PNCA : admissions staff

Meet the Admissions Staff

Chris Sweet

Director of Admissions and Financial Aid

I have worked in college admissions for 13 years and have worked at both small private and large state institutions. I have stayed in admission for so long because I love working with students and their families and making college a possibility. Since coming to PNCA I have realized that students educated in the creative arts and design are our future. The continuous, quick change that is occurring in this world can only be successfully navigated by someone with training in the creative arts and design.

I grew up in Chicago and love food, particularly Chicago style pizza and hot dogs. My wife Tasha and I have a little girl who is almost 3 years old. In my free time I enjoy being with my family, listening to music, and playing poker or darts. Some of my favorite musicians/bands include Tom Waits, Matt Pond PA, Sam Prekop, Sea and Cake, Wu Tang, Vampire Weekend, and Metallica. My ideal life would be living in my familys cabin near Yosemite with my wife, daughter, laptop, and an iPod.

You can text or call me on my mobile phone: 503-819-9428

Also, become a fan of PNCA Admissions on Facebook!!

Sarah Kamsler

I graduated from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design with a BFA in Painting in 2000. About 4 years ago, my husband and I packed a moving van, with our black and white Siberian Husky, Moby in tow, and set our sights on Portland. It turns out, we love it here!

I’ve been at PNCA for 3 years now and still love helping students get into art school. I’m an admissions counselor by day and a painter by night. My mediums are oil, acrylic and encaustics. My focus is creating artwork that voices my environmental and social concerns. I have a studio in NE Portland and paint every chance I get.

My territories are Alaska, Arizona, California (Northern), Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon [Salem, Albany, Corvallis, Oregon Coast, Eugene, Aloha, Beaverton, Clackamas, Lake Oswego, Gresham, Oregon City, Sandy, Scappoose, The Dalles, Portland (Jefferson, Madison, Parkrose), Sunset], Utah

Bill Watt

Before the call of the “West” planted the seed of change in me, I was working and living all over New England. I received my BFA from the Maine College of Art in 2001, soon after I began my professional art career. I first worked for a number of years as a photo journalist, I still miss the fast pace. I re-entered academia in 2003 working as a photo technician and teaching continuing education classes. Two years ago I found myself in Oregon doing business consulting, where I fell in love with the livability of the Northwest, which lead me to a permanent home in the PNCA admissions office.

I advise students from:

Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hamshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon [(Southern, Central, Eastern, West Linn, Wilsonville, Woodburn, Forest Grove, Hillsboro, McMinnville, Milwaukie, Tigard/Tualatin, Portland (Grant)], Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Washington (Seattle, Tacoma), West Virginia

Jenny Cadigan

I am a native Oregonian, born and raised in Eugene. I graduated with a B.A. from the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Western Washington University, in the beautiful little town of Bellingham, Washington. After graduating, I spent a lot of time traveling; Alaska, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Belize, and Australia, and moved to Portland at the end of summer in 2007. I have fallen in love with this beautiful, green, thriving city. I am passionate about art, art history, design, architecture, and traveling. Come into the admissions office and say hi—I am excited to be a part of the energetic creative team of people at PNCA.

Holly McVeigh

In addition to being an admissions counselor I am also a practicing artist and you will occasionally find me working in the various studios on campus or possibly exhibiting around Portland. Interacting with my students on a personal level is important to me so I encourage you to call me, text me, e-mail me and come visit me in my office.