Our Leadership Team

Hakan Baykam is a versatile entrepreneur with a multifaceted career spanning fashion, design, education, and renewable energies. His journey is marked by innovation, sustainability advocacy, acute intuition, and a profound passion for fashion cultivated over the years.

Hakan’s diverse background, rooted in Turkish tradition, took a transformative turn when he moved to Italy at a young age. This early exposure to adapting to a new country, embracing diversity, and overcoming challenges shaped his character and instilled in him a desire to bridge different worlds and cultures—an evident theme in many of his projects and achievements. His Italian heritage deeply informs his vision, blending the rich artistic and fashion traditions of Italy with modern, global perspectives.

Having graduated from Venice University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Masters in Communications and Marketing, Hakan embarked on a successful career in the late Nineties. His roles in various key positions within prominent global fashion brands showcased his versatility and business acumen.

In Miami, he has seamlessly integrated his passion for sustainability and innovation into the fashion education landscape, infusing the school’s curriculum with a strong emphasis on Sustainable Fashion, since opening in 2018. “Miami is one of the world’s most exciting and culturally enriched cities. I see the potential it has to become a fashion hub where talented individuals are prepared to establish great careers and companies. Miami has led the way in architecture and art, quickly becoming a major player in global culture. Over the next decade, I believe the Miami-style scene will be significantly influenced by powerful, influential people, including graduates from our School, and will continue to grow. This is the place to be.

Roger Hosn, a seasoned educator with 25 years of higher education expertise, has held leadership roles across a diverse portfolio of Colleges and Universities, including President and Regional Vice President. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and sociology, he earned his master’s degree in educational psychology from Wayne State University.

Roger’s career took a pivotal turn when, during his rounds at the University Psychiatric Center in downtown Detroit, he was invited to become an adjunct professor at Baker College. This began his transition from the classroom to higher education administration, leading to progressive roles. From the Metro Detroit area to Southern California and now in Miami, Roger has contributed his expertise to traditional colleges, health-based colleges, and Fashion & Design colleges.

Roger leveraged his eight years of experience in Fashion, Art, and Design leadership in his most recent role at Istituto Marangoni Miami. Recognizing the importance of creativity, a positive attitude, and professionalism in the fashion world, he emphasized the value of updating and reinventing educational programs at Istituto Marangoni Miami to stay cutting-edge and aligned with international market needs. Excited about the future success of graduates, Roger looks forward to witnessing their accomplishments and realizing their vision and goals.

Jason Wetzel started his new job as Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment in April 2024. Jason holds a baccalaureate degree in Business Administration as well as a MBA. Before coming to Istituto Marangoni Miami, Jason served as an academic dean at a Dakota County Technical College where he was responsible for multiple design programs. Prior to that experience, Jason was a Campus President for over years 8 at various institutions. While a President, Jason worked closely with the numerous design programs and firms within the design fields. These efforts developed thriving relationships in industry as well as governing agencies to create strong career paths for the graduating students.

Michael Johnson, an esteemed educator with over two decades of experience in public and private four-year colleges and universities, embarked on his higher education journey in admissions and recruitment at Northern Arizona University, his alma mater. There, he earned two Master of Education degrees in Educational Leadership and Human Relations/Counseling and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

Throughout his impressive career, Michael has held multiple academic leadership positions across various aspects of postsecondary education. His recent role involved serving in an international academic leadership position at an American-style university in Kuwait. Notably, he achieved initial programmatic accreditation for multiple academic programs and played a key role in institutional re-accreditation for several previous institutions.

Michael is an experienced professional and an award-winning speaker and presenter, particularly in areas such as Student Retention, Student Engagement, First-Year Success Programs, and New Student Transition Programs. Certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist and Title IX Investigator and Administrator, he has undergone extensive training in education management, covering curriculum development, accreditation, adult education, leadership development, admissions, recruitment and retention, and diversity training.

Sara Fortezza is an accomplished professional with a decade of experience in the higher education industry. Her professional journey has spanned internationally, providing her with a deep understanding of the diverse needs and challenges facing students in today’s globalized world. With over 15 years of international experience, living and working across Italy, Spain, the USA, China, and Hong Kong, Sara brings a wealth of cross-cultural knowledge and insight to her role. This upbringing has taken her to diverse settings, each presenting unique growth opportunities, paving her path to the higher-education industry.

Sara’s passion for languages led her to achieve a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages and cultures, a testament to her dedication to understanding and connecting with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. As a multilingual professional, she further enriched her academic pursuits during her time in China, fostering invaluable experiences that have significantly shaped her professional endeavors.

Currently serving as Director of Student Affairs at Istituto Marangoni Miami, Sara is committed to providing comprehensive support services that empower students to succeed academically, professionally, and personally. Her focus on career services ensures students can access the resources and guidance needed to navigate their career paths successfully. Sara strives to foster inclusive and supportive environments in her role, advocating for initiatives that enhance the overall student experience.

During her previous tenure as Director of Campus Operations, Sara showcased her commitment to excellence in higher education administration. Leading critical licensing and accreditation processes, she ensured compliance with regulatory standards while fostering a vibrant campus community and optimizing procedures to enhance efficiency across departments. Through her diverse background and commitment to student development, Sara Fortezza remains dedicated to making a difference in the higher education industry.

Keanan Duffty is an award-winning British fashion designer and the author of Rebel Rebel: Anti-Style (Rizzoli/Universe, 2009). Duffty earned a BA with 1st Class Honors in Fashion from Central Saint Martins, London. In 2007, Duffty became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and his collections were shown at the New York Fashion Week from 1998 to 2010. Duffty has collaborated with Reebok, Gola, and Dr Martens on co-branded collections and has served as Design Director for Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B, John Varvatos, and Ben Sherman.

Duffty collaborated with David Bowie and was the stylist for the prestigious 2016 CFDA Board of Directors Tribute Award to Bowie, featuring Tilda Swinton and Michael C. Hall, with original costumes by Kansai Yamamoto and Donatella Versace. From 2017 to 2023, Duffty was Director of Fashion Programs and founded the Masters in Fashion Management program at Parsons School of Design in New York. Duffty created the Kyiv Art and Fashion Days NY event, which took place during New York Fashion Week in September 2022, bringing six prominent fashion designers from Ukraine to New York to present their collections at the Mastercard Tech Hub in New York City.

Dr. Thelma Lazo-Flores received her Ph.D. in Design Science and Planning from Chiba University with a Japanese Ministry of Education scholarship grant. Her research includes refereed international presentations, published book chapters, encyclopedia entries in the US, UK, Finland, Italy, India, and Japan, and peer-reviewed journal articles covering areas of design for sustainability, pedagogical structures, spatial design studies, applied theory and practice, and socio-cultural issues affecting design.

She has been an educator at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels for interior architecture, landscape architecture, furniture design, product and interface design, visual communications, industrial design, and studio art programs in the US, Singapore, Japan, and the Philippines. Before academia, she covered luxury residential design, commercial offices, hospitality spaces, trade shows, and military buildings worldwide for over ten years, putting her at over 30 years of experience in education and the design industry.

Nathalie Tessier studied fashion design in Paris but soon discovered that her passion and talent lay in the business aspects of fashion. After graduating, she joined the internationally renowned brand Celio as a director responsible for designing and managing international market collections. Her leadership and innovation contributed to the successful growth and expansion of the company from a Paris-based men’s clothing store to a multinational enterprise.

Tessier’s signature Celio project was the creation of Dooble, a new contemporary menswear brand she developed and implemented using an innovative marketing and operational strategy featuring a new store concept prototype. As Director of Celio Sport, she delivered a branding, image, and marketing campaign to launch a new and very successful concept in sports apparel. At Sud Express, a ready-to-wear apparel line for active women, she was responsible for marketing, purchasing, production services, and staffing 80 boutique stores. She has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses and delivered workshops for over 16 years in various institutions, including Istituto Marangoni.

Amy Berkowitz grew up in the fashion industry and created her own private label company, Artgear. The brand was launched in Los Angeles, and the collection was brought to the East Coast. The ready-to-wear collection was distributed worldwide and worn by many celebrities, creating a licensed private label program for major department stores across the United States.

In 1994, Amy received her Master of Art in Teaching at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pa., and has taught for the last 25 years at both the secondary and university level art/ design and textile fashion design. She received her BFA from the California Institute of the Arts in 1978 and soon after began working in the Film & Television industry, working on special effects for Marks and Marks on the 1st Star Wars film. In addition to film work, Amy worked at Duck Soup Productions’ graphics department for California Raisins, Froot Loops, and Levi Strauss TV animated commercials.