SAA College - faculty

Ted Baxendale

General Education Instructor:
Mr. Baxendale holds a Bachelor of Arts in the Humanities from Cincinnati College and comes to saa with twenty years of experience in the copywriting field. For such companies such as Iams, Standard Register, Mead, and Binney and Smith. Ted teaches GE 202 Copywriting to Year 2 students.

Scott Gibbs

General Education Instructor:
Mr. Gibbs received his art education at the Worcester Museum of Fine Arts and served as a studio assistant for five years in both Manhattan and Paris. Scott has pieces featured in the Smithsonian and his awards include two Montgomery County Visual Arts Fellowships in the Master Category, and a Residency at the prestigious Contemporary Artists Center in North Adams, Massachusetts, followed by a showing at the First Time Gallery (North Hampton) in October of 2005. Scott teaches GE 102 History of Art to Year 1 students.

Laura Halsey

graphic design instructor
Ms. Halsey is a Cum Laude graduate of the University of Dayton with a BFA in Visual Communication Design. Laura also holds an Associate of Applied Science in Visual Communication from Sinclair Community College. Laura is an award-winning art director and copywriter with 10+ years experience. Currently, she is a successful freelance art director working with both local and national clients. Laura teaches graphic design to first and second year students.

Sara Jankowski

General Education Instructor:
Ms. Jankowski holds a Master of Arts Degree in Art Therapy from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusettes. Her experience in education includes positions at Wright State University, Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School and St. Rita School for the Deaf. Sara teaches GE 101 English to Year 1 students.

Bob Talty

general education instructor
Mr. Talty has over 30 years of marketing and sales experience in the communications industry, holding executive positions in both small businesses and large global corporations. As V.P. of the NEC America Communications Group, Bob has international experience in strategic marketing and creative team leadership. Bob is currently Director of Marketing for Cassano’s Inc. in Dayton, Ohio. Bob teaches GE 103 History of Advertising to first year students and GE 201 Marketing to second year students.

Norm Vallone

General Education Instructor:
Norm Vallone attended Syracuse University and has over 30 years of marketing and advertising agency experience. He founded MessageWorks, Inc., a marketing communications consulting firm, in 1993. Norm has worked with such clients as Harley-Davidson, Minolta Copiers, Reynolds & Reynolds and NCR Corporation. An award-winning copywriter and marketing strategist, Norm currently serves as Chairman of the Dayton Area Advertising Review Council and as a District officer for the American Advertising Association. He is a board member and past-president of the Dayton Advertising Club and past-president of the American Marketing Association. Norm teaches GE 201 Marketing and GE 203 Professional Presentation to Year 2 students.

Yvette Williams

director of education + dean of students
Ms. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcasting with a minor in English Literature from the University of Northern Colorado, as well as a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch University. With 13 years in broadcast journalism and instruction, Yvette is a two-year Associated Press winning journalist, and freelance writer. Her duties at saa include preparation of the academic curriculum, supervision of all academic instructors, and teaching some academic courses.

Michael Bonilla

Illustration Instructor:
Mr. Bonilla has thirty+ years of experience in advertising and fine art, his award winning paintings are sought after nationally and internationally. During his career, he has received many advertising illustration awards from: New York Art Director's Club, The Visual Club N.Y., Print Regional Design Annual, Art Director's Club of Cincinnati, Columbus Society of Communication Arts, Dayton Advertising Club and others. He has also received recognition for excellence in his paintings which he exhibits in galleries and shows in the Midwest. Michael teaches traditional drawing and painting to all Year 1 and Year 2 students.
[ E-mail Mr. Bonilla ]

Perry Edwards

Senior Computer Director/Computer Graphics Instructor:
Mr. Edwards has twenty+ years of experience in computer graphics and working as a graphic designer in various art studios and corporate art departments. His recent freelance experience has included 3D illustration and digital camera work. He has also provided computer training to many Dayton area studios and Fortune 100 corporations. Perry shares responsibilities of coordinating the computer graphics program at saa and teaches advanced computer graphics and computer animation to all second year students and computer illustration to first year students.
[ E-mail Mr. Edwards ]

Matt Flick

Computer Graphics Instructor:
Mr. Flick has an Associate Degree in Visual Communications from Sinclair Community College. He has 10+ years of working experience both as an award winning graphic designer and art director at various advertising agencies in Cincinnati and Dayton. His clients have included Titleist and FootJoy Worldwide, IMG Canada, PGA Tour professional Mike Weir and several others. Matt is currently a successful freelance designer and small studio owner, creating print and web materials for national and international clients. Matt teaches computer graphic design to both first and second year students.
[ E-mail Mr. Flick ]

Dan Johnson

Graphic Design Instructor:
Mr. Johnson has been in the advertising profession for thirty+ years as a graphic designer, creative director, print buyer, and account executive. In addition, he was president of a leading design studio for more than 17 years. Dan has developed advertising for such clients as Federal Express, Crayola, Procter & Gamble, Radio Shack, and McDonalds. He is the recipient of numerous graphic design awards, including an international “CLIO�?? and eleven “Hermes�?? from the Dayton Ad Club. Recently, he was awarded the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal for lifetime achievement. Dan teaches traditional graphic design and conceptual thinking to second year students.
[ E-mail Mr. Johnson ]

Ian Lawson

web/interactive design instructor
Mr. Lawson is a 2002 graduate from the school of advertising art. Combining innovative design with cutting edge technology has earned Ian several local awards including the coveted Hermes head for ‘Best in Interactive Media’ in 2006. Most recently Ian co-founded Atomic Interactive, a web design studio offering design and development services. Ian teaches web design to first and second year students.
[Email Mr. Lawson]

Daved Levitan

Graphic Design Instructor:
Mr. Levitan has 35+ years experience in commercial design and fine art, having owned and operated his own studio since 1970. Specializing in print for entertainment, his freelance clients have included Atlantic, Arista and CBS Records, The Children’s Television Workshop and Hasbro Toys. Daved has also worked as a Television Art Director, Professional Photographer, Magazine Art Director and Computer Comic Book Colorist. In addition, Daved spent 7 years as the Creative Director for Mike Peters’ worldwide character licensing studio. Daved teaches traditional and computer graphics to first and second year students.
[ E-mail Mr. Levitan ]

Ryan McCoy

web/interactive design instructor
Mr. McCoy earned an Associate Degree from the School of Advertising Art. During his career he has been Art Director, Media Director, and most recently co-founded Atomic Interactive. Ryan has a strong passion for interactive design, web site coding standards and discovering the latest and greatest advances for the web. Ryan teaches interactive design and development to all first and second year students.
[ E-mail Mr. McCoy ]

Michelle Moor

Graphic Design Instructor:
Ms. Moor earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design, where she majored in Advertising Design. Her professional advertising career spans 15+ years, including positions as graphic designer, art director and creative director at various art studios and advertising agencies. She has been awarded numerous national graphic design and marketing awards. Michelle teaches traditional graphic design and conceptual thinking to all first year and second year students.
[ E-mail Ms. Moor ]

Tim Potter

graphic design instructor
Mr. Potter has over thirty years of advertising art experience. He has worked as a graphic designer in art studios, advertising agencies, corporate art departments, and as a director of graphic design at a national publishing company prior to founding the school of advertising art in 1984. He serves as a business consultant to saa as well as serving the students as an advisor. Tim was awarded the Silver Medal [lifetime achievement] from the American Advertising Federation in 2005.

Anise Simpson

Graphic Design Instructor
Ms. Simpson earned her Bachelor Degree from the University of Cincinnati where she majored in Graphic Design. Her professional advertising career spans 13+ years, including a production design position at The Huffy Corporation and a graphic design position at Cox Ohio Publishing. Her design work has earned several national awards and her work has appeared in the 2002 & 2003 editions of David E. Carter's "American Corporate Identity" design annuals. Anise continues to develop creative graphic design logos, letterheads, brochures and advertisements for numerous freelance clients in the Miami Valley. Anise teaches computer graphic design and conceptual thinking to all first year students.
[ E-mail Ms. Simpson ]

Jessica Graves

president, director of admissions + creative director
Ms. Graves is a 1997 graduate from saa, and has 11+ years of experience as an award-winning art director in various agencies in Dayton and Cincinnati. She has been instrumental in creating campaigns for companies such as Anheuser Busch, Duncan Toys Company, Huffy Bikes, Dell, The Iams Company, and The Longaberger Company. Jessica is saa’s president overseeing the admissions process, advertising, and the future growth of saa.
[ E-mail Ms. Graves ]

about saa

faculty