Media Resources
Faculty + Staff Experts
To set up an interview with one of our faculty experts, please email Michael C. Butz, Director of College Communications + External Relations: mcbutz@cia.edu.
Lincoln Adams ’98
Associate Professor, Animation
Topics: Animation/entertainment trends, story development, industry need for skilled talent, illustration, animation production pipeline, drawing/painting atelier, 2D software for storyboarding, visual and creative problem-solving, earning sustainable income using art-making as primary source of income and developing a business practice
Jeffrey Simonetta
Assistant Professor, Animation
Topics: 2D animation, 3D animation, computer-generated imagery (CGI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), crypto and NFT motion graphics, metaverse, art production management and pipelines, medical illustration, architectural renderings, product visualization
Dan Cuffaro ’91
Associate Professor, Industrial Design
Topics: Product development (categories span from consumer and commercial to medical), design strategy, entrepreneurship, design thinking, design research, technology in design (use/benefit of hardware, software, rapid prototyping AI, etc. related to product development), intellectual property (related to design), design education
Adam Lucas
Associate Professor, Graphic Design
Topics: Typography, book design, editorial/publication design, print and publication production, self-publishing, identity design and design systems, studio photography, web design, exhibition design
Kelsey Cretcher ’18
Professor of Practice, Illustration
Topics: Illustration education, business of illustration, vector illustration, board game illustration, freelance illustration
Dan Cuffaro ’91
Associate Professor, Industrial Design
Topics: Product development (categories span from consumer and commercial to medical), design strategy, entrepreneurship, design thinking, design research, technology in design (use/benefit of hardware, software, rapid prototyping AI, etc. related to product development), intellectual property (related to design), design education
Beth Halasz ’89
Associate Professor, Life Sciences Illustration
Topics: Medical illustration, scientific illustration, natural science illustration
Dan Cuffaro ’91
Associate Professor, Industrial Design
Topics: Product development (categories span from consumer and commercial to medical), design strategy, entrepreneurship, design thinking, design research, technology in design (use/benefit of hardware, software, rapid prototyping AI, etc. related to product development), intellectual property (related to design), design education
Adam Lucas
Associate Professor, Graphic Design
Topics: Typography, book design, editorial/publication design, print and publication production, self-publishing, identity design and design systems, studio photography, web design, exhibition design
Zachary Savich
Associate Professor, Liberal Arts
Topics: Poetry, creative nonfiction, editing, publishing, collaborative writing, creative studies
Steven Gutierrez
Associate Professor, Game Design
Topics: Virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), art and technology, art and environment, digital and interactive media, computer graphics, 3D modeling, sculpture, public art, digital media in theater and dance
Jeffrey Simonetta
Assistant Professor, Animation
Topics: 2D animation, 3D animation, computer-generated imagery (CGI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), crypto and NFT motion graphics, metaverse, art production management and pipelines, medical illustration, architectural renderings, product visualization
Zachary Savich
Associate Professor, Liberal Arts
Topics: Poetry, creative nonfiction, editing, publishing, collaborative writing, creative studies
CIA at a Glance
Students: 545 (fall 2024)
Faculty: 109 (51 full-time, 58 part-time)
Staff: 106 (80 full-time, 26 part-time)
Visitors: 29,000+ (public programming in 2023–24)
Living Alumni: 6,798 (fall 2024)
President + CEO: Kathryn J. Heidemann
About CIA
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private, nonprofit college of art and design that has been the training ground for countless students who have gone on to make important contributions to the fields of creativity and innovation since it opened in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. Its students have designed internationally recognized products, their artwork has been exhibited in major museums and private collections around the world, and their entertainment media has been enjoyed by audiences and game players for generations. It enrolls about 600 students nationally and internationally and has a faculty of about 100 full-time and adjunct members, all of whom are practicing artists, designers and scholars.
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