Visual Development Faculty

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

I’ve been a professional concept artist since 2016, and I’m currently the lead concept artist at Firaxis working on Civilization. I specialize in environment concept art with a focus on 3D tools like Blender

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

Vincenzo is a multidisciplinary designer, working as a concept designer for almost a decade in both film and games. He has launched several acclaimed AAA franchises as a concept artist including the Call of Duty, Marvel’s Avengers, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Metroid Prime series. Some of his previous clients include Marvel, Samsung, Netflix, Activision, and Nintendo.

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

Thomas Denmark brings over 20 years of experience as a concept artist, art lead, and art director in the video game industry, having worked with renowned companies like Totally Games (LucasArts), Disney Interactive, and Electronic Arts on iconic titles such as Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, The Sims, Disney’s Tangled, and The Godfather. His extensive illustration portfolio includes books, cards, and games for major IPs like Game of Thrones, World of Warcraft, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Star Wars. As the Creative Director of Night Owl Workshop, an independent publisher of books and games, and a freelance artist based in Marin, Thomas is passionate about sharing his creative expertise with students.

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Columbus College of Art & Design (Columbus, Ohio, Media Studies Time-Based)

Steve Galgas is a multimedia artist and illustrator  in Oakland, CA.  He has worked as a designer for mobile/social gaming, working on games such as The Sims Social and Monopoly Millionaires for Electronic Arts.  He’s worked in educational multimedia development as well as in production for animation on Pixar’s short, Day and Night, and Disney’s Fox and the Hound II.   Steve has previously taught animation and narrative design classes at The Columbus College of Art and Design and The University of Texas at Dallas.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, San Francisco State University (San Francisco, California, Cinema)

Michael Judge is a seasoned creative professional with over two decades of experience in animation, games, and interactive media. His multifaceted career spans broadcast animation, educational and interactive software, and casual and mobile games, where he has contributed as an animator, character designer, UI designer, and Art Director. As a creative consultant and currently the Creative Director at a privately owned game studio, Michael brings real-world insight and industry-standard expertise to the classroom. His warm, down-to-Earth approach emphasizes professional readiness, creative innovation, and cross-disciplinary fluency, preparing students for the evolving demands of the entertainment and interactive design fields.

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

Jeremy Saliba is a visual development artist, animator and illustrator with 20 years of experience working in the industry for clients like Lucasfilm, Marvel, Epic Games and more.

He has taught various classes at the Academy for nearly 2 decades and joined the Visual Development Department in 2015.

Of all the projects he’s had the privilege to be a part of, helping students realize their artistic visions has been the most rewarding.

Education: Master of Fine Arts, Sapienza – Universita di Roma (Roma, Italy, Italian Language & Literature)

Born in Rome, Italy, Alessandro Squitti (producer/director/film editor) graduated from the University ‘La Sapienza’ of Rome with a master’s degree in film studies. Alessandro has collaborated on short films and music videos with the students of ‘Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia’ in Rome.

In 2000, he moved to San Francisco and had created more than 20 short films, including award-winning animation, live-action, music videos, and flash animation featured at various festivals and competitions. He served as producer and editor for a short, animated film, On/Off (2020): 2 Guinness World Records (Most awards won by a short film and animated short film.)

As a freelance videographer and film editor, Squitti has worked for Current TV, Notable Inc., and Red Clover Studios. He is currently teaching Film Production, and Visual Content Editor at the Academy of Art University.

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

A Character Designer and Visual Development Artist with over 10 years of experience in the animation and game industries.

I’ve worked as an Art Director on the award-winning MyVegas app at Playstudios, and contributed to beloved brands at Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network on projects like Animaniacs and the Scooby-Doo franchise. Along the way, I’ve also taught university-level courses in visual development, mentoring the next generation of artists.

My passion lies in story-driven character design — creating expressive, believable worlds and characters that feel alive. Whether it’s shaping the look of a mobile game, designing for an animated series, or developing a feature film concept, I bring a collaborative spirit and a strong visual storytelling focus to every project.