GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT
FULL TIME FACULTY
Laura Laznicka
Elkhorn and Racine Campus
email: laznickal@gtc.edu
“I have had the privilege to teach at Gateway Technical College for many years now. My experience stems from print and web facets of the design field. I have worked as a designer for a catalog company, silkscreen, and publishing company prior to teaching at GTC.
I encourage our graphic design students to embrace the entire gamut of visual communication. Recognize that design is embedded in culture that reaches everyone, from the consumer to commerce and eventually impacts society. Students need to practice conceptual problem solving, critical thinking, as well as formal design principles with marketing strategies. Future design students will need not only focus on utilizing design skills and obtaining knowledge of typography, illustration, computer technology, photography, printing, multimedia and web, but they need to ask the tough questions, solve problems, and take risks to become creative critical thinkers in the workplace. These students will be prepared to meet the rigorous challenges within the field of graphic communications.”
Teaching Style
Research, Discover, Practice, Create
I embrace a holistic approach to teaching with a caring and nurturing teaching style. I believe in an open, creative learning environment that challenges students to rise above expectations of any given project with critical thinking and design skills working in tangent. Everyone has something valid to share and demonstrate. In order for synergy to occur in the classroom, students must build relationships and trust one another. When students feel the trust and caring we can create a positive, collaborative, energetic, synergistic, spontaneous, inspirational, land of discovery that has no limits.
Peter Pham
Racine Campus
email: phampete@gtc.edu
I began teaching at Gateway Technical College in 1992 as a part-time instructor while working as a senior staff designer at Golden Books Family Entertainment. Prior to that, I worked in diverse design environments, including: commercial press (prep/design/illustration), freelance (graphic design and illustration), and advertising (AAD).
I eventually joined Gateway’s full-time faculty in 1996 to carry on the family business… of teaching. I come from a teaching family, and I am actually the third generation to do so. My father was a teacher in the computer and electronics field, and my grandfather was a respected teacher and headmaster in another country.
On top of that, there is the business of my extended family: the advertising and marketing business. I have a brother-in-law that is a partner at a major advertising agency, another brother-in-law who runs his own agency, and a sister-in-law who works in social media positioning and promotions. My cousin is a very capable internet video developer on the west coast. I’m proud of all of them too.
Philosophy:
I feel that the artistic elements that underpin graphic communications are absolutely essential. I also feel that a strong understanding of marketing, branding and basic communication needs to be present in student graphic solutions. One of the greatest things we help provide our students with is the ability to not only generate computer files, but “responsible” computer files that are well-organized, structured, and complete.
We also encourage the exploration of how you are communicating, and that goes well beyond the literals of the copy sheet. Being good stewards of visual communication goals is essential to success.
Keith Rios
Elkhorn and Racine Campus
email: riosk@gtc.edu
I’ve spent the better part of the last two decades building brands and have been lucky enough to work on some household names, as well as on a wide range of project categories: branding and identity, collateral design, print advertising, radio, television, outdoor, direct mail, web design, social media, packaging and more. If it has anything to do with how a brand is born, developed, and ultimately put out into the world, chances are I’ve done it or have managed the teams of talent behind the work.
After working in the industry as a designer, art director and creative director for over 20 years, I’ve returned to the Gateway family where my career began. I started at Gateway as a graphic design student in the late 90’s and, now as an instructor, I feel incredibly privileged to be passing on my industry knowledge to our aspiring design students.
When I’m not in the classroom, you can find me slicing my drives at our local golf courses, biking and hiking, trying to grow better greens in my garden, playing pickleball, and trying to be a good pet dad to my two pups.
I believe in pushing students to achieve things they didn’t think possible. As the famed Leo Burnett once said, “When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won’t end up with a handful of mud either.” As instructors, we set a bar high for creativity so our graduates hit the ground running and become an immediate asset wherever they are hired.
I also strongly believe in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Not merely as a demographic model for our student body, but as an approach to how to structure coursework as well. A diversity of project types keeps our student work relevant and up to date with the latest industry trends. Creativity and production savvy both have an equal seat at the table in my classroom. And finally, I stand behind the idea of producing professionals with a well-rounded set of skills that is inclusive of the entire creative process—from strategy and research, to concepting and ideation, and finally, the delivery of stellar finished works.
I encourage my students to love the process as much as the end result and keep them reminded that, in my experience, hard work trumps talent. We work together to bring out everyone’s best, no matter where we find ourselves on the journey toward creative excellence.
DEPARTMENT DEAN
Steven McNaughton
Dean of Business
and Transpiration
email: mcnaughtons@gtc.edu
Mr. Steven McNaughton is the Dean for the School of Business and Transportation. As the Dean of Gateway’s School of Business and Transportation, Steve supports his division’s educational programs while developing partnerships with private employers, public agencies and other stakeholders to meet their educational needs and create regional economic growth.
His 30 year career spans across education, manufacturing, marketing, big box retail, web offset printing and Air Force special operations.
DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATE
Mrs. Sherry Bubel
Associate
Business and Transportation
email: bubels@gtc.edu
After being a stay at home mom for my 4 fantastic kids, I decided to go back to school. I came to Gateway in 2010, and never left !
After completing over 100 credits, switching my major from I.T. Web Development, to Accounting, to Graphic Communications,
I finally completed my degree in General Marketing.
I enjoy learning and being at Gateway.
I participated in a few study abroad programs; among them joining Mr. Mizer (retired Instructor) on the Graphic Communications Department’s trip to Paris and Berlin in 2014, where I found a passion for studying abroad (along with the many student benefits that learning about other cultures brings with it).
I volunteered to help raise awareness and promoted study abroad programs amongst my fellow students, and after a couple years obtained a position at Gateway Technical College as a part time secretary.
My career led me to the School of Business andTransportation, where I now work as an Associate with our faculty. I get to see students succeed through their interactions with all of our fantastic instructors!
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