The following are candidates for the 2023-2025 ATPI Board. Use the link provided in the email sent to members to cast your vote by April 7, 2023. There is no limit to the number of vice presidents for the board. The ballot will allow a write-in vote for any position.
The membership at the Winter Conference approved a change to the By Laws that allows non-classroom teachers to make up no more than 30% of the board as long as they have past teaching experience.
President
Laura Spray
Laura Spray is the Photography and Graphic Design teacher at Randolph Secondary School in San Antonio, TX. She has a bachelor of fine arts in photography from Sam Houston State University.
GOAL: My goal for ATPI is to build relationships both as members with a common interest in teaching and through competition. This includes members from all areas of photography and videography and all levels of experience.
Vice President
Mark Dimmitt
Mark Dimmitt teaches Commercial Photography, Digital Design and Media Production along with advising the yearbook at Hallsville High School. He has over 30 years experience as a photographer along with publishing and public relations experience.
GOAL: I would like to see ATPI more closely affiliate with Texas UIL. Currently ATPI (and other contest awards) are given points toward UIL Journalism’s All State Journalism Staff. I would like to help work on developing a letter jacket patch system similar to the UIL District, Regional and State event patches currently available. In addition, I feel the board could work on differentiating Quality “Fine Art” Portraiture from Quality “Classic/Traditional” Portraiture.
Erica Garcia
Erica Garcia is a photography and AV teacher at Navasota High School and has been teaching for 12 years. She graduated from St. Mary's University with a B.A. in Communication Arts.
GOAL: My goal would continue to help plan summer workshops for teachers with the best options we can provide. I would love for every teacher in attendance at our summer workshops to leave with new insight they can take to their classroom and feel encouragement from the instructors/fellow teachers they can network with.
Matthew Koby
Matthew Koby graduated from Rice University with a degree in Filmmaking and Photography. After working as a director of morning news on a Houston TV station he started teaching the video production courses at Dickinson High School.
GOAL: I would like to see ATPI expand their offerings and marketing for professional development in video production. I think this would not only serve our membership well, but it may also increase membership by appealing to a wider market of video instructors.
John Skees
John Skees is the Director of Media for the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS). He previously taught journalism, photography and broadcast and served as a yearbook adviser and sports media coordinator for a Fort Worth school.
GOALS: We need to decide what our role is for the video programs. We need to figure out how to reach all these new teachers. We need to liaison better with the private schools.
Laura Veno
Laura Veno teaches Art and Commercial Photography at Glen Rose High School. Previously, she started the commercial photography program at Granbury High School. She is also a professional photographer.
GOAL: As a board member, I would like to help market and get the word out to high school Texas photography instructors, who may not know about ATPI or the winter conference. I would also like to find ways to encourage more conference attendance for current members.
Secretary
Andrea Negri
Andrea Negri teaches journalism and advises the yearbook at Bellaire High School in Houston. She is also the contest coordinator for the Texas Association of Journalism Educators.
GOAL: Learning about video so we can better serve those programs. Surveying members to define needs for the newsletter.