Alumni Spotlight: Catching up with Nikki Ross ‘17

Congratulations to Nikki Ross ‘17, who is taking the creative industry by storm.

She recently shot and released a visually striking commercial for Garrison Bespoke, featuring Hollywood star Patrick Dempsey. She also recently directed video campaigns for Sephora and Garage Clothing Co., and, represented by Westside Studio for photography and Skin and Bones Film for Directing, she continues to take on high profile and high-impact projects. You can see her portfolio here.

Nikki dove into the photography industry at 17 years old, and says her experience at Greenwood helped shape her career.

“Greenwood introduced me to the arts,” she says. Nikki was involved in theatre and took advantage of Greenwood’s arts electives by enrolling in film and advertising courses. 

“Mr. Brown’s film class taught me skills I still use today in my editing and Mr. Sargento’s photoshop lessons provided a foundational understanding and exposure to photo editing software.”

The Greenwood community also supported Nikki’s love of photography and film.

“In Grade 10, I worked with two documentary filmmakers who were parents of Greenwood students. Greenwood helped me make these connections and always encouraged me to pursue my passions.” 

Nikki now sees visiting Greenwood to share her experiences with current students as a privilege. She has participated in Greenwood’s Arts Day in previous years, conducting workshops with Grade 7 and 9 students on her craft. 

Not only is art about the process for her, Nikki says she creates her art for others.

“I love seeing people’s reactions to my pictures and how they relate to it; it brings up a sense of nostalgia for many.”

In 2025, Nikki received two prestigious photography awards for her work. Learn more about these accomplishments on her site.