| Donald A. Put, College Counselor
Phone: (951) 659.2171 x2322
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Don Put received a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing from California State University, Long Beach. He has been an educator since 1995 when he founded the Creative Writing department at Idyllwild Arts Academy, a position he held until 2005. During his tenure as the Creative Writing Department Chair, he also served as the acting Dean of the Arts, Compensation Committee Chair, Benefits Committee Chair, and Director of College Counseling, a position to which he recently returned. Having been involved in a myriad of businesses (some as owner/operator) before becoming an educator, Don has a depth of experience that lends itself well to helping young people find their paths in life while understanding the complexities involved in the process. In addition to his position as college counselor, Don is also the Director of the Arts Enterprise Laboratory, a new program that provides grants for emerging artists, directed master classes and mentorships, career counseling, and teaching residencies for young artists. |
| Erin Latimer, Assistant College Counselor
Phone: (951)659-2171 x2324
e-mail |
Erin Latimer is a lifetime Idyllwild resident and an Idyllwild Arts Academy alumna from the class of 2002. She has a BA in English with an emphasis in creative writing and book art from Mills College, and has self-published several chapbooks of poetry, as well a full-scale edition artist’s book, entitled Mythology in 2008, under her private press name, Washtub Press. After two years as a studio assistant to world-renowned book artist, Julie Chen, of Flying Fish Press in Berkeley, CA, and as a marketing assistant at Mills College, Erin returned to Idyllwild Arts Academy as an employee in 2008 and now works in the capacity of Husch dorm head, college counselor, and part-time humanities faculty. She lives in the Husch west apartment with her vivacious maltipoo, Chewy. |
| Nelms McKelvain, Assistant College Counselor
Phone: (951) 659-2171 ext. 2373
e-mail
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Nelms received his Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and his Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin where he studied with John Perry. He was an instructor of piano at East Carolina University and free-lanced as a performer, accompanist and teacher in New York. In the Los Angeles area, Nelms served on the faculty of the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and was an assistant teacher to John Perry for ten years. He joined the faculty of the Academy in 1989, became Music department chair in 1990 and Dean of the Arts in 1992. He has performed solo and chamber concerts throughout the United States.
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| Daniel Gray, Assistant AEL Coordinator
Phone: (951) 659-2171 ext. 2322
e-mail |
Daniel Gray is a graduate of the Idyllwild Arts Academy class of 1997. He received a BA in Multi-Media Studies from the Johnston Center at the University of Redlands where he combined Visual Art, Music and Business. He taught ceramics at Idyllwild Arts from 2004-2006 and returned in 2009 after working for a national audiovisual company.
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