School of the Arts Standing Committees
TBA
Carmenita Higginbotham, PhD, Dean – Committee Chair
Nancy Scott, Executive Associate Dean
Christiana Lafazani, Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs & Senior Director of Design
James Wiznerowicz, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs & Senior Director of Performing Arts
Jody Symula, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Art Foundation Program Lead
Melyatta Powers, Director of Finance
Ryan Ellington, Director of Human Resources
Julia Carr, Senior Director of Development
Andrew Ilnicki, Director, Strategic Technology
Suzanne Silitch, Executive Director for Strategic Communications
Erin Garmezy, Director of Undergraduate Admissions
Christopher Deane, Director of Operations
Holly Alford, Director of Inclusion and Equity
Paul Rucker, Curator for Creative Collaboration
Matt Woolman, Executive Director for Creative Entrepreneurship
John Hendershot, Director of Academic Advising
Margaret Lindauer, Chair, Art History, Senior Director of Fine Arts & Interim Director of Graduate Studies, VCUarts
Cynthia Myron, Assistant Chair, Craft/Material Studies
TyRuben Ellingson, Chair, Communication Arts and Interim Director, Cinema & Senior Director of Narrative Media
Courtney Harris, Chair, Dance + Choreography
Patricia Brown, Chair, Fashion Design + Merchandising
David Shields, Chair, Graphic Design
Roberto Ventura, Interim Chair, Interior Design
Stephen Vitiello, Chair, Kinetic Imaging
Terry Austin, Interim Chair, Music
Noah Simblist, Chair, Painting + Printmaking
Justin James Reed, Interim Chair, Photography + Film
Mary Eisendrath, Interim Chair, Sculpture + Extended Media
Sharon Ott, Chair, Theatre
Melanie Christian/ Member Ex-officio
Thursdays (as needed), 9 a.m., Bowe Street Conference Room
Jody Symula, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Art Foundation Program Lead
ARTF, Wes Taylor
ARTE, Yiwen Wei
COAR, Rob Tarbell
CMS, Susie Ganch
FASH, Kim Guthrie
GDES, Lauren Thorsen
IDES, Lexy Holcombe
KINE, Kate Sicchio
PAPR, Hilary Wilder
PHTO, Justin James Reed
SCPT, Mary Eisendrath
Second and Fourth Wednesdays, 9 – 10 a.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201
James Wiznerowicz, committee chair, Associate Dean
ARTE, Molly McFadden
ARTF, Jody Symula
ARTH, Carolyn Phinizy
CINE, Joshua Tyree
COAR, Larin Brink
CMS, Cindy Myron
DANC, Lea Marshall
FASH, Patricia Brown
GDES, David Shields
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Stephanie Thulin
MUSC, Patrick Smith
PAPR, Kat Wilson
PHTO, Jon-Phillip Sheridan
SCPT, Sara Ferguson
THEA, Sharon Ott
Third Wednesday of the month at 4 pm – location TBD
Holly Alford, FASH, committee chair, Director of Diversity
ARTE, Courtnie Wolfgang
ARTH, Babatunde Lawal
ARTF, Lily Cox-Richard
CINE, Nikita Moyer
COAR, Sarah Faris
DANC, Lea Marshall
FASH, Jackie Mullins
GDES, Nicole Killian
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Semi Ryu
MUSC, Linda Johnson
MUSC, Tabatha Easley
PAPR, Noah Simblist
PHTO, Mark Boulos
SCPT, Masa Lemu
THEA, Tawnya Pettiford-Wates
Second Tuesdays, 5 p.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201
Tobias Wofford, ARTH & Rudy Lopez, FASH, committee co-chairs
ARTE, Ryan Patton
ARTF, Hope Ginsburg, (Wes Taylor) alternate
CINE, Yossera Bouchtia
COAR, Christopher Irving
CMS, Balir Clemo
DANC, Judith Steel
GDES, Laura Chessin
IDES, Emily Smith
KINE, Bob Kaputof
MUSC, Taylor Barnett
PAPR, Holly Morrison
PHTO, Jonathan Molina-Garcia
SCPT, Kendell Buster
THEA, Bonnie Brady
Third Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201
Peggy Lindauer, committee chair
Melanie Christian, coordinator of graduate studies
ARTE, Courtnie Wolfgang
ARTH, Kathleen Chapman
CMS, Jack Wax
IDES, Roberto Ventura
GDES, Roy McKelvey/Nicole Killian
KINE, Orla McHardy
PAPR, Noah Simblist
PHTO, Paul Thulin
SCPT, Corin Hewitt
THEA, Keith Kirk
Tuesdays, as needed, 6 p.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201
Matt Wallin, COAR, committee chair
ARTH, Kate Roach
CMS, (no representation for this year)
DANC, Scott Putman
FASH, Holly Alford
GDES, Sandy Wheeler
IDES, Camden Whitehead
KINE, Orla McHardy
MUSC, Ross Walter
PAPR, Peter Baldes
PHTO, Sasha Waters Freyer
SCPT, Michael Jones McKean
THEA, Aaron Anderson
Chase Westfall, committee chair
ARTE, (no representation)
ARTF, Morgan Herrin
ARTH, Eric Garberson
COAR, Stephen Alcorn
FASH, Hawa Stwodha
GDES, Lauren Thorson
IDES, Lexy Holcombe
KINE, Bob Paris
PAPR, Cara Benedetto
PHTO, Justin James Reed
SCPT, Guadalupe Maravilla
Meetings are scheduled as needed
Oliver Speck, School of World Studies, committee chair, MATX director
ARTH, Eric Garberson
KINE, Pamela Turner
CMS, Susie Ganch
University Committees (elected to 2- or 3-year terms)
3-year term, elected
Meeting Time: First Tuesday, 4–6 p.m.,
https://facultysenate.vcu.edu/
Holly Alford, FASH, HON
Gaynell Sherrod, DANC, HON
John Freyer, PHOTO (2022)
Neno Russell, THEA (2022)
David Toney, THEA (2023)
Kim Guthrie, FASH (2023)
Emily Smith, IDES (2023)
Alternates:
Keith Kirk, THEA
Stephen Alcorn, COAR
2-year term, elected
Meeting Time: First Thursdays, 3–5 p.m.,
http://www.council.vcu.edu/
Matt Wallin, COAR, elected, tenured (2021)
Deidra Arrington, FASH, elected, tenured (2021)
3-year term, elected
Meeting Time: https://graduate.vcu.edu/facstaff/council.html
Stephen Vitiello, KI (2023)
Paul Thulin, PHTO (2022)
3-year term, elected
Pam Turner, KINE (2021)
Eric Rivera, DANC (2023)
Kikau Alvaro, THEA (2023)
Alternates:
Robert Tregenza, CINE
Steve Hoskins, GDES
Appointed
Holly Morrison, PAPR (2021)
2-year term
Carly Phinizy, ARTH, Fall 2020/ Cynthia Myron, CMS, (2021)
Stephanie Thulin, KINE, (2021)
3-year term, appointed
Shawn Brixey, KI (2023)
3-year term, appointed
Laura Chessin, GDES (2021)