgers, as well as winning the National Forensic League, Poetry Reading Contest in 1960, and had an article being written about her poetry reading, published in the Hasbrouck Heights Observer. As a Sophomore, she was elected to be Treasurer of her class and as a Senior, elected to be Secretary of her class, graduating in 1960. Joanne was on the Honor Roll every year, a Student Council Member and a National Honor Society Member. She also won the American Legion Oratory Contest in Hasbrouck Heights. She also achieved her Junior Varsity and Varsity Letters in high school. While in college, as a Rutgers student, she was hired by their Art Department, to be an art history researcher and cataloguer. Joanne was also, President-Elect and Vice-President of Alpha Psi Omega, the National Drama Society, Rutgers, Newark Chapter. During that time, she also attended Summerstock Theatre in Burnsville, North Carolina, participating in character roles and in stage production work.
Joanne, in addition, was a Hasbrouck Heights Library Board Trustee. She is authorized by the State of New Jersey as a State Certified Art Educator, Grades K-12, having taught at all levels as well as college, Bergen Community College , teaching Art and Art Appreciation, and Jersey City State College, teaching Undergraduate and Graduate Life-Drawing and was offered additional, college teaching positions. This includes teaching of students with disabilities. Her students’ artwork is in the permanent collection of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and was included in their touring exhibition to Rumania,1975.
As an art educator, Joanne held a community wide art workshop in Little Ferry, N.J., 1979, featuring students explaining, demonstrating and conducting this art workshop in which all community members could participate. In addition, she invited working professionals to speak to her students, and explained how their employment skills related to art and art-related skills. This was followed, the next year, by a student musical, for all children in the schools and the community to see. A special highlight was featured performances by our students with disabilities, miming to a record of music and sounds from the jungle. They were the best in our musical. Joanne also invited and co-ordinated Little Ferry School students and teachers with Project Impact, Directed by Lynne Kramer, (deceased), a 2 year program, to bring professionals in all art areas into the school system, to explain and show to children what they did. Joanne also created Pictographic Imagery, a communication and delivery system for basic skills, a learning process for students with disabilities, of all kinds. Joanne included this system as an invited Presenter at the AENJ Conference, as part of their Best Practices Program, in 2015. In addition, she was cited by Dr. Frank Merlo, Montclair State Teacher’s College, Professor, in his report to the Governor, as having an outstanding program in education. Joanne received the Art Educators of New Jersey Administrative Award of Merit In 1987 and was published in their magazine, ARTBEAT. She was also a member of the NEA. Furthermore, in her love of animals, Joanne worked professionally as a trained veterinary assistant for 7 years and was asked to be the Manager of the Hasbrouck Heights Veterinary Clinic. In the past, Joanne was an employee of the New Jersey Department of Labor, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, 1985-1999, and an executive board member of their Division of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services. As an Executive Board Member of Very Special Arts New Jersey, for children with disabilities. Joanne was published in the Department of Labor Newsletter. As the Division’s Chief of Fine Arts, an open competitive position, Joanne was interviewed by Washington D.C., Mr. Dick Dietl, Representative of President George H.W. Bush’s Committee for Employment of Individuals with Disabilities and was accepted and therefore published in President George H.W. Bush’s Workforce Magazine. This furthermore led to her being invited to present the DVRS Arts Program, in Washington DC, at their conference for individuals with disabilities. In addition, she developed 4 state and national conferences and created a catalogue to sell client artwork helping individuals with disabilities, and developed work pages to analyze technical art skills, and how they are transferred into employment. Our conferences were endorsed and participated in, by Johnson & Johnson Corporation, Rutgers, The State University and Wakefern Food Corporation (Shoprite). Joanne, furthermore assessed art skills of clients on a one-to-one basis, making recommendations, based on these skills, for Employment and Independent Income In art and art-related areas. In addition, she initiated inquiry with the N.J. Department of Labor Employment Service, to develop research, with Federal Employment Service In a study resulting in the Federal Authorization of visualizations on computers as a new career field of work for the United States of America, which as a result, was titled by Federal Employment as computer graphics/desk top publishing, therefore improving the entire economy of the United States. This was the first and the original classification of this kind of technology as legitimate work for which salaries could be paid and benefits received. This therefore, increased the entire economy for the United States in across-the-board work areas. Joanne, in addition, wrote and received the grant by which the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, received the first computer graphic system, using tax -payer monies, to purchase the hardware and software needed for this career field. Joanne also instructed individuals in using current software in computer graphic/desk top publishing systems. This enabled individuals to obtain and maintain employment. As Chief, Fine Arts, Joanne was in addition, professionally trained by UA Columbia to do video taping, editing and voice-over in the production of videos for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitate Services. Joanne is a member of many organizations including AENJ, Kessler Foundation, The Tears Foundation, ASPCA, HSUS, New Jersey Theatre Alliance, Cato Institute, College Art Association, The National Sculpture Society , New York Historical Society ,and the Archaeological Institute of America and affiliates with Johnson & Johnson Corporation. In co-ordination with Johnson & Johnson, we held the first art exhibition for individuals with disabilities, in the United States, in their Corporate Headquarters In New Brunswick, N.J.,1990. They also purchased artwork of DVRS clients for their corporate headquarters. She is President of The Charles and Ann Serraino Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization, started by CHARLES SERRAINO, former Commissioner of Labor for The State of New Jersey, and International Vice-President of Personnel for J& J, and continued with his wishes in keeping a promise to him. Joanne specializes in Management/Administration, Healthcare, Education, the Arts, Fundraising, Technology, Charitable Affiliation and Employment, and animal care. Joanne has been in the Charity industry since 1996. As President, Joanne aims to help provide financial assistance for senior citizens experiencing life and death health conditions when these medical expenses are not covered by insurance and must be paid out of pocket. The Charles and Ann Serraino Foundation, Inc., equally promotes an innovative, educational, preventative healthcare program called Visual Esperanto, incorporating the “Power of the Arts”, to save life, both physical and emotional, from infant to adult, using the well established fact, in art, in medicine, and in science, that form follows function. In Joanne’s free time, she enjoys animal care and advocacy, archeology and fine art work, art history and research. She also enjoys exhibiting and selling her own artwork. Joanne was published in the Hasbrouck Heights Observer Newspaper, “Local Woman Discovers Rock History from Another Age”. 1995. This current study has created further and deeper research, leading to a planned periodical called, “The Rock People-Spirits of the Stone”, the Civilization We Passed By.