Presidential Proclamation

It is the purpose of this award to recognize individuals of established and outstanding status and reputation in the motion picture and television industries worldwide.

In recognition of her decades of service to the production technology industry and trailblazing work that paved the way for women in various male-dominated fields such as aerospace engineering, production engineering, animation technology and operations, and others. She was the first female head of Emerging Technology at a major Hollywood Studio, the first female president of SMPTE, and the original Vice President of Technology for Warner Bros. Feature Animation which has enabled her to provide opportunities for many individuals on their career paths. She mentors and inspires through SMPTE, the Hollywood Professional Association, the Television Academy, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

A Lifetime Fellow, former president, and former VP of Engineering (Standards) at SMPTE, Wendy Aylsworth has spent over 35 years in entertainment technology, bringing emerging technologies into production and distribution usage, and continues to provide technical consulting and strategic board guidance. She has been a key leader in the transition and standardization of digital cinema that has become the mainstay of the industry. She led the digital transitions of the animation processes at Disney and Warner Bros., as seen in such hits as Lion King and Space Jam, and new technologies such as high frame rate, as seen in the Hobbit trilogy. Wendy is involved in many industry organizations to share knowledge and grow the next generation of entertainment professionals. She is proud to have helped establish the Science & Technology Peer Group at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the new Production & Technology Branch at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and currently sits on the board of both organizations. She is also Board Secretary of the Hollywood Professional Association. In recognition of her work, Wendy has been honored with many awards, including the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Wendy holds a BSCE from the University of Michigan and an MS/MBA (Beta Gamma Sigma) from USC.