Biography:

Louis Chavez is an artist, curator, and educator based in Rochester, New York. Their creative and research interests include queer activism and art practices, conceptual modes in photography, experimental cinema, and artist's books. Chavez was a selected participant in the 2024 Impromptu Photobook Workshop, hosted by the independent photography publisher Void, and was a 2023 Project Space artist-in-residence at Visual Studies Workshop. They were also a graduate presenter at the Society for Photographic Education's national conference in 2023, where they spoke about their thesis project, New Intimacies, which is a photographic study of gay cruising culture. Their photographic work has been included in exhibitions at Light Work (Syracuse), Three Shadows Photography Art Centre (China), PeepSpace (Tarrytown), Le Petit Versailles (New York City), Culture Lab LIC (New York City), the Hartnett Gallery at the University of Rochester, and the Torpedo Factory Arts Center (Alexandria). In addition to their visual arts practice, Chavez is a Curatorial Associate in the Department of Photography at the George Eastman Museum. Prior to joining the Eastman Museum, they taught beginner photography courses at Monroe Community College and the Rochester Institute of Technology and worked as a Studio Assistant for artists Jack Waters and Peter Cramer and photographer Joshua Rashaad McFadden. Chavez holds an M.F.A. in Photography and Related Media from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a B.S. from SUNY Brockport.

Statement of Intent:

My interest in photographic practice and education has developed over the past decade of living in Rochester, a city with a cultural history that is deeply entwined with the medium itself. With the support of photographers, educators, and institutional resources in this community, I delved into studying photography and began to share what I was learning with others. This happened informally, in settings like the darkroom club at the Flower City Arts Center or a photography reading group that I organized with friends, and this extended to formal teaching opportunities while in graduate school and now in my current role at the George Eastman Museum. SPE was an invaluable resource during this time; as a student member, I attended regional conferences in 2018 and 2019, took advantage of virtual program offerings during the height of the pandemic, and attended (as a graduate presenter) my first national conference in Denver in 2023. As a member of the organization's Board of Directors, it would be my goal to work with the leadership team to promote SPE's resources for students and educators and further increase access to the organization's engaging slate of conferences, programs, and opportunities. As a member of the Eastman Museum's curatorial team, I also have a strong interest in SPE's origins within our institution and would work to further research and scholarship that pertains to our shared legacy of photographic education in classroom and exhibition spaces alike.

Biography:

Adam Dienst-Scott is a photographer and educator in Omaha, NE. Born and raised in Kansas he first became interested in photography while attending Emporia State University in the late 1900s. He would go on to receive an MFA in photography from Kansas State University. He has 20+ years of teaching photography at the college level, beginning as a one year, visiting professor in 2008 at KSU to now teaching full time for the past 13 years at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. He has been a guest speaker at universities across the United States has and also taught several workshops across the country in different historical photographic processes.Adam has been a member of SPE since 2008 and has been a scholarship recipient, conference speaker, and served as a member of the conference planning committee for the 2013 Midwest SPE conference in Lincoln, NE. In 2019 he established, with his wife and partner Anne, a 12 person, cooperative called Link Gallery + Workshop in Omaha. It is a space exclusively dedicated to the exhibition, education and practice of all photographic processes. Link Gallery + Workshop is also where Adam and Anne operate a commercial tintype studio since 2022. His interests lie with heritage photographic processes/practices and he continues to utilize and teach how they can intersect with modern technology and studio practices.

Statement of Intent:

I have to credit The Society for Photographic Education with helping me get my foot into the door of academia. The 2008 SPE Conference in Denver is how I ended up with my job full time job at Metropolitan Community College. We all know how hard landing that first, steady gig can be and I would be interested in seeing how SPE could play a bigger role in connecting folks with possible employers. As a board member I would be interested in hearing form students about what the expect to gain from an SPE membership and also what my peers and colleagues would like to see continue (or change) within the organization. I would also like to diversify the offerings we see during the conferences through programming, lectures of demonstrations, making sure that there is something of interest for everyone, no matter their approach to photography. I would also like to see it be more student focused. I mean, they are the next generation of photographic educators and the future of the Society for Photographic Education.

Biography:

Meg Griffiths is an artist, educator, and the Co-Founder of A Yellow Rose Project. Thevwide arc of her work grapples with the various modes of domestic, cultural, and political
engagement that structure female experience in the United States. Her inquiries are driven by a desire to capture, develop and share a closer understanding of (self-identifying) female subjects. Each project she creates, whether individual or collaborative, focused on the personal or the collective, are at heart about the intrinsic connection between self and other, between interiority and positionality, as much as kinship and community. Her work has traveled nationally as well as internationally and is placed in collections such as Center for Creative Photography, Capital One, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Her book projects, both monographs and collaborative projects, have been acquired by various institutions around the country such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale University Library, Duke University Library, Museum of Modern Art, The Getty Research Institute to name a few. She currently lives in Denton, Texas where she is an Associate Professor of Photography and the Graduate Admissions Coordinator in the Visual Arts Division at Texas Woman's University.

Statement of Intent:

I have had the great joy of being a member of SPE since 2010. I went to my first national conference in Philadelphia, PA as a graduate student. It was one of the most
amazing experiences of my photo life up until that point. I met a ton of people, from fellow grads, some of my photo idols, to our amazing photo vendors. I had my first portfolio review, danced like it was 1999 and spent way too much money on books (which has literally been a guilty pleasure ever since!) I jest though, it has truly been such an amazing organization. It is the gift that keeps giving. I have received so much for these conferences and personal experiences. Some gifts have been in the form of exhibitions and talks, to more life sustaining opportunities -- such as jobs. All of which, is not overshadowed by the lifelong friends I would never have met otherwise. I have a very big soft spot in my heart for the people who help to make this meeting of the photo
minds happen, not just at these large events, but at all the small ones in between, whether virtual or in person. I would be honored to serve if given the chance. I hope that my 12 years of experience teaching at the University of South Carolina, Washington and Lee University, as well as Texas Woman's University will aid me in this endeavor. I want
to contribute in any way that supports the mission and goals of SPE as well as find new ways to engage broader audiences as we find ourselves in rapidly changing times, socially, environmentally, and technologically.

Biography:

Erin Jennings is a Memphis based photographer, filmmaker and educator working in lens-based mediums. Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production, a Master of Arts in Political Science (Politics in Film), and a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from The University of Memphis. Her photographic work emphasizes and examines representation and the politics of viewing. Jennings' work is exhibited internationally, with a recent feature in The Opera Magazine for Classic and Contemporary Nude Photography. Her scholarly research and publication explores contemporary photographic practice, the state of higher education and resulting labor policies. Jennings has been in a complicated relationship with academia since 2011 and is the founder and co-chair of SPE's Contingent Faculty Caucus. She has been a member of SPE since 2013 and has served on the 2016 South Central Conference Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee (2024 – 2028) and the 2025 National Conference Committee. She currently teaches film history at the University of Memphis and works in non-profit engagement and outreach. 

Statement of Intent: 

My first SPE was SPE's 50th National Conference in Chicago. What struck me about that conference was the sheer number of those in attendance and the commonality I felt with members of the SPE community. We were all there because of our enthusiasm for and commitment to photography, whether it be as educators, photographers, or both. It was at this conference that SPE became my anchor in the photographic community. Working as a member of SPE's Strategic Planning Committee, one of the questions we measured carefully was the value of SPE to its members. We asked members repeatedly what SPE offered them and what they were hoping to receive from their engagement with SPE. Though there were many answers, ranging from pedagogical support to networking opportunities, one answer was resoundingly clear: community. 

We witness as the contemporary college and university continues to strain under staggering paradigm shifts in higher education, and we, as students, educators and image-makers, endeavor to continue our scholarly work, despite the dwindling of resources and institutional support. Throughout my service with SPE, the organization has provided a space in which I felt not only supported, but encouraged to grow as an educator, scholar, and practitioner. As a member of SPE's board, I will continue work to fortify a sustainable infrastructure for SPE, enable SPE to continue to support the scholarship and practice of lens-based art, and ensure the stewardship of our valued community.  

Biography:

Andy Mattern is a visual artist working in the expanded field of photography. His photographs and installations dissect the medium itself, reconfiguring expectations of photography's basic ingredients and conventions. His work is held in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the New Mexico Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, among others. Currently, he serves as Associate Professor of Photography at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. He holds an MFA in photography from the University of Minnesota and a BFA in studio art from the University of New Mexico.

Statement of Intent:

Teaching in a one-person photography program, I have found SPE to be an inspiring touchstone and an important reminder that none of us is not alone. As educators and artists in such a rapidly evolving medium, it is especially important to regularly compare notes, share our work, laugh, debate — maybe cry a little — as we keep the flame burning for the next generation. I hope SPE continues to expand and include more artists who are hungry for community and new ideas, while experimenting with new modes of conference delivery and programming. As a newbie board member, I honestly do not know quite what to expect, but I would come in with ears and eyes open, happy to help.

Biography:

Jennifer Ray is an Associate Professor of Photo Media and Associate Director of the School of Art, Design & Creative Industries at Wichita State University in Kansas. She received an MFA from Columbia College Chicago and BA from Oberlin College, where she also taught for two years as a visiting professor. Her work has been exhibited around the world and is in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Ulrich Museum of Art, Kinsey Institute, and Museo del Barro (Paraguay). Broadly, her work critically investigates American history and contemporary culture, and has been supported by residencies at Latitude, ACRE, and Unpack (Havana). Her long-term project Shouting Fire will be published by Push/Pull Editions in 2025. 

At Wichita State, she serves on the Faculty Senate, is a longtime member of a committee awarding internal grant funding, and focuses on DEI-related work on committees in the school and college. This year, she served as a judge for the Scholastics Art Awards and a panelist for the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission.

Statement of Intent:

At the first conference I ever took a student to (shoutout Peoria 2017), I introduced my junior photo major to a notable artist with a solo show up, with whom he shared research interests. They hit it off, and before I knew it had arranged an art trade. It was such a surprising and magical moment for him and boosted his confidence to pursue art (he's now completed an MFA and feature film).

My students have had many such moments at SPE conferences over the years: meeting photographers whose images they've only seen in slideshows, having their work included in exhibitions, making tintypes in hotel rooms, presenting as grad students, and seeing "lifechanging" talks (as another student frequently described Zora Murff's keynote in Cincinnati). I've attended conferences with 15-20 students in the last seven years – with many repeat customers.

If I'm elected to the board, I would want to look for ways to increase opportunities for student participation, given how much of an impact SPE has had on my program. I know that at some universities like mine, funding may be available for students who are presenting at conferences, and it may be beneficial to expand that programming. I'd also like to pursue grant funding to support initiatives targeted toward bolstering engagement from students and faculty who may have difficulty financing conference attendance. SPE has had a huge impact on my teaching and the enthusiasm of my students, and I hope to be able to give back in some way.  

Biography:

"The scholar with a camera!"

Ralph Basui Watkins is known as "the scholar with a camera!" He is an arts based researcher who does work at the intersection of photography, documentary film, spirituality and social justice.  He received his MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of six books, and over thirty chapters and articles. His photographs have been featured  in solo shows and group exhibitions throughout the United States. He is the producer / director of three full length made for television feature documentaries. He is presently working on a documentary and photo series:  Seeing the Future of the African American Church in the Rainbow. Dr. Watkins is also working with Dr. Bill Brown on his seventh book The Word Made Image: Scripture, Photography, and the Creativity of Justice, Fortress Press, projected, Fall 2025.

In recent years, Watkins has been the artist in residence for Pride in the Pews at Spelman College and The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries.  He also been awarded a Louisville Institute Sabbatical Grant, Collegeville Institute Sabbatical Residency Grant, Governor's Teaching Fellowship, Lilly Teaching Fellowship, Fulbright Hayes Fellowship for study in Ghana, a Wabash Teaching Fellowship, and various awards and grants to study in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Ghana.

Statement of Intent:

I want to be a part of the growth and expansion of SPE. I specifically want to see special attention paid to the the inclusion of Afrocentric approaches to our work. I presently serve as the Vice Chair of the Southern Region of SPE and I see the opportunity for future of our organization. I see ways we can grow to include the work and scholarly contribution of African / African American / African Diaspora photographers and theorist. I want to work to expand the cannon to include those who represent  the work that speaks to me and so many like me. I have been in higher education for over twenty-five years, serving on boards, as a dean and leading organizations. I would bring years of experience and a true commitment of service to the board. I will be voice with and for the people and make sure there are chairs at the table for all of our members. 

Biography:

DM Witman is a transdisciplinary artist working with photographic media, video, and installation. Her work explores climate disruption and the effects on human and more-than-human species.  She is an Assistant Professor of Photography at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where she serves as the Chair of the Graduate Program and Photography. She received an MFA from Maine Media College and a BS in Environmental Science from Kutztown University. She shares her time between the banks of the St. George River in Maine and the Borderlands of South Texas. Her work has been exhibited extensively, and she is the recipient of grants from Maine Arts Commission, The John Anson Kittredge Fund, and The Kindling Fund (a re-grantor for The Warhol Foundation).  Interviews and publications include The Guardian, BBC Culture, WIRED, Boston Globe, and Art New England.

Website: https://www.dmwitman.com/

Instagram: dm_witman

Statement of Intent: 

SPE has been an invaluable community for me since my early days in graduate school. The resources that were shared during the pandemic are one of the many reasons SPE is relevant and important today. SPE helped me to make connections and form many lasting relationships. Prior to my position at UT, I served as Vice-Chair and Treasurer for the Northeast Chapter while teaching at a small rural college in Maine.  As a member of National Board, I would utilize my various experiences and strengths to support the organization as it continues to build an inclusive and diverse community and be proactive in the challenges faced in an ever-shifting dynamic environment.