Digital Media Academy

Digital Media Academy: About Us

The Digital Media Academy (DMA) is a nationally-recognized organization offering hands-on learning experiences in a broad range of digital media technologies. DMA offers summer camps for kids and teens and Pro-Series courses for adult-learners. Founded in 2001 by a group from Stanford University, DMA is best known for its premier summer programs hosted at prestigious destination campuses, such as Stanford University, Harvard University and the University of Texas. In addition to its summer programs, DMA provides on-site training to schools and companies and offers workshops throughout the year at its training facility in Los Gatos, CA.DMA’s teen and adult courses are accredited by Stanford University Continuing Studies and offered for optional Stanford Continuing Studies credit. Instructors include nationally-known industry experts, master teachers and award-winning creative professionals.

Digital Media Academy Staff Bios

Phil Gibson
Founder and President

In the 1990s, Phil led various efforts to integrate new media technologies while working for Stanford University’s Academic Computing Department, including pioneering a video streaming service and a UNIX-based authentication system in the Apple-based public computer labs on campus.
Phil founded the Academy for New Media at Stanford University in 1999; it offered summer workshops to K-12 educators, high school and college students taught by Stanford Academic Computing staff and industry professionals. With permission from Stanford, Phil left the university in 2002 to launch what became the Digital Media Academy, with courses accredited by Stanford University Continuing Studies. Through Phil’s leadership, the Digital Media Academy has grown to offer a wide variety of digital art and technology courses at prestigious university locations in the US and Canada, serving thousands of students and adult learners from around the world each summer.

Phil holds a B.S. and M.B.A. from Santa Clara University. He is an avid soccer player, playing for national contender Santa Clara University and top club team, Santa Clara Sporting, for years after. He lives with his wife and three kids in the Silicon Valley area, where he enjoys coaching soccer, running, hiking, and the occasional round of golf.

“Digital Media Academy was founded with the idea of providing the best possible training and making it accessible to all motivated learners, regardless of financial means. What inspires me is building an organization that makes a difference in people’s lives, young and old.”

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Amy Gibson
Director

Amy Gibson holds a B.A. from Stanford University, where she worked as a technology consultant as a student. After four years at a high-tech start-up company, she pursued a career in elementary education, earning both her Masters in Education and her CLAD (Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development) Teaching Credential from Santa Clara University. During her years as an elementary teacher, she focused on designing an authentically multicultural curriculum. She is passionate about creating lifelong learners, inspiring children to reach their full potential and make an impact on the world. Since leaving the classroom, Amy has written web-based curriculum for educational publisher Classroom Connect. Amy is now a children’s author, with three books forthcoming from major New York publishers Scholastic Press and Feiwel & Friends. Her first book, Around the World in 80 Legs, hits the shelves in March, 2011.

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Tom Wolsky
Director and Senior Instructor

Tom is a certified instructor in Final Cut Pro, Level and 2, which he teaches at DMA. Tom is the author of several Final Cut and video production instructional books as well as DVDs for FCP, Final Cut Studio, and Mac OS X for Class on Demand. He also trains teachers and students around the country for Apple Professional Development. He is an active presence on a number of online forums, including 2-pop, Creative Cow, and the Apple support forums.

Before teaching, Tom worked in the film and television industry for more than 40 years. He worked in London as a writer, producer and technician before joining ABC News, where he was an operations manager and producer. He later moved to ABC News in New York for Good Morning America and World News Now.

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Beth Corwin
Director and Senior Instructor

Beth is an award-winning photojournalist. She has been a news photographer since she was 15, when she freelanced for her local newspaper. After majoring in communications, she went to work in local television, learning the craft of editing and camera work. Beth was hired by ABC News in New York in 1982 and has worked as a network news cameraperson ever since. Her award-winning work has been seen on PrimeTime Live, World News Tonight, Nightline, 48 Hours and other news programs.

In addition to teaching for Digital Media Academy, Beth works as a consultant to Apple Inc. (Education) and is co-owner with Tom Wolsky of a project production company, South Coast Productions.

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Dave Livingston
Director of Instruction

Over the last decade, Dave has led numerous workshops, seminars and training courses on technology integration for educators, specializing in training and consulting on digital video and multimedia solutions. Along with teaching Final Cut Pro and multimedia integration workshops across the United States for Apple, Dave has taught digital media courses at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz County and at schools throughout Northern California. Currently Dave spends his time as DMA’s Director of Instruction, building and promoting DMA’s programs in current and new locations as well as recruiting the best instructional staff possible. Dave is also in charge of DMA’s Apple Certified Training Center (AATC) Program.

Dave holds a BA in Political Science with a concentration in Education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. When he isn’t teaching or directing, he can be found outside, playing with his daughters or mountain biking around Santa Cruz, California.

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Lara Laham
Director of Admissions

A Business graduate from San Jose State University, Lara Laham began her career with Digital Media Academy in the summer of 2008 when she served as the Program Director for the Stanford University program. Lara supports DMA in a number of different roles, including customer service, staffing, and operations. In fact, Lara may be the first DMA staffer whom parents and students speak with when inquiring about DMA’s courses via phone. Working at Digital Media Academy brings together Lara’s passions of digital media, education, and event planning. She especially enjoys watching the youngest students work on their projects and is always impressed with what they create.

Lara’s love for working with and educating kids began in 1990 when she developed and led the Ninja Turtles Karate Program for 4 to 7 year olds at Ernie Reyes’ West Coast Martial Arts. Lara holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Lara also enjoys photography, nutrition and fitness, the outdoors and spending time with family and friends. Lara has been blessed to have traveled a good portion of the globe, including the US, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East.

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Philip Harding
Director, Business Development and Technology

Philip has worked with Digital Media Academy since 2003, in just about every role the organization has to offer. Given his unique mix of energetic personality and technical ability, Philip has served as program director, technical director, youth director, instructor, TA, and youth activities coordinator at various DMA locations. His entrepreneurial passion has helped DMA grow from three to twelve locations in just three years. He continues to maintain relationships with campus contacts and lead technical setup at all DMA locations.

Philip exemplifies the diverse culture at DMA with his combined background in media, design, business, and social enterprise. In 2002 he founded the creative design firm, Redefine Design, specializing in corporate branding, identity marketing, print design, and interactive media. He also founded an eBay business in 2004 and is a part-time FX/currency trader, currently developing an expert advisor automated trading system.

Philip holds multiple degrees in Applied Art & Design – Multimedia Concentration, Computer Information Systems – Internet Concentration, and General Business. He is currently completing his Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree at Harvard University Extension School.

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Rachelle Harding
Director of Summer Operations

Rachelle has worked for Digital Media Academy since the summer of 2005 in various roles, including teen counselor and youth director at Stanford University and lead director at multiple other locations during the summer. During the rest of the year, she works on university negotiations, hiring, training, and much more.

When Rachelle is not working, she enjoys reading books, shopping at the mall, and baking healthy desserts. She is currently working on a Business Management degree with a Certification in Nutrition.

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Lia Lee
Accountant

Lia was born in San Jose, CA and grew up in Morgan Hill which at that time was a small farming community just south of San Jose. Lia graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting. She worked at a local private CPA firm for 15 years, then at two small businesses as their bookkeeper/accountant for a combined total of 13 years. She has been with DMA since late 2007.

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Digital Media Academy Instructor Bios

Instructors for Adult Courses
Instructors for Teens, Pre-Teens and Kids Camps

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