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College of Creative Arts Advisory Board

Advisory Board Members

Jason C. Brown (’99) - Director, 1st AD, Los Angeles

Jason Brown head shotAn Emmy Award-winning director, Jason C. Brown lives in Hollywood, California and has been a member of the Directors Guild of America for over a decade. He lives in Hollywood, California and has been a member of the Directors Guild of America for 10 years. He primarily works as a 1st Assistant Director on both television and films and has recently directed a pair of award winning short films. Throughout his career he has worked on such wide ranging projects as "Avatar", "CSI: NY", "Last Week Tonight", and "Drunk History".

Jason earned his undergraduate degree from Miami University with a bachelor of arts in Zoology with a minor in Film Studies. He began working freelance jobs in Cincinnati, OH before moving to Los Angeles in 2005. Since that time, he has worked on over 50 films and television shows.

Jason T. Busch (‘96) - Director of the American Folk Art Museum, New York City

Jason Busch head shotJason Busch has several decades of experience working in the arts. Prior to becoming Director of the American Folk Art Museum in 2018, he served as curator of decorative arts at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut and the Minneapolis Institute of Art; chief curator and curator of decorative arts and design at Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh; deputy director for curatorial affairs and museum programs at the Saint Louis Art Museum; division director for decorative arts at Sotheby’s; and director of the Jason Jacques Gallery in New York. He has curated several large exhibitions and collection installations and authored the associated publications, including Currents of Change: Art and Life Along the Mississippi River, 1850–1861 (2004); Carnegie Museum of Art: Decorative Arts and Design Collection (2009) and Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at World’s Fairs, 1851–1939 (2012).

Busch received his Master of Arts (MA) degree from the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in American Studies from Miami University. He has also studied at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Historic Deerfield, and was a 2013 fellow at the Center for Curatorial Leadership in New York. Busch has been an academic member of the American Folk Art Society and on the Board of Directors of the American Friends of Attingham.

Randy Cousin (‘01) - Senior Vice President, Product Concept, Tommy Hilfiger, New York City

Randy CousinRandy Cousin is the SVP of Product Concepts and The People’s Place Program at Tommy Hilfiger. As the lead of People’s Place, Randy champion’s the brand’s mission to amplify the voice of the next generation of BIPOC Creatives and Thought Leaders. Having been with the brand for just over ten years, Randy has held various Merchandising/Creative roles in New York City and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Randy started his fashion career at Abercrombie and Fitch, as the lead Merchandiser for Accessories, before moving to Tommy Hilfiger.

Having a passion for increasing Representation for Black creatives in the Fashion Industry, Randy recently co-founded the philanthropic organization Creatives Want Change. CWC is dedicated to the talent cultivation of Young Black Creatives, linking them to Pre-College Training at some of the top Fashion Universities in the United States.

Greg Dunlop (’94) - Divisional Manager, Global Trend & Design, The TJX Companies, Inc, Boston

Greg Dunlop head shotGreg Dunlop is responsible for researching and identifying global design and consumer trends for one of the world’s leading retailers. He does extensive research into the worlds of Fashion and Home style in order to develop yearly trend forecasts for his organization.

Prior to his current position, Greg worked and gained his trend forecasting experience at the globally renowned trend service, WGSN. He was brought into WGSN as the founding director of an innovative trend service dedicated to the Home & Lifestyle market sectors. Greg was based in New York City for four years but traveled extensively to communicate WGSN’s key trends. His clients included Starwood Hotels, Electrolux, Coca-Cola, Hasbro, Marks & Spencer, and Kia/Hyundai Motors to name a few. Before joining WGSN, Greg was the National Architecture & Design Director for Allsteel Office Furniture and had spent his early career as an interior designer and a workplace strategies consultant.

Greg was the New England Chapter president for 6 years followed by service on the Miami University Alumni Association Board of Directors, where he served as president for two terms. He was honored to receive the Kenneth Gambee Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2004 and was recently awarded the John Dolibois Alumni Award for his years of service to alma mater.

Nick Effler ('00) - Senior Director of Architecture, Crate & Barrel, Chicago

Nick EfflerNick Effler has had a 20+ year career focused on the retail side of design and development around the world. He has managed several dynamic vehicles for store expansion and led development efforts for several concepts. This has included a portfolio of projects, for multiple brands, ranging from high street flagship retail to much lower profile travel retail outlets. Beyond extensive work in major centers throughout North America his experiences have covered projects in 50+ countries across Europe, South America, Middle East, East Asia, and China. Currently managing the Crate&Barrel stable of brands through its next generation of store expansion, Nick has created an efficiency through process that has allowed for greater focus on experiential development, driving environmental designs that bridge an evolving brand vernacular with shifting customer habits.

Patrick Flick (’83, '90) - Executive Director, The Shakespeare Theatre Association Producing Artistic Director, Richmond Shakespeare Festival in Richmond, IN

Patrick Flick head shotPatrick Flick is a four-time Emmy-award winner from his days as a television producer/talent in San Francisco. He is currently Executive Director of The Shakespeare Theatre Association and former Producing Artistic Director of the Richmond Shakespeare Festival in Richmond, Indiana. He is the former Literary Chair of the National New Play Network and former Associate Artistic Director of Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Orlando, Florida. He has directed and acted at many theaters including Richmond Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Gamut Theatre in Harrisburg, PA., the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Actors Theatre of Naples, New Theatre in Miami, Florida Studio Theater, TheatreWorks in Mountain View, CA., Marin Theatre Company, San Jose Stage, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Sacramento Theatre Company, Marin and Wisconsin Shakespeare Festivals, the Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis, Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, and Riverside Shakespeare and the Independent Theatre in New York.

Tracy Gardella (’91) - Senior Director Enrollment Management, Communications and Outreach, Northeastern University, Seminole, FL

Tracy Gardella head shotTracy Gardella currently serves as the Senior Director, Enrollment Communications and Outreach for Northeastern University in Boston, overseeing project management and college success teams working remotely from her home in Florida. Her teams serve as liaisons between college stakeholders and all enrollment management partners.

As a strategic and highly creative marketing and branding veteran, Tracy has worked on major brands and higher education clients across the country. After graduating from Miami University, she began her career in Cincinnati planning and buying media for national clients such as Lenscrafters and Roto-Rooter. She went on to lead media efforts for a local ad agency in Cincinnati, then became a top sales account executive for two different radio stations. Eventually, she moved to the client side managing marketing and branding efforts for a hotel and convention center, Fifth Third Bank, the University of Dayton, and, most importantly, her alma mater before going back to the agency side in 2017 for the national agency 160over90, an Endeavor company. In June 2020, she began working with Northeastern University’s graduate school enrollment management team and simultaneously earned her Florida real estate license.

During her time at Miami University, Tracy led all branding and agency efforts, video production, photography, web design, and print production. She also served on the Performing Arts Series advisory board for three years, culminating in a term as president.

In addition to serving as the senior account leader, she oversaw all of the operations of the 160over90 Florida office as Managing Director, where she led work on such higher ed clients as University of Florida, Old Dominion University, Florida International University, Fordham University, Furman University, and DePauw University as well as consumer accounts like Outback Steakhouse and Aussie Grill (both Bloomin’ Brands), ChenMed (Dedicated Senior Medical Centers), IMG Academy, among others.

Some of Tracy’s higher-ed branding and marketing work has earned awards from CASE National, CASE IV, and Higher-Ed Marketing.

Ryan Garfat ('00) - CMO, Pangea Entertainment Productions, Palm Desert, CA

Ryan GarfatRyan Garfat has been an editor and journalist in one way or another for nearly 20 years, covering or leading coverage of nearly 200 sporting events and seasons. From hand-coding websites, developing database tools, editing video and photos and stories, moderating message boards, and on-site reporting, no day has been the same.

Previously, Ryan was a senior editor for ESPN esports, using his experience to help shape a young staff covering the next great sports movement in America. As more traditional sports executives have poured money into esports leagues, and the scene in North America has exploded, ESPN esports has been in the middle of it, telling stories of players, competition, business and trades with a high degree of professionalism and depth.

In his spare time, Ryan enjoys playing video games moderately well, can be found on the golf course in a duffer league, enjoys the variety of food Los Angeles offers and is an avid music buff. He lives in West Hollywood with his supportive and understanding wife Mallory, who is a geospacial engineer with a consulting firm, along with their precocious cat, Pantera. Ryan is a graduate of Miami University, class of 2000.

Andrea Johnson (’01) - Vice President, Wasserman Music, New York City

Andrea Johnson photoAndrea Johnson grew up on a farm in Southern Ohio and learned early in life that she was not cut out for manual labor and had better learn to do something else.

Studying piano and voice from an early age, she graduated from Miami University in OH with a BA in Music and started her career as an assistant at a classical music management company in NYC. Now a Vice President of Music at Wasserman, Andrea’s roster includes veteran stars like David Foster, Katharine McPhee, and Straight No Chaser, innovative classical crossover groups Vitamin String Quartet and ThePianoGuys, and various Disney and other IP-based concerts.

When not crafting national tours for her clients, she plays Pokemon Go with her 7-year-old son and orders too much takeout.

Jack Keegan - Retired Botany Greenhouse Manager and Instructor, Miami University, Oxford

Jack Keegan head shotJack Keegan officially retired after 44 year at Miami but continues to contribute to Miami in many ways. In addition to his participation on the CCA Advisory Board, he is on the Performing Arts Series Advisory Board where he chairs the Annual Performing Arts Wine Tasting Gala and Benefit. Recently, he has hosted many virtual wine tastings for the Miami Alumni Association, which have been joined by hundreds of alums from across the country.

He was persuaded out of retirement to return to teach Botany 244, a.k.a. the Wines Class. Arguably the most popular class at Miami, he has taught literally thousands of Miamians through the decades.

Jack has earned the title of International Bordeaux Expert multiple times, and is involved in several other professional associations in his fields of enology and botany. A passionate supporter of the arts, Jack sang in the Miami Glee Club for many years, and has been a member of the Performing Arts Series Advisory Board for more than two decades. He recently sponsored the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s return to Hall Auditorium and rising star Damien Sneed’s performance of We Shall Overcome, a multigenre tribute to the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.

Jeff Ketcham ('03) - Senior Producer, Santa Monica Studio, Los Angeles

Jeff KetchamJeff Ketcham is the Senior Producer for Marketing, PR and Community at Santa Monica Studio, part of the PlayStation Studios. During his time at the studio, he has worked on the launch campaigns of God of War (2018) on PC and, most recently, God of War Ragnarök. He is also co-executive producer on the recently announced God of War TV show for Amazon.

Originally from Toledo, OH, Jeff graduated from Miami University in 2003 and three days later made the cross-country trip to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Film and Television. After almost a decade in the industry, the last five years of which he worked at Happy Madison, Jeff decided to pivot to his other passion, video games.

In 2012 he began work at Activision where he produced a variety of campaigns for AAA game franchises such as Skylanders, Guitar Hero, Destiny, and Call of Duty. During the course of his seven years at Activision Jeff helped grow an internal creative team from 15 to 64 employees which generated millions of dollars in cost savings for the company on asset creation. In spring 2019, Jeff joined PlayStation’s Santa Monica Studio.

Jeff lives in Tarzana, CA with his wife, son, and rescue dog Ruben.

Betsy (Zilch) Lazow ('16) - Founder and Owner, Amorette, New York City

Betsy Zilch head shotBetsy Lazow (Zilch) is a small business owner specializing in stationery design and custom artwork based in Brooklyn, NY.

She began her career working at Kirshenbaum Bond & Senecal’s social media agency, Attention Global, in New York City. As a trained graphic designer with a passion for marketing, she took to the agency world in search of a balance between marketing & design. She quickly settled into a strategy role where she worked on developing social strategies for top brands in various categories. After 2 years of building her portfolio, she left the agency world to work on the client side.

From 2018 to 2022, Betsy held various marketing roles at American Express both in the B2B and B2C business units, and then at Squarespace specializing in B2B product marketing.

In the fall of 2022, Betsy decided to bet on herself and launch her own stationery and art business, Amorette. Her projects include custom paintings, wedding invitation design, personal stationery, and more.

Betsy graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design and a minor in Marketing from Miami in 2016.

Mary Geren Lutz ('92) - Arts Philanthropist, Cincinnati

Mary LutzMary entered Miami University as a business major in the fall of 1988. It took a year, but she found her place and her people in her sophomore year and changed her major to music. While at Miami, Mary was active in Choraliers, Delta Zeta, and the MU Opera Program. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1992.

Following graduation, she had a short stint in sales and marketing before shifting her career to development, starting in events and direct mail solicitations before advancing to major gifts and donor relations. Mary worked for several organizations including Beech Acres, Miami University College of Creative Arts, and Motown Records. Following the adoption of her Guatemalan-born twins, Mary began a small import business, Edgar Patrice Imports, and worked with cooperatives in Guatemala connecting them with the American marketplace. Through this connection, she joined Meso Goods (formerly The Mayan Store) as their National Sales Director.

Mary has served as President of Miami University’s Performing Arts Series Advisory Board, chaired the annual Fall Fiesta for Cooperative for Education where she serves on the Advisory Board, and has volunteered for many deserving organizations including the International Adoption Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, SPCA Cincinnati, Girl Scouts of America, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Seven Hills Parent’s Council, Montgomery Elementary PTO, First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, and Avondale Elementary School.

Mary lives in Montgomery, Ohio, with her husband of 25 + years, Larry, and a menagerie of pets. Larry and Mary share a blended family of six children and four grandchildren. She enjoys spending her time cooking for friends and family, watching baseball, listening to live music, and loves a good, themed party.

Austin Mace ('15) - Founder, Subvrsive, Austin, TX

Austin Mace head shotAustin Mace is the founder and Chief Operating Officer of Subvrsive (subvrsive.com), an award-winning immersive technology studio based in Austin, Texas. Using technologies like augmented and virtual reality, Subvrsive is a trusted innovation partner for some of the world’s biggest companies such as Google, Amazon, Adobe, Ford, Walmart, P&G, and more.

Within months of founding Subvrsive, Mace led the team to its first Emmy nomination for their work with Showtime in capturing the first-ever boxing match to be released in its entirety in VR.

In 2018, he co-founded the Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company (hoosiertrolley.org), a preservation nonprofit dedicated to preserving, restoring, maintaining, and interpreting railroad artifacts of significance relevant to the state of Indiana.

While attending Miami, Mace created one of the world’s first open-source, 360° virtual-reality cameras as a senior capstone project. Austin earned his undergraduate degree in Interactive Media Studies from Miami University in 2015 and is a recipient of Miami’s 18 of the Last 9 alumni award.

Suraj Maraboyina ('01) - President/CEO, Executive Producer, Film/TV, Maraboyina Capital, Dallas, TX

Suraj MaraboyinaSuraj Maraboyina is a seasoned executive producer with a remarkable portfolio of over 15 acclaimed projects, including high-profile titles such as “Man From Toronto” and “Fatherhood” starring Kevin Hart, Brad Pitt’s “Babylon,” Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man,” and the forthcoming thriller “65” featuring Adam Driver. Suraj has been instrumental in securing over $100 million in project assets, effectively funding a multitude of film and television ventures.

With almost two decades of expertise in private and institutional wealth management, Suraj founded Maraboyina Capital to cater to the media investment sector, providing tailored solutions to clients seeking to capitalize on their media investments. Under his leadership, the MarCap team operates from their headquarters in Dallas, Texas, where Suraj resides and guides his team towards continued success.

Saket Mehta ('14) - Head of Ad Strategy, Planning, and Operations, goPuff

Saket Mehta head shotSaket Mehta heads up advertising strategy, planning, and operations at goPuff. goPuff is on a mission to be the world’s most convenient retailer. Prior, Saket was an early employee at TubeMogul, a leading software company for brand advertising where he spearheaded a variety of sales, strategy, and operations roles as the company scaled from 75 to 900 people, went public, and eventually acquired by Adobe. Outside of operating, Saket is an avid angel investor alongside being an LP in M13 Ventures, Arcadian Capital, and other funds. He also is an adjunct professor for a variety of Miami undergraduate & MBA marketing courses.

Sedrick Rice ('99) - Life and Purpose Coach, Sedrick Rice, New York City

Sedrick RiceSedrick Rice is a multifaceted coach, creative doula, and visionary consultant. He is on a mission to ignite transformation within individuals navigating the creative, entrepreneurial, and healing realms. His purpose is to empower others to tap into their innate spiritual life and inner guidance system, thereby elevating and enriching their daily experiences.

His journey is a tapestry woven from the threads of inspiration, influence, and wisdom passed down by trailblazing activists, poets, and spiritual thought leaders. He stands on the shoulders of giants like Audre Lorde, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Bell Hooks, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Iyanla Vanzant, Eckhart Tolle, Pema Chodron, Marianne Williamson, and countless others. Their wisdom has illuminated his path and fueled his commitment to nurturing growth and transformation.

With over a decade of dedicated service, Sedrick has had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed organizations such as the Omega Institute, Good Shepherd Services, Latinx Heritage Alliance, Electric Root Festival, and JAG Productions. Through these partnerships, he has harnessed the power of collective action and innovation to catalyze change and amplify voices in various communities.

Megan Sekulik ('22) - Graphic Design Specialist, Myaamia Center, Miami University, Oxford

Megan SekulikMegan Sekulik is a Myaamia artist. She graduated from Miami University in 2022 with a B.F.A. in Studio Art with a concentration in printmaking, a minor in fashion design, and Honors with Distinction. Following her graduation from the Myaamia Heritage Award Program, she joined the Myaamia Center in 2023 as a graphic designer. This position allows her to aid in the education and revitalization efforts of her community via her passion of creating art. She was awarded the 2023 President’s Distinguished Service Award for her work in Myaamia art education with the Myaamia Center and the Department of Art.

Megan strengthened the understanding of her Myaamia identity and heritage throughout her undergraduate career. She created artwork and graphics for the Myaamia center, curated multiple art exhibitions showcasing Myaamia aesthetics, and mentored Art Education students on cultural education and appreciation. She also served as a counselor for the Eemamwiciki summer programs.

Her personal artwork often focuses on the themes of growth, confusion, and acceptance regarding her identity as an Indigenous person. Megan hopes to promote the awareness that native artwork and native peoples are contemporary through her work with the Myaamia Center and Miami University.

Michael Sekus ('78) - Philanthropist and Arts Lover, Retired, New York City

Michael SekusA retired international business executive, Michael Sekus spends his days and nights supporting the arts. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Cooperstown, NY and volunteers religiously at the Metropolitan Opera. He is a frequent patron of the New City Ballet, The Joyce Theater, New York Philharmonic and New York City Center among others.

Kelly Stelbasky (’04) - SVP, Global Touring, AEG Presents, Los Angeles

Kelly StelbaskyKelly Stelbasky is the SVP for Global Touring at AEG Presents in Beverly Hills, CA. Previously, Kelly was the VP of Touring for LiveNation Concerts, where she booked and operated stadium, arena, and amphitheater concert tours in North America. Her expertise includes business planning and development, deal negotiation, yield management, operations, and team management. Over the course of her career she has worked with a variety of artists including Dave Matthews Band, Phish, John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, Twenty One Pilots, Kid Rock, Kings of Leon, and Dead & Company.

In 2018 the Billboard Live Music Awards honored Kelly with the Chip Hooper Award, an award for a young rising star working as an executive in artist representation, management, or concert promotion. This award was especially meaningful to Kelly because prior to joining Live Nation in 2010, she worked alongside Chip, the Worldwide Head of Music, at Paradigm Talent Agency.

Kelly graduated from Miami University in 2004 with a B.S. in Business (Marketing) and a minor in Entrepreneurship. While at Miami, the community honored her with the “2003 Oxford Entrepreneur of the Year” award for the concert promotion and production business she started in the Red Hawk Hatchery business incubator. This, in addition to work experience with the MU Performing Arts Series, led to the start of her professional career at William Morris Endeavor in New York City.

In 2016 she completed her MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. A proud Midwestern transplant, she currently lives in Glendale with her husband Gerry and her wine collection.

Ken Todd (’91) - Entertainment Executive, New York City

Ken ToddKen Todd is a senior media and entertainment executive. He is a 5-time Emmy nominee with a passion for content. He recently completed a 26-year run at Showtime Networks in NYC in various roles, most recently as Vice President, Digital Platforms, Brand and Digital Marketing. Prior to this, he was a senior consultant at Accenture in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ken graduated from Miami University in 1991 with a BA in Economics and a BA in International Studies. He went on to earn his MBA from the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business in marketing and corporate strategy.

While at Miami, Ken was a member of the marching band, Phi Beta Kappa, Honors Program, Miami University Student Foundation (MUSF) and Campus Activities Council. He served as the finance chair for AIESEC.

As an alumnus, he served on the Miami University Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2013-2018, and as its president in 2016. He also returned to Miami as a guest speaker in the College of Creative Arts, Interactive Media Studies, and Media, Journalism, and Film.

Ken is a member of the Television Academy and has served on the Interactive Media Peer Group Executive Committee, where was co-chair for the Interactive Emmys and the New York Regional Group. He is President of the Co-op Board of his NYC apartment building and a former mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. Ken is a patient advocate and participant in research for Long COVID and is Division Lead for the COVID-19 Longhauler Advocacy Project, a non-profit supporting patient support, policy, and research for treatments.

Emeriti Advisory Board Members

Thank you to the following people who have completed their terms as active Board members. Their leadership contributed significantly to the College of Creative Arts and has laid a strong foundation for the success of our students.

Colleen Atwood ('77) - Principal, C4ward Architecture, Nashville

Colleen Atwood head shotColleen Ward Atwood, a 1977 graduate of Miami, recently opened her own firm, C4ward Architecture. located in Brentwood, Tennessee. She earned her Bachelors in Environmental Design from the School of Architecture and now holds licensures in forty-six (46) states and the District of Columbia. Colleen is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and is a long standing member of the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). While attending Miami, she was an active member of the Delta Zeta Sorority and continues to support the sisterhood through the Delta Zeta Foundation and Guy Potter Benton Society which awards scholarships to young women in recognition of their academic excellence and financial need.

Upon graduation, Colleen moved to Nashville, Tennessee to embark on a lifelong career in commercial architecture. Following an internship and professional employment with Edwards + Hotchkiss, Architects, she joined Design and Engineering, Inc. in 1992. Her professional experiences have been focused primarily around the hospitality, retail, and commercial building designs which include a resort project in the Cayman Islands, and various office buildings, banks, restaurants, and retail projects, both custom and multi-unit based. Today, she is most acknowledged for her outstanding commercial restaurant design and superior leadership with corporate development programs. Colleen’s fusion of creativity and efficient solutions has afforded her the opportunity to work with over 30+ nationally acclaimed brands, some of which she has served for nearly four (4) decades.

Colleen’s engagement in her local community provides a pillar of support for organizations which include Safe Haven, Gilda’s Club, Friends of Radnor Lake, Gary Sinise Foundation, Middle Tennessee Girl Scouts, and the Nashville Zoo. Colleen finds great pleasure by fulfilling her passion for the arts through her attendance and fellowship as a member of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center Applause Society, The Director’s Circle for the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and The Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art Society. Finally, Colleen supports the Nashville Symphony through the Golden Baton Society and is an active participant of the Founding Class of Governing Members.

Adam Belcuore ('96) - Associate Producer/Director of Casting, Goodman Theatre, Chicago

Adam Belcuore headshotAdam Belcuore is the Associate Producer and Director of Casting for Chicago’s Tony Award winning Goodman Theatre. For over eleven seasons, he has worked with some of the nation’s top theatre directors casting and producing a variety of projects including classics, new work, and musicals. Casting highlights include: Mary Zimmerman’s production of Disney’s The Jungle Book, Robert Falls’ productions of Arthur Miller’s Finishing The Picture, King Lear starring Stacy Keach, The Iceman Cometh, starring Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy, and many more. He is a proud member of the Casting Society of America (CSA).

As a director, Adam assisted Harold Prince on Carol Burnett and Carrie Hamilton’s play Hollywood Arms and subsequently received the first SDCF Mike Ockrent Fellowship, where he again assisted Mr. Prince on Steven Sondheim’s musical Bounce. Adam is also a founding member (along with Miami Alums Courtney Shaughnessy, Lauren Pesca, and Tracie Louise Sellers) of Serendipity Theatre Collective and served as their Artistic Director until 2005. During his tenure he created 2nd Story, the hybrid storytelling, wine, and music event that is now the company’s namesake and primary focus. He currently serves on 2nd Story’s advisory board. His STC directing credits include: 365day/365 plays, by Suzan Lori Parks; Delores Dogan, by Courtney Shaughnessy; Alcatraz by Al Letizia; and Travelogue, by Zac Richardson. He is an artistic associate with Collaboraction, where he directed Jonathan Jacobs’ Go!, and Jose Rivera’s Yellow within their Sketchbook Festival, and sits on the Artistic Council for Chicago Children’s Theatre. He graduated from Miami with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre in 1996.

Bill Brzeski (’75) - Production Designer, William M. Brzeski (self-employed), Los Angeles

Bill Brzeski head shotBill Brzeski is a highly regarded production designer with more than 30 years of experience in feature films, television, theater and interior design. As a production designer, Brzeski’s feature film credits include Universal Pictures recent release of Furious 7 and international box-office hit Iron Man 3 for Marvel.

Brzeski’s repeat collaboration with director Todd Phillips includes the megahit comedy The Hangover, for which he received a Best Production Design nomination from the Art Directors Guild, its sequel The Hangover Part 2 and Due Date, which starred Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. The pair will reunite for their fourth film, the upcoming Arms & the Dudes, for Warner Bros. Pictures. Brzeski’s other feature film credits include James L. Brooks’ Oscar®-winning As Good as It Gets, Rob Reiner’s The Bucket List, Stuart Little, Stuart Little 2, Flipped, Blue Streak, Matilda, and The Forbidden Kingdom, which starred Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Brzeski received his undergraduate degree in theatre from Miami University and his MFA in design from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Originally interested in designing for ballet and the opera, he began his career in theater before moving to Los Angeles. Brzeski started working in television and has served as production designer on more than 800 episodes and 30 pilots. His most notable credits include Growing Pains, Ellen and The Nanny. He has also designed commercial spaces, including the award-winning Susina Bakery in Los Angeles.

Mark Cupkovic (’77) - Retired VP of Security and Operations, New York Botanical Garden, New York City

Mark Cupkovic head shotMark Cupkovic retired from the New York Botanical Garden after 26 years of service as the Vice President for Security and Operations and Chief Sustainability Officer. Previous to his career at the Garden he was the President and CEO of Cup Construction Corporation in New York City for 13 years while he pursued opportunities as a cellist. He continues to have a parallel interest in construction and cello performance and is currently a cellist in the Danbury Symphony Orchestra and is active in local chamber music groups and continues to prepare for upcoming solo performances. He is a supporter of the CCA›s Arts Management Program and a strong advocate in educating the CCA Students in Business and Personal Finance. After 40 years of working in the Construction Industry, I can share learned lessons in the importance of a business mindset as a foundation to the Arts». Mark is also an advocate for teaching and obtained certification in Education from the State University of New York and taught Landscape Construction and Business for the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden for 22 years.

Cindy Fields (’71) - CEO, Cynthia Fields, LLC, New York City

Cindy Fields head shotCindy Fields knows a thing or two about dresses. She began her career at a regional Ohio department store after graduating from Miami and worked her way up the ranks in several department stores around the country. Cindy joined the fledgling catalog division at Victoria’s Secret in 1984.

When she started, she quickly realized that a broader mix of apparel would significantly increase revenues and profitability. Along with other clothing categories, she introduced dresses and the styles she developed became an instant and powerful success. It was this success that earned her the role of President and CEO of the catalog division. During her 14 years as the leader of the DTC division, revenues increased from $50 million to nearly $1 billion.

She has owned and operated CFC Consulting, focused on direct marketing and growth in various retail segments. Previously, Fields held numerous roles in regional department stores, including Rike›s in Dayton, Ohio; Hutzler›s in Baltimore, Maryland; and Joseph Horne›s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Fields has served/is serving on the Boards of Directors of Blair Corporation; Intimate Brands, the publicly traded retail and direct marketer of the Victoria›s Secret and Bath & Body Works brands; and Chicos. She has also served on the Board of Governors for the New School for Public Engagement in New York, the Board of Trustees for the Union Theological Seminary in New York, and the Board of Directors of Pathfinder International in Massachusetts, where she served as Board Chair from 2010 to 2014.

Richard E. Goodstein ('75) - Retired Dean, Clemson University College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, Clemson University, SC

Rick Goodstein head shotRick Goodstein earned a bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio and his master’s degree from Arizona State, both in music education. He has a Ph.D. in music education and conducting from Arizona State University. In 1982, Goodstein came to Clemson to work with the University’s performance bands. At Clemson University, he was chairman of the performing arts department for 12 years, became interim dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities in 2010, and was appointed dean in 2011.

Lindsay Hollister (’99) - Actress, Los Angeles

Lindsay Hollister head shotLindsay Hollister graduated with a B.F.A in Theatre Performance from Miami University. She then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television. Almost a year later, she was cast as Christine Banks in Fox’s hit show Boston Public and was submitted for Emmy consideration in the category of Outstanding Guest Star. This led to numerous other guest appearances on such shows as ER, Strong Medicine, Any Day Now, Popular, and Susan Adamson on NBC’s popular daytime series Days of Our Lives.

Lindsay has also completed work in over thirteen films, most notably her role opposite Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway in Get Smart, as Max’s Dance Partner, a now iconic dance scene. Lindsay can be found in Pee Wee’s Big Holiday produced by comedy legend Judd Apatow and is available on Netflix.

In addition, Lindsay has written several feature films, TV shows and created/ wrote/starred in two seasons of her own web series Breaking Fat. She also adapted the comedic version of the popular film, BloodRayne, called Blubberella, and played the title character (produced and directed by the controversial German filmmaker, Uwe Boll).

Lindsay and her husband Matt live in Los Angeles, where they founded and run the popular bakery The Pie Hole Los Angeles. They have locations in Downtown LA, Pasadena, and soon to be Hollywood and Orange County. The Pie Hole has been featured on the Cooking Channel show “Unique Eats,” ranked in Conde Nast Traveler as having one of the 12 best pies in America, and Virgin Atlantic exposes it as being 1 of the best 20 secret restaurants in Los Angeles. Due to the business’ overwhelming success, additional shops have been opened in LA, Tokyo, and Qatar.

Joanne Hvala (’73) - Adjunct Professor, Baruch College, City University of New York, New York City

Joanne Hvala head shotJoanne Hvala is an adjunct professor at Baruch College, teaching Business Communications to international students. Earlier, she served as Senior Director for Communications at Columbia University School of Engineering from April 2016 to August 2019. Prior to joining Columbia University, Ms. Hvala held senior-level communications positions at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Sony Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Loral Corporation, and General Electric.

Ms. Hvala graduated from Miami, with a BA in English. As a Rotary International Fellow, she studied art history at the Sorbonne after graduating, and while working at GE, earned her MBA in international marketing from Baruch College, City University of New York. She was selected as a Business Fellow in Japan by the Japan Society in 1984 and was awarded an internship at Sony’s corporate headquarters in Tokyo.

She serves as secretary on the Board of The Baruch College Fund and is a member of the Board of Miami University’s College of Creative Arts.

Leslie Jones (’08) - Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator of Decorative Arts, The Preservation Society of Newport County, Newport, RI

Leslie Jones head shotLeslie B. Jones graduated graduated from Miami University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art and Architecture, and a minor in Arts Management. Leslie is currently the Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator at The Preservation Society of Newport County in Newport, RI, where she is responsible for the interpretation and preservation of eleven, historic 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century properties along with an 88,000-piece Permanent Collection of fine and decorative arts. She manages and administers all exhibitions and educational programs, promoting and highlighting American achievement in architecture, decorative arts, and landscape design from the Colonial era to the Gilded Age. Jones previously served as the Vice President of Museum Affairs and Curator of Decorative Arts at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens in Nashville, TN. Prior, she was the Curator and Director of Historical Resources & Programming for the White House Historical Association in Washington, DC. She has a Master of Arts in the History of Decorative Arts from the Smithsonian and George Washington University Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, and a Master Certification in the Appraisal Studies of Fine and Decorative Arts from New York University.

Stephanie Jones (’98) - Director of Orchestra, Mason High School, Cincinnati, OH

Stephanie Jones head shotStephanie Jones is Director of Orchestras at Mason High School, where she founded the string program in 2002. Under her leadership, the program has grown to over 1,100 students in grades 6-12. Stephanie directs approximately 360 students in six different ensembles including the Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, Concert Orchestras, and Freshmen Orchestras and serves as 7-12 Performing Arts Department Chair for the Mason City Schools.

Orchestras under Stephanie’s direction have been invited to perform at the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Professional Conference, the National Orchestra Cup, the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Orchestra Festival, and the Capital Orchestra Festival and have consistently received superior ratings, honors, and high accolades at state and national events. They have also collaborated with numerous ensembles and artists including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Barrage, Christian Howes, Section Quartet, and Time for Three.

Stephanie was the recipient of the School Teacher of the Year in 2015 by the Ohio String Teachers Association. She was designated a Master Teacher by the Ohio Department of Education in 2011 and was nominated for the Ohio Department of Education Ohio Teacher of the Year in 2004.

Stephanie received Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance degrees from Miami University in 1998. She earned the Master of Music in Conducting from Messiah College in 2012. Stephanie is married to Dr. Brandon Jones (MU ’98), associate professor of music at Wittenberg University. They reside in Mason, Ohio with their daughters Cecilia and Alaina.

Daniel Levy (’84) - Independent Composer, Educator, Multi-instrumentalist, Self-employed, New York City

Daniel Levy head shotDaniel Levy is a composer of original music for theater including vocal and instrumental scores for more than 40 NYC and regional productions with HERE Arts Center, Red Bull Theater, BAX, New Dramatists, Cucaracha, the York Theater, Shakespeare & Co., Orlando Shakespeare Festival, Imagination Stage, Manhattan Ensemble Theater, La MaMa, Dance Theater Workshop, Juilliard, and Fordham University Lincoln Center. His opera The Singing won the Richard Rodgers Development Award in 1999. Full-length music-theater work includes Laughing Pictures – A Hollywood Odyssey, Cinderella (off-B’way), Jungle Book (40+ productions), and Martian Chronicles. Artist residencies include the Hermitage Artist’s Retreat, and two years as a HARP Artist in Residence at HERE Arts Center NYC.

As a performer, Daniel is a guitarist with the Doc Wallace Trio and bassist for Falu’s Hindustani-American project. As a teaching artist and consultant, Daniel’s unique creative perspective and musical insight have energized workshops, classes and new curriculum in New York City since 1988, where he works in association with Lincoln Center Education, 92nd Street Y Educational Outreach, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (he has led the Musical Connections program at Sing Sing for five years), Symphony Space, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Musicians for Harmony, Young Audiences New York, Little Orchestra Society and the Park Avenue Armory. Daniel is the curricula author of Carnegie Hall’s Musical Explorers and LinkUp! (Currently used by 70 orchestras worldwide).

Daniel holds a bachelor’s degree from Miami University in Music Composition and a master’s degree from NYU/Tisch in Musical Theater Writing. He is Writer Member of ASCAP and the Dramatists Guild.

Nikki Martinkovic (’09) - Creative Director, NikkiMartinkovic LLC, New York City

Nikki Martinkovic head shotNikki Martinkovic is creative director and owner of the Nikki Martinkovic Design Studio. She specializes in unique, elevated, trend-focused textile print designs for apparel, home, stationery and consumer products.

Nikki’s passion for a career in creative design grew as she earned a degree in interior design and entrepreneurship from Miami University and studied abroad at the London College of Fashion. She then interned as a textile designer at an NYC start-up fashion company, traveling to India to broaden her textile expertise.

She relocated to NYC in 2009 and, soon after, landed a job at Alice + Olivia where she worked in various areas of design and development including print, embellishment, apparel, graphics and e-commerce. In 2012, Nikki joined the Milly design team focusing on apparel, print, and graphic design. This experience expanded her interest in textiles and enriched her eye for color.

Combining her motivation and persistence, along with her dream of venturing out on her own, she founded the Nikki Martinkovic Design Studio in 2015.

Daniel Mazzarini (’03) - Principal, BHDM, New York City

Daniel Mazzarini head shotDan Mazzarini began his career working with Kramer Design Group in New York City. Trained in branding and interior design, he was quickly made lead designer on the global re-launch of the Michael Kors brand, a $30 million project that saw his designs implemented in over 2,000 locations in the U.S. and abroad. At 24, he was appointed Design Director and increased the interiors and branding business by more than 300 percent. With Kramer, he directed projects for clients such as Calvin Klein, John Varvatos, Shiseido, Movado, Narciso Rodriguez, Waterworks and Nautica.

In 2006, Mazzarini was tapped by Ralph Lauren to join its renowned store design team. During his 6 years as Director of Decorative for Polo Store Development, he helped develop the diverse range of aesthetics of the entire Ralph Lauren family of brands. He designed and installed over 150 Ralph Lauren flagship stores in more than 16 countries, amounting to over $50 million of decorative sourcing and purchasing.

With BHDM, Mazzarini’s role is that of interpreter, narrator, curator and manager. With a keen skill to intuit the essence of a client, he conjures up a unique story to create a design with both familiarity and the unexpected concurrently. Mazzarini manages many trades and projects simultaneously, always with a focus on the brand essence of the customer. His extensive world travel is reflected in the design inspiration, artisans, resources, and found objects that make BHDM’s project solutions as unique as each client. Dan graduated with a BFA in Interior Design from Miami University in 2003.

Brent McCreary (’07) - Director of Ticketing & Revenue, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway, New York City

Brent McCreary head shotBrent McCreary is currently the Associate Company Manager on the Tony-winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots. Brent has previously been the Assistant Company Manager of If/Then (starring Idina Menzel), Peter and the Starcatcher (Broadway and Off-Broadway), and Sunday in the Park with George (2008 revival) as well as a General Management Associate for Wicked (1st & 2nd National Tours), Bring It On The Musical, Sister Act, and Traces. Brent holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and a minor in Arts Management from Miami University.

Marilyn S. Miller (‘57) - Retired Director, Lighting Designer, and Production Stage Manager, New York City

Marilyn Miller photographMarilyn S. Miller began her career as a Director, Lighting Designer, and Production Stage Manager in the early days of off-Broadway. She has spent her producing and general management career in New York in commercial on-and-off Broadway theatre including—NINE (Tony Award Best Musical), Wind in the Willows, Cloud Nine, A Couple White Chicks Sitting Around Talking among many others; and in not-for-profit companies—the Phoenix Theatre, APA Repertory Company, The New Phoenix Repertory Company, and The Mirror Repertory Co.

She has served as a consultant for touring companies, theatres, universities, and novice producers, and as a lecturer in management at various universities including Miami University, Boston University, Louisiana State, New York University, and The Wharton School. She is a Tony voter, and a member of the Broadway League and the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers. She holds an A.B. in theatre from Miami University, and an M.F.A. in directing from Boston University. The most memorable and fun production of her career was the smash hit revival of Mary Chase’s Harvey with the brilliant actors—and terrific people—James Stewart and Helen Hayes.

Christopher Milligan (’91) - Managing Director and CMO, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati

Christopher Milligan head shotChris Milligan serves as managing director for Cincinnati Opera, having joined the company in 1997 as marketing director. In addition to his responsibilities leading the Opera’s administration, marketing, and outreach initiatives, Chris is a frequent contributing writer to Cincinnati Opera publications and has served as a featured speaker for the company and for several regional arts organizations. Under his leadership, Cincinnati Opera has created several innovative outreach programs including Opera Raps, Opera Goes to Church, and Opera Idol. He is currently at work on a new concept for audience-building called The Opera Express. He is a graduate of Miami University, where he recently served as visiting faculty for the College of Creative Arts. From 1991 to 1997 he was with The Muse Machine, one of the nation’s premier arts education institutions. As director of The Muse Machine’s teacher programs, he created arts education workshops and seminars for elementary and secondary educators on a wide range of topics. In 2008, Chris was named Marketer of the Year by the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Marketing Association. He is an active alumnus of Leadership Cincinnati.

Suzanne Modica (’96) - Co-owner, Modica Carr Art Advisory, New York City

Suzanne Modica head shotSuzanne Modica is a co-founder of Modica Carr Art Advisory and specializes in serving collectors of post-War and Contemporary art. Previous to Modica Carr Art Advisory, Suzanne spent thirteen years at Thea Westreich Art Advisory Services, rising to the level of Partner in 2012. Suzanne currently works with clients on all aspects of their collections, and oversees special projects for the firm, from publishing to architectural projects and private exhibitions. Suzanne received a dual BA in History and the History of Art and Architecture at Miami University. She later studied at Tulane University in the MA Art History program, followed by a position as Audio/Visual Coordinator at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Jennifer Niccol (‘97) - Arts Supporter, Newport Beach, CA

Jennifer Niccol head shotJennifer Niccol lives in Newport Beach, California, and loves supporting the Arts in all of its forms. She volunteers at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts at Studio D: Arts School for All Abilities, a program that offers classes to children and young adults ages 4-22 with physical and cognitive disabilities. She is also raising her three children.

Jennifer graduated in 1997 from Miami University with degrees in both English and Secondary Education. She was an avid member and president of Dance Theatre, and also a participant in Dance Repertory. After graduating, Jennifer worked at Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati as the head of the Drama Department and directed their plays and musicals. She is thrilled that her children are now involved in the arts and loves supporting Arts Education.

Jinbae Park, Ph.D. - Bishop Honorary Professor of Creative Arts, Miami University Professor, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York City

Jinbae Park head shotJinbae Park has succeeded in various vocations throughout his remarkable career, including interior designer, educator, author, and restaurateur. His endeavors have carried him to many countries, including Japan, Korea, China, Greece, Egypt, Jordan, and India, as well as to most major cities in Asia, Europe and North America. Currently residing in New York City, Park teaches aspiring designers as a professor of Interior Design at FIT. In addition to his teaching career, Park has continued his occupation as an independent interior designer and a restaurateur. Park has produced numerous sophisticated projects, most notably ‘Le Club de Vin’, ‘Min’s Club’, ‘Verrazzano’, and ‘Silo Café’.

In addition to his design work, Park has authored multiple books on design. One Thousand Breakfast, New York Idea, Design and Film, Design and Signature of the Seventh Star, and Design Power Play are among his most revealing published works. He has been a frequent contributor to the principal design periodicals and magazines including ‘Chosun Ilbo’, ‘Munhwa Daily Newspaper’, ‘Maeil Business Newspaper’, ‘monthly Design’, etc. He owned ‘‘FRAME gourmet eatery’, and ‘GOGGAN’ restaurant in New York City, and now is a consultant to business in the field of design, marketing, and hospitality managements. Dr. Park’s academic accomplishments include a B.A. in Economics from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, M.S. in Interior Design from Pratt Institute, a doctoral degree in Architecture from Yonsei University.

Margaret Peot (’86) - Writer, Illustrator, New York City

Margaret Peot head shotMargaret Peot is an artist, writer and costume painter. Margaret’s book Inkblot: Drip, Splat and Squish Your Way to Creativity (Boyds Mills 2011) was awarded a Eureka! Silver Medal for non-fiction children’s books. She is also the author of The Successful Artist’s Career Guide (F&W 2012), Alternative Art Journals (F&W 2012), and Make Your Mark (Chronicle Books, 2004), voted one of Library Journal’s best how-to books of 2004. She is looking forward to the publication of two new books in 2015, Stencil Craft (F&W) and an early reader picture book, Crow Made a Friend (Holiday House).

An avid believer that art making can be for everyone, Margaret has presented art workshops with cancer survivors, elders, children, parent and teen groups, writers, nurses and caregivers, at The Creative Center at University Settlement’s Creative Aging conferences, and their Artist-in-Residence Training program, with EngAGE Utah, at Gilda’s Club, The Huntsman Cancer Institute, Operation Exodus in NYC, and at Miami University’s own Scripps center with Dr. Like Lokon, and Opening Minds Through Art.

Margaret has painted costumes at Parsons-Meares, LTD for more than twenty years. Projects include Broadway (Aladdin, The Lion King, Wicked, Turn Off the Dark, Will Rogers Follies, Shrek the Musical, Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, among many others), dance (ABT, Joffrey Ballet, Pilobolus, Feld Ballet, Nevada Ballet), film (Bram Stoker’s Dracula), as well as for circuses, arena shows and ice shows. She taught costume painting for ten years at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and taught costume painting and presented lectures on making a living as an artist at UNC, BYU, The Self Employment in the Arts 2013 conference in Chicago, at FIT, Miami University, and USITT-SE in Athens, GA. Margaret is a member of USA 829.

Margaret graduated in 1986 with a BFA from Miami University, with an emphasis in painting and fiber arts.

Keenan Pridmore (’07) - Head, Creative Shop Studio, Facebook, Chicago

Keenan Pridmore photographKeenan Pridmore heads up the Creative Studio team at Facebook whose mission is to develop original brand content that delights people and drives clients’ business. He has also pioneered the newly announced Anthology program, partnering with some of the world’s top creators to build content for feeds. Keenan holds 9 patents for the work he’s done at Facebook for brands like Budweiser, State Farm, Unilever, McDonald’s, Target and more. Before joining Facebook four years ago, Keenan worked as a Creative Director at Leo Burnett developing work for brands including Kellogg’s, Nintendo, Hallmark, Norton and McDonald’s.

Earl Reeder (’76) - Owner, Earl Reeder Associates, Dayton

Earl Reeder head shotEarl Reeder is a 1976 Miami graduate with a B.A. in Environmental Design. He also earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Kent State University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan. Earl is the owner of Earl Reeder Associates, an award-winning commercial and residential architecture firm in Dayton. Founded in 1987, the firm’s experience includes a wide array of unique projects throughout the Dayton and Cincinnati region. Some of the firm’s well-known public projects include the Cox Arboretum Education Campus, the Wright Dunbar Gateway, and the Wegerzyn Children’s Garden. Earl’s family has been deeply involved in the development of the Miami and Dayton communities.

His grandfather, Earl L. Reeder, was member of Miami’s class of 1904. He was a letterman in football, baseball and track and was also a member of Sigma Chi. Founder and president of the Dayton Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Mr. Reeder was also very active in civic work, including as president of the Miami University Alumni Association and a member of the Board of Trustees. His wife, Earl’s grandmother, Thelma Reeder, was a member of Miami’s class of 1925. She served on Miami’s Alumni Association Board of Directors for six years, the President’s Advisory Council for Development, the Art Museum Committee and several scholarship committees. In 1964, she received the Bishop Medal for her dedication to the university.

Earl is currently serving as the Chair of the newly established advisory board for the College of Creative Arts. He has also served as a member of The For Love and Honor Campaign’s School of Fine Arts Committee. He serves on the Samaritan Health Foundation’s Board of Trustees, the Paul Harris Fellowship with Dayton Rotary, a Board Member of the Dayton Visual Arts Center, and is a member of the Architecture Scholarship Committee for the Dayton Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Previously, Earl served on the Board of Directors of Mike-sells Potato Chip Company and the Dayton Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Earl resides in Dayton, Ohio.

Robert Siegel (’05) - Owner, Robert Siegel Studio, Los Angeles

Robert Siegel head shotRobert Siegel is the owner of Robert Siegel Handmade, a design and fabrication studio focused on limited edition, custom and small batch porcelain production. Based in Los Angeles, California, he and his team create one-of-a-kind objects for the table and home, crafted from the highest quality locally-sourced porcelain.

After graduating with a BFA in Ceramics from Miami University, Robert traveled to “the birthplace of fine porcelain” Jingdezhen, China. Here, he immersively studied the craft of ancient Chinese porcelain making. After three trips, spending nearly a year living and working in China, Robert opened his first studio in Philadelphia, before relocating to LA in 2010.

Alfred Steiner (’95) - Artist, Self-employed, New York City

Alfred Steiner head shotAlfred Steiner, a Cincinnati native, earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (both 1995) at Miami University, before attending Harvard Law School where he received his Juris Doctor in 1998. He has lived and worked in New York City since 2000 where he practices copyright and trademark law and writes and lectures on the intersection of law and art. As a visual artist, Steiner has exhibited in group shows at galleries including The New School (New York, NY), The Drawing Center (New York, NY), Guerrero Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Gildar Gallery (Denver, CO), and in solo shows at Gallery Poulsen (Copenhagen, Denmark), 101/ Exhibit (Los Angeles, CA), and Joshua Liner Gallery (New York, NY). His work, Into the Void (2015), is part of a larger body of work in which Steiner uses graphically simplified forms (like logos and cartoon characters) as if they were Rorschach blots, freely associating objects to replace the underlying parts of each form.

Neal Stimler (’06) - Senior Advisor and Business Development Specialist, Balboa Park Online Collaborative, New York City

Neal Stimler head shotNeal Stimler takes an interdisciplinary approach to humanistic praxis in the cultural sector informed by art history, digital technology, and museum studies. Stimler is currently a Senior Advisor and Business Development Specialist with the Balboa Park Online Collaborative. In this role, he advises a range of clients to strategize programming, digital operations for exhibitions and media partnerships for nonprofit institutions and technology initiatives that connect audiences to art, culture and science. Stimler engages new consulting clients and supports established client relationships with Balboa Park Online Collaborative. His clients include leading national and internal organizations such as The Cleveland Museum of Art and Microsoft Libraries and Museums. Stimler is a 2019-2020 fellow at the Engelberg Center Innovation Law and Policy at New York University working on 3D imaging digitization methods and open access policy for cultural heritage institutions. He is on the board of the Capital Experience Lab (CapXLab) in Washington, D.C., an educational institution providing a new approach to experience-based learning by immersing students in DC›s museums, cultural spaces, and research institutions. He was the inaugural Head of Public Engagement at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Neal Stimler had a career over a decade at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in successive positions. He was a Provost›s Student Academic Achievement Award winner and graduated with honors from Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art and Architecture and an Arts Management Minor.

Nick Stimler (’06) - Project Management & Customer Experience, New York City

Nick Stimler head shotNick Stimler utilizes project management and customer experience skills to help businesses review fulfillment, remove obstacles, and reach goals. Stimler served as Associate Artistic Director of the Palace Theatre for the Performing Arts in Stamford, CT and Literary and Casting Director of Ford’s Theatre Society in Washington, D.C. He is a former Associate Member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and a former Deaf West Theatre Advisory Board Member. Stimler worked with Broadway Director and Choreographer Jeff Calhoun on Disney’s Newsies!, Disney’ High School Musical: On Stage, the 1st National Tour of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical, and other notable productions. He is grateful for the support and career development opportunities given to him by fellow CCA alumni: Manny Kladitis (NIKO Companies), Adam Belcuore (The Goodman Theatre), and Marilyn Miller (Executive Producer/General Manager). Stimler graduated cum laude with Departmental Honors from Miami University’s College of Creative Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and an Arts Management Minor. He was a three-time recipient of the Homer and Henrietta Abegglen Theatre Scholarship.

For more information, visit his website.

Todd Stoll (’85) - Vice President of Education, Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City

Todd Stoll head shotTodd Stoll has spent over twenty five years as an educator, performer and leading advocate for jazz. A graduate of Miami University (BM Music Education) and the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, (MM trumpet), Mr. Stoll has taught at all levels of music education from elementary through collegiate including a decade as curriculum coordinator for Westerville City Schools in central Ohio. For twenty years he was the founding director of the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra, a community based ensemble, that received both regional and national accolades. Under his direction the CYJO released six CDs, was an Essentially Ellington Finalist and participated in multiple international tours to both Europe and South America. As a leader in the music education community he served as Ohio president of the International Association of Jazz Educators, the inaugural chair of jazz events for the Ohio Music Education Association, and on various national level committees. His work as a curriculum coordinator helped bring jazz to the forefront of many district and later, state music curriculums. In addition he worked as an orchestra contractor for Broadway Across America, and led a popular Columbus, Ohio-based big band, “Jazz 2 Go”, and as a trumpeter, performed with a wide variety of national acts across multiple genres from chamber music to pop.

In fall of 2011 Mr. Stoll accepted the position as Vice President of Education for Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City where he oversees programs that touch more than 100,000 people as young as 8 months thru the elderly. His leadership at JALC has revived the institutions commitment to the underserved while embracing 21st century technology as a means for greater access to the music. In 2015 the education department at JALC produced over 2800 individual events both in its home at Fredrick P Rose Hall and throughout the US. Through their innovative Essentially Ellington High School jazz band program, they have distributed over 165,000 previously unavailable Duke Ellington and other seminal arrangers’ scores to high schools and are on track for distributing nearly 25,000 scores in 2015.

Duan Tran (’97) - Partner, KAA Design, Los Angeles

Duan Tran head shotA native Ohioan, Duan Tran began his architectural education with an undergraduate degree from MiamiUniversity, prior to graduate degrees in both Architecture and Historic Preservation from the University of Southern California. During this time, Duan also began his professional career working for several distinguished firms in both Ohio and Washington DC prior to joining KAA Design in 2000.

Made Partner in 2017, Duan extends his leadership in both management and design. His focus on several firm wide initiatives related to its organizational growth, business development, and long term strategic planning, continue to influence the firm’s ability to leverage its 30 year history with the nimbleness required to not only evolve, but maintain its position on the frontlines of an everchanging marketplace and clientele. At the same time, Duan maintains a strong presence in leading the design on several high profile projects for many notable clients. With an artistic sensibility rooted in modern composition and form, Duan enjoys the opportunity to explore the intersections of his sensibilities in collaboration with an engaged and passionate client through the firm’s design process, often culminating in a beautifully tailored and distinctive home. Many of which have been recognized by the AIA, as well as having been featured in several international, national, and regional shelter publications, including Architectural Digest and Luxe.

Duan is a longtime member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a licensed Architect in the states of Nevada and Hawaii. He is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), as well as being a member of the University of Southern California’s Architectural Guild and LA Conservancy. Duan is also a member of the prestigious Leaders of Design Council, as well as a serving member on both the Exhibition Committee and Board of Directors for the A+D Museum in Los Angeles. Outside of the office, he enjoys family life with his wife and keeping up with their three daughters in Culver City.

Jan Wieringa ('75) - Independent Producer, Los Angeles

Jan Wieringa head shotJan Wieringa is an award-wining, Los Angeles-based producer with vast experience and contacts in all areas of film and commercial production and post-production. She has produced and executive produced feature films (including 3D), documentaries, commercials, IMAX films, and several web series. She has extensive experience with story development, book publishing and building entertainment brands from concept to distribution across virtually all media. Jan has managed celebrity talent, directors, and writers. In addition, she has collaborated with corporate sponsors, boards of directors and clients of all types on projects ranging from $50,000 to $20 million.

College of Creative Arts

The arts at Miami University didn't evolve on a whim—they were challenged, inspired, modernized, and made more relevant by each new generation of artists. Welcome to the College of Creative Arts, with degree programs that range from the classical to the contemporary.