Faculty

branding & Graphic Design

Dr. Donna Templeton is currently serving as a faculty member in the Graphic Communication Department at Cal Poly. Having taught a diverse array of courses over the past 15 years, ranging from digital publishing technologies to magazine and book design, Donna is deeply passionate about guiding students toward their fullest potential. Equipped with a recently earned Ph.D. in Strategic Media, Donna's research delves into the realm of cross-media engagement-based communication and disruptive technologies. Driven by a commitment to innovation and student success, Donna looks forward to teaching opportunities that shape the next generation of graphic communication professionals.

Contemporary Cinema & Film Critique

Dr. Emily Ryalls is an Associate Professor in the Interdisciplinary Studies in the Liberal Arts Department. She She received her Ph.D. from the University of South Florida in Communication Studies. Dr. Ryalls is a recipient of the 2022-2023 Distinguished Teaching Award. Her research and teaching interests are in the areas of critical/cultural studies and feminist media studies. Dr. Ryalls research has explored issues of age, race, class, gender, and sexuality in media sites such as Scream Queens, Gossip Girl, 13 Reasons Why, and The Hunger Games. Her book, The Culture of Mean: Representing Victims and Bullies in Popular Culture, is the first sustained feminist critique of the contemporary bullying narrative in media. In her free time, she can be found found watching Bravo TV and hanging with her dog, Henry.

Digital Advertising & Social Media Storytelling

Dr. McDonald-Liu received her PhD from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Florida; her Master of Art and Bachelor of Science from Brigham Young University. Dr. McDonald-Liu is a recent PhD graduate from the University of Florida in strategic communications specializing in how organizations communicate to publics using a tonality similar to that of humans on social media.

Graphic Design: Idea to Design

Ivan Bradley has been an educator for 30 years, receiving several educator awards during that time. The past 15 years, he has taught various courses as a lecturer professor for the Graphic Communication department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. This follows nearly 20 years in the graphic arts profession. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from Humboldt State University, and a Master of Education, Computers in Education degree from Lesley University of Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was chosen as a short-term guest professor/scholar at Northern Melbourne Institute, TAFE, Melbourne, Australia, presented at the International Conference for Graphic Communication Educators, and gave workshops on the use of Adobe InDesign at the GraphExpo Conference in Orlando and Print 17, Chicago. He has published three digital books, and a 234-page textbook “The Graphics of Communication: Exploring the Graphic Arts and Design.”

Hip Hop, Poetics, & Politics

Dr. Jorge Moraga is the proud son of two selfless, loving Salvadoran immigrants who have called the San Fernando Valley home since the early 1980s. His parents’ tireless support and encouragement sustained each of their children to become first-generation college graduates; while the last of his siblings to obtain B.A. degrees in 2012, he became the first in his family to earn a graduate degree in 2017 when he received his Ph.D. in American Studies from Washington State University. His primary research and teaching interests include Latina/o/x studies, sociology of sport, cultural studies, sport media, critical diversity studies, and global neoliberalism. At Cal Poly, he teaches ES 112: Race, Culture, & Politics in the United States, ES 255: Introduction to Latinx/a/o Studies, and is excited to develop/teach upper division courses in Latinx popular culture, critical sport studies, and Hip-Hop studies.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Dr. Christiane Schroeter is a Professor in the Agribusiness Department at Cal Poly. With a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, her work has earned her numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Dissertation Award. Dr. Schroeter's research has appeared in prestigious journals like the Journal of Health Economics, and she's known for her inspiring teaching style. As the first Faculty Fellow at Cal Poly's Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE), she encourages students to explore entrepreneurship. Recognized for her excellence in teaching, she has received awards from various national and international organizations. In her class on Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, Dr. Schroeter guides students to bridge theory and practice, emphasizing customer development and connecting them to CIE innovation programs. Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. Schroeter enjoys quality time with her family on the Central Coast and traveling. She's also a fitness enthusiast, teaching classes at the Cal Poly Rec Center and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Marketing Bootcamp

Dina Vees earned her Bachelor of Science in Graphic Communication from Carroll University and a Master of Fine Arts in Media Design from Full Sail University. Her teaching and research interests are Prepress, workflow automation, variable data, marketing, and HTML/CSS/JavaScript. She spent many years in the integrated marketing communication profession prior to teaching. Dina currently teaches Orientation to Graphic Communication, Consumer Packaging, and Applied Graphic Communication Practices.

Political Science & US Elections

Quemars Ahmed was born and raised in California and is honored to teach at one of its great public universities. Ahmed graduated with his J.D. from UCLA Law where he was editor-in-chief of the UCLA Law Review. Professor Ahmed also holds his Bachelor of Science in Diplomacy & International Relations from Seton Hall University. Since graduating from law school, he has worked on presidential campaigns, focusing on voter protection, and has practiced law. Currently, he is working in the field of election law research.

Printing & Graphic Design

Dr. Rachel Ma earned her Ph.D. in Paper and Printing Science from Western Michigan University. Her teaching and research interests include printing electronics, inks and substrates interactions, smart packaging, and packaging sustability. She is an experienced researcher and skilled in polymer science, nano-materials, surface treatment and testing, material characterization, biocompatible film design and construction, additive manufacturing, digital printing, textile printing, and polymeric materials.

Storyboarding for Film & Animation

Eric Hoff is a SLO County native who has worked in the Animation Industry in Los Angeles for 13 years. Eric has worked as a storyboard artist on several animated shows such as Rick and Morty, Bob’s Burgers, and the Great North. He has also worked as a Director and Storyboard Director on various shows for Comedy Central, MTV, and HBO. Eric currently lives in Los Osos with his wife and 13 year old twin boys, and their bulldog Bijou.

UX Design

Dr. Xiaoying Rong’s main teaching activities include Interactive Product Development, Consumer Packaging, and Specialty Printing Technology courses at Cal Poly. She has been teaching in Graphic Communication Department since 2005. Her research interests include interactive product design, product development, disruptive technologies and specialty printing for marketing.

Visual Culture & Communication

Dr. Brady Teufel teaches courses in multimedia journalism and is the adviser for mustangnews.net, the award-winning student media portal at Cal Poly. Teufel's work experience includes stints as a reporter, photojournalist, graphic designer, web designer and social media consultant. His teaching interests span from writing and photography, to coding and VR. Along with a love for words and pictures, Teufel enjoys traveling and is a dual citizen of New Zealand and the U.S. as well as a San Luis Obispo native.

Web Development & Design

April Elliott is a Cal Poly alumnus, earning her BS in Graphic Communication with a concentration in Web and Digital Media, and her Master of Arts in Education with specialization in Curriculum and Instruction. April's specialty is graphic design using the Adobe Creative Suite. She entered the field 20 years ago in Las Vegas, prepressing graphics for large format printing at Global Experience Specialists. She has since worked as a graphic designer for screen printing and embroidery at J. Carroll Corporation and does freelance work. She currently teaches Digital Publishing Systems and Intro to GrC at Cal Poly.