Class Notes Archive - Page 2 of 5 - College of Visual and Performing Arts - Page 2 – VPA

Terri Ginsberg (BFA ’85)

Terri has published the short-form monograph “Films of Arab Loutfi and Heiny Srour: Studies in Palestine Solidarity Cinema” (Palgrave Pivot, 2021). She is presently assistant professor of film and media at Concordia University in Montréal.

Barbara (Zuckerman) Chotiner (BFA ’95)

Barbara recently illustrated a new children’s book, “Moving Words About a Flower,” about the lifecycle of a dandelion for Charlesbridge Publishing. She had a book signing in her town of Narberth, Pennsylvania. Visit her website.

John Rudolph (BFA ’05)

After 15 years of building brands, concepting ad campaigns, and developing marketing platforms at various design and advertising agencies, John launched Map Agency, a brand design studio, in 2021. Based in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, Map Agency provides print and digital brand and design services for people and businesses ranging from start-up to Fortune 500. Visit map-agency.com to learn more and see the latest work.

Deborah (Walker) Miller (BM ’71)

After singing for two seasons with the Metropolitan Opera company in New York City and having a successful performing career as an ingenue leading lady in Broadway musical touring shows and performing internationally on cruise ships, Deborah transitioned to producing radio shows and lent her talent as an on-air radio personality for “The Dick Miller Show” in New York City, New Jersey, Aruba, and St. Maarten/St. Martin. Today, Deborah is an award-winning realtor in Venice/Sarasota, Florida. She was inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2013 and in March 2021 was awarded the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual International RE/MAX convention in Orlando at the Orlando World Center Marriott. Deborah has access to RE/MAX offices in 110 countries around the world.

Book cover of "Stories My Father Told Me"

Helen Zughaib (BFA ’81)

Helen was nominated for and received a three-year Social Impact Residency at the Kennedy Center/REACH in Washington, D.C., to work on issues surrounding displacement, refugee crisis, and migration, especially around women and children. She received the Evelyn Shakir Book Award for non-fiction from the Arab American National Museum in Detroit for the book “Stories My Father Told Me” (Cune Press), co authored by Elia Zughaib.

Nora Carrol (BFA ’71)

Nora’s most recent article critiquing the worrisome move of online university programs to third-party platforms was publishsed by Times Higher Education (UK) in July 2021. Nora is also teaching entrepreneurship for both graduate and undergraduate programs at the School of Business and Public Administration, University of the District of Columbia.

Adair (Wilson) Heitmann (BFA ’75)

Adair is active in the international visual storytelling community, PechaKucha, most recently with her story “Creativity is the Mother of Reinvention.” She is a contributing author in the book “Animals: Personal Tales of Encounters with Spirit Animals” featuring Dr. Steven Farmer. She is currently writing unique stories that she presents and shares with diverse audiences. She is also working in book arts, photography, printmaking, and video essays.

Richard Huntington (BFA ’60)

Richard will have a comprehensive exhibition of his paintings and work in other media, both mixed and pure, in 2023 at the internationally known alternative space Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center in Buffalo, New York. Visit his website.

Ferne Arfin (BS ’67)

Ferne’s debut novel, “Tunnel of Mirrors,” was published in London in February 2022. The novel, a literary love story, is set in New York City and Ireland in the early part of the 20th century. After graduation from Syracuse University, Ferne studied with Malcolm Bradbury, founder of the UK’s first creative writing program, at the University of East Anglia. Her short stories have appeared in the Arkansas Review, The Literary Review, and several anthologies. Visit her website.

Jim Charmatz (BFA ’88)

Jim works in character concept and digital design. His team at Legacy Effects is Oscar nominated and multiple Emmy-winning for many films and TV shows, including the “Terminator” franchise, the “Jurassic Park” franchise, “Avatar,” “Iron Man” (and most of the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV shows), and now for “The Mandalorian” and other “Star Wars” TV on Disney+. View his portfolio and his credits on IMDB.

A poster advertising Maya Stern's exhibition in Wisconsin

Maya Stern (MFA ’21)

Maya was awarded the graduate fellowship from the Southern Graphics Council International (SGCI). Her award culminates in a solo exhibition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the annual SGCI conference. The exhibition runs March 8-20 with an opening reception on March 18 from 3-4 p.m.

Harriete Estel Berman (BFA ’74)

Jewelry by Harriete was recently featured in “Jewelry” on PBS produced by Craft In America. Visit her website.

Taye Diggs (BFA ’93) and Shane W. Evans (BFA ’93)

The acclaimed picture book duo have published “Why? A Conversation about Race” (Macmillan Publishing, 2022). Written by Taye with illustrations by Shane, the book distills the conversations many children and adults are having about race, injustice, and anger in communities throughout the U.S., and gives them context that young readers can connect with.

James Little (MFA ’76)

James was one of the artists selected to be part of the Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept, which will be on view April 6-September 5. The Whitney Biennial is the longest-running survey of American art.

Lisa (Simons) Brissette (BS ’85)

Lisa received a master of arts in elementary education in 1986 from Fordham University and says that her speech communication degree was instrumental in helping her get her first teaching job in 1987. She taught grades 3-6 during her seven years in the South Brunswick school department in New Jersey. In 1994 she earned a master of science in education administration at Rider University; that same year she was hired as an elementary school principal for the Woonsocket school department in Rhode Island. She was named the Rhode Island Elementary School Principal of the Year in 2003 and also had the honor of representing the state of Rhode Island at a conference in Washington, D.C., where she had the opportunity to talk with Congressman Patrick Kennedy about improvements needed in education.

Kirsten (Weidemier) Panachyda (BM ’92)

Kirsten’s first book, “Among Lions: Fighting for Faith and Finding your Rest while Parenting a Child with Mental Illness,” was published in May 2021.

Craig LaRosa (BID ’95)

After a long career with such renowned design and innovation consultancies—Continuum Innovation, Frog Design, and Accenture/Altitude—Craig has joined Boar’s Head to support the premium CPG company as they continue their meteoric rise as the number one brand in grocery stores. Craig and his family (wife Valerie, son Dylan, and daughter Amelia) made the move to Sarasota, Florida, this summer and do not miss the winters of the Northeast.

Nick Purdy (BFA ’01)

After a career managing performing arts centers and freelance theater and event design, Nick returned to school for a master’s in architecture and is now licensed and practicing in North Carolina.

Jay Aubrey Jones (BS ’76)

Jay recently made two appearances at Feinstein’s 54 Below in “Even If It Only Runs a Minute” and “The Boys from Syracuse.” He will be featured as Hemlut Heimlich in the world premiere of “MacGyver:The Musical” at Stages Houston. He will also be seen as an eccentric cat lover on “Bull” on CBS in February.

Karl Weld (BFA ’92)

Karl is entering his sixth year at SharkNinja, first as studio manager, then director of creative services, and now as director of Asset Innovation Group. His team is responsible for all image assets for a $5 billion global consumer products company (CGI and traditional image retouching, as well as video animation). He is also an exhibiting member of the 100-year-old Rockport Art Association and Museum, painting in watercolor. Visit karlweld.com to see his work.