We are delighted to welcome our new faculty and staff members joining us in 2025. Their diverse expertise, creativity, and dedication to teaching and research will strengthen our community and inspire the next generation of students. Each brings unique perspectives and talents that will enrich the classroom, spark collaboration, and further advance our mission. Please join us in celebrating and extending a warm welcome to the newest members of our faculty and staff.
Jennifer Archibald // Assistant Professor, Commercial Dance
Jennifer Archibald is an acclaimed choreographer whose award-winning work spans hip hop, contemporary, commercial, and ballet. She became the first female Resident Choreographer at Cincinnati Ballet, where her unique blend of movement styles earned critical acclaim. Her commissions include the National Ballet of Canada, BalletX, Ailey II, Washington Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet West, and many others, as well as commercial projects with NIKE, MAC Cosmetics, and KCON in Los Angeles. Archibald is the founder and Artistic Director of Arch Dance Company and ArchCore40 Dance Intensives. She has taught at Yale University’s David Geffen School of Drama for over a decade and helped develop the Hip Hop curriculum at Barnard College/Columbia University. She trained at The Alvin Ailey School, the Maggie Flanigan Acting Conservatory, and holds an MFA in Dance from Jacksonville University.
Suzanne Charney // Assistant Director of Bands Assistant Professor of Instruction, Music Education
Suzanne Charney is the Assistant Professor of Instruction in MusicEducation and Assistant Director of Bands. She pursued a PhD inMusic and Human Learning at the University of Texas at Austinand earned her BME, MM in Wind Conducting, and MME fromIndiana University. She previously taught middle school band incentral Texas and undergraduate courses in music education atUT. Charney currently pursues research in memory and motor skilldevelopment and her work has been presented at numerous state,national, and international professional conferences. Charney isthrilled and honored to be an educational consultant for the grantwinning Scoreable Music Project, a revolutionary repertoirecomposition strategy that encourages inclusivity for varied abilitylevels in large music ensembles.
Leon Peter Cruz // Assistant Professor of Instruction, Virtual Production Artist
Leon Cruz is a digital artist, animator, and educator specializing in 3D animation, character rigging, and virtual production. With a foundation in traditional fine arts, he has contributed to major studio projects including Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, the live-action Snow White, and Mosquito State, which won Best Visual Effects at the Sitges Film Festival. At USF, he teaches courses in 3D animation, performance, rigging, and visual development, integrating industry-standard tools such as Autodesk Maya, Unreal Engine, and Substance Painter. Splitting his role between the School of Art & Art History and USF Innovative Education, Cruz combines professional expertise with a student-centered approach, preparing graduates for careers in animation, film, and gaming.
Marcus DeSieno // Assistant Professor, Photography
Marcus DeSieno is a visual artist whose work examines how photography shapes our understanding of the world by combining historic analog processes with contemporary imaging technologies. His art interrogates institutions of power, technology, and the shifting socio-political landscape of the United States. DeSieno’s work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the Aperture Foundation in New York, the Benaki Museum in Athens, the Finnish Museum of Photography in Helsinki, and the Musée Albert-Kahn in Paris, and has been featured in publications including The British Journal of Photography, National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and The Washington Post. His first monograph, No Man’s Land: Views from a Surveillance State, was published by Daylight Books.
DeSieno previously served as Associate Professor of Photography at Central Washington University, where he directed the photography program, built new facilities, and mentored students who went on to national recognition and professional opportunities. He holds an MFA in Studio Art from the University of South Florida and a BA in Photography from Marlboro College.
Michelle Moslemi-Haché // Assistant Professor of Instruction, Musical Theatre
Michelle Moslemi-Haché is a Kurdish-American director, performer, and award-winning vocal instructor with over 18 years of experience in crossover, musical theatre, CCM, and classical voice. A graduate of The Juilliard School and Oklahoma City University, she has led programs such as the University of South Carolina’s Summer Musical Theatre Intensive and served as Head of Musical Theatre at USC’s School of Music. Her directing achievements have earned multiple B. Iden Payne Awards, and her students have gone on to major conservatories, Broadway, film, and national competitions.
She has held faculty roles at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas State University, and USC, and served as artistic director for Gilbert & Sullivan Austin and ASMC Austin. An active member of NATS, MTEA, and SETC, Haché continues to contribute to the field through lectures, adjudication, and performance.
Brian Healy // Markborough Visiting Assistant Professor, Architecture
Brian Healy is an award-winning architect and educator whose career spans more than four decades. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Architecture from the Yale School of Architecture, where he served as editor of Perspecta 19: The Yale Architecture Journal. After working with Charles Moore, Cesar Pelli, and Richard Meier, he founded his own Boston-based practice in 1985. His projects have earned over fifty national and regional awards, including seven Progressive Architecture Awards.
Healy has taught at more than twenty universities, including Yale, Harvard, MIT, McGill, and the University of Pennsylvania. He served as president of the Boston Society of Architects in 2004 and was Design Director at Perkins+Will from 2011 to 2014, with a focus on socially and environmentally responsible design. He was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2013.
Steven Lewis // Assistant Professor, Artificial Intelligence & Entrepreneurism in the Arts
Steven Lewis joined USF’s School of Music in 2025 as Assistant Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurism in the Arts, where he teaches courses in music technology, AI in music, and arts entrepreneurship. He earned a PhD in Integrated Composition, Improvisation, and Technology from the University of California, Irvine; Master’s degrees in Music Technology (NYU) and Jazz Performance (University of Miami); and a Bachelor of Music from USF.
Lewis previously taught at the Atlantic Music Festival’s Future Music Lab at Colby College and UC Irvine, and worked as a Show Audio Engineer at Meow Wolf Inc. His creative practice focuses on interactive music systems, augmented instruments, and live improvisation between human and computer. His work has been presented at NYCEMF, ICMC, SEAMUS, and GameSoundCon, and he remains active in international music technology associations.
Dr. Jocelyn E. Marshall // Assistant Professor, Contemporary Art History
Dr. Jocelyn E. Marshall (she/they) is Assistant Professor of Contemporary Art History at USF, specializing in contemporary art, queer and feminist studies, and U.S.-based diasporic women and LGBTQ+ artists. Their dissertation received the 2024 National Women’s Studies Association–University of Illinois Press First Book Award and other national recognition, and their research has been supported by organizations including the New York Public Library and the John Burton Harter Foundation. Marshall’s work appears in Art Journal Open, Women & Performance, JCMS, and Public Art Dialogue, and their book project Dissent Nearby: Diasporic Feminism & U.S. Imperialism is under contract with the University of Illinois Press.
Marshall has curated exhibitions such as Being In-Between | In-Between Being and Creativity in the Time of Covid-19, and recently edited a multimedia issue of Rutgers’ feminist journal Rejoinder. They have served on national committees advancing feminist art scholarship, including the Society for Cinema & Media Studies’ Gender & Feminisms Caucus and the College Art Association’s Committee on Women in the Arts, and currently serve on the Editorial Board of Art Journal.
Jennifer Miller // Assistant Professor of Instruction - Curator of Education and Public Art
Jennifer Miller is an artist and educator whose work explores museum education, visual literacy, and the intersections of art, craft, and material culture. Her practice focuses on mixed media sculpture and painting through craft-based materials and processes, paired with a commitment to experiential learning and public programming that connects contemporary art with diverse audiences.
She has taught ceramics, sculpture, and foundations at multiple institutions and brings extensive experience in arts administration and nonprofit management. Miller holds a BFA from the University of Connecticut and an MFA from the University of South Florida, where she now serves as Assistant Professor of Instruction: Curator of Education and Public Art at the USF Contemporary Art Museum.
Evgeny Milov // Assistant Instructor, Audio Engineer & Designer
Evgeny specializes in A/V system design and troubleshooting, ensuring seamlessintegration and ease of use. With a Master’s in Music Technology from NYU Steinhardt, and MS in Electronic and Communication Engineering from Ryazan State Radio Engineering University, and a background in live entertainment and music recording, he brings a deep understanding of sound and visual technology.
He joined USF to combine his passion for A/V with his commitment to improving educational spaces. He takes pride in building systems from the ground up and refining complex digital integrations. Outside of work, he enjoys music recording, spending time with family, and staying active through swimming, cycling, and the gym.
Matthew Moore // Fiscal & Business Analyst, CDAP Business Office
Matthew worked for Southwest Florida Water Management District as a Budget Analyst prior to starting in CDAP andwas a student at USF who graduated in 2020. A quick personal bio would be that he plays guitar and is interested in videogames and fashion.
Sarah Old // Academic Advisor, Studio Art
Sarah is an animation professional and educator with a background that bridges creative production and business strategy. She holds a BFA in Animation from the Savannah College of Art and Design and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University with a focus on Business Analytics and Entrepreneurial Marketing.
She worked for seven years as a lighting and look development artist in the visual effects industry, contributing to major productions including Stranger Things, Westworld, Grey’s Anatomy, Gotham, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and DreamWorks’ Wizards: Tales of Arcadia. She was also part of an Emmy-winning visual effects team. Since moving to Florida, Sarah has combined her industry experience with education, serving as an Academic Advisor and bringing together creative expertise with practical, real-world application.
Tippi Polo Adcock // Office Manager, Dean’s Office
Tippi Polo Adcock joined the CDAP Dean’s Office as Office Manager in 2025, bringing more than twenty years of experience in higher education. She previously held leadership roles at American University’s Washington College of Law, where she advanced faculty evaluation and compliance systems, and at Southern Methodist University, where she served as Coordinator of Art, Art History, and Creative Computation and Business Manager of the Pollock Gallery. Her contributions at SMU earned her the Faculty Senate Award for leadership during the pandemic.
Adcock holds a Bachelor’s in Music Education from Florida State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from American University.
Michelle Sabo-Sherwood // Senior Marketing Specialist
Michelle brings extensive experience in marketing strategy, brand development, and event promotion across the music, sports, and health industries. In Nashville, TN, she worked with Outback Concerts to promote national tours and earned an MBA from Belmont University while consulting in sports, music, and comedy. She later served as Director of Marketing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, leading integrated campaigns to expand audiences and partnerships.
After relocating to Tampa Bay, Michelle directed brand strategy for Iron Girl at World Triathlon Corporation, restructured brand architecture at Ion Labs for Suncoast Health Brands, and most recently served as Marketing Director at EssilorLuxottica/Transitions Optical, overseeing product launches, national campaigns, and events. She holds a BA from West Virginia University, earned her PMP certification in 2024, and is active in PMI’s Tampa Bay chapter.
Xindi Zhang // Acting Assistant Professor in Animation
Xindi Zhang is a Chinese animation director and visual artist based in Los Angeles.
Her work explores memory, displacement, and belonging through a hybrid practice that
blends stylized 3D animation, interactive storytelling, and AI generative tools. Currently
an MFA candidate at USC’s Expanded Animation program, Zhang’s film The Song of Drifters—created using AI-generated imagery tovisualize fragmented memories—was a 2024 Student
Academy Awards semifinalist. She also served as art director and narrative designer
on theindie game Closure, integrating emotional storytellinginto gameplay environments. Zhang’s work has been
exhibited and screened internationally, and she is a recipient of the Annenberg Fellowship
and Amazon's Future Cinema Creators Fund.