Faculty

Neil Gilks

Executive Director / School of Fashion

For over 25 years, Neil Gilks has committed his career to design and its education.

As a fashion designer, Gilks worked through the ranks to Design Director for brands in London and New York. He thrives on building – whether working on launching new labels or recognizing the needs and areas for evolution in established companies.

Beyond creating menswear and womenswear collections for the global markets, a dedication to fashion design education has allowed Gilks to attain leadership roles with top-tiered fashion design programs globally. As Director of Educational Initiatives with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Gilks was charged with creating opportunities and mentorship for students and faculty within 21 design institutions domestically.

Gilks cites continuing his own artistic practice as crucial – allowing him to retain a creative outlet while further exploring the space where his art, commerce, and social commentary intersect.

Since his arrival as Executive Director of the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in the Fall of 2022, Gilks has been learning how his experience and insight can best serve our community. The learning experience is of the utmost importance to Gilks, as he strives towards making it the most robust and successful time for faculty and students alike.

Our Faculty

Gary Miller
Director School of Fashion
Jinah Oh
Director of Fashion Merchandising School of Fashion
Iliana Ricketts
Online Director School of Fashion
Flore Morton
Associate Director School of Fashion
Yuko Fujishima
Associate Director of 3D Design, Construction, Draping & Flat Pattern School of Fashion
Russell Clower
Online Assistant Director of Fashion Merchandising School of Fashion
Rhona MacKenzie
Assistant Director of Textiles School of Fashion
Andrea Skillings
Fashion Product Development Program Coordinator School of Fashion
Elena Eberhard
Fashion Journalism Coordinator School of Fashion

Spring 2024 Part-Time Faculty

Faculty MemberEducational Background
Alina BokovikovaUniversity of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (Master of Fine Arts, Theatre And Dance (Design))
Andrew HagenbuchIthaca College, Ithaca, New York (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Film, Photography, Visual Arts)
Anya ZuyevaAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Master of Fine Arts, Fashion)
Benja EllisAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Menswear Design)
Camelia SkikosGeorghe Enescu Arts Academy, Iasi, Romania (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design)
Christian McGuiganAngelo State University, San Angelo, Texas (Bachelor of Arts, Marketing Art)
Christina CundariAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Knitwear Design)
Christy JonesOhio University, Athens, Ohio (Master of Fine Arts, Production Design)
Cory LondonSavannah College Art Design, Savannah, Georgia (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design)
Dan MaguireState University of New York, University at Albany, Albany, New York (Bachelor of Arts, Business)
Danielle WallisAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Merchandising)
Diana Jan21+ yrs experience in marketing and an AA in Fashion from Fashion Inst. Design & Merchan.
Diane Dorrans SaeksCanterbury University, Manchester, United Kingdom (Bachelor of Arts, English and French Literature)
Dina MeoliNorth Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (Master of Science, Textile and Apparel Technology and Management)
Elena SlivnyakAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design)
Emma TrewarthaAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Master of Fine Arts, Fashion)
Flora TsapovskyHebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel (Master of Arts, Journalism/Media Studies )
Geetika GuptaArgosy University, Alameda, California (Master of Business Admin, Business Administration)
Hanbit KuAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Master of Fine Arts, Fashion)
Hersha SteinbockPortland State University, Portland, Oregon (Master of Arts, English)
Jackson RikerCalifornia State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (Master of Fine Arts, Studio Arts)
Jacqueline PhelanFashion Institute Technology, New York, New York (Master of Arts, Fashion and Textiles)
Jayne FosterRoyal College of Art, London, United Kingdom (Master's Other, Womens Wear )
Jill SiefertFashion Institute Technology, New York, New York (Bachelor of Science, Fashion Marketing and Merchandising)
Joanne WatersNorthumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom (Bachelor of Arts, Fashion Design )
John SunUniveristy of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (Bachelor of Arts, Design)
Judiann Echezabal15+ years experience in Fashion Design.
Julie EngelbrechtOhio State University, Columbus, Ohio (Master of Fine Arts, Theatre)
Karen HookSan Francisco State University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration)
Kari LantinCalifornia State University, Chico, Chico, California (Bachelor of Arts, Fashion Merchandising)
Kim Data18+ yrs. exp. as a designer, consultant, design instructor and an AA from FIDM
Kristine OsgoodUniversity of Minnesota Morris, Morris, Minnesota (Bachelor of Arts, New Editorial and Advertising)
Leonid SolodukhaTashkent State Technical University, Uzbekistan (Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering )
Lia LarreaSan Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design)
Linda ButlerOral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma (Bachelor of Science, Marketing and Communications)
Lourdes LivingstonAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration)
Lynn Falconer PelzmanUniversity of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California (Bachelor of Arts, English Literature)
Maggie WhitakerUniversity of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (Master of Fine Arts, Costume Design)
Margot UrbanowiczAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion)
Martin NunezAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion)
Mary SylvesThomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Bachelor of Science, Fashion Design)
Matthew SholtyCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California (Bachelor of Science, Business Administration)
Michael CarbaughAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion)
Midori Sargent31+ years of designing and producing knitwear
Namrita GuptaUniversity of Mysore, Karntaka, India (Bachelor of Science, Computer Science/Engineering )
Nancy SommerUniversity of Missouri, St. Louis, St Louis, Missouri (Bachelor of Science, Clothing and Textiles)
Nicolas GutierrezAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Master of Fine Arts, Photography)
Sandra ParentiTemple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Bachelor of Arts, Sociology)
Sara ShepherdAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Arts, Fashion)
Sarah BirdwellCalifornia College of the Arts, Oakland, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design)
Sarah Dean17+ yrs experience as a makeup artist and hair stylist
Sharon MurphyOhio State University, Columbus, Ohio (Bachelor of Arts, English)
Sherelle WilliamsAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Styling)
Suzanne ChancyAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Merchandising)
Svetlana BulyzhkinaAcademy of Art University, San Francisco, California (Master of Fine Arts, Fashion and Textile Design)
Tria ConnellUniversity of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (Bachelor of Arts, Fashion Design)
Uduak OduokHastings College Law, San Francisco, California (Juris Doctor, Law)

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