Meet the Team

Ryan Baldwin

Director, Online Photography
School Of Photography

Ryan Baldwin is a freelance photographer based in Crested Butte, Colorado. He specializes in digital fine printing and commercial photography. He holds a BA in color technology from Brooks Institute of Photography. His work has been published in magazines, calendars, national advertising campaigns and much more. He runs his own stock photo library in addition to image representation with leading stock agencies. Ryan's fine prints are sold to private collectors and represented in galleries across the United States.

With over 14 years experience in the industry, Ryan has succeeded in merging his traditional photographic background with the newest advancements in digital imaging. Ryan has been teaching at the Academy of Art University since Fall 2001 and is currently the Director of Online Photography.

James Goins

Associate Director, Online Photography
School Of Photography

James Goins is a fine art photographer specializing in mixed media and alternative photographic processes. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in fine art photography from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis. James' photographs and paintings have been exhibited locally and nationally, he's been a guest lecturer, and has curated several exhibitions. He is an active member of the College Arts Association and the Society for Photographic Education. James is passionate and committed to the arts. As an instructor, he believes in creating an environment that encourages communication, collaboration, and the exploration of personal and creative growth.

Tamara Hubbard

Associate Director
Online Graduate School of Photography

Tamara Hubbard is a fine art photographer based in Northern California. She has an MFA degree in Photography from the Academy of Art University. Her photography work has been exhibited throughout California and the Pacific Northwest.

Tamara's background in art and education began over 20 years ago. Her passion for the photographic medium developed over a decade ago, and has been her primary involvement in the visual arts ever since. Tamara is a dedicated member of the photographic community and is involved in the Society for Photographic Education, the College Art Association and the Humboldt Arts Council. Tamara began working for the Academy of Art University as an Independent Contractor for Online Course and Curriculum Development, and now enjoys teaching for the Academy of Art University as a full-time Online Instructor in the Photography Department.

Katty Ryan Hoover

Full-Time Faculty, Curriculum Coordinator
Online School of Photography

Katty Ryan Hoover was born in Corbin, Kentucky. She received her BA in the College Scholars program at University of Tennessee and her MFA in photography at San Francisco Art Institute. She has also studied at University of Notre Dame and Semester at Sea through the University of Virginia. Her work is aimed at people: narratives of isolation, loneliness, and social tension, and the body as a site of psychological negotiation. Her work has been shown at Tampa Museum of Art, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, James Madison University, and Michael Rosenthal Contemporary Art in San Francisco. Hoover currently lives and works in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Diane Choplin

Full-Time Faculty, Curriculum Coordinator
Online School of Photography

Diane Choplin is a freelance photographer based in Ashland, Oregon. Her passion for photography took root while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa, from 1994-1997. Since that time she has focused on travel photography and community-based projects.

In 2002, Diane received her MFA in photography from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is an online faculty member of the photo department at the Academy of Art University where she has been teaching since 2004. Diane also spearheads the program's documentary emphasis and works closely with students, faculty, and industry professionals to improve curriculum.

Tracy Nichols

Full-Time Faculty, Curriculum Coordinator
Online School of Photography

Tracy Nichols is a fine art photographer with a passion for expressing the abstract and inferred within her subjects. She holds a BS in Studio Art from Florida State University and an MFA in Photography from the Academy of Art University, where she graduated with honors. Her works have been exhibited in such institutions as the Aspen Art Museum, Boca Raton Museum of Art, and Brevard Art Museum among others, as well as being housed in private collections throughout the United States.

Tracy has been working in the field of art for 17 years, successfully owning and operating a photography and design business for the past 7 years. She is a member of the College Arts Association, the Society for Photographic Education, The Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education and an active conservationist and member of the Sierra Club. Tracy's current focus merges contemplative practices and curriculum with the art of photography. Through this work she hopes to ignite a quest for inward discovery and outward creative expression.