Faculty
Carla Anderson Perez
Dr.
Carla Anderson Perez received a Bachelor’s Degree with a
major in Family Studies and Consumer Sciences and a minor in Dance
from San Diego State University in 1974. She has a Master’s
in Home Economics with a minor in Multicultural Bilingual Education.
Her master’s thesis addressed the role of clothing in teacher’s
perceptions of student academic potential.
After several years teaching clothing and textile courses at the university level in state universities in California, Texas, and Florida, she began her doctoral studies at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Perez taught the use of computer-aided-design systems to industry professionals working in various firms throughout the western hemisphere. Requirements for entry-level executive training positions in retailing was the focus of her dissertation completed in 1999.
As a member of ITAA, she has shown original apparel designs at conferences since 1990. She was among only a few designers invited to present at ITAA’s Confluences Conference in Lyon, France, in 1997. She has also exhibited several designs with the Fiber Artists of San Antonio.
Dr. Perez joined the UIW fashion faculty in 1999. She teaches fashion design classes including: illustration, pattern making, draping, and computer-aided-design. Dr. Perez is the advisor to the Fashion Society, the student organization, which sponsors community service projects and participation in Dallas Career Day. Of particular interest to her have been the several community service opportunities that have arisen in conjunction with Fiesta. Student groups have volunteered to design gowns for the wife of Rey Feoin the past. . This has been especially rewarding because student designers get to work with community leaders and see their designs worn to public events.
Melinda K. Adams, Ph.D.
Dr. Melinda K. Adams received a Bachelor of Science degree from
the University of Nebraska Omaha and Lincoln in 1996 with an emphasis
in textile and apparel design. While completing her bachelor’s
degree, she managed a retail food store and worked part-time for
Maurices, a retail clothing store. Upon completion of her bachelor’s
degree, she moved to Laramie, Wyoming, to take a management position
with Maurices.
In the summer of 1998, Melinda K. Adams began a master’s degree at the University of Wyoming. During her master’s program, she assisted with beginning and intermediate construction, social psychology of clothing, visual merchandising, textiles, and fiber art classes. Dr. Adams also taught flat pattern design and fashion illustration. Her master’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with an emphasis in textiles and merchandising was conferred in 2000. Her area of research was defining wearable art.
A Doctoral degree in Education was received from the University of Wyoming in December of 2004. She also took several graduate level merchandising and design courses from Colorado State University as part of her doctoral degree. The research for her dissertation focused on defining creative scholarship and identifying criteria to evaluate creative scholarship for tenure and promotion at institutions of higher education. While completing her doctoral degree, she taught apparel design and manufacturing at Texas Tech University.
Since 1999, Dr. Adams has been a member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and routinely presents creative scholarship at the national conference. She is currently vice-chair for the Art and Design Division of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Melinda is also a member of ITAA and Phi Upsilon Omicron.
Dr. Melinda K. Adams joined UIW in January of 2005. She will be continuing research in the area of defining creative scholarship. Producing pieces of creative scholarship are a top priority as well as continuing to learn new embroidery techniques. She is also looking forward joining the Fiber Artists of San Antonio and becoming an active member in the community. Dr. Adams teaches upper level construction courses such as Pre-seasonal and Seasonal Collections. She also teaches Textiles and Visual Merchandising. She has taken students on several trips abroad to London and Paris, where students visit various fashion design houses and textile manufacturing companies.
Ester Gabrysh
Ester
Gabrysh is the first professor that many new students will meet
when they come to UIW. Ester teaches sewing construction and tailoring
courses. Whether a design or merchandising major, the students
will have the opportunity to experience Ester’s love and
devotion to her students.
Ms. Gabrysh has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Home Econmics
and a Master’s degree in Education from Southwest Texas State
University (now Texas State University). She was an Assistant
Professor and Department Chairperson of the St. Philip’s
College Fashion program before she came to UIW.
Ester Gabrysh has been a member of the UIW community for over ten
years and has participated in many departmental and university
activities that truly make her an asset to this learning institution.
Theresa (Teri) Lopez
Ms. Lopez is a graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word
Fashion Management program. She also has a Master’s
degree in Industrial Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Psychology from St. Mary’s University. She worked in business
and industry before following her dream to become a fashion designer
by coming back to school at Incarnate Word.
Ms. Lopez teaches the beginning construction courses and the Fashion Show Production course. Her students are responsible for planning The Cutting Edge Fiesta Fashion Show in the spring and the Lila Bath Gallery Fashion Event in the fall. Ms. Lopez has also taken students on trips to New York to explore the Fashion District. She has also served as the faculty sponsor of the Fashion Society
Theresa Alexander
Ms. Alexander came to UIW in the fall of 2007. She has a Bachelor
of Science degree from Texas Tech University and a Master of Arts degree
in Fashion and Textiles from Nottingham Trent University in England. She
has also studied at the Lesage Ecole de Broderie d’Art in Paris and
at the Paris Fashion Institute.
Ms. Alexander teaches construction and fashion illustration courses in the Fashion Management program. Prior to coming to UIW, she taught at Texas Tech for six years. There she taught upper level design and technical courses.
