JC McIlwaine is a multimedia and communications professional currently working as an editor on the Photo team at UNICEF Headquarters in New York. Prior to that he was the United Nations Photo Librarian, and a UN photographer and communications associate. From 2014-2016 he was based in Juba, South Sudan, working as the Mission Photographer for the UN Mission in South Sudan [UNMISS].

JC completed a film degree at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2001, before his interest migrated more in the direction of still images.  JC worked extensively in the film, commercial, and fashion industries before returning to school at the International Center of Photography in New York City in 2008, graduating from the Documentary and Photojournalism program.  While there he received a Directors Scholarship and the first annual Rita K. Hillman Award for Concerned Photography, granted in memory of Cornell Capa, the school’s founder.

JC’s work was exhibited at the Pingyao International Photography Festival in 2009.  His short films have screened at the Santa Cruz International Film Festival, The Berkeley Video and Film Festival, and the Manchester International Film Festival.
JC has traveled extensively, through parts of Central and South America, Australasia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Europe.