Kristen Palana
My goal is to empower ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
I’m an American/Portuguese award-winning artist/educator helping empower ordinary people around the globe to communicate and tell their own stories through a variety of media. I create dynamic content for clients including UNFPA, UNICEF, The World Food Programme, Children International, The Aid Myanmar Society, and The American University of Myanmar.
I have 19+ years of experience teaching digital media and creating innovative programs for secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate students as well as adults and children with no formal education in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. I’ve also been teaching tens of thousands of online students through online learning platforms since 2014.
I'm an Associate Professor of Digital Media who recently taught for universities, international schools, and NGOs in Myanmar from 2016-2019. I co-founded and directed the Film and Digital Media Program at The American University of Rome (2006-2016). I'm now living in Lilongwe, Malawi and am a Digital Media and Animation Specialist for The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Malawi).
My animated films have screened in galleries and museums worldwide and in more than 75 international film festivals where they have frequently won “Best Animated Short.”
I received my MFA from Pratt Institute in Computer Graphics and Interactive Media and also hold a BFA in Painting from Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
I love taking complex topics and making them simple.
What can I help you with today?