Biography:

Tom P. Ashe is a photographer, educator, consultant, author, and the chair of the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Digital Photography program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City, where he has been teaching photography, color management, and digital printmaking for twenty-two years. Tom has been working in photography and education for over thirty-five years, including positions with Polaroid and Eastman Kodak. He received his BS in Imaging and Photographic Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology and his Master of Applied Science in Photography from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. His consulting clients have included X-Rite, The MAC Group, AdoramaPix (Printique), and the photographers Arnold Newman and Andrew Eccles. He has been a guest lecturer at MIT, Yale University, Northeastern University, and for the Association of International Photographic Arts Dealers. Tom has written articles for Photo District News, Popular Photography, and in 2014 Focal Press released his book Color Management & Quality Output. His personal photography and research explore family history, immigration, and LGBTQ pride. He lives in the Lower East Side with his husband, Aaron. 

Statement of Intent:

SPE has been very important to me both professional and personally. I've been a member of SPE for over twenty-two years, since my first national conference in Austin. A portfolio review at that conference lead to me teaching at SVA, where I have been ever since. For almost a decade after that I was a regular industry speaker at each national conference on color management. From 2015 to 2020 I was the session moderator for the Industry & Education Forums at our national conferences, where I was lucky to work with members of the photographic industry and educators from around the country to try to build better communication and ties between our two groups to help them both be more successful. Most recently, last year, SVA and my department hosted the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, which was a real treat. I love and believe in SPE and our amazing community. If elected as a member of the board, my hope to collaborate with all of you to build better ties between our SPE community and our industry partners, to ensure that SPE continues be here to help our students, our institutions, and the photographic community navigate these challenging times.

Biography:

Kristy Boyce is a Canadian photographer, multimedia artist, and educator whose work interrogates representation, power, and pedagogy across photographic and immersive media. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she teaches courses in lighting, advertising photography, advanced video, and location-based image making.

Boyce holds a BFA in Photography from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and an MFA in Digital Futures from OCAD University. She began her career in photojournalism, working internationally in Africa and Southeast Asia before shifting into commercial and editorial photography. Her commissioned work includes fashion and product campaigns as well as promotional imagery, while her creative practice explores queerness, visibility, and the politics of representation through staged photography, augmented reality, and site-specific installation.

A significant strand of their current research focuses on photographic pedagogy and visual literacy. Shoot the Lights Out: The Photographer's Cookbook (an inclusive lighting textbook co-authored with Clay Patrick McBride) is forthcoming in 2027 and reflects her commitment to rethinking how lighting is taught and understood in contemporary photographic education. Her ongoing body of work Bent Canons reimagines canonical visual traditions to center queer bodies and question inherited narratives of history and power, while Missing uses augmented reality to critique media bias and expand photographic discourse into digital public space.

Boyce's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and they are currently preparing a solo exhibition at Micak Contemporary Art Gallery in Canada (2026), along with several upcoming group exhibitions in 2026 in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Through both her teaching and creative research, Boyce seeks to expand the possibilities of photographic education and challenge the systems that shape how images are made, circulated, and understood.

Statement of Intent:

When I attended my first SPE conference in 2024, what struck me most was the organization's willingness to engage with complex and urgent conversations, particularly around emerging technologies like AI, which many institutions were still hesitant to address. That openness signaled to me that SPE is not only a space for sharing photographic knowledge, but also a forum where the evolving realities of our field can be debated critically and collaboratively. Returning in 2025 to present DEI in the Photographer's Classroom deepened that impression and inspired me to seek a more active role in shaping SPE's future.

I am running for the Board of Directors because I believe SPE is uniquely positioned to lead essential conversations about representation, power, and pedagogy — and to help build the pathways, programs, and platforms that make our photographic community more inclusive. My work as both an educator and an artist is rooted in these questions. In the classroom, I center equitable production practices and teach students to critically examine how images shape social narratives, preparing them not just for the industry as it exists but to imagine and build new possibilities within it. In my creative practice, I explore queerness, visibility, and media bias — investigating, for example, how queer presence is constructed, contested, and made visible across different image-making contexts.

I hope to bring this experience to SPE's ongoing work — particularly in supporting underrepresented artists, educators, and students, and in building partnerships that expand mentorship opportunities and connect emerging image-makers to professional networks spanning higher education, cultural institutions, and industry. These are areas where I have deep expertise, but I also understand that board service is a collective endeavor. I am eager to listen, collaborate, and contribute wherever my skills are most valuable — from shaping programming and partnerships to participating in the strategic and fiduciary responsibilities that sustain the organization.

What I value most about SPE is its capacity to bring together artists, educators, scholars, and students around a shared understanding that photography both reflects and reshapes culture. I hope to contribute to that mission by working alongside the board and membership to grow an organization that remains as inclusive, challenging, and forward-looking as the medium it champions.

Biography:

Granville Carroll (b. 1992) is a visual artist and photographer examining metaphysical spirituality. His work unravels the multifaceted dimensions of reality, asking us to ponder what exists beyond the physical. He explores the boundless potential of the imagination, drawing inspiration from science, science fiction, poetry, philosophy, and Afrofuturism. Carroll earned a BFA in photography from Arizona State University and an MFA in photography and related media from Rochester Institute of Technology. Carroll is an Assistant Teaching Professor teaching in the online Digital Photography program at Arizona State University. He was awarded a NYFA/NYSCA grant in 2022 resulting in receiving the NYFA/NYSCA Fellowship in Photography and a Joy of Giving Something Fellowship in Photography. He also was awarded a project support grant from the Center for Photographic Arts in 2023, named Top 50 in Photolucida's Critical Mass 2022, and was included in the inaugural Silver List in 2021. His work has been published on various online platforms and in print media such as Humble Arts Foundation, Black Is Magazine, Brink Literary, Kris Graves Projects, RIT Press, Lenscratch, Float Photo, Light and Lens: Thinking About Photography in the Digital Age (Robert Hirsch and Edward Bateman), Seizing the Light: A Social and Aesthetic History of Photography (Robert Hirsch), and There's Light: Artworks & Conversations Examining Black Masculinity, Identity & Mental Well-Being (Glenn Lutz).

Statement of Intent:

Working as a professor in an online photography program has reinforced my conviction that accessibility to the arts is of critical importance. I am dedicated to ensuring that all individuals who wish to pursue this path have the necessary support to succeed. I remain committed to cultivating spaces in which both visible and underrepresented voices can grow and evolve in their creative practice. I strongly support SPE's mission to foster a community rooted in reciprocity, diversity of thought and practice, and the shared pursuit of photography. As a member of the board, I would contribute experience in curation, experimental photographic practices, and interdisciplinary approaches to the arts. My priorities include expanding access to conferences, supporting the development of innovative photographic ideas, and creating meaningful opportunities for emerging photographers. I seek to apply my knowledge in advancing the institution while also learning from its members, ensuring that their voices are acknowledged, amplified, and activated.

Biography:

I am an artist based in Phoenix, and my work includes exploration of identity and my Diné culture using various mediums. As a native woman, I believe it is important to make work that is an authentic representation of native people and to emphasize the diversity of native people and cultures. For me, culture and tradition are intertwined. Growing up, I was surrounded by a large extended family and it was instilled in me, at a very young age, that I should remember who I am and where I come from.

I am an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation (Diné), born to the Ta'neeszahnii (Tangle people) and for the Kinyaa'áanii (Towering House people). In May 2018, I received my MFA in Photography from ASU's Herberger's School of Art. Prior to attending ASU, I spent over twenty years working for Native American organizations and tribal governments. I received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. in Finance and Investments from the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

One of my photographs was selected for the exhibition, "Many Lives, One Community", by the Museum of Arizona Artists and is currently displayed at the Arizona Capitol Museum from March 31 to August 22, 2025. In addition, my work was part of the exhibition, IMPRINT: Native American Stories at the Art HQ Gallery from May 16 through June 19, 2025. My work was selected by Curator Engine, for a year-long exhibition at the ASU Graduate College beginning in September 2018 through September 2019 and my work was part of the 2018 Inaugural Galbut Exhibition sponsored by Martin and Cynthia Galbut at the Harry Wood Art gallery. In 2017, in collaboration with Creative Push, the video, "Our Creation Stories, The Changing History, Culture, and Traditions of Birth," was selected as part of the mother's day series and shown at the Heard Museum. This video was also selected for the ASU Art Museum exhibition, "Notes on Motherhood". This short video featured five Native women from across the Southwest who shared their stories of the changing history, culture, and traditions of birth beginning September 2024 through January 2025,

In 2016, I traveled to Mongolia as the recipient of the Nathan Cummings Travel Award, to experience first-hand the traditional and contemporary lifestyles of the people of Mongolia.

Statement of Intent: 

I am writing this letter as a statement of interest for the opportunity to serve on the SPE Board of Directors. I am excited about the possibility of serving the larger SPE community and being a part of SPE's commitment that fosters photography through education and practice.

I currently serve as an instructor for the ASU Online Photography program and teach various photography courses at two colleges, Mesa and Phoenix Community Colleges. My prior career in accounting and finance provided me extensive experience in financial management and strategic planning. I have over twenty years of experience working for tribal governments and non-profit organizations. As a member of the Navajo Nation, I understand that diversity and promoting all cultures and backgrounds is vital. If chosen, I hope that my unique qualifications can be part of the collective and be a voice for underrepresented communities.

Serving on the SPE Board is an exciting endeavor for me in that it provides me the opportunity to combine my passion of finance with my love of photography. Again, I welcome the opportunity to serve on the SPE Board of Directors in a capacity that benefits the organization and moves it in a positive and forward direction. Thank you for taking the time to review my statement of interest and I look forward to contributing to the organization.

Biography:

Eric T. Kunsman (b. 1975) was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is a photographer and book artist based in Rochester, New York. Eric works at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) as an Assistant Professor in the Visual Communications Studies Department at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and teaches for the School of Photographic Arts & Sciences. He also owns Booksmart Studio, a fine art digital printing studio that specializes in numerous techniques and services for photographers and book artists on a collaborative basis. Eric also serves as a board member for CEPA Gallery in Buffalo, NY. 

Eric holds an MFA in Book Arts/Printmaking from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and an MS in Electronic Publishing/Graphic Arts Media, as well as a BS in Biomedical Photography and a BFA in Fine Art Photography, all from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. He currently owns Booksmart Studio, a fine art digital printing studio specializing in various techniques and services for photographers and book artists on a collaborative basis.

Eric is a recipient of the 2025 CENTER Santa Fe's Callanan Excellence in Teaching Award, 2025 Center for Photographic Art Grant Recipient- Juror's Choice, and 2024 JGS Fellowship for Photography Recipient from The New York Foundation for the Arts. His work has been exhibited in over 40 solo exhibitions and over 250 group exhibitions. He was a 2022 nominee for Prix Pictet- Humans; named one of 10 B&W photographers to watch of 2018 by BWGallerist; B&W Best Photographers of the Year 2019 by Dodho Magazine; won the Association of Photography (UK) Gold Award for Open Series in 2019; Finalist, Top 200 Critical Mass 2019, 2020, 2021; Top 15 Photographers for the Rust Belt Biennial; and LensCulture's New Visions Award 2025, Critics' Choice 2022 and B&W Jurors' Pick 2021. His Project Felicific Calculus was also awarded a Warhol Foundation Grant through CEPA Gallery in Buffalo, NY.

Statement of Intent:

SPE has been an essential alliance throughout my career, dating back to my first conference in Austin, Texas, in 2003, which I attended during my first year as a tenure-track faculty member. The community was instrumental for my development as a professor and artist, as I navigated the world of academia as the only photography professor at my institution at the time. I later returned to SPE National Conferences with my printing studio, Booksmart Studio, and navigated both the industry aspect of SPE and the educator side during a single conference. As a Board Member, I would also like to help build more opportunities for our current student members and recent graduates, just as I have done by helping to form the Homecoming Biennial. This biennial is a 100% free opportunity for photography and lens-based graduates within the given two-year span for each biennial. I would be grateful to help in this area, and others are needed to support SPE as a board member.

Biography:

Carol Record is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, designer, and game creator whose practice bridges photography, graphic design, and game-based learning. She holds an MFA in Visual Communication Design and a BFA in Graphic Design from Jacksonville State University, and will soon begin a doctorate in education through the University of Phoenix. She currently teaches photography and design online for Upper Iowa University and serves as Vice Chair of the SPE South Central Chapter, where she has helped organize conferences, exhibitions, and other initiatives.

Record is the founder of Blackwater Buccaneers, a game publishing studio dedicated to educational tabletop games, including Lumen PhotoVocab Game, which grew out of her MFA thesis on game-based learning and reflects her passion for developing innovative tools that support students and educators. Her photographic work includes documentary and experimental projects such as MeToo and COVID Diaries, often combining personal narrative, social critique, and abstraction.

Statement of Intent:

I believe SPE thrives when it fosters collaboration across disciplines, perspectives, and communities. My own practice bridges photography, design, and game-based learning, and I want to bring that interdisciplinary spirit to the national board. I am especially interested in strengthening SPE's communication and organizational systems by drawing on my experience in user experience design, process development, and community engagement. Clearer channels and more accessible tools can help connect chapters, caucuses, and members, ensuring that ideas and opportunities circulate more effectively.

As a member of SPE since 2010, this organization has shaped my career and provided a community I deeply value. Running for the national board is a way for me to give back to that community and help it continue to grow. I am committed to ensuring that SPE remains a place where all voices are heard, and where diversity of thought and background enriches us as one human family. My goal is to help SPE remain a supportive and collaborative organization that uplifts artists, educators, and students across all stages of their journeys.

Biography:

Christopher Schneberger (born 1970) is a Chicago-based photographer, educator, and curator. He received his BFA in Creative Photography from the University of Florida and received his MFA in Photography at Indiana University.  Exhibitions include: Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles; Dorsky Projects in New York City; Geocarto International in Hong Kong; Blank Wall Gallery in Athens; and a recent solo exhibition at the Yang Family Gallery of Indiana State University. His work is in the collections of The Art Institute of Chicago; the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia; and the Mary and Leigh Block Museum in Evanston, Illinois. He is Assistant Professor of photography and Director of the Shircliff Gallery of Art at Vincennes University. He has taught previously at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago.  He has curated numerous exhibitions of photography at the Shircliff Gallery of Art, the Giertz Gallery, and Perspective Gallery, including Heirloom, Bending the Truth, Realms, This Particular Patch, Re:Place, Diminution of Light, and Relative Distance. He has been a presenter at the Society for Photographic Education's National conferences in 2024 and 2025, and at Midwest and Southeast chapter conferences. He has been a visiting artist at Iowa State University, Indiana University, Kendall College of Art, and Western Michigan University.


Statement of Intent:

I've been a proud member of SPE since attending my first Midwest and National conferences as a graduate student in 1995–96. From the start, I saw SPE as a vital force in expanding the horizons of both undergraduate and graduate photography students—introducing them to a broader creative and intellectual community that they can grow into and contribute to. I've witnessed how a single SPE conference can ignite a student's initial curiosity into a lasting passion. Time and again, my students return from conferences energized, inspired by the photographers they've encountered and eager to engage with new ideas. They return with a deeper commitment to their practice and are excited for the next conference.

For educators like myself, SPE is where we share our work, find fresh inspiration, and renew our dedication to both our craft and our teaching.

As a board member, my top priority will be expanding student engagement and fostering lifelong membership. I'm especially committed to reaching out to students and faculty who may not yet be active in SPE, and helping them experience firsthand the transformative impact of the conference and the community it builds.

Biography:

Sarah Phyllis Smith is a photographer and educator based in Utica, NY. She is Chair of Fine Arts and Photography and Associate Professor of Photography at Pratt Munson College of Art & Design, where she previously served as Interim Co-Dean and Acting Chair of Academic Affairs. In these roles, she has shaped curriculum, faculty mentorship, and student programming while fostering innovative pedagogical initiatives across multiple disciplines.

Her photographic work investigates the liminal spaces between identity, memory, and genetic connection, exploring how personal history and kinship unfold through tangible and performative encounters with the self and others. Solo exhibitions include Respite at Whitespec (Atlanta, GA) and Where the Great Lakes Leap to the Sea at The Shed Space (Brooklyn, NY), with upcoming work in New Haven, CT. She has also exhibited at Perspectives Gallery at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Ground Floor Gallery (Nashville), Whitespace Gallery (Atlanta), Roman Susan Gallery (Chicago), Wedge Projects (Chicago), and Space 204 at Vanderbilt University (Nashville).

Her work has been featured in Musée Magazine, Silver Eye Center for Photography, From Here On Out, Don't Take Pictures Magazine, Lenscratch, Light Leaked, Vulgaris Magazine, and Incandescent Magazine, and appeared on the cover of the Iranian literary magazine Dastan. She is the founder of Study Hall, a contemporary photography gallery and pedagogical project at Pratt Munson, and has presented nationally, including the workshop "Hybridization of New and Old Technologies Through Handmade Films" at Tasmeem 2022: Radical Futures, VCUQatar in Doha, Qatar, highlighting her commitment to integrating creative practice with teaching and community engagement.

Statement of Intent:

The Society for Photographic Education has been a vital part of my professional development since I first became a member in 2011. Over the past fourteen years, SPE has been a space where transformative conversations about photography and education thrive, and I am eager to help guide its future as a member of the national board.

My interest in serving on the board is rooted in a decade of progressive leadership roles in higher education. Currently, I serve as Chair of Fine Arts and Photography at Pratt Munson College of Art and Design, where I oversee six academic areas, mentor faculty, manage budgets, and ensure alignment with Pratt Institute's rigorous curriculum standards. Previously, I served as Interim Co-Dean and Acting Chair of Academic Affairs, roles in which I directed multiple departments including Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Life, and Library Services while managing institutional budgets, retention strategies, accreditation, and policy development. These experiences have prepared me to bring to SPE a strong foundation in strategic planning, governance, and organizational growth.

Through these roles, I have learned to balance day-to-day operations with long-term vision, prioritizing inclusive practices and collaboration across disciplines. I have built structures that support faculty development, student success, and program innovation. This approach mirrors what I hope to bring to SPE, fostering a sustainable and forward-thinking organization that serves its members and elevates the role of photography in higher education and beyond.

SPE's strength lies in its ability to connect educators, artists, and scholars. As a board member, I will leverage my experience in forging partnerships and navigating complex institutional systems to help SPE grow as an inclusive, relevant, and visionary organization. There are still vital conversations to be had within photography, and I am committed to ensuring SPE remains the platform where those conversations can flourish.

It would be an honor to bring my administrative expertise, leadership experience, and deep commitment to photographic education to SPE's National Board, helping shape the future of our field.