Madeline Di Nonno To Speak at Women in Technology Luncheon Presented by SMPTE and HPA Women in Post
CEO of Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media Focuses on Changing Unconscious Bias with Data-Driven Analysis
BURBANK (19 October 2017) Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, will be featured in a keynote conversation at the annual women in technology luncheon, presented by SMPTE and HPA Women in Post on October 23rd and held in conjunction with the SMPTE 2017 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition (SMPTE 2017). Di Nonno will be in conversation with Kari Grubin, co-chair of HPA Women in Post. The luncheon will be held at The Vantage Room on the fifth level of the Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, California.
The research performed by the Geena Davis Institute analyzes and tracks how women and girls are portrayed in media, and how negative gender stereotypes can influence cultural and social behaviors and beliefs. Di Nonno will share the latest findings from the Institute’s new machine learning research tool, GD-IQ, the Geena Davis Inclusion Quotient.
“What we see onscreen greatly influences our views on society,” said Di Nonno. “The gender disparity in media reinforces unconscious gender bias off screen, behind-the-scenes, and in the real world. According to our research, positive portrayals in media can inspire women and girls to pursue certain careers in STEM as well as furthering their education and leaving abusive relationships. Our mission is to change the media landscape to reflect our growing intersectionality in society. Our motto is ‘if you can see it, you can be it.’ Clearly, there is work to do, but I look forward to speaking with a group of women who are doing it.”
Di Nonno brings 30 years of international leadership experience to her responsibilities at the Geena Davis Institute, where she leads strategic direction, research, education, advocacy, and financial and operational activities. Her past roles have included President and CEO of On the Scene Productions; executive positions for Anchor Bay Entertainment/Starz Media and Executive Vice President and GM for Nielsen EDI; Senior Vice President, Marketing Alliances and Digital Media at the Hallmark Channel; and Vice President, Universal Studios Home Video. Di Nonno began her career at ABC Television Network in corporate publicity. In many of the organizations she has been part of, Di Nonno has led groundbreaking global initiatives in digital technology.
Grubin said, “We are honored to have Madeline with us to share insights from her impressive career and the groundbreaking work of the Geena Davis Institute. She is a compelling voice moving our culture and the media forward, and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media helps define solutions for change. I look forward to this conversation, which is sure to advance the role that HPA and Women in Post play in our industry’s evolution and our support of young women.”
Di Nonno is a frequent speaker at global conferences and organizations such as the Cannes Lion, U.S. Department of State, and the United Nations, and has been featured in media outlets including The New York Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, Huffington Post, Kidscreen, Fast Company, and Wired Magazine.
Di Nonno holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston University. She serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Television Academy Foundation; is on the Board of Directors for the Population Media Center and Promundo U.S.; on the Advisory Board for PBS Kid’s Ready Jet Go! and GameChanger Films; and is a Strategic Advisor to YouTube Red. Di Nonno previously served as President of the Glass Lions Jury for the Cannes Lions 2016.
The Women in Technology luncheon is an annual event held in conjunction with the SMPTE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, the world’s premier forum for the exploration of media and entertainment technology, featuring world-renowned technology thought. Last year, executive vice president of Physical Production for Marvel Studios Victoria Alonso was the featured Women in Technology luncheon speaker. Previous speakers also include Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Michelle Munson, and Wendy Aylsworth. Seating is very limited and the event consistently sells out. Advance registration is required and early registration is encouraged.
Tickets for the Women in Technology luncheon are required and available with SMPTE 2017 conference registration packages, or available for separate purchase as “ticket-only” registration. For registration and other information, visit http://www.smpte2017.org/women-in-tech.html. Those who purchase tickets may use promo code WIT2017 to receive a complimentary exhibits-only pass for SMPTE 2017. Complimentary passes are limited to new exhibits-only registrations and may not be used for previous registrations, any other conference registration packages, and/or applied to special event ticket purchases.
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About the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers® (SMPTE®)
For the past 100 years, the people of the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE, pronounced “simp-tee”) have sorted out the details of many significant advances in entertainment technology, from the introduction of “talkies” and color television to HD and UHD (4K, 8K) TV. Since its founding in 1916, the Society has earned an Oscar® and multiple Emmy® Awards for its work in advancing moving-imagery education and engineering across the communications, technology, media, and entertainment industries. The Society has developed thousands of standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines, more than 800 of which are currently in force.
SMPTE’s global membership today includes 7,000 members, who are motion-imaging executives, engineers, creative and technology professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, and students. A partnership with the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA®) connects SMPTE and its membership with the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide the expertise, support, tools, and infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television programs, commercials, digital media, and other dynamic media content. Information on joining SMPTE is available at http://www.smpte.org/join.
About the Hollywood Professional Association
Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) serves the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content. Through their partnership with the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers® (SMPTE®), the leader in the advancement of the art, science and craft of the image, sound, and metadata ecosystem, the HPA continues to extend its support of the community it represents. Information about the HPA is available at www.hpaonline.com.
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