Jessica Ainsworth-Truong
M.Arch.; B.Arch., University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; LEED AP Legacy
Jessica specializes in architecture of place. She researches climate, geography, geology and culture of a town or region to devise a building that responds to the constraints of that specific area. She feels that design must be simple, but complex. The simplicity of a design is revealed by continual analysis and revision of plan, section and elevation. The final understanding of the building is applied throughout, creating its complexity. Jessica also has her own one-woman firm, Ainsworth Design, where she takes on residential and small commercial projects. When not living design, you can find her renovating her house, playing with her dog or enjoying the outdoors.
Marissa Alexander, Interior Design Academic Director
M.Arch.; B.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Marissa Alexander had earned both a Master of Architecture degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. Her background has been mainly working for commercial architecture firms on projects ranging from Upper Education buildings to Medical and Correctional facilities. She is excited to return to the world of academia and join the team of Interior Design instructors with partaking in helping students understand the design process. She believes design influences us daily on several different levels and scales and that good design is a fine balance between function and aesthetics.
James L. Dean
M.F.A., University College for the Creative Arts - Kent; B.A., Northbrook College - Sussex
Specializing in Fine Art
Painting for his bachelors degree at Northbrook College, England (2000), Dean took part in an annual exchange with the University of Wisconsin-Stout for five months in 1999, an experience which has had enduring consequences for his work. Since graduating, Dean has worked as a production artist and instructor and exhibited his own material: paintings and drawings often inspired by literary and art-historical references. Since 2001, Dean has worked as a scenic artist, including time at the Guthrie, and Childrens Theatre. During a study trip to Italy in 2004 Dean made work referring to Pompeii and other vesuvian sites near Naples, this sparked off a tangential interest in spatial depth and 3D-design which has in turn fed into his more traditional fine art endeavors. His work is represented in private collections in London, Edinburgh, New Delhi, Minneapolis and Los Angeles.
Clay DuVal
M.Ed., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; B.S., University of Wisconsin - Stout
Patrick Faricy
M.B.A., University of California - Irvine; B.F.A., Art Center College of Design - Pasadena
Brendon Farley
M.F.A., Boise State University; B.F.A., Columbus College of Art & Design
Jim Felgate
M.F.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; M.A., St. Mary’s University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; B.F.A., St. Cloud State University
Jim has worked as a Graphic Designer creating logos, advertising, illustrations and promotional products for clients such as Polaris Industries, Arctic Cat, Looney Tunes, Garfield, Snoopy, NFL, and resort and ski areas of Colorado. In 1997, after a few years of freelance, Jim started a small design company, Gate 7 Graphics, which he continues to operate. With years of professional experience behind him, Jim specializes in logo design, package design, and advertising components, along with the technical aspects of digital format including pre-press, color separation, digital output, proofing, image, and color correction.
Beata Fleischmann
B.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota
Beata Morris started her art and design education at PJ Oliver Art Centre in Stellenbosch, South Africa in the textile and print design section from 1996-1998. Thereafter she received her BS in Interior Design from The Art Institutes International Minnesota in 2003. She completed her MFA in Ecological Architecture in May 2008 at Vesper College in Minneapolis.
Growing up with the landscape of South Africa has left Beata with intrigue for the (spot) moment between earth and sky. This intimate space between changes affects her work physically and metaphysically. She tries to capture this sometimes subtle, sometimes stark juncture, in the making process. She has had several gallery exhibitions at Vesper Trough and Frank Stone Gallery in Minneapolis, featuring her paintings, sculpture and small structures. Beata has worked in a commercial design office and works on freelance projects, both with design and her studio art.
She joined The Art Institutes International Minnesota faculty in October of 2005. Currently she teaches some of the fundamentals within the Interior Design program, where students get introduced to the tactile skills that they will be using throughout their careers. These include Architectural Drafting, Perspective, hand rendering and computer applications such as CAD , Revit and some Adobe programs. Beata aspires to awaken her students’ senses to their surroundings by becoming acute observers and questioners.
Rick Friede
B.S., University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Doug Garder
M.F.A., West Virginia University - Morgantown; B.A., Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
Since receiving his M.F.A. from West Virginia University in 1980 and his B.A., with Honors, from Southern Illinois University in 1976, Doug Garder has exhibited his art across the country in over sixty exhibitions and has taught steadily since 1978.
He has taught drawing courses at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, drawing and painting classes at such local community art centers as the Bloomington Art Center, Minnetonka Center for the Arts, and the Edina Art Center. For several years he was also an Artist in Residence at Prairie Center Alternative High School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, as well as at Kennedy High School in Bloomington, Minnesota. He was also an Adult Education Program Specialist at the Minnesota Museum of American Art in St. Paul for two years, as well as a Gallery Director and Art Appreciation Instructor at Cameron University, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was awarded a Teaching and Gallery Assistantship at West Virginia University, where he taught Beginning Drawing courses.
He has won awards for his work in several Juried Exhibitions, including Best of Show, "Hoyt National Drawing and Painting Exhibition," The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts in New Castle, Pennsylvania (1988); Special Achievement Award, "Landscapes and Beyond," Clary-Miner Gallery in Buffalo, New York (1990); and an Honorable Mention, "9th National Exhibition", Mable Cultural Center in Atlanta, Georgia (1996) to name a few. He recently won a Media Award at the "88th Annual Fine Arts Exhibition" at the Minnesota State Fair. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including "The Land Knows No Boundries", Ohio State University in Mansfield, Ohio and "Landscapes: A Personal View", Sunbird Gallery in Bend, Oregon. He has had several solo shows, including "Just Walking Through My Garden," Hopkins center for the Arts in Hopkins, Minnesota (1999); "Above & Below," University of Dayton in Ohio (1994); and "Inner Life Landscapes," North Dakota Art Galleries Association, a traveling a show with six venues (1993-94). His work has been placed in such collections as The University of Minnesota, St. Paul; The Hoyt Institute of Fine Art in New Castle, Pennsylvania; The University of Berkeley in Berkeley, California; and Dominion National Bank in Bristol, Virginia. His biography was included in Marquis Who's Who in the World, New Providence, New Jersey (2000).
Maria Garrido Santos
M.L.S.; B.S., University of Minnesota, - Twin Cities; A.S., The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale; NCIDQ #205507
Maria Santos is an interior designer and a faculty member in the interior design department at The Art Institute International Minnesota. Her love for design began in the mid 1980's as a student at The Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale. Shortly after graduating, she began practicing as a project designer with a commercial firm in Delray Beach, Florida. In 1990 Maria and her family moved to Minnesota and after working for almost five years as a residential designer in Minneapolis, she continued her education with the Interior Design program at the University of Minnesota and earned a B.S. in Interior Design.
For several years Maria was employed at the University of Minnesota as a design coordinator. While working on a master degree, she became a teacher assistant and later an adjunct instructor in the Interior Design department at University of Minnesota. Maria also had the privilege of mentoring incoming Interior Design students through the Department of Human Ecology mentoring program. Much of her education was financed through her business as a design Consultant for both residential and commercial interiors. Projects included residential interior planning and commercial interiors such as attorney offices. One of her long term clients was the School for Continuing Education at the University of Minnesota.
Maria believes that it is important for design students to understand the intense influence, of history, cultural diversity and their own, personal life experiences, as a means for awakening creativity. She believes that once students make these connections, they can more readily appreciate the commonalities between each, and understand how they contribute to the enrichment of the built environment. For this reason, she enjoys teaching the History of Design classes and participating in out of state field trips with design students, when the opportunity permits. In her spare time, Maria's passions include gardening, traveling and her grandchildren. She is currently registered to take the NCIDQ exam in April 2009.
Peter Gaustad
M.F.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; M.A., St. Mary's University - Twin Cities; B.F.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Peter Gaustad graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1978 with a BFA degree. He worked, saved his money, and moved to New York the following year. In New York, he worked as an illustrator, mover, a carpenter, a production assistant for an industrial film exhibit house, manages real estate, restored art and did exhibition installation for museums and galleries.
Anne George
M.F.A., Rutgers University; B.F.A., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
As a fine artist working in various media, Anne has exhibited both locally and nationally. Her most recent exhibit was at Minnesota Center for Book Arts in the two person show called Concept to Print. This exhibit revolved around the book she produced while an Artist in Residence at Bolger Concept to Print in Minneapolis in the summer of 2003. The book is called Once Removed. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Museum of Modern Art in New York, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. She has received numerous Jerome Foundation fellowships, and an NEA Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Regional Fellowship.
Randall Holbrook
J.D., Hamline University; B.A., St. John’s College - Maryland
Randall Holbrook was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in 1982. He has worked as a judicial law clerk, as an attorney in private practice, and as in-house corporate counsel. His practice has emphasized consumer and business related issues, as well as governmental affairs and compliance. Randy (as he is usually known) joined The Art Institutes International Minnesota in 2003. In addition to his teaching duties, he is employed as a Senior Research Attorney for Legal Research Center, Inc. He is also working on writing a legal guide for the commercial artist, and is also working on a project related to copyright law. Randy lives in Minneapolis with his wife (Beth) and children (Michael, Sara, and Tristan).
Rebecca John
M.A., University of Phoenix Online; B.A., University of St. Thomas
Rebecca John is an adjunct faculty member at the Art Institutes International and also serves as vice president of e-marketing for Piper Jaffray & Co., where she is responsible for all client-facing online marketing activities for the firm. Previously, Rebecca was director of the audience development consultancy of Web services provider, Wizmo Inc. In this position, she consulted with clients in the areas of audience identification, usability, user training and adoption management. Prior to joining Wizmo, Rebecca was director of client services for Comdisco, Inc.’s wide-area network services business. Before that, she was an account manager at the Tunheim Group, a Minneapolis-based public relations and communications management firm. Rebecca began her career as a communications specialist in the internal communications department of Honeywell Inc. After leaving Honeywell and before joining the Tunheim Group, Rebecca completed a two-year Peace Corps assignment as a mathematics teacher in Guinea, West Africa.
Walter Lambert
Ph.D.; M.B.A., University of Texas - Austin; M.S.Ch.E.; B.S.Ch.E, University of Cincinnati
Korrin Lohmann
B.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota
Korrin osculates between drawing the form to making the form, “Verum ipsum factum”, Vico, for truth is the thing constructed. Through this process of design-make she comes to understand the space and the sense of place. By taking a morsel of poetic imagery, turning it on itself and entering into that space/place. Through this process she both grounds her work in conceptual realization and wrestling with the materials. Her connects to metal, wood and stone is seen in her work that ranges from sculpture, architecture to fashion design. Through this passion for form and architecture Korrin is able to pass on her knowledge to future designers and makers as a mentor and instructor at The Art Institutes International Minnesota.
Julie Longo, Graphic Design Faculty
B.F.A., Iowa State University
Lisa Loudon
M.F.A., University of Nebraska - Lincoln; B.F.A., University of Nebraska - Omaha
Lisa Loudon exhibits paintings and drawings nationally and continues to further her education through classes in various materials and techniques.
Matthew Luken
M.A.S.; B.A.S., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Jennifer McDowell
M.B.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; B.A., University of Virginia - Charlottesville
Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Anthropology. She completed post-baccalaureate studies in Medical Sciences at Loyola University and earned her Master's Degree in Business Administration at the University of Minnesota.
Jennifer McDowell has worked as an instructor in the Advertising and Design Management programs at The Art Institutes International Minnesota.
She was previously Senior Product Manager for UnitedHealth Group, where she oversaw development of consumer health information products. Ms. McDowell is a life-long member of the E.W. Rawlings chapter of the Air Force Association, where she served as Marketing Director for several years. Her other service work includes stints as volunteer instructor with the Junior Achievement program in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (1998) and the Air Force ROTC program at St. Thomas University in Saint Paul, Minnesota (1994-2001).
Amy Meller
M.Arch.; B.A, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; LEED AP Legacy, AIA
Amy Meller is a designer at MacDonald & Mack Architects, a Minneapolis firm specializing in preservation, restoration, adaptive reuse, and sensitive additions. Her project experience ranges from bridges and train cars to city halls, churches, and private residences. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in anthropology and a Master of Architecture from the University of Minnesota, and is currently working toward her architectural license. Amy joined the Art Institutes International – Minnesota as a part-time interior design instructor at the beginning of Winter Quarter of 2005.
Anjila Olsen
Jim Paulos
M.S., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; B.S., University of Wisconsin - Madison
William Reynolds
M.Ed., College of St. Catherine - St. Paul; B.F.A., Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Bill Reynolds, a freelance illustrator, graduated from The Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1977 with a degree in graphic design. His clients have included Los Angeles Times, Simon & Schuster Publishers, Reader’s Digest Books, Field and Stream, Yoplait and Princess Cruise Lines. His work has been selected for inclusion in American Institute of Graphic Arts exhibits, The Society of Illustrators Annual, New York and Outstanding American Illustrators Today Annual, Tokyo. Since 1980, Bill has taught illustration, design and drawing classes at several area secondary and post-secondary schools. He attended The College of St. Catherine and earned a master’s degree in May 2003. Besides watercolor painting, he enjoys intaglio printmaking and is an accomplished musician.
John Schulz, Advertising / Design Management / Fashion & Retail Management Academic Director
B.A., University of Wisconsin - Madison
John is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a degree in English. He went on to do graduate work in Communications at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and MBA work at St Thomas, Twin Cities. Prior to joining The Art Institutes International Minnesota, John spent his career in retail. For over a decade he worked in the book business, as a VP DMM for B. Dalton Bookseller, as the VP Operations for Pickwick Discount Books, and as the VP Marketing for Software Etc. More recently he worked at Marshall Field’s – as Senior Buyer Men’s developing private label product, and finally as Director of Sourcing. John volunteers at Habitat for Humanity and at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis.
Chad Stamps
M.Arch., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; B.A., Hamline University
Chad Stamps is an adjunct instructor in the Interior Design department at The Art Institutes International Minnesota where he enjoys fostering the critical thought process involved in designing and pushing students to look beyond and question the built world around them. He encourages students in developing the skills and knowledge that will be needed past graduation and preparing them for the future of the design profession.
Chad currently works as an independent design and construction consultant where he has worked on both residential and commercial projects as designer and project manager since graduating in 2000. He was a partner with Integrity Design Build until 2006 where he was involved in the design, estimating and construction in a variety of residential projects. Chad left to become a project manager with Nolan Brothers Developers managing the construction of a commercial building in Wayzata. More recently he had been hired by Kandiyohi Development Partners as an owners representative to value engineer the design and oversee the construction of a mixed use hotel project in Minneapolis.
Mythili Thiagarajan
M.Arch., University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; B.Arch., University School of Architecture
and Planning – Chenna, India; LEED AP Legacy, AIA
John Thomas
B.F.A., Minneapolis College of Art and Design
John Thomas has worked for a number of years as the Art Director and Manager of the Graphic Design department at WCCO television. While there, he designed sets for presidential elections and sports and news programming. He has also designed graphic looks for Midwest Sports Channel, worked on logo development for Rollerblades, Midway Chevrolet, and Personal Touch Entertainment. Additionally, he has over 20 years of illustration experience. Among his illustration career accomplishments, he includes working as a courtroom illustrator for both local and national trials. He has worked for KSTP, KARE, ABC, NBC, and CBS. Illustrations by John can be found in the chambers of judges and lawyers throughout the Twin Cities and in Duluth, Anoka, Hastings, and Alexandria. His illustrations have also appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.
Jennifer Thompson
M.Phil., University of Glasgow, Scotland, B.S., Virginia Commonwealth University
Jennifer Thompson has a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where she majored in Advertising and minored in Art History. From there she went on to pursue a Masters of Philosophy in Media and Culture at The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. Study concentrated on promoting music and film to different segments of the population. As part of degree study, she started an independent record label, Flux Records, launching a record for a Scottish punk band. Work experience includes time at Fallon Minneapolis and mono, a small ad agency in south Minneapolis. Jennifer remains an avid music fan attending concerts regularly, and is an active member of the Minneapolis art scene.
Jelena Tosovic , Graphic Design / Web Design & Interactive Media Academic Director
M.Arch.; B.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Jelena Tosovic graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2004 with a Master degree in Architecture. She received the Thesis Award for Design Excellence in 2002 for her thesis work on human daily rituals and the habitual use of architectural space. She also earned her B. Arch. Degree from the University of Minnesota.
Prior to moving to Minnesota in 1997, Jelena attended the architecture program at the technical University of Vienna in Austria for two years. A native of Sarajevo, Bosnia, she was initially infatuated with math, only to discover her love for architecture and design. Prior to accepting a full-time position at the Art Institute International, she spent a year practicing as an Intern Architect for Domain Architecture and Design. More recently, she has been freelancing for a few architectural offices in Minneapolis.
At Ai Minnesota, Jelena has been teaching the foundation courses with the focus on a design process and the conceptual thinking. For the past two years she has been teaching Graphic Design classes and working as a student advisor for the Graphic Design program. She has been involved with the Student Success Committee, as well as actively engaged with the AAC working as the faculty advisor for the National Technical Honor Society.
Jim Ullyot
M.B.A., Harvard University; A.B., Harvard College
Elsa Wenz
B.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota
Elsa has a passion for design and materials. When not teaching she can be found making various pieces of furniture, building photo shoot sets for clients such as Target and American Standard, or completing an awesome project.
Growing up in northern Minnesota, she has a fond appreciation for nature and the elements. She is currently enrolled at Vesper College and will soon complete her MFA in Ecological Architecture. If you look quickly, you may catch a glimpse of her zipping along on her trusty bicycle around the city.
Douglas Westendorp
M.F.A.; B.F.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Doug Westendorp was born and raised in Michigan, and has lived in Minnesota since 1979. He attended the University of Minnesota from 1986 to 1992, earning both his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Fine arts. He then taught at the University of Minnesota until 1999. Since then, he has also taught Drawing and Painting at various Community Education programs in the Twin Cities, the Museum School of the Minnesota Museum of American Art, and at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul. He has been teaching at The Art Institutes International Minnesota since 2002, full time since 2003. He teaches Drawing and Perspective, Fundamentals of Design, Design Layout, Color and Design, Illustration, Art History, and Contemporary Art.
Rachel Whisenant
M.B.A., Westminster College; B.A., Bringham Young University
Dan Whittaker
M.Arch.; B.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; Professional ASID, IIDA, IDEC, NCIDQ Cert. No. 021217, LEED AP (Commercial Interiors) Legacy
Dan Whittaker is an interior architectural designer and interior design educator with acute interest in historic preservation, design history and construction methods. Starting in 1990, he worked on a variety of residential restoration and small commercial new construction projects with a general contractor in Duluth, Minnesota, prior to starting his undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis in 1994. Dan completed his Bachelor of Arts with a major in Architecture/ minor in Studio Arts program in 1998. In 2001, he received his Master of Architecture degree, also from the University of Minnesota. Dan subsequently worked at a commercial architecture, engineering and interior design firm in Saint Paul on educational, governmental and ecclesiastical projects. Dan jointed The Art Institutes International Minnesota faculty in the spring of 2003. He currently teaches intermediate and advanced interior design courses dealing with commercial space planning, building codes and residential design. Together, these courses enable students to build their own personal design philosophy while broadening their sense of responsibility to public safety. Dan also works with a private-practice Architect and Interior Designer whose focus is on finely detailed residential design and small commercial projects. On weekends, he can be found searching for vintage architectural post cards and taking comparison pictures around town.
Kevin Wilkinson
M.B.A., University of New Hampshire – Durham; B.S., Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH
Jill Winkler
M.A.; B.Arch., University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; AIA
Jill Winkler is a part-time interior design faculty member at The Art Institutes International Minnesota, which she joined in the fall of 2007. She began her professional career while at the University of Minnesota working on large institutional projects for an architectural, engineering and interior design firm where she spent eight years. She focused on exterior envelope design and detailing as well as interior spaces such as lobbies, auditoriums, and millwork. Before joining Ai she continued her career at another firm where she enjoyed shaping the interior spaces of commercial design. She believes that a designer can contribute creative ways of integrating design concepts with the business plan of a company, therefore adding to its success. Jill is a licensed architect and graduated from the University of Minnesota with both Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees.