Speakers

An Academy Award® winner and true pioneer, Ramsey made history directing Rise of the Guardians and the cultural phenomenon Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. A legendary visionary in modern animation.

Jones is Executive Producer, Head Writer and Director of Black Dynamite and Co-Executive Producer of Adult Swim’s The Boondocks, the first Cartoon Network program to win a Peabody Award.

Gutierrez’s credits include directing and co-writing the Guillermo del Toro–produced animated feature The Book of Life (2014). Emmy Award–winning Nick series El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny and more.

The Academy Award®-winning producer of Hair Love, Toliver is a titan of the industry. Formerly the Vice President of Animation at Netflix and a leader at Sony and Fox, she has shaped global franchises from Rio and Ice Age to the next generation of diverse animated features.

An Emmy & Annie-nominated icon who collaborated with Stan Lee and George Lucas. His 40-year career spans Spider-Man: TAS, Static Shock, DuckTales, Scooby-Doo, Fraggle Rock, DC Comics’ Cyborg, Green Lantern and English scripts for Disney released Miyazaki’s Laputa: The Castle in the Sky and Kiki’s Delivery Service. A true titan of animation.

Adele “Supreme” Williams is a writer, artist, and actor born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. After spending 5 years curating solo exhibits and live paintings all over the U.S., Adele decided to harness her love of story and the unexpected by way of screenwriting.

A 12-year DreamWorks veteran, Kaidbey leads the Clearance department, bridging law and creativity. From the film Ali to major animated features, she is a master of the complex world of studio production.

A WGA Award winner and comedic powerhouse, Waite’s credits include Family Guy, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Inside Job. He has also contributed to The Onion, The New Yorker, and Mad Magazine.

Lex Randleman (he/him) is the Director of Artist Recruitment for Disney Television Animation, overseeing staffing for all production crew positions.

Matt Roberts is an International Ambassacruiter of Mystery for Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he has proudly spent the last 18 years helping build careers for artists from the intern to production level. He is nothing shy of honored to have been a part of Disney Animation's features from Bolt all the way through the upcoming Hexed.

Shabrayia started in live action, working on various shows and indie features, before transitioning to animation, where she worked her way up to Producer. Her animation film credits include Kung Fu Panda 3, Trolls, The Boss Baby, Abominable, and most recently, Dog Man.

A 2022 Rising Star of Animation, Bordenave directed The Boys: Diabolical and Invincible Fight Girl. His Marvel/DC credits include X-Men '97, Young Justice, and Justice League. He is currently directing the new DC Super Powers.

A CalArts alumna and Director on Disney’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Tara Nicole is currently co-directing the feature Pierre the Pigeon-Hawk (EP’d by Snoop Dogg and Jennifer Hudson). A NYT Best Selling illustrator, she is a master of character-led representation.

Tiffany Purkeypile is the Lead Creative Recruiter at LAIKA, bringing 15 years of feature film CG animation and VFX experience with a background in talent acquisition and artist management. Her production management and story artist experience across CG and VFX pipelines enables her to identify and connect with talent to support LAIKA's growing VFX and Technology teams with attention to building spaces for underrepresented communities.

Tendayi Nyeke is an award-winning creative executive and entrepreneur, globally recognized for her multi-genre work, including awards from the Children's Emmys, Annie Awards, and SAFTA. She is currently developing an animated feature film at Netflix Animation USA and producing the independent fantasy film Tribe with French/UK Academy Award-winning studio Passion Pictures.

Moorisha Bey-Taylor is an award-winning Entertainment and Intellectual Property attorney specializing in helping clients protect and monetize their creative assets through copyright, trademark, and licensing agreements.

Kibi Anderson is an Emmy Award–winning storyteller, executive advisor, and founder of Life Editor Inc., a leadership advisory firm that helps organizations strengthen communication, trust, and decision-making. She also serves as Co-Board President of the Black TV & Film Collective (BTFC), a national community supporting Black creators across television and film.

Co-founder of Ole Greens Group and Creative Producer for PBS KIDS’ Work It Out Wombats!, Dr Edouard is a STEM education expert centering Black boys as imaginative problem solvers in global animation.

Honing his craft for 30 years, Bentley is the voice of Barret (FFVII Remake) and LeBron James (MultiVersus). His legendary career spans Marvel’s Nick Fury in Avengers Confidential, Naruto, Resident Evil, God of War, Call of Duty, and Iron Man Rises. A versatile icon across gaming, anime, and live-action.

Leader of the Annie Awards, Mintz is an acclaimed animator for Industrial Light & Magic and Disney. His film Nothing to Say won at 42 festivals, including Oscar-qualifying events. A true titan of the animation industry.

A veteran of Disney, Cartoon Network, and Wild Canary, Williams is a Storyboard Revisionist on the King of the Hill reboot. As the former Director of Black N Animated and an Indie Showrunner for The Three Tomes, she is a leading voice for empowerment and diversity in animation.

Byron earned his degree in Speech Communications and Theatre from Tennessee State University—which basically means he’s certified in sounding confident and knowing when to pause dramatically. He got his start as a TV news and sports reporter in Alabama and Georgia.

Benni Latham is a voice and commercial actor who grew up with a love for cartoons and comic books. Latham can currently be heard in the hit Nickelodeon / Paramount+ animated series “Transformers EarthSpark.” As part of the Transformers mega franchise, the series tells the story of a new breed of Earth-born Transformers.

Jason B. Ryan is a TV/film producer with over 20 years of experience in the business. A self-taught screenwriter, Jason has written and developed features, series, and shorts in sci-fi, thriller, horror, comedy, and animation. Professionally, Jason has worked for live news networks and cable TV networks producing award-winning lifestyle shows, documentary series, movies, and other programming.

A 10-year veteran at the LAIKA, an Oscar®-nominated studio behind Coraline, Hurwitz leads talent acquisition and onboarding. She is the go-to expert for artists looking to break into the elite world of stop-motion.

A titan of animation, Abney’s credits include Frozen, Spider-Verse, Toy Story 4, and Soul. He executive-produced the Oscar-winning Hair Love and directed the NAACP Image Award winner Canvas. A visionary leader defining modern cinema.

Tree is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and storyteller whose work blends animation, music, fashion design, and visual art to build immersive narrative worlds. He is the founder of Brilliance Limited (BLMTD), a luxury art apparel brand, and the creator of the upcoming animated series The Other Side of Paradise.

A master of audio for Demon Slayer, Suzume, and Date Everything, Krystal specialises in sound design and recording at the iconic Bang Zoom! Studios. From hit anime to video games, she is a leading voice in modern professional sound.

A Division I athlete turned AR pioneer and filmmaker, Christian made history as Nevada’s first Black MD/PhD student. He blends neuroscience with tech and animation to champion diversity. A true trailblazer in art, medicine, and social impact.

A TED speaker and David Letterman Award winner, Dr. Bell is a former Skydance Animation executive. A leading expert in representation and children’s culture, he bridges the gap between academic theory and world-class media production.

An Academy & TV Academy member and former SMPTE President, Jenkins is a powerhouse executive in M&E and tech. He leads I2A2 in creating ethical AI and software solutions, serving as a visionary at the intersection of Hollywood and innovation.

A 30-year veteran of The Simpsons, Beavis & Butt-Head, and King of the Hill. An XR pioneer and educator, Elder now spearheads game development for 15 colleges and leads a new inter-campus esports league. A master of immersive storytelling.

Senibo is half Nigerian, half Irish American, and all Texan. Most recently, he has written for PAW PATROL, LYLA IN THE LOOP, MONSTERWHEELIES, HEY AJ, ARIEL, and the ME AND WINNIE THE POOH shorts, among others. Hailing from Houston, no one knew that deep inside his 6’6” frame was a kid who loved watching and writing cartoons.

After a 20-year career of news-style editing in New York City for companies such as MTV, Showtime, PBS, and A Current Affair, Mark was on vacation in Los Angeles. On a whim, he called Film Roman to see if they needed any editors — and they did.

Eli has worked on an incredible catalog of voice-acting projects, like Need For Speed: Takedown, No More Room in Hell 2, Starship Troopers, Immortals of Aveum, Star Wars: The Order.

Led by his passion for filmmaking, Calvin left film school at Columbia College Chicago and began working as an assistant animation editor at the award-winning Moonbot Studios (Shreveport, LA) in 2009. Prior to joining Moonbot full time, he gained some experience in the edit room and on the set of James Gunn’s “Super” as a post production assistant.

Ilia Sargent-Barba is a writer, creative producer, and animation professional working across feature animation, VFX, and independent productions. She most recently served as a Production Assistant at Sony Pictures Animation on K-Pop: Demon Hunters, where she supported story, editorial, visual development, and script teams while helping coordinate production across departments.

Shawn Wu is a DEIA Program Associate for the California Film Commission’s Tax Credit Program. He is a former Animation Development Executive with experience at Nickelodeon, where he was the Lieutenant of the Content Pillar of Paramount’s Kids & Family Inclusivity Council. He began his career as an NBC Page.

Chaz Bottoms is an animation director/writer and storyboard artist currently living in Los Angeles, CA and has a love for combining animation with culture while exploring the boundaries of storytelling. He has worked as a character designer and storyboard artist for Nickelodeon Animation (WonderPets) and Netflix Animation (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory), as well as Segment Director for AppleTV's Yo Gabba Gabba.

Baron Ojogho (pronounced “Oh-Joe”) is an entertainment and sports attorney at Davis Wright Tremaine, where he advises clients across film, television, animation, and live productions. His work focuses on the legal and business issues that arise as creative projects move from development through production and distribution, including rights acquisition, licensing, and production legal.

Tanesha Graham is a strategic operations and communications leader with more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of entertainment, technology, and storytelling. Her work spans the gaming, animation, and media industries, where she has helped guide high-impact initiatives, shape industry conversations, and bridge the gap between creative vision and business strategy.

Minh Do is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, and educator working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, storytelling, and culture. He is the co-founder of Machine Cinema, a global community and creative platform exploring how generative AI is transforming filmmaking and visual storytelling.

Sam Goff is an independent Talent Manager who supports writers, directors, story artists, and visual development artists across animation. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television, she began her career in production at DreamWorks Animation before becoming an early career recruiter with Netflix’s Outreach & Engagement department.

Lesleigh is a Production Assistant based in Southern California who has worked in Television Animation for over 5 years. She has worked on many award-winning shows including DreamWorks' Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, and The Mighty Ones. Lesleigh currently works in Production Management on King of the Hill at 20th Television Animation.

My name is Aaron Cobb and I’m a visual development artist/character designer who has been working in the animation industry for the past six years. In that time, I’ve worked at studios such as Floyd County Productions, Titmouse, Wild Canary, and Lucasfilm Animation. My roles have ranged from BG paint and BG design to character design and, most recently, visual development.

LA native and writer/director Juston Gordon-Montgomery was raised on a mix of sitcoms, hood dramas, and Saturday morning cartoons. He’s inspired by stories with a focus on cultural specificity and an element of genre and comedy. He graduated from Otis College of Art and Design with a major in Digital Media and has since worked in television and feature animation for companies like Disney, Warner Bros., and more

A multidisciplinary artist for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros., Sanae’s work is celebrated for its warmth and humor. From Sesame Street to independent print, she specializes in finding the beauty and humanity within every story.

Seasoned creative thinker with 20 years of experience in the broadcast and digital field. Specific areas of expertise include astute brief and data analysis, tailored concept generation, client presentations and liaison, team management, and oversight from inception to delivery. Remarkable interpersonal flair, sharp leadership skills, and efficient problem-solving methods using a unique “reverse-engineering” approach to multiple and complex challenges.

A best-selling author and creative visionary with a global audience of 900,000+, Lampkin is the creator of the graphic novel series Na Makasi: Ancestral Awakening, currently in development as an animated film. A master of "Psychological Storytelling," she bridges the gap between literature, podcasts, and the screen.

Denise Khumalo is an award winning director/producer with 14+ years of experience telling powerful, inclusive stories. As producer of The Matumbilas and founder of Mnandi Productions, she champions diverse voices. Her work celebrates the global Black community and inspires audiences worldwide.

A history-making talent, Harris is the Voice star of Disney’s Ariel and the mixed-ish breakout. An Emmy® winner for Raven’s Home, she currently stars in Oswald the Lucky Rabbit for Disney+ and joins the legendary cast of Pixar’s Toy Story 5 as the voice of Blaze.

Tiffani Lee Joseph is a Creative Technologist, Award-winning AI Filmmaker, Storyteller and Creative Director working across cinematic storytelling, emerging tech, and culture. She builds narrative worlds using generative AI to create emotionally resonant, visually distinctive work at scale.

A 6-year industry veteran, Hale’s credits include storyboarding and revisions for Disney’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Beyond his work on major studio pipelines, he is a Lead Instructor at Exceptional Minds, mentoring the next generation of neurodivergent animation talent.

Edmond is a specialist in building animation projects from the ground up. With a deep background in production and development, he bridges the gap between story, pipeline, and team leadership to create visually distinctive, award-winning content.

Adrian is an award-winning Toronto-based writer and director whose work examines the intersection of nature, time, and humanity’s beauty and brutality; his eight short films have screened at over fifty festivals worldwide, including Sitges and Fantasia, and in 2024 he directed two episodes of the Hollywood Suite series Creepy Bits.

A Los Angeles native, Heather Jennings joined the California Film Commission in February 2025. She serves as both a DEIA Program Associate, supporting the implementation of the CFC’s DEIA strategies to expand access to production opportunities for underrepresented communities, and a Tax Analyst, reviewing budgets and application materials for projects seeking participation in the Tax Credit Program.

A visionary writer and producer, Martin is the architect behind Godhood Comics, one of the industry’s most respected Black-owned comic publishers. Through his global mentorship programs, he has empowered hundreds of creators to launch their own brands and redefine the independent comic landscape.

With over 16 years of entertainment experience, Morse leads the global effort to identify and nurture the next generation of Disney artists. She is a powerhouse advocate for inclusive talent pipelines, overseeing the strategic recruitment and early career programs that turn aspiring storytellers into industry leaders.

Co-Founder and COO of Kinema, a platform redefining how the world watches and distributes film through the power of local and digital communities. With a background that spans venture capital at Human Ventures and fintech strategy at Mastercard (via Transactis), Rish combines an investor’s eye for scale with an operator’s focus on execution.

With 20 years of experience, including 18 at The Walt Disney Company, Kristin Paiva is a powerhouse in animation and interactive media. From Disney+ and Pixar to Marvel and Lucasfilm, her credits include Big Hero 6: The Series and Phineas and Ferb. Now heading Paiva Productions, Kristin combines a "no-BS" directing style with a deep commitment to LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and Hispanic representation, ensuring every performance is as inclusive as it is powerful.