Joel Whitaker is an artist and educator living in Dayton, Ohio. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Art in Art from the University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama and a Master of Fine Art in Studio Art from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. In 1990 he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa and in 1993 he joined the faculty of the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, where he currently holds the rank of Professor, and Chairs the Department of Art and Design. He has over 25 years experience in visual arts higher education, arts administration, curatorial work, community service and over 30 years experience in the making of photographs and photo related works. He was one of five photographers selected by Lenscratch, Fine Art Photography Daily, for The States Project: Ohio, one of eight Ohio photographers to participate in a NEH funded re-photographic survey of FSA photographs of Ohio. His work has been highlighted in the Elements of Photography, and included in Photography Now/One Hundred Portfolios – An International Survey of Contemporary Photography. His work is in several public collections, has been exhibited extensively in the US, and received several state, regional, and university grants.