Faculty

P. R. Alvarado attended Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida and graduated as an Illustration Major. His professional career started in 1991, at Walt Disney Feature Animation in Orlando, Florida where he worked on over 8 Animated Features in the capacity of Animator, Story, and Visual Development Artist.

In 2004, Alvarado launched Project Firefly, an independent full service animation studio, with several colleagues from Walt Disney. As the Director of Story and Development he served as head of the story team as well as overseeing the development of the studio’s original content, while also contributing to the daily management of the company. During his tenure at Project Firefly, Alvarado also directed the award winning short “Farm Force” an original animated property for television.

By 2007, Alvarado focused on a freelance career to have flexibility in his schedule to work on specific creative projects. These ranged from a story workshop with displaced children in Vienna, Austria, Conceptual Artist, Storyboarding, Animator, and Teaching.

In 2013, Alvarado moved with his family to Finland to work for Rovio Entertainment, the creators of the Angry Birds franchise, as the Head of Story for 6 years. In 2019, after leaving Rovio, Alvarado focused on Teaching, Freelance, and creating his own Original Content.

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Sheridan College (Sheridan, Wyoming, Computer Animation)

Position: Part-time Faculty

Industry Credits:

Academy Award nomination for VFX on The Mask, and BAFTA win in the same category. But really,
what I’m proud of in my life is doing work that takes people out of their troubles for a couple of
hours. That, and the knowledge that, as a teacher, I make a positive difference in somebody’s life
every day. That matters to me.

Speeches I’ve Given:

Far too many to count, all over the world – Siggraph, Annecy, Cannes,
various Animation and VFX festivals and conventions. I didn’t realize there’d be a quiz.

After working for some fairly notable companies such as Rhythm & Hues, Sony Playstation (SCEA), and Apple, John found himself teaching at the Art Institute of California in Orange County — and spent the next 10 years teaching within their Visual Effects and Motion Graphics (VEMG) department. During that time he also took on part-time teaching jobs at schools such as Laguna College of Art and Design, the University of La Verne, and Irvine Valley College. John’s teaching goal has always been to try and be for his students…what his own mentors and instructors were to him. Having relocated to Colorado in 2019, he is pleased to be able to teach remotely for the Academy of Art – where he himself earned his MFA in 2006 in Animation: Compositing. Previous to that he had earned his BA from Fresno State University in Art, with an emphasis in Graphic Design.

Education:

Master of Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Fine Arts)

14+ yrs. exp. in animation and a certificate in classical animation from Sheridan College

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Visual Effects)

24+ yrs exp animation & art and a certificate in illust from RIngling Coll of Art & Design

Education:

Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation & Visual Effects)

Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation and Visual Effects)

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, University of Lincoln (Lincoln, United Kingdom, Animation )

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of North Texas (Denton, Texas, Painting and Drawing)

David Fremont has worked in the animation industry for over 30 years. He got his start in animation working at Colossal Pictures in SF, where he designed the Zoog characters for Disney Channel and created one of the first interactive Web Toons for Cartoon Network called Germ Town.  David was later hired by Wildbrain animation studios, where he created and directed Glue, an online animated series based on one of his comics. A few years later , in LA , he developed and created various animated projects including a pilot with Nickelodeon and an online kids series for Dreamworks TV. Most recently, he wrote and illustrated Carlton Crumple Creature Catcher, a graphic novel series for kids published by Pixel + Ink/Holiday House. David currently lives in Northern California, where he teaches animation and art to students of all ages.

Jonathan Gilbert graduated with an MFA in 3D Animation and Visual Effects with a specialization in dynamics at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. During his education, he discovered Side Effects Houdini, which immediately became his software of choice for effects.

Education:

Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation and Visual Effects)

Education: Bachelor of Arts, University of California (San Diego, California, Interdisciplinary Computing & the Arts)

A graduate of UC San Diego, in a mouthful degree, Interdisciplinary Computing & the Arts major, Ivan Gozali has been working in the entertainment industry since 2004 in the field of documentary, scripted and non-scripted live-action, commercial, VFX, and animation industry.

He has contributed to shows such as, Guillermo Del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia series, and the long-awaited feature film Paul McCartney’s High in the Clouds, working with clients including Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks Animation, Warner Bros. Animation, Netflix, and others.

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

Thomas Gronbukt has worked at the Academy of Art University for more than 20 years teaching a variety of different classes. He is a watercolor and figurative artist whose work is deeply inspired by the human form, the natural world, and a life lived in motion. As both an instructor and practicing artist, Thomas brings a unique blend of technical skill and expressive intuition to the classroom, guiding students through the nuances of watercolor and the art of capturing emotion and movement in figure drawing.

When not in the studio or teaching, Thomas can often be found scaling rock faces or exploring wild landscapes—an adventurous spirit that infuses their art with a sense of freedom, resilience, and connection to the earth. Whether working with beginners or experienced artists, Thomas creates a supportive and dynamic learning environment that encourages curiosity, confidence, and creativity.

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, 3D Animation)

3D Modeling Specialist. Rey’s art career started in the fine art world creating bronze sculptures and showing his art in galleries and museums. He has since been working for 15 years as a freelancer doing 3D modeling, traditional sculpting, and 3D printing for the collectible sculpture market. Clients have included A&E, HBO, Universal Studios, Universal Records, Warner Brothers, Sony Interactive Entertainment, San Francisco Giants, Winter Olympics, and Independent Collectors. Rey has also worked at a design firm as an Art Director and Senior 3D Modeler creating custom Sculptures for Museum Exhibits, and Zoo’s with a focus on anatomical accuracy. Projects locally have included the SF Zoo, The Marine Mammal Center, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In the fall of 2017 he started as an Organic Modeling Instructor at AAU to share his knowledge of Digital Sculpting in the current market.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation and Visual Effects)

Education:

Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation and Visual Effects)

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, School of Visual Arts (New York, New York, Media Arts)

In the industry since 1988, clients include: Disney Imagineering as a Storyboard & Conceptual Artist, and Disney Interactive as an Animator, Writer, Producer, and Animation Director. He has also worked as Animation Director to Disney Feature film animators through Premise Entertainment in Orlando. Other clients include Cartoon Network, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros, Hasbro, and Walt Disney World. Chris started a 2D animation studio, CK Tiki Studios in 2018 specializing in old-school integrity and hand-drawn animation, as well as continuing his passion and dedication to environmental, and human rights causes. Chris has studied under Harvey Kurtzman and Will Eisner at the School of Visual Arts in NYC.

Education: Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation & Visual Effects)

Marco Kunardi Litya is a seasoned Concept Artist and Principal 2D Artist with over 12 years of experience shaping the visual worlds of games and entertainment. His portfolio spans high-profile projects for Electronic Arts’ Dead Space, Hasbro’s Power Rangers and Heroscape, the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Games Jam, Bored Ape Yacht Club’s Wreck League, WWE, and more. Known for his strength in rapid ideation, character development, and collaborative storytelling, Marco has led and contributed to diverse art teams across console, mobile, and transmedia projects.

In addition to industry work, he teaches Visual Development, Color Scripting, and Layout at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, mentoring the next generation of artists.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation & Visual Effects)

Position: Portfolio Specialist

Industry Credits:

• Associates of Arts, Liberal Arts- Community College of Rhode Island
• Bachelors, Film Studies- Rhode Island College
• Certificate in Multimedia Production- Rhode Island College
• Bachelors, Compositing- Academy of Art University

Education: BFA, Computer Animation, Ringling College of Art and Design

Industry Credits:

• Animation Sequence Lead on Gatto (2026), Pixar Animation Studios
• Character Animator on Coco, Toy Story 4, Soul, Luca, Lightyear, Inside Out 2, Hoppers, and more
• Annie Award Nominee for Best Character Animation in Feature Film 2024
• Student Academy Award Winner 2019

Education:

Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Visual Development)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation & Visual Effects)

Education:

Bachelor of Science, Boston University (Boston, Massachusetts, Film Production Art History)

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, San Francisco State University (San Francisco, California, Art)

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, California, Social Science)

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, California, Communications)

Position: Portfolio Lead

Industry Credits:

• B.S. Computer Science, University of San Francisco
• Ranking member, NAEA – National Art Education Association
• Presented at the NAEA Professional Development in Leadership conference
• Represented the Academy of Art at the International Conference for Education and Technology at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• Represented the Academy of Art the Academy at several High School Career day events in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Position: Instructor

Industry Credits:

Jason Patnode has taught at the Academy of Art University since 2001 and he is currently Full-Time Faculty/ Maya Coordinator for the school’s Animation & Visual Effects department. He teaches graduate and undergraduate students in 3D modeling, visual effects, and animation for video games and film. Jason has written several books on the subject of Maya and Zbrush. Prior to joining ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY as full-time faculty, Jason was a Lead Technical Artist for LucasArts Entertainment where he worked on various games: Star Wars Episode 3, Full Throttle 2, and Star Wars: Jedi Fighter. Jason received his BA in Film Production from San Francisco State University.

Position: Adjunct Instructor

Industry Credits:

• Values, Won Best of Show at SIGGRAPH 2000
• Upstander, Won Best VR 360 XR must award
• Premiere films at SXSW, SIGGRAPH, Tribeca Filma festival and Cannes
• ACUE Certificate in the Effective Teaching Practice Framework
• I will present a workshop at the Stanford Neurodiverse summit
• Contributor to Stanford Neurodiversity Summit 2024

Education:

Bachelor of Science, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation)

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, McMaster University (Ontario, Canada, Multimedia )

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Computer Animation)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation & Visual Effects)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Animation & Visual Effects)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Computer Modeling and Concept Art)

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration)

An Instructor at Academy of Art University since 2005. With experience in Traditional animation, Digital 2D animation, Story and production coordination. With clients including MTV, Nickelodeon, Sony Computer Entertainment and Netflix My diverse and ranging career allows me to guide the students with flexibility and problem solving skills.

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Oklahoma Christian University (Edmond, Oklahoma, Graphic Design – Illustration)

Education:

Master of Arts, University of Kansas (Lawrence, Kansas, English)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, Rhode Island, Illustration)

Education:

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Academy of Art University (San Francisco, California, Illustration and Animation)

Education:

Bachelor of Science, Art Institute of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Digital Media Production)