Faculty

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.

David Goodwine is a graduate of the Academy of Art University’s animation program and a 20+ year veteran of both the film and video game industries. His credits include work as a producer, manager, and director on game projects like Legacy of Kain Defiance, the Lord of the Rings the Two Towers, the Return of the King, Project Snowblind, and Tomb Raider Legend. In 2009, David returned to the Academy of Art to help start the School of Game Development. With his extensive experience in all aspects of the game production pipeline, he co-developed a curriculum to teach concept art, animation, 3D modeling, and game design. Since 2012, David has been instrumental in not only running the department as its executive director, but also introducing new technologies like augmented and virtual reality and establishing a game programming degree. Today, David splits his time between managing the department, bringing in new technologies and partners as the Chief Academic Innovations Officer, and also broadening the scope of online education through course offerings and virtual classes that bridge the gap between onsite and remote learning. BFA and MFA graduates from the program have gone on to work at game and film companies across the industry like Electronic Arts, Activision, Epic, and Sony PlayStation.

Industry Credits:

• Have worked in TV, Film and Games Industry for 25 years.
• Companies I have worked for: Wild Brain, PDI/Dreamworks, Electronic Arts, Crystal Dynamics
• Created the first website with a team of 5 for the release of Shrek.
• Commercials worked on: Wonka Candy: Fun Dip, Laffy Taffy, Nerds; KFC Dancing Colonel; Ritz Crackers.
• Movies worked on: Rocky and Bullwinkle, Dudley Do Right, Legend of Bagger Vance, Evolution, Shrek
• Games worked on: The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Legacy of Kain: Defiance, Project Snowblind, 25 to Life, Tomb Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider Anniversary Edition
• TV Shows worked on: Poochini

Website:

https://www.mobygames.com/person/76994/david-goodwine/

Education:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, Howard University (Washington, District of Columbia, Theater Arts)
• Studied /worked closely with Joseph Chaikin, Joe Papp, Liz Swados, Ntozake Shange, Laurie Carlos, and Ellen Stewart

Awards:

• Academy Award nomination: live action short film “ Tuesday Morning Ride” ( writer/director)
• WGA nominee for longform TV movie: “SURVIVING COMPTON…”
• Gracie Award, screenwriting “ SURVIVING COMPTON…”
• NAACP award ( writer) nominee for  live action short: “TAKE THE LEAD”

Partial Credit:

• Writer/Director/ Producer  “ EMPIRE” tv series, three seasons
• Writer limited series: ‘WHEN WE RISE” ( episode one)
• Director: feature: “SEARCHING FOR NEVERLAND”
• Writer, feature “TAKE THE LEAD”
• Writer/ Director :  indy feature : “FREEDOM HAIR”
• Director: feature:  “RUNAWAY ISLAND”
• Writer: feature “ SURVIVING COMPTON, DRE, SUGE, AND MICHEL’E”
• Writer/ director   short flm: “TUESDAY MORNING RIDE”

A professional Illustrator since 1973. A partial client list includes General Motors Corporation, CBS Television, Wells Fargo Bank, Boston beer, Captain Morgan and Dream Works. His illustrations have also graced the pages of T.V. Guide, Cosmopolitan, Field and Stream, Boys Life, Yachting, and Golf Digest. He has created numerous paperback book covers for New American Library, Torra, Pinnacle, Doubleday, and Harlequin, as well as Children’s books for Knopf, Oxford University Press, Dutton, and Crown Publishers.

His Fine Art career began in the early 1980s William is represented nationwide. His work hangs in the Booth Western Museum, Cartersville, GA. And the Vernon Filley Art Museum, Pratt KS. He is the author of “The Artist Complete Guide to Drawing the Head”. Published in French, English, Turkish, Spanish and Chinese.

Jana Sue Memel is an Academy Award-winning producer, writer, and director. Jana has produced over 25 feature films and more than 100 half-hour, live-action shorts that have aired as television series in over 30 countries. The films she has produced have won Oscars, Writers Guild and Directors Guild Awards, Emmys, CableACE Awards, and the Humanitas Prize. She has written movies and series pilots for Warner Bros., Disney Channel, Fox, Sony, New Line, and many other production companies and channels.

For more than 30 years, Craig Nelson has depicted figures, landscapes, California coastal vistas, and various environments in rich, vibrant oils. He has painted countless movie posters, including the one-sheets for Slap Shot, The Monster Squad, and The Incredible Journey; many book covers; and album covers for the likes of Natalie Cole (Thankful) and Rick Nelson (Country). Some of his most prestigious works have been his Broadway production posters for Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers and Proposals; both originals are in the playwright’s private collection.

During his illustrious career, Nelson has won more than 200 awards of excellence in various shows, as well as five gold medals and four silver medals from organizations including the Society of Illustrators and the California Art Club. In 1996, one of his paintings was chosen for the Communication Arts Annual cover.

Industry Credits:

The achievements I am most proud of are as follows: Teaching at the university level for over 50 years, building online classes and produced more than 300 video demonstrations  for various classes.  Developed the Study Abroad Program for the Fine Art department in 2006 that has now expanded to other departments.  I have received more than 200 awards of excellence, Grand Teton National Arts For Parks Show award.  Best of show at SILA, several Gold and Silver Medals from West Coast and East Coast Illustration shows.  Best Figurative Painting California Art Club.  The Drawing Bible and 60 Minutes to Better Painting published by North Light Books.  Nine video demonstrations DVD’s for North Light.  Commission portraits for UCLA Dental School, UCLA Law School, UCSF Dental School.  Paintings in the collection of Sammy Davis Jr, James Garner, Neil Simon, and Toyota Corporation.  Various film posters for Columbia, MGM, Fox, Disney, and Warner Brothers.  Album covers included Natalie Cole, Rick Nelson, Neil Diamond, Motorhead, Sammy Davis Jr, among others.  Articles have been published in Southwest Art Magazine.  Several Arts For Parks publications and That Face You Got.  Over 40 one-man exhibitions in various galleries throughout the country.

Website:

craigzart.com
Southwest Art Magazine

Education

• BFA, Painting & Printmaking – Gonzaga University
• BFA, Advertising & Design – Art Center College of Design

Accomplishments

• Started career as a Designer/Art Director at NIKE
• Director of Advertising & Design at Capitol Records
• SVP, Design Director at Deutsch LA
• ECD at DDW SF, a Bay Area Branding & Advertising Agency
• Board Member – AAF – SF Bay Area (SF Addy’s)
• Guest Speaker at AI For Designers (multiple)
• Teaching “AI for Advertising” at the Academy of Art University
• Founder of XTRA BOLD, a branding agency specializing in beer, wine, and spirits

Website:

XTRA BOLD Agency
Academy of Art University – Advertising Instagram
XTRA BOLD Agency Instagram

Karen Seong is the Director of the School of Architecture at the Academy of Art University (and the Acting Director of the School of Landscape Architecture).

She is a proponent of online education as a means to meaningfully diversify the architectural profession. She also advocates for community-based design projects founded on her belief that architects have a responsibility to serve in the interest of the public. Under her leadership, student work was recognized with AIA SF Leadership Award, ACSA Conference Presentation, and NBC Bay Area news coverage.

Karen developed her professional expertise while with the multi-national firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Karen held leadership positions working collaboratively with large international teams on award-winning projects ranging from high-rises in Manhattan and Kuwait, a bioscience research building for Rice University, college campuses for the Kuwaiti government, and artist James Turrell’s Roden Crater Fumarole in Arizona. She is a licensed architect in California and New York, a LEED accredited professional, and NCARB certified. She serves on the board of the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects and is a professional member of the National Organization of Minority Architects.

Karen received a Master of Architecture from Columbia University, with distinction, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with High Honors from UC Berkeley. Karen has previously taught at UC Berkeley and has been a guest critic at various institutions in the US and in Korea. She was born in South Korea and lived in Malaysia before immigrating to the US at age 19.

Website:

https://karenseongarchitect.com/
LinkedIn

Doug is a leading branding expert, brand strategist, management consultant and industry best-selling author. He’s recognized as a pioneer in the application of behavioral science to brand and marketing innovation. Doug’s applied psychology methodology for inspiring and optimizing data-driven brand growth and change management draws from Unconscious Behaviorism and is grounded in evolutionary and social psychology, behavioral economics, and cognitive science.

Doug has positioned some of the world’s most iconic brands through results-oriented, award-winning campaigns with demonstrable financial and social ROI (Return on Investment). His proprietary approach has helped generate billions of impressions in earned media and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue growth. He has worked with leading advertisers and brands like Volkswagen, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, General Motors, Toyota, Lexus, Nike, Burger King, AB InBev, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Neutrogena, DIRECTV, Bank of America, City National Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, Mitsubishi, etc. He has also worked with leading nonprofit brands including World Vision, Mercy Ships, Concern Worldwide, International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, etc.

Villarreal graduated with honors from the Master’s program at Academy of Art University in 2002. He has worked as a traditional animator, character designer, sculptor, and Visual Development artist for film and video game companies, including Walt Disney Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment, Jim Henson Studios, Sega, Digital Domain, Reel FX, and Amazon Studios.

He has given presentations and screened his films at Pixar Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Blue Sky Studios, the Sydney Opera House and several universities in South America and Europe.

Educational Background: Academy of Art University (MFA-Illustration); Instituto de Arte Cinematográfico de Avellaneda (BFA-2D Animation)