Eric T. Kunsman
Eric T. Kunsman (b. 1975) was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. While in high school, he was heavily influenced by the death of the steel industry and its place in American history.
Eric holds an MFA in Book Arts/Printmaking from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, an MS in Electronic Publishing/Graphic Arts Media, a BS in Biomedical Photography, and a BFA in Fine Art photography, all from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York.
He is a photographer and book artist based out of 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 is an adjunct professor for the School of Photographic Arts & Sciences. He also owns Booksmart Studio, which is a fine art digital printing studio specializing in numerous techniques and services for photographers and book artists on a collaborative basis.
To see his photography visit: www.erickunsman.com
Michael Riordan
Michael Riordan is the founder of Independent Good, a consultancy dedicated to helping individuals, groups, and organizations create and implement sustainable solutions. Prior to focusing full-time on Independent Good, Michael served for over two decades as a full-time professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where they specialized in all aspects of imaging and design production and media preservation and access. His work at RIT also included several stints in administration and a leadership role in a cross-disciplinary collaborative open-source innovation lab. Beyond his consultancy and the classroom, Michael has continually found connections with diverse audiences through his work as a speaker, author, and artist.
Dr. Janelle Duda Banwar
Janelle Duda-Banwar, PhD, is the founder and director of On The Ground Research. On The Ground Research, works with organizations to identify, implement, and track interventions to better understand the impact of their work. Janelle has over a decade of experience in action research within the criminal justice field. Current and former projects include an evaluation of a local women’s re-entry program, a process evaluation of Rochester’s homicide response team, research partner with Ibero to disrupt an open-air heroin market, and examining Teen Empowerment’s impact on youth violence. Janelle holds bachelors and masters degrees in social work and earned a PhD in social welfare from Case Western Reserve University. She prioritizes engaging in collaborative, community-based, creative projects that strengthen neighborhoods. Janelle was a regular payphone user in the 90s when she needed a ride, had car trouble, or was running late.
Rebekah Walker
Rebekah Walker is the Digital Scholarship Librarian at the Rochester Institute of Technology. In this role, Walker advises RIT’s students, staff, and faculty on methods of digital pedagogy and project implementation. She leads instruction sessions, provides one-on-one consultations, and supports the full life cycle of digital project development. Her research interests include public access technologies and the application of technology to inform and shape social policy.