Faculty and Staff

Faculty

Co-Director
Professor, School of Communication
Norm.Medoff@nau.edu

Norman J. Medoff is the director of the School of Communication at Northern Arizona University. He has taught and served as an administrator at three different universities, produced numerous television and corporate video projects, and has overseen the productions of many students. He has been writing about the development of video since the 1980s when video became portable. His book, “Portable Video” (now in its 6th edition) has been adopted at hundreds of colleges and universities. He has also written books on the Internet and mass media, television production, and electronic media. His book “Electronic Media: Then, Now, and Later” (3rd ed.) looks at the past and present of media technology and gives a prediction about the future of media. He has a particular interest in how media and communication technology affects society and individuals and believes that virtual reality will change how people will be getting information, education, and entertainment in the near future. He is a recent Fulbright Grant recipient and a past national president of the Broadcast Education Association.

Chris Johnson, MFA
Advisor
Professor, Visual Communication
C.S.johnson@nau.edu

Chris has a broad background in visual communication, with expertise in web design, 3D modeling, motion graphics, project management, and art direction. He earned a BFA from Central Washington University in 1993 and an MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1995. His research includes visual storytelling and narrative as it relates to animation and education. As PI on several university-funded grants, he has laid the groundwork for the proposed projects, developed scripts and storyboards, recorded and edited sound, and produced several animations integrated into online learning modules for classes in visual communication.

Ciabhan Moore
Project Lead, PR
Sophomore, Strategic Communication (Public Relations emphasis)

Ciabhan Moore is from Seattle, Washington and his passion for video games and technology has led him to cross paths with the AML. After a deep discussion about the lab’s future, Ciabhan was instantly hooked. He signed onto the team as a PR intern to help promote the breathtaking and innovative technologies that the lab develops. He is excited to showcase what the lab’s possibilities are and raise the excitement of those who hear about it, as well as collecting new skills and experience to help him in his career. What he loves most about working with the AML is the creative environment, fueled by like-minded co-workers and taking on new challenges to push himself further as both a person and PR Intern.

 

Joshua Favela
Project Lead, Film Production
Senior, Creative Media & Film (Filmmaking emphasis)

Josh is from Tucson, Arizona. He is majoring in Creative Media & Film with a minor in Cinema Studies. Josh is driven by a love and passion for film, video, and video games. When he heard that the AML was looking for someone with experience editing video, he quickly jumped at the opportunity to learn a new language of video.

 

Oly Noneza
Project Director, VR Production
Senior, Visual Communication (Motion Design emphasis)

 

Oly is a Visual Communication major with an emphasis in Motion Design. He is from the island of Maui, Hawaii, and was brought to NAU due to his love of graphic art and drive to learn more about 3D creation and game development. Oly learned about the AML after enrolling in the Virtual Reality Design course offered, and since then has learned a lot about VR development and the game/film production pipeline as a whole. He believes that the AML is a huge benefit in order to build both his skills as a 3D designer and conduct hands-on experience with real projects. 

 

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Interns

Dana Lenard
Social Media Specialist
Senior, Strategic Communication (Public Relations emphasis) and Marketing

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Dana Lenard is a senior at NAU studying Strategic Communication and Marketing. Driven by a passion for video games and technology, Dana found herself instantly drawn to the exciting and immersive nature of VR. As the PR Lead, she has been successful in implementing promotional strategies—including social media marketing and public events—to engage students and faculty at NAU. Having worked at NAU’s Advanced Media Lab since Spring of 2018, Dana has seen firsthand the lab’s growth as it has welcomed numerous interns and staff members who have contributed to the lab’s ongoing research and project development. She looks forward to the continual promotion of the Advanced Media Lab’s mission across the university and beyond.

 

Andrew Munoz
VR Developer
Sophomore, Computer Science Major, Minor in Innovation

Andrew Munoz is a California native and loves the LA Lakers. Andrew has been fascinated with VR and AR since he first learned about the technology. His best attribute is his curiosity and determination to learn new technologies and ideas. He is excited to work in the AML where he will focus on programming and development of AR-based projects and a VR application for conducting.

 

Dominic Torricelli
Streamcast Group
Junior, Computer Science Major

 

Dominic is from Peoria, Arizona, and has a passion for 3D art and animation. After he learned the AML was looking for a 3D modeler, he saw a way to pursue his passion and create fun experiences for many through digital art.

 

Trevor Russo
Visual Designer
Senior, Visual Communication (Motion Design emphasis)

 

 

Josh Dingman
Visual Designer
Senior, Visual Communication (Motion Design emphasis)

Josh is from Flagstaff, Arizona, and is a Graphic Designer for the AML. Josh is a Visual Communication major with a minor in studio art. He has a passion for storytelling, and he is eager to create captivating environments and narratives in VR. As an intern designer for AML, Josh helps produce the visual composition for various projects; including website UI, game design, and illustration.