Young Entertainment Professionals

Dr. Ricardo Figueroa, John Traver Professor and Director, School of Film and Animation, Rochester Institute of Technology

Ricardo is currently the John Traver Professor and the Director of the School of Film and Animation at RIT. Ricardo is also Undergraduate Program Co-Director for the Motion Picture Science Program in the School of Film and Animation. Ricardo joined RIT in 2008 after working at Eastman Kodak for 10 years, where he held positions as Film and Digital Lab Manager, Digital/Hybrid Technologies Regional Director, Digital Imaging Engineer and Kodak Operating System Manager. He was also a graduate of Eastman Kodak’s Image Science Career Development Program.

Ricardo holds a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, and a PhD in Computing and Information Sciences from RIT.

Outside of work, Ricardo is an avid triathlete, soccer player and golfer. He is also active in various professional and civic organizations including the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), where he’s served as chair of the Rochester Sub-Section and advisor to the RIT SMPTE student chapter.

Renard Jenkins, President & CEO of I2A2 Technologies, Studios & Labs

Renard T. Jenkins is a globally recognized media technology executive, strategist, and creative leader at the intersection of storytelling, innovation, and emerging technology. He serves as President & CEO of I2A2 Technologies, Studios & Labs, a forward-thinking media consultancy and animation development studio focused on next-generation production pipelines, AI-enabled workflows, media supply-chain innovation, and end-to-end content development for film, animation, television, and streaming platforms.

With a career spanning the worlds of technology, broadcast, film, animation, and live entertainment, Jenkins is widely respected for helping organizations navigate transformational change while bridging creative vision with operational execution. He currently serves as President of the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), Chair of the Board for HAND (Unique ID for Name, Image & Likeness Protection), and Immediate Past President of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). He also serves on the boards of Exceptional Minds and is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Television Academy.

Previously, Jenkins held senior executive and leadership roles at some of the world’s most influential media organizations, including Warner Bros., PBS, Discovery, ESPN, Turner Broadcasting, TV One, and worked with major professional sports leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. His work has consistently driven innovation across film and broadcast engineering, advanced production technologies and workflows, and scalable media operations.

Jenkins is the recipient of numerous industry honors, including two National Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, two Headliner Awards, and the Broadcasting & Cable Technology Leadership Award. He was also named Innovator of the Year for his pioneering work in High-Resolution Video, High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Next-Generation Audio for broadcast.

A lifelong artist and technologist, Jenkins holds industry and academic certifications in sound, mechanical, AI/ML engineering, application design, leadership and education. He is deeply passionate about visual storytelling, animation, and photography, and actively mentors the next generation of creators by frequently offering pro bono technical and creative support to emerging filmmakers, animators, and musicians.

At the core of his leadership is a simple principle that guides both his professional and personal life:

“In all things, integrity and integrity in all things.”

Rachel Jobin, Interdependent Producer and Creative Technologist