Committees

Carmenita Higginbotham, PhD, Dean – Committee Chair
Nancy Scott, Executive Associate Dean
Christiana Lafazani, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research
James Wiznerowicz, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Senior Director of Performing Arts and Acting Chair of Dance + Choreography
Jody Symula, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Art Foundation Program Lead
Holly Alford, Senior Director of Design, Director Inclusion and Equity and Acting Chair of Painting + Printmaking
Margaret Lindauer, Senior Director of Fine Arts and Director of Graduate Studies
TyRuben Ellingson, Chair, Senior Director of Narrative Media & Director of Cinema
Melyatta Powers, Director of Finance
Ryan Ellington, Director of Human Resources
Sarah Hendricks, Executive Director of Development
Julia Carr, Senior Director of Development
Kelly Kerr, Director of Events & Scholarships
Andrew Ilnicki, Director, Strategic Technology
Stacy Sneed, Director of Communications
Micah Jayne, Director of Brand Strategy
Kelly Teeling, Executive Director of Recruitment and Admissions
Christopher ‘Dinkus’ Deane, Director of Operations
Paul Rucker, Curator for Creative Collaboration
John Hendershot, Director of Academic Advising
Matt Woolman, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship
Ryan Patton, Chair, Art Education
Carly Phinizy, Chair, Art History
Matt Wallin, Chair, Communication Arts
Cynthia Myron, Chair, Craft and Material Studies and Chair, Sculpture + Extended Media
Deidra Arrington, Chair, Fashion Design + Merchandising
Roy McKelvey, Chair, Graphic Design
Roberto Ventura, Chair, Interior Design
Stephen Vitiello, Chair, Kinetic Imaging
Terry Austin, Chair, Music
John Philip Sheridan, Chair, Photography + Film
Bonnie McCoy, Chair, Department of Theater
Amir Berbić, Dean, VCUarts Qatar
Melanie Christian, Executive Assistant to the Dean & Graduate Studies Coordinator, ex-officio member

Thursdays (as needed), 10 a.m., Bowe Street Conference Room

Jody Symula, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Art Foundation Program Lead
ARTF, Roberto Jamora
ARTE, Yi Wei Wen
COAR, Jason Bennett
CMS, Blair Clemo
FASH, Kim Guthrie
GDES, Lauren Thorsen
IDES, Lexy Holcombe
KINE, Kate Sicchio
PAPR, Hilary Wilder
PHTO, John Freyer
SCPT, Corin Hewitt

Second and Fourth Wednesdays, 9 – 10 a.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

James Wiznerowicz, committee chair, Associate Dean
ARTE, Lillian Lewis
ARTF, Jody Symula
ARTH, Carolyn Phinizy
CINE, Yossera Bouchtia
COAR, Sterling Hundley
CMS, Elissa Armstrong
DANC, Judith Steele
FASH, Jarvis Jefferson
GDES, David Shields
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Stephanie Thulin
MUSC, Patrick Smith
PAPR, Noah Simblist (fall 2021), Peter Baldes (spring 2022)
PHTO, Jon-Phillip Sheridan/ Sasha Waters Freyer (sub)
SCPT, (no representation)
THEA, Sharon Ott

Third Wednesday of the month at 4 pm – location TBD

Holly Alford, committee chair, Director of Diversity
ARTE, Yi Wei Wen
ARTF, Chris Norris
ARTH, Babatunde Lawal
CINE, Nikita Moyer
COAR, Sarah Faris
CMS, (no representation)
DANC, Gaynell Sherrod
FASH, Renee Lamb & Jackie Mullins
GDES, Nicole Killian
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Semi Ryu
MUSC, Tabatha Easley
PAPR, Cara Benedetto (fall 2021)
PHTO, Mark Boulos
SCPT, Masa Lemu
THEA, Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Wates

Second Tuesdays, 5 p.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

Chris Irving (COAR) and Bonnie Brady (THEA) Committee co-chairs
ARTE, (no representation)
ARTF, Hope Ginsburg (fall 2021), Lily Cox-Richard (spring 2022)
CMS, (no representation)
CINE, Rob Tregenza
DANC, Judith Steel
FASH, Kevin Sellars
GDES, Laura Chessin
IDES, Emily Smith
KINE,  Semi Ryu (fall 2021), Bob Paris (spring 2022)
MUSC, Cindy Donnell
PAPR, Hilary Wilder
PHTO, Mary Beth Reed
SCPT, (no representation)

Third Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

Peggy Lindauer, committee chair
Melanie Christian, coordinator of graduate studies
ARTE, Sara Wilson McKay
ARTH, Kathleen Chapman
CMS, Jack Wax
IDES, Roberto Ventura
GDES, Roy McKelvey / Nicole Killian
KINE, Orla McHardy (fall 2021), Stephen Vitiello (spring 2022)
PAPR, Holly Morrison
PHTO, Mary Beth Reed
SCPT, Kendall Buster
THEA, Aaron Anderson

Tuesdays, as needed, 5 p.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

ARTE, Courtney Wolfgang
ARTH, Eric Garberson
COAR, Stephen Alcorn
CMS, Bohyun Yoon
DANC, Scott Putman
FASH, Kristin Caskey
GDES, Steven Hoskins – committee co-chair
IDES, Camden Whitehead
KINE, Orla McHardy (fall 2021), Shawn Brixey (spring 2022)
MUSC, Ross Walter – committee co-chair
PAPR, Peter Baldes
PHTO, Sasha Waters Freyer
SCPT, Michael Jones McKean
THEA, Aaron Anderson

Chase Westfall, committee chair
ARTE, (no representation)
ARTF, Morgan Herrin
CMS, Jason Hackett
COAR, Ying Fang Shen
FASH, Hawa Stwodah
GDES, Lauren Thorson
IDES, Lexy Holcombe
KINE, Bob Paris
PAPR, (no representation)
PHTO, Justin James Reed
SCPT, Massa Lemu

Meetings are scheduled as needed

Oliver Speck, School of World Studies, committee chair, MATX director
KINE, Pamela Turner

3-year term, elected

Meeting Time: First Tuesday, 4–6 p.m.,
https://facultysenate.vcu.edu/

Holly Alford, FASH, HON
E. Gaynell Sherrod, DANC, HON

John Freyer, PHOTO (2022)
David Toney, THEA (2023)
Kim Guthrie, FASH (2023)
Emily Smith, IDES (2023)
Robbie Kinter, DANC (2024)

Alternates:
Patricia Brown, FASH (2022)
Lillian Lewis, ARTED (2022)

2-year term, elected

Meeting Time: First Thursdays, 3–5 p.m.,
http://www.council.vcu.edu/

Sarah Faris, COAR, elected, tenured (2023)
Yi Wei Wen, ARTED, elected tenure track (2023)

Alternate:
Jason Bennett, COAR, elected, (2023)

3-year term, elected

Laura Chessin, GDES (2024)
Eric Rivera, DANC (2023)
Yin Zheng, MUSC (2024)

Alternates:
Robert Tregenza, CINE (2023)
Steve Hoskins, GDES (2023)

2-year term

Carly Phinizy, ARTH, (Fall 2023)
Stephanie Thulin, KINE, (2022)

3-year term, appointed

Shawn Brixey, KI (2023)

3-year term, appointed

Carly Phinizy, ARTH (2021-2024)