Project Team
Michael Ferraro
Executive Director, FIT/Infor DTech Lab
Michael Ferraro is the Executive Director of the FIT/Infor DTech Lab at the Fashion Institute of Technology. DTech is a public/private partnership whose mission is to engage faculty and students to solve industry problems using design and technology.
Creative technologist, researcher, artist, and educator, Ferraro’s career spans the worlds of software development, virtual reality media production, fine art, commercial entertainment and higher education. He came to FIT from Lehman College/CUNY where he spent 12 years as an associate professor in the digital media program of the art department. In 2015, working with students, he won a New York Emmy for Graphics and Animation Supervision for a series of PSA’s entitled “Best of the Bronx”.
In 1996, Ferraro co-founded PossibleWorlds, Inc, where he invented the innovative real-time animation technology known as Kabuki, which has been used by media outlets such as Cartoon Network, Disney TV, MTV, and Warner Brothers. In 1986, Ferraro co-founded Blue Sky Studios, a feature length computer animation studio where he was VP System Architect. Prior to Blue Sky, Ferraro was part of the R&D team at MAGI/Synthavision.
Ferraro earned his MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and his BFA from Syracuse University.
Joanne Arbuckle
Deputy to the President for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative Programs
Joanne Arbuckle is deputy to the president for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative Programs. As the liaison between the president, the college, and outside organizations, she develops and expands partnerships and collaborations nationally and globally for the college. She works closely with the executive director of the FIT/Infor Design and Tech Lab to integrate the work of the lab with the schools and other divisions of the college.
Arbuckle served as dean of the School of Art and Design for over a decade. As dean, she was responsible for all school operations, departmental development, special programs, fundraising, student enrichment initiatives, and faculty recruitment. Previously she served for five years as assistant chair of FIT’s Fashion Design Department. She became an associate professor in 2002 and a full professor in 2006. In 2003, she won the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
An industry professional with more than 30 years of experience, Arbuckle worked as a designer and merchandiser before becoming president of the fashion-industry consulting firm Design Integrity. She served for seven years on the nominating committee of the prestigious Earnie Awards in children’s wear.
Arbuckle co-authored the book Historical Dictionary of Fashion and contributed to the Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion.
She earned her Master of Arts in educational administration in higher education from New York University, her Bachelor of Science in fashion design at the State University of New York Empire State College, and her Associate in Applied Science in fashion design at FIT.