NIU School of Art and Design names new director

DeKALB – The Northern Illinois University School of Art and Design has named its new director, Jessica Labatte, an associate professor and head of the photography department.

Labatte will be officially appointed as the school’s director July 1, according to a news release.

She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Labatte began working as a visiting assistant professor at NIU in 2012. She has spearheaded numerous collaborative initiatives on and off campus. The collaborations include the “Faces of Belonging” and “Past and Pleasant” art exhibits.

Labatte also worked with campus and community partners when her ARTD 464 Advanced Photography Post Production class successfully created the world’s largest paper snowflake in March 2022. The snowflake’s record was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

She will succeed Douglas Boughton, Ph.D., who is completing a three-year term as the school’s director. Boughton is an art education professor and previously served as director of the school from 2008 to 2014.