AGI Management & Instructors
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Christopher Smith
Christopher cofounded AGI in 1994 after leaving Quark, Inc. Christopher recognized that creative, marketing, and communications professionals needed assistance with adapting to rapidly changing technology. He grew AGI to become the leading technology training and consulting resource for advertising, media, publishing, and marketing firms in North America. Christopher is widely considered one of the foremost industry experts regarding electronic publishing software. He has authored or coauthored more than one dozen books relating to electronic publishing technology, including the Adobe Creative Suite for Dummies. Adobe Systems has entrusted him and the team at AGI with managing all content, creative, and production for the vast majority of the Adobe Classroom in a Book series published by Adobe Press and he is now Series Editor for the Digital Classroom series of books published by Wiley. Read Chris’s contributions to the AGI Blog
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Jennifer Smith
Jennifer Smith is a noted web and graphics technology expert. She is the author of more than one dozen books on digital imaging and Web publishing, including her recently published Photoshop CS4 Digital Classroom, and the Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Design Premium for Dummies. She has been hired many times by Adobe systems to develop and deliver training content to Adobe employees, and to write books for Adobe Press. She is the co–founder of American Graphics Institute. Read Jennifer’s contributions to the AGI Blog
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Jeremy Osborn
Jeremy Osborn has more than 15 years of experience in web and graphic design, filmmaking, writing and publication development for both print and digital media. Jeremy recently served as the program director of Graphic & Web Design at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. Jeremy has contributed to several of the Adobe Classroom in a Book series including Adobe Acrobat 6 & 7 Professional, Adobe InDesign CS & CS2, Adobe GoLive CS2, and was the co author for Adobe Audition and the author of Adobe Premiere Elements.
At AGI, Jeremy has provided in-depth training and custom consulting for students and corporate clients. Jeremy holds a MS in Management from the Marlboro College Graduate Center and a BFA in Film/TV from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Read Jeremy’s contributions to the AGI Blog
Chad Chelius
Chad has a formal education in publishing technology, and has the trial-by-fire production experience that makes him a valuable contributor to every project on which he works. He’s served as the lead consultant for major InDesign migrations and Digital Asset Management implementations for clients such as Rodale Press (publishers of Prevention Magazine, Runner’s World, and multiple other magazine titles), and the publishing group of the National Geographic Society. He’s skilled in all aspects of print production, working with automation and XML. Chad holds professional certifications from both Adobe and Apple, which he uses in his role as a consultant and instructor for American Graphics Institute.
Haziel Olivera
Haziel is an experienced and skilled production professional that quickly becomes valuable contributor to any project he works on. As an instructor and consultant for AGI, Haziel is loved by students and clients, and was always requested on a first-name basis by those who had the pleasure of working with him even once. He’s served as a consultant/trainer for companies such as Adobe, MEI, Advanstar Publications, Capitol One, and the FL House of Representatives. Haziel holds professional certifications from Adobe, which he uses in his role as a consultant and instructor for American Graphics Institute.
Eric Rowse
Eric works with American Graphics Institute’s clients to implement PDF solutions to streamline workflows and capture efficiencies of electronic document distribution. He has led the conversion and training process of large business organizations as they deploy Acrobat across their enterprise, delivering training to hundreds of Acrobat users. Educated as a designer, Eric received his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute, and continues to work with graphic design and multimedia applications. When not teaching at AGI’s New York City facility, Eric can frequently be found on the Long Island Expressway or the New Jersey Turnpike—look for the man on the motorcycle with a laptop slung over his shoulder.
Jeff Ausura
Jeff is an artist, interactive designer, and Adobe Certified Web Expert. He is a contributing author to several books, including Flash CS4 Digital Classroom and Dreamweaver CS4 Digital Classroom, both published by Wiley. Jeff teaches interactive design at American Graphics Institute, where he has traveled internationally to work with designers and developers to help them use Flash and Silverlight to create dynamic, compelling content. Jeff holds a BA in fine art from Bennington College and works as a designer at a Boston area design firm. He owns a lovely orange cat.
Greg Heald
Greg Heald has more than 20 years of practical design and production experience in both Web and Print environments. He has served as a contributing author or editor on a number of books, including the recently-published Dreamweaver CS4 Digital Classroom, Real World Adobe Acrobat, and several in the Classroom in a Book series for Adobe Press. Greg is an Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop, and has contributed to the development of Adobe’s certification exams. With over a decade of experience as a professional software instructor, he has provided in-depth training for such prominent clients as Verizon, L.L. Bean, and Reebok. Greg holds a degree in Advertising Design from the acclaimed College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. Read Greg’s contributions to the AGI Blog
Andy Beaulieu
Andy Beaulieu is a professional software developer and trainer with over 15 years of experience building applications for Windows and the Web. Located in Syracuse, New York, he is well versed in many Microsoft technologies including Silverlight, ASP.NET, ADO.NET and WindowsForms. Andy has been awarded a Microsoft MVP Award for Silverlight, and is a member of the WPF and Silverlight Insiders group. He is also involved in the .NET community and is the Group Leader for the Central New York .NET Developers Group.
He holds a B.A. in Computer and Information Science from Potsdam College of the State University of New York, as well as several Microsoft certifications including Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft Certified Solution Developer for .NET, Microsoft Certified Application Developer, and Microsoft Certified Solution Developer for Visual Studio 6.
Victor Gaudioso
Victor Gaudioso is a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Silverlight, Windows 7 and Microsoft Surface software developer. He has worked on some of the most cutting-edge WPF, Silverlight and Surface applications that have been developed to date, including the Surface Winebar CES demo, the Surface Air Hockey with simulated physics. Victor was also part of the team that launched the Silverlight Entertainment Tonight Emmy Mini-Site; one of the first professional grade Silverlight applications created. The ET mini-site made live streaming video directly from the red carpet available to the site’s visitors. In his spare time, Victor has authored several books on WPF and Silverlight which have become required reading in many courses on interactive web media development. In addition to his work at AGI, Victor also teaches a course on WPF and Silverlight at Almer/Blank’s Rich Media Institute in Venice, CA and is active in the Flash community, often speaking at events such as Flash in the Can (FiTC) and Flashapalooza.
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AGI supports CTT+ for Instructor Qualifications
The CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer (CTT+) certification identifies excellent instructors. CompTIA CTT+ is an international, vendor-neutral certification that covers core instructor skills, including preparation, presentation, communication, facilitation and evaluation in both a classroom and virtual classroom environment. AGI is joined by companies such as Adobe, Dell, Microsoft, Novell and Ricoh that recommend their trainers be CTT+ certified.