New leaders for Women In Animation

Non-profit organisation Women In Animation (WIA) is relaunching under new leadership from execs at the US production studios of Mattel and Technicolor.

Margaret Dean, the director of production at Mattel’s fledgling Playground Productions, and Technicolor’s VP of business development, Kristy Scanlan, have been appointed as co-presidents of WIA.

WIA “envisions a world in which women share fully in the creation, production and rewards of animation, resulting in richer and more diverse entertainment and media that move our culture forward.”

Dean and Scanlan will now lead a restructured WIA, communicating the organisation’s current role and future vision to its members worldwide.

This follows former co-presidents Rita Street and Jan Nagel announcing their retirement from the roles. The pair will continue to support WIA as members of its advisory committee.

Meanwhile, the new board of directors will include Tracy Campbell, senior manager studio training for Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Anna Jordan-Douglass, interactive producer at The Jim Henson Company.

Elsewhere, the new WIA advisory committee comprises execs including Jenna Boyd, SVP, animation development for Nickelodeon, and Adina Pitt, VP content acquisitions and coproductions, Cartoon Network and Boomerang.