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WIA Vancouver Announces Career EXCELelerator Candidates

Sponsored by Netflix Canada, the ACE program creates opportunities for new and diverse voices to tell their stories; participants will receive mentoring, training, and support in developing original IP.

Women in Animation’s Vancouver Chapter (WIA Vancouver) has announced the selection of eight candidates for the Animation Career EXCELelerator (ACE) Program’s third iteration. The Netflix Canada-sponsored training program supports mid-level professionals identifying as women or non-binary to advance to key creative and senior roles.

The program creates opportunities for new and diverse voices to tell their stories through mentoring, training, and support in developing original IP.

This year’s candidates are:

  • Producer: Stephanie Hodgson – Originally from Sydney, Australia, Hodgson has over 15 years of professional experience in production, events, and live arts and entertainment. She currently works in the animation industry in Vancouver.
  • Writer: Sunita Balsara is a Toronto-based designer, illustrator, and professional writer.
  • Director: Sonia Furier’s professional training began at the Animation Portfolio Workshop, which led her to Sheridan’s animation program. She currently works in Toronto at House of Cool as a story revisions supervisor.
  • Art Director: May-Yun Ong is a Vancouver-based Malaysian artist.
  • Animation Director: Molly Lacoursière, a native French speaker from Québec, currently serves as lead animator at Atomic Cartoons in Ottawa.
  • Storyboard Supervisor: Ana Bohac is a storyboard artist and comic creator working in Vancouver since arriving from the UK in 2019.
  • Editor: Maria Isabel de Melo Ribeiro is a Brazilian video editor based in Montreal.
  • Composer: Amanda Cawley is a multi-award nominated British-Canadian composer for film and media. Her recently completed work includes the animated series Fireman Sam and the documentary series Visionary Gardeners. Her work base is in Kelowna.

“I am so proud of the growth and impact of the ACE program,” said Rose-Ann Tisserand, WIA Vancouver Advisor & ACE program founder/co-executive producer. “Our goal for ACE 3 was to reach authentic and diverse candidates from across Canada, and we did, with 64 applications that included a wide range of ethnicities, abilities, and talents. With the eight candidates now selected, we can’t wait to empower them to tell their story and take their place as creative and business leaders of the animation industry,”

Dominique Bazay, Netflix’s director, Animation, added, “The ACE program is moving our industry forward, ensuring that we will have more equitable representation among the next generation of animators. Congratulations to this year's candidates who exemplify the broad scope of talent that exists in Canada.”

More information about Women in Animation Vancouver and the ACE Program is available here.

Source: Women in Animation

Debbie Diamond Sarto's picture

Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.