Committees

Carmenita Higginbotham, PhD, Dean – Committee Chair

Christiana Lafazani, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Research
James Wiznerowicz, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Chair of Music
Jody Symula, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Art Foundation Program Lead
Holly Alford, Senior Director of Design, Director Inclusion and Equity and Chair of Painting + Printmaking
Margaret Lindauer, Senior Director of Fine Arts and Director of Graduate Studies
TyRuben Ellingson, Senior Director of Narrative Media & Director of Cinema
Kristin Caskey, Senior Director of Performing Arts and Chair, Sculpture + Extended Media

Kelly Teeling, Executive Director of Recruitment & Admissions
John Hendershot, Director of Academic Advising
Chase Westfall, Curator of Student Exhibitions and Programs, The Anderson
Wesley Hester, Executive Director of Communications
Micah Jayne, Director of Brand Strategy
Paul Rucker, Curator for Creative Collaboration
Sarah Hendricks, Executive Director of Development
Kelly Kerr, Director of Development for Stewardship and Alumni Engagement
Matt Woolman, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship
Melyatta Powers, Senior Executive Director of Finance
Ryan Ellington, Director of Human Resources
Robert Sandkam, Interim Director, Information Technology
Christopher ‘Dinkus’ Deane, Director of Operations

Ryan Patton, Chair, Art Education
Tobias Wofford, Chair, Art History
Matt Wallin, Chair, Communication Arts
Cynthia Myron, Chair, Craft and Material Studies
Scott Putnam, Chair, Dance + Choreography
Deidra Arrington, Chair, Fashion Design + Merchandising
Roy McKelvey, Chair, Graphic Design
Roberto Ventura, Chair, Interior Design
Stephen Vitiello, Chair, Kinetic Imaging
Jon-Phillip Sheridan, Chair, Photography + Film
Bonnie McCoy, Chair, Department of Theatre

Amir Berbić, Dean, VCUarts Qatar

Melanie Christian, Executive Assistant to the Dean, ex-officio member

Third Thursdays of the month, 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, Ernesto Cruz
CMS, Hillary Fayle
FASH, Kim Guthrie
GDES, Laura Chessin
IDES, Jeannette Andamasaris
KINE, Kate Sicchio
PAPR, Noah Simblist
PHTO, Jonathan Molina-Garcia
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, Michelle Yee
CINE, Kevin Gallagher
COAR, Ying-Fang Shen
CMS, N/A
DANC, Gaynell Sherrod
FASH, Jarvis Jefferson
GDES, David Shields
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Stephanie Thulin
MUSC, Justin Alexander
PAPR, N/A
PHTO, Jon-Phillip Sheridan
SCPT, Massa Lemu
THEA, Sharon Ott (Fall 2022)

Third Wednesday of the month at 4 pm – location TBD

Holly Alford, FASH, committee chair, Director of Inclusion and Equity
ARTF, Chris Norris
ARTH, Babatunde Lawal
COAR, Christopher Irving
DANC, Sinclair Emoghene
FASH, Jackie Mullins
IDES, Sara Reed
KINE, Semi Ryu
SCPT, Massa Lemu
THEA, David Toney

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

Lily Cox Richard (AFO) & Joshua Tyree (CINE) co-chairs
ARTE, Yiwen Wei
ARTF, Lily Cox-Richard
ARTH, no representative
COAR, Miguel Carter Fisher
CINE, Joshua Tyree
CMS, Jack Wax
DANC, MK Abadoo (Fall), Trebien Pollard (Spring)
FASH, Kevin Sellars
GDES, Wes Taylor
IDES, Laura Battaglia
KINE, Pam Turner
MUSC, Cindy Donnell
PAPR, Hilary Wilder
PHTO, Mary Beth Reed
SCPT, Corin Hewitt
THEA: Karen Kopryanski

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

Peggy Lindauer, committee chair
Kat Wilson, coordinator of graduate studies
ARTE, Sara Wilson McKay
ARTH, Eric Garberson
CMS, Blair Clemo
IDES, Kristin Carleton
GDES, Nicole Killian
KINE, Orla Mc Hardy
PAPR, Holly Morrison
PHTO, Mary Beth Reed
SCPT, Kendall Buster
THEA, Aaron Anderson

Tuesdays, as needed, 5:30 p.m., Dean’s Office Conference Room, Pollak 201

Steven Hoskins Committee Chair
ARTE, no representative
ARTH, Eric Garberson
COAR, Stephen Alcorn
CMS, Bohyun Yoon
DANC, Judy Steel
FASH, no representative
GDES, Steven Hoskins
IDES, no representative
KINE, Shawn Brixey
MUSC, Tabatha Easley
PAPR, Cara Benedetto
PHTO, Mark Boulos
SCPT, Michael Jones McKean
THEA, Aaron Anderson

Meetings are scheduled as needed

Chase Westfall, committee chair
ARTE, Ryan Lauterio
COAR, Miguel Carter-Fisher
FASH, Hawa Stwodah
GDES, Lauren Thorson
IDES, Tim Hamnett
KINE, SHAWNÉ MICHAELAIN HOLLOWAY
PAPR, Sandy Zohore

Meetings are scheduled as needed

Oliver Speck, School of World Studies, committee chair, MATX director
ARTE, Dominic Willsdon
KINE, Bob Paris

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

David Toney, THEA (2023)
Kim Guthrie, FASH (2023)
Emily Smith, IDES (2023)
Robbie Kinter, DANC (2024)
Rudy Lopez, FASH (2025)

Alternates:
Laura Chesin, GDES, (2023)
Sara Reed, IDES, (2023)

2-year term, elected

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

Steven Alcorn, COAR (2024)
Yi Wei Wen, ARTED (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)
Filipe Leitao, MUSC, (Fall 2025)

3-year term, appointed

Shawn Brixey, KI (2023)

3-year term, appointed

Carly Phinizy, ARTH (Fall 2024)