Zach Weston - Executive Director and Instructor
Zach Weston is a fourth generation fine art film photographer from one of the most influential and creative families in American photographic history. His great grandfather was Edward Weston, great uncle Brett Weston, grandfather Cole Weston, and his father is Kim Weston.
In 2016, The Weston Collective Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Zach to the position of executive director. He has since made it his mission to carry forth his family's legacy, expand the non-profit his parents founded, and be an active mentor to aspiring film photographers in Monterey County.
Jalena Jampolsky - Head Curator and Instructor
Jalena Jampolsky is the Head Curator and Educator at the Weston Collective. Her passion for photography, art history, and educational outreach inspires her to volunteer at the Collective. Jampolsky grew up in Carmel Valley and is passionate about sharing photographic practices with her community.
From 2017-2019, she was the Henry Luce Foundation Research Associate of American Art at the Newark Museum. Additionally, Jampolsky was the Tiffany and Co. Foundation Curatorial Intern in American Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2016-2017). She received her M.A. in the History of Art and Archeology from New York University's Institute of Fine Arts; and received her B.A. with honors in the History of Art and Visual Culture from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Carmen Flores - Lead Instructor
Carmen Flores is a multidisciplinary designer, educator, and photographer who grew up in Monterey County. She received her B.A. in Design from the University of California, Davis, and has worked across graphic design, visual merchandising, and education.
Flores is drawn to street and documentary photography, particularly the small, intimate moments of everyday life. Her experiences studying and teaching in Japan further shaped her curiosity about people, place, and daily life.
As an educator, Flores encourages curiosity, experimentation, and learning through mistakes. Her hands-on approach to photography invites students to slow down, train their eyes, and discover something meaningful in the ordinary moments around them.
Miriam Pérez - Lead instructor
Miriam Pérez is a Youth Photography Instructor at the Weston Collective. She graduated from UC Berkeley, where she received her BA in Comparative Literature. Her love for photography began when she was the same age as her students, and she now deeply values the importance of making art education accessible to young people.
Pauline Caligiuri - Assistant instructor
I am Pauline Caligiuri, from the Santa Cruz mountains! I received a bachelor's in marine science from CSU Monterey Bay, with a focus on communication and education. I've been volunteering and teaching around the area for the past 4 years and look forward to working with the Weston Collective to bring photography to kids!