At spring 2025 convocation on January 23, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Yasemin Jones introduced a new classroom faculty member for the School of Graduate Studies. President Joyce F. Brown announced two new administrators.
Aaron Duncan will join FIT as chair of Global Fashion Management, as the program’s current chair, Pamela Ellsworth, prepares to retire at the end of this semester. Duncan brings over 20 years of executive leadership experience in brand building, omni-channel marketing, and strategic innovation within the fashion, retail, and consumer goods industries.
Duncan holds an MBA in leadership and innovation from New York University’s Stern School of Business, an associate’s degree in Menswear from FIT, and a BS in business administration from the University of Miami. Throughout his career, Duncan has held business leadership roles, including chief marketing officer and creative director at The Sak Brand Group and vice president at Mattel Inc. He is also co-founder and CEO of wonderMode.com, a luxury marketplace for independent designers. He has previously taught classes in marketing and merchandising at Parsons.
With expertise in brand strategy, market expansion, e-commerce, and product development, Duncan is a thought leader in integrating creativity and business strategy.
Myla Skeiker joins Academic Affairs as the new executive director for Faculty and Academic Affairs.
In addition to various administrative roles and responsibilities, Dr. Skeiker will work with our Office of Faculty Services, as well as our department chairs and deans to provide oversight, support, and guidance on issues of relevance to those offices.
Skeiker brings a blend of academic and administrative expertise to FIT and Academic Affairs. Her educational background is in urban education, with a Ph.D. from Temple University, an MA in English language and literature from the University of South Florida, and a BA in English from Pennsylvania State University. In her most recent role as senior director of faculty affairs at The New School, Dr. Skeiker oversaw faculty recruitment, development, and support, enhancing key faculty processes and fostering a strong academic community.
Jasonpaul McCarthy joined FIT as the new executive director for Precollege Programs. McCarthy brings a wealth of experience in designing and leading innovative educational programs, both domestically and internationally. He has most recently served as the academic experience director at WeDesign, where he led programs in New York, Shanghai, and Los Angeles, developing and teaching in diverse formats including distance, blended, and campus-based learning.
McCarthy holds an MA in fashion womenswear from the Royal College of Art and a BA in fashion design and fashion marketing from the University of East London. He has taught and held important academic roles, including program director and assistant professor at Parsons School of Design, where he developed the AAS programs in fashion design and fashion marketing and communication, as well as the BFA fashion design program at Parsons Paris. His experience also includes teaching precollege courses at RISD and a recent role as a visiting professor at Tsinghua University.
Throughout his career, McCarthy has built industry partnerships with notable organizations such as the United Nations, Sacai, Vogue, and Woolmark, establishing collaborations ranging from executive education initiatives to fashion exhibitions and master talks.