Ann was born in Utica, New York, and grew up in nearby Whitesboro. She received a BA in English Literature and a BA in Studio Art from Hartwick College before completing her MFA in photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1995. After graduation, she joined the resident faculty at the Maine Photographic Workshops and taught there for nearly a decade in both their year-round program and their intensive summer workshops. After living and working in Sweden, India, Australia and a number of places in between including Manhattan, Ann eventually moved to Los Angeles where she printed for the Motion Picture Academy (while still driving back to Maine every summer to teach photography).

Finally Ann made her way north to San Francisco where she worked as the gallery director at the beloved RayKo Photo Center for 10 years until their closure. She curated many exhibitions for RayKo during her tenure while also jurying, curating, and organizing numerous exhibitions for other national and international venues outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. While being a champion of artists, she also created a thriving artist-in-residence program at RayKo where recent residents Kathya Marie Landeros, Meghann Riepenhoff, Carlos Javier Ortiz, and McNair Evans all received Guggenheim Fellowships. Prior to taking the position of executive director of CPA, Ann worked as the gallery manager at Scott Nichols Gallery in San Francisco. She has served on numerous boards and fundraising committees and is thrilled to bring her talents, passion, and leadership skills to Carmel. Besides being a curator and an educator, Ann is a writer and editor and she is also a fine art photographer who still carries around a wooden view camera…and a metal one too.

Lauren Clinkenbeard hails from rainy Seattle and grew up visiting her family in Carmel Valley; she spent those years dreaming of one day living closer to Carmel, the sea, sycamores, and hills she grew to love. In March of 2021, she finally took the leap and found her path here with the Center for Photographic Art. 

Lauren’s background has provided her opportunities in the arts and in administration. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Communications: Rhetoric and a minor in Global Health: Non-Profits. She went on to spend the next 5 years exploring her career goals and creative passions by pursuing parallel paths in administration and mixed media art. She is honored to have the chance to merge her two passions for the arts and for equipping organizations to succeed in her role at the CPA.  

Patrice, a native of Northern California, holds a B.S. Degree in Graphic Design with a minor in Photography. She served as a Senior Art Director at Apple for 10 years and worked in many areas of the company including corporate identity and design, trade shows, small business and education markets, and art directed photoshoots both in the studio and on location. 

Patrice then started her own small design firm with a partner in Los Gatos, CA, building brands for a variety of businesses in Silicon Valley from high-end automotive and real estate corporations to non-profit organizations. After leaving the partnership, Patrice was hired by the design firm, Black & White Design in Campbell, CA, as a Senior Art Director and Visual Designer creating work for clients such as Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and many non-high tech businesses. With her knowledge and experience in photography, design and marketing, Patrice is thrilled to be part of the CPA team.

Janet is the newest member of our CPA staff. While Janet is mostly retired she felt she could take on this task as she has a background in program and staff management as well as several years of volunteerism.

Janet has nearly 15 years of volunteer experience in the Monterey Peninsula and 20 plus years working and volunteering with nonprofits in the Bay Area. While she has worked the last five years with CPA, she has also been a Docent at Pt Lobos State Reserve for the past 14 years.

She served as the Whalers Cabin Curator for three years and was part of the Docent Council and continues to Docent in the park at least once a month. Janet is also a photographer and is a member of two local photography clubs. The Image Makers and Padre Trails Camera Club where she has also served on the steering committee with both organizations.

When not working at CPA or walking the trails of Pt Lobos you are sure to find her on her bicycle planning her next bike tour.