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Arts in the Libraries Virtual FestivalLecturers

Deborah Wallace (She/Her/Hers)

Deborah Wallace is an Emmy-nominated Producer, Director, Writer and Performer working in both Film and Theatre. Her work in film, which spans the spectrum of Social Justice, has been produced by HBO Documentary Films, Netflix, and many others. She is currently a member of the Film Faculty at Old Dominion University.

Learn More About Deborah Wallace

Presentation: How Social Issue Films Impact Culture and Inspire Change

Date: March 21, 1pm -2pm

Deborah Wallace

Priya Vashist (She/Her/They)

Priya Vashist is a film director, screenwriter, and editor. Priya is an Assistant Professor of Film at Old Dominion University. Priya works in various genres and styles of filmmaking, including narrative, documentary, and experimental. Her work focuses on social justice and representation of minorities, especially queer South Asians, on screen. Priya's work has been screened at various national and international film conferences and film festivals.

Learn More About Priya Vashist

Presentation: Watch 'Yet So Far' with the Film's Director Priya Vashist, Q&A to Follow

Date: March 21, 3pm to 4pm

Priya Vashist

Brittney S. Harris, MFA (She/Her/They)

Brittney S. Harris is an Assistant Professor of Theatre in the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts at Old Dominion University. Her areas of expertise are in Race and Performance, Theatre for Social Change, and performative community-engaged programming. Throughout the Southeast regions of VA, NC, DC, and GA, Brittney has created numerous community engagement-based projects and conducted workshops on solo performance development and devised theatre for the past 10 years.

Learn more about Brittney S. Harris, MFA

Presentation: 'Here Us Out': Methods of Theatre Performance as Activism

Date: March 22, 3pm - 4pm

Brittney Harris

Meredith Magoun (She/Her/They)

Meredith Magoun is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communications and Theatre Arts. She holds and MFA in Costume Design ('11) from Carnegie Mellon University and has designed for theater, TV, and film.

Learn more about Meredith Magoun, MFA

Presentation: Is It Possible?...Designing the Costumes for "Cinderella"

Date: March 23 at 1pm - 2pm

Meredith Magoun

Robert Wojtowicz (He/Him/His)

Robert Wojtowicz is professor of art history and vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He has previously served as associate vice provost for graduate studies (2014-2016), associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Arts and Letters (2006-2014), and chair of the Department of Art (1999-2005). Dr. Wojtowicz received his Ph.D. in the history of art from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990, his M.A. in art history and archaeology from Columbia University in 1984, and his M.A. and B.A. in American civilization from the University of Pennsylvania in 1983. His research focuses are architectural history, urban history, and historic preservation. An expert on the life and work of critic Lewis Mumford (1895-1990), Dr. Wojtowicz is the author of Lewis Mumford and American Modernism (1996); the editor of Sidewalk Critic: Lewis Mumford's Writings on New York (1998) and Mumford on Modern Art in the 1930s (2007); and the co-editor, with Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer, of Frank Lloyd Wright and Lewis Mumford: Thirty Years of Correspondence (2001).

Learn More about Robert Wojtowicz

Presentation: The Art Scene in Hampton Roads Two Hundred Years Ago

Date: March 24, 2pm - 3pm

Robert Wojtowicz

Natalia Pilato (She/Her/Hers)

Dr. Natalia Pilato is an assistant professor in Art Education and the Director of the Art Education Program at ODU. Her research interests focus on socially engaged community-based artistic practice in action.

Learn More about Natalia Pilato

Presentation: Food, Shelter, Water: an Arts-Based Research Investigation

Date: March 25, 10am - 11am

Natalia C. Pilato

Elizabeth M. Hogue (She/Her/Hers)

Elizabeth M. Hogue is the Arts and Humanities Librarian for Old Dominion University Libraries located in Norfolk, VA. Elizabeth works as a liaison for six departments in the College of Arts and Letters including the Institute of Humanities. Elizabeth's experience in libraries is diverse with interests in reference, teaching and learning, media, leadership, and equity, diversity, and Inclusion initiatives.

Learn More about Elizabeth M. Hogue

Presentation: Discovering the Scores and Recordings of 21st Century Composers in the ODU Music Library

Date: March 25, 1pm -2pm

Elizabeth Hogue

Madeline Dietrich, MM, MM/MLIS

Madeline Dietrich works in ODU Library's Special Collections and University Archives under the title Music Special Collections and Research Specialist where she processes new collections and performs research in selected existing collections. She also works as a freelance bassist in the Hampton Roads area.

Learn more about Madeline Dietrich, MM, MM/MLIS

Presentation: Frank Guida & The Norfolk Sound

Maddie Dietrich

Tony Quaranta

Tony Quaranta has worked across multiple major networks during his time at Discovery Communications. He assisted with the broadcast of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea for Eurosport. Tony has also produced content for brands such as Under Armour and the Navy SEAL Foundation. He managed over 100 original video projects during the 2020 Election Cycle. Tony received degrees from both Mount St. Mary's University and Regent University.

Learn more about Tony Quaranta

Presentation: Producing in 2021: Adapt or Die

Tony Quaranta

Dr. Jared Benton

Jared T. Benton is Assistant Professor of Ancient Art and Archaeology at Old Dominion University, USA. He has excavated in Italy, Greece, Spain, and Morocco. Since 2013, Benton has been an area supervisor for the Contrada Agnese Project, part of the American Excavations at Morgantina. Since 2017, he has been director of the Urban Economy of Volubilis Project, in Morocco.

Learn more about Dr. Jared Benton

Presentation: ODU's Collection of Ancient Cypriot Vases

Jared Benton

Meredith Magoun, MFA

Meredith Magoun has designed shows from Everett, Washington to Everett, Massachusetts. She is currently the Lecturer of Costume Design and the Costume Shop Manager at ODU, where she continues to explore creative problem solving and "good" design. She holds a BA in Theatre from Smith College ('05) and an MFA in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon University ('11).

Learn more about Meredith Magoun, MFA

Presentation: The Art of Costume Design

Meredith Magoun

Brittney S. Harris, MFA

Brittney S. Harris is an Assistant Professor of Theatre in the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts at Old Dominion University. Her areas of expertise are in Race and Performance, Theatre for Social Change, and performative community-engaged programming. Throughout the Southeast regions of VA, NC, DC, and GA, Brittney has created numerous community engagement-based projects and conducted workshops on solo performance development and devised theatre for the past 10 years.

Learn more about Brittney S. Harris, MFA

Presentation: Performance and Protest: The Art of Theatre as Activism

Brittney Harris

University Libraries staff

Old Dominion University Libraries staff will be answering questions about their favorite art collections! Items include a French art magazine, an Emmy Award for Best Musical Direction, a fan scrapbook for artist A.B. Jackson, and an in-depth look at the photography from the Norfolk 1919 collection. Please view their 5-Minute videos prior to the panel discussion and come ready for a lively discussion!

Gay Acompanado

Gay Acompanado

Art Library Supervisor

Steve Bookman

Steve Bookman

University Archivist

Lara Canner

Lara Canner

Curator of Music Special Collections

Jessica Ritchie

Jessica Ritchie

Head of University Special Collections & University Archives



Presentation: Q&A Panel for Meet Our Materials in 5-Minutes


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