Subject Matter Experts at Ringling College of Art and Design
Ringling College’s faculty and staff are practicing artists, designers, industry leaders, and educators on the cutting edge of their fields.
Here, you will find distinguished experts on a diverse range of topics, from West African textiles to macroeconomics to the history of Sarasota. Their expertise spans skilled knowledge, critical thinking, and the humanities.
The faculty and staff members listed below are available to meet with members of the media for interviews and to comment on regional and international trending issues. To speak with anyone listed below, contact the Office of Marketing and Communications. Members of the team will assist in making the introduction and scheduling the interview.
Contact Marketing and Communication
Available Subject Matter Experts:
Jeff Bleitz
Department Head, Graphic Design
Areas of expertise: Logo design and branding, packaging design, information graphics, typography and typeface design, publication design
Dr. Kevin Cooley
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: Animation history, media studies, comics and cartoons, queer media, audio drama podcasting
Rick Dakan
Center for the Creative Economy AI Coordinator
Faculty, Creative Writing
Areas of expertise: Artificial Intelligence and education; AI and art and design; game writing, design, and development, interactive experience design, genre writing, comics
Lauren L. Dennis, MA, LMHC
Associate Director, Counseling Services
Areas of expertise: College student mental health, generational differences in development
Dr. Susan Doll
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: Film genres, including those that get little respect—horror, rom coms, creature features; Elvis Presley (I wrote my dissertation as well as several books on Presley); Florida film history; Chicago film history
Dr. Matt Giles
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: Intergroup communication, communication between police and protest groups, protest art, language as culture
Dr. Genevieve Hill-Thomas
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: African art; African fashion; African textiles; African art in museums; fiber arts; Mandé studies; Burkina Faso; non-profit development (particularly in West Africa)
Dr. Chrystine Keener
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: Southern and Northern European Early Modern studies, Islamic art and culture, Holocaust studies, pedagogy
Richard Krevolin
Faculty, Creative Writing
Areas of expertise: Storytelling, screenwriting, playwriting, and creative writing
Dr. Mary Ann Markey
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: Active killers, mass murders in schools, workplaces, public venues and church; intra-family homicide, violence, domestic violence, biophilia, astrophilia, Space Society, Cosma Culture
Matt Myers
Faculty, First Year Studio Program
Areas of expertise: Figure drawing, Ringling College’s Figure Reference Library, costume design, theater design, and murals.
Dr. Pat Mizak
Assistant Vice President for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness
Higher education (general), accreditation, macroeconomics, international political economy
Martin Murphy
Department Head, Virtual Reality Development
Areas of expertise: Virtual Reality Development, CMF (Color, Design, Finish), real-time computer graphics
Sarafina Murphy-Gibson
Academic Affairs Model Coordinator
Areas of expertise: Musecraft, art modeling and figure drawing coordination, figure model life and the makings of a good model, physical storytelling and visual narratives, costume and prop management, designing themed art events, and talent recruitment/management
Dr. Christopher Nank
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: American literature (mostly after 1900), Florida literature and media, contemporary literature in general, eco-criticism, monster/apocalypse imagery
Sean Patton
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Florida Ecology, Habitat restoration, aquatic landscaping, invasive species management, science education; butterfly gardening and Florida native landscaping with a focus on aquatic ecosystems
E Ramey
Director, Recreation and Wellness
Areas of expertise: Health and wellness, esports
Glenn Schudel
Faculty, Creative Writing
Areas of expertise: Theatre and performance studies, Shakespeare and early modern drama, rhetoric, romance writing
Jeff Schwartz
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Areas of expertise: Curriculum, programing, INDEX, Illustration, painting, facilities, portfolios, community partnerships
Dr. Ryan G. Van Cleave
Interim Department Head, Creative Writing
Areas of Expertise: children’s literature (especially picture books); publishing; freelance writing; creativity
Sylvia Whitman
Faculty, Creative Writing
Areas of expertise: children’s literature, including picture books; literary magazines; journaling for personal growth and creative development; copy editing
Dr. Christopher S. Wilson
Faculty, Liberal Arts
Areas of expertise: Sarasota School of Architecture, Sarasota history (in general), architectural history (in general), design history (including graphic design, fashion design, product design, etc), architecture in films, art history
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