Profile

Photography consultant; educator; curator; writer; photo editor and creative director for books and magazines.

Chair Emeritus, Documentary Practice and Visual Journalism program at the International Center of Photography 2000-2018

Responsibilities included direction of the program which explores all aspects of visual journalism and documentary practice, approaching photography study through an integrated curriculum of practice, theory, aesthetics and history. As chair, Alison oversaw admission procedures and portfolio reviews, alumni engagement, hired faculty, created and implemented curriculum, engaged all student advisement, managed the full-time education staff; curated students’ final exhibition and directed Shift –the end of year publication (2005-2015)

Experience

New York Times —2004-2006, Photo Editor, freelance desks

NYT Sophisticated Traveler Magazine — 2001-2004, Photo Editor

Life Magazine — 1997-2000, Picture Editor for: The Millennium, The Century in Photographs, various features & the 2000 Eisie Awards for best magazine photography.

O, The Oprah Magazine — 1999-2000, Photo Consultant

Smart Money Magazine — 1999, Photo Consultant

Audubon Magazine — 1997-1999, Director of Photography

Civilization Magazine — 1997-1998, Director of Photography

Mirabella Magazine — 1995-1997; 1992-1993, Director of Photography

Elle Magazine — 1993-1996, Director of Photography

Esquire Magazine — 1989-1991, Director of Photography

Los Angeles Times Magazine — 1986-1989, Director of Photography

Education

Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, Ca. — BFA, 1978

Simmons College, Boston, Ma. —1972-1974

Boston Latin Academy, Boston, Ma. HSD—1966-1972

Photographer

American Film, California, Cosmopolitan, Eye, Film Comment, Los Angeles Times, L.A.

Weekly, L.A. Reader, Musician, New West, Revue, Rolling stone, Shape and Us Magazines —1978-1988

Tender Comrades, edited by Patrick McGilligan, St. Martin’s Press —1997

Back Story2—Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940”s and 1950’s by Patrick McGilligan, University of California Press—1991

Back Story: Screenwriters of The Golden Age by Patrick McGilligan, University of California Press—1989

Decade, Art Center College of Design—1985

California Crazy, Chronicle Books—1988

Writer

Urban Cave by Andrea Star Reese, foreword—2015

The Photographer's Playbook by Jason Fulford, Aperture—2014

Shift Volumes 1-7. International Center of Photography—2006-2012

Afghanistan:The Road to Kabul by Ron Haviv, introduction —2002

American Photography, Volume 17, introduction—2001

Elle and Mirabella Magazines, various photo reviews —1994-1997

Book Photo Editor

Urban Cave by Andrea Star Reese, FotoEvidence—2015

The Ninth Floor by Jessica Dimmock, Contrasto Books—2007

Aging in America by Ed Kashi, Powerhouse Books—2003

Afghanistan: The Road to Kabul by Ron Haviv, de.MO—2002

Soviets: Pictures from the End of the USSR by Shepard Sherbell, Yale University Press—2001

Blood and Honey-A Balkan War Journal by Ron Haviv, Umbrage—2000

I am Rich Potosi by Stephen Ferry, Monacelli Press —1999

The Millennium by Life Magazine, Little, Brown Bulfinch —1998

The Unheard Voice by Colin Finlay, Browning/Cohen —1996

Curatorial Exhibitions

Rita K. Hillman Education Gallery exhibitions at the International Center of Photography—2000 to present-multiple.

The Children of Darfur with Ron Haviv; Commissioned by UNICEF at the United Nations, New York—2006-travelling.

The Democratic Republic of Congo with James Nachtwey, Gary Knight, Ron Haviv, Joachim Ladefoged and Antonin Kratochvil —commissioned by MSF–2006-travelling.

Blood and Honey with Ron Haviv, Sarajevo Museum of Art, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina—2000.

The Soviets with Shepard Sherbell; Men Before 10am with Veronique Vial; I am Rich Potosi with Stephen Ferry; Blood and Honey with Ron Haviv —all at the Saba Gallery, New York—1996-1999.

Set and Setting, Berland-Hall Gallery, New York —various photographers—1992

The American Woman: How She Looks, Staley-Wise Gallery, New York —various photographers—1991.

Lectures

Camera- Italian Centre of Photography, ICP, School of Visual Arts; Harvard University, California State University, University of Nevada, Union College.

Seminars and Panels

Pathshala, University of Southern Asia, Bangladesh; Viscom; Otis Parsons, Society of Publication Designers; School of Visual Arts; Maine Photography Workshops; International Center of Photography - various panels and seminars.

Workshops

Argentina, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Colombia, Hungary, Italy, Peru, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand, and Uganda.

Editing Awards

American Photography, Society of Publication Designers and Communication Arts.

Using Format