Ayoka Chenzira, Ph.D. is division chair for the arts, chair of the Department of Art & Visual Culture, and professor at Spelman College. Dr. Chenzira is an award-winning pioneer in Black independent cinema. She has completed visionary work in fiction, documentary, animation, performance, interactive cinema, and more. Her filmography includes “Alma’s Rainbow,” one of the first 35mm independent films by an African-American woman, along with “Hair Piece: a film for nappyheaded people,” “Zajotaand the Boogie Spirit,” and most recently the NAACP award-nominated “Queen Sugar.” Dr. Chenzira is a graduate of New York University (B.F.A. Film), Columbia University/Teachers College (M.A. Education) and is the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in digital media from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Bridgette Powell is a software engineer at Industrial Light & Magic, currently developing pipeline data tools and workflows for artists. Prior to working at ILM, Bridgette began her career in R&D for the feature animation industry. The creative collaboration between artists and engineers is what inspires her to work in film. Bridgette’s curiosity motivates her to reach out to production departments, learn their workflows, and develop tools to improve artist efficiency. Bridgette holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and an M.S. in Computer Science from U.C. San Diego.

Ryan Smith is a Manager, Human Resources Business Partner at Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sounds, both Disney companies under Lucasfilm. Ryan helps studio leadership and artists navigate the complexities of production employment and develop strong, rewarding careers. Before joining ILM, he has worked at Macy’s, Inc., ManpowerGroup, and most recently was the People and Culture Partner at William Sonoma. Born and raised in Detroit, Ryan went on to receive his Bachelors in Business Administration (Human Resource Management), also with concentrations in Political Science and Economics from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. At WMU, Ryan held executive positions in the Black Congratulatory Council, the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha, and more.

Jean Bolte came to Industrial Light & Magic in 1987, where she worked as a Model Maker on the “transformation sequence” of Willow and was the first to use ILM’s groundbreaking “morph” technology. She has previously headed a small effects company in London, where she lived and worked for ten years. Bolte has also worked at Jim Henson Productions, where she created creatures and make-up for Labyrinth, The Storyteller and Witches & The Bear. Additional projects that she has worked on include The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe; the Star Wars prequels; Men in Black; Pacific Rim; and The Princess Bride. In 1992, Bolte became Model Project Supervisor for ILM’s model & creature shop, and in 1994, she moved to the Computer Graphics department to work as a texture painter, utilizing ILM’s proprietary digital painting software.