Academy of Art University - Notable Alumni

Notable Alumni

• Asencio, figurative painter represented by Crown Thorn Publishing, graduated from the Academy of Art University.
• Chris Milk, music video director for artists U2, Green Day, Kanye West, Gnarls Barkley, John Mellencamp, Modest Mouse, and Chemical Brothers, among others.
• Alejandro Lalinde, cinematographer of music videos for such talents as Ne-Yo, LL Cool J, Lil Wayne, and Nas, among others.
• Deanne Fitzmaurice, a BFA graduate of the Academy and a staff photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle, won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in feature photography for her photo essay of efforts by Children's Hospital Oakland to treat an Iraqi boy for life threatening injuries sustained in an explosion.
• Kara Laricks, fashion design
• Mari Matsumoto, an MFA School of Fashion graduate of the Academy who was mentioned by Forbes Magazine as one of "five future fashion designers to watch."
• The design works of the Academy's current and former students – Natasha Shah, Malia McGlothlin Pawsey, Jessica Thompson, Jennifer Bolanos, and Tianyu Li – were featured on the Home and Garden Television (HGTV) show Designer Finals.
• Lee Cheol-ha, a MFA School of Motion Pictures & Television, director of the feature films in South Korea.
• Jason Sperling – creator of the “Get a Mac” ads received an Advertising MFA (1998) from Academy of Art University.
• Kourtny Hicks – member of the iPod Nano Design team
• Ian Takahashi – Cinematographer on Sleeping Dogs Lie
• Chris Cortez – Winner of The Cut, Tommy Hilfiger’s CBS reality show
• Anna Sheffield – Creator of the Bing Bang jewelry line
• Moby Francke – Art lead at Valve Software; Team Fortress 2 art director
• Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag, of The Hills, became acquainted as freshmen at Academy of Art University in 2004
• Chris Morley - Visual Effects Supervisor at Tippett Studio, Emmy Award Nominated for Best Visual Effects in a Supporting Role 2012 for Hemingway & Gellhorn