Wendy Armitage - Bio:
Beginning her career as a movie theatre concessions worker at the age of 16, Wendy fell in love with films and is proud to say it is an industry that has afforded her the opportunity to learn and grow immensely over the last 30 years.
Currently, Wendy is the Senior Vice President of Marketing Clearances & Feature Ratings. She is responsible for evaluating and submitting Sony’s films to the Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA) in order to obtain the target MPA ratings. Wendy also oversees marketing clearances worldwide for Sony Pictures feature films ensuring that they are in compliance with guilds, broadcast networks, digital platforms, the MPA and talent contractual obligations in all of Sony’s marketing materials.
For the past seven years, Wendy was the Executive Advisor for OUT@SonyPictures, the Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG) for LGBTQ+ employees. Her work with OUT@SonyPictures landed her on Variety’s Power of Pride 2020 list in June as a ‘Proud Executive’. This year she transitioned out of that advisory role for the EBRG and joined the content subcommittee within the Sony Pictures Action initiative. Sony Pictures Action will provide financial support to organizations dedicated to racial justice and reform, while building and expanding the studio’s internal diversity and inclusion program.
Wendy is an alumnus of Arizona State University where she graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her degree combined the concentrations of Women & Gender Studies with Film & Media Studies which culminated in a senior project that she authored highlighting the ways in which women’s work is portrayed in mainstream American films, a topic she continues to examine as she looks towards the future of the film industry. Wendy also went on to obtain her Master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Arizona State University in August of 2019.
Kymberly Graham - Bio:
Kymberly Graham is the Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion at Nielsen Company who is responsible for Inclusive Talent and Culture practices. From recruiting and interviewing to on boarding and development, Kymberly's focus is on ensuring the internal processes are inclusive and positively impact Nielsen's objectives and the diverse talent experience. Additionally, she manages 5 of Nielsen's 9 Global Employee Resource Groups for end to end talent touch points. She is passionate about diversity as driver of business growth and values an inclusive culture. As a Georgia native, Kymberly attended the University of Georgia for undergrad and Mercer University for graduate school.
Rolando Rodriguez - Bio:
Rolando B. Rodriguez is chairman, president and CEO of Marcus Theatres and executive vice president of The Marcus Corporation. In addition to leading the performance of the Marcus Theatres division with operations in 17 states, Rodriguez also oversees the corporate-wide real estate and development strategy. Prior to joining Marcus, Rodriguez was a senior leader with AMC Theatres for 30 years and CEO for Rave Cinemas, where he facilitated a turnaround and sale. He has also served as a vice president and regional general manager for Walmart.
Rodriguez was elected vice chair of the National Association of Theatre Owners and has served in other leadership roles with this global industry organization. He is on the Children’s Wisconsin Board of Directors, where he spearheads the annual Hollywood Movie Night to raise funds. In addition, he served as the Milwaukee United Performing Arts Fund community wide campaign fundraising co-chair in 2020. Rolando leads multiple Hispanic initiatives, including serving as the inaugural chairman of the newly created Milwaukee Hispanic Collaborative. He combined his passion for film and culture by launching CineLatino, an annual Hispanic Film Festival. Rodriguez earned industry honors (2019), Milwaukee Business Journal Diversity Awards Recipient (2018), Man of the Year by the Motion Picture Club (2015), and Executive of the Year by the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (2014.) Rodriguez received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Eckerd College and an MBA in the executive fellows program at Rockhurst University.
Todd Vradenburg - Bio:
Executive Director of the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation since 1997, overseeing the organization’s three distinct programs: The Will Rogers Institute - known for their annual fundraising in movie theaters, the Pioneers Assistance Fund- a program that provides both financial assistance and counseling to members of the motion picture industry, and Brave Beginnings – a critical equipment program for hospital neonatal intensive care units.
The Will Rogers organization was established by members of the motion picture industry in 1936 and Todd was chosen as its new leader during a time of change and transition. Since being chosen to lead the Will Rogers organization, Todd has become a respected member of the entertainment industry, as well as, the non-for-profit industry.
He was challenged to reorganize all facets of the charity’s operation which started with moving the national office from New York to Los Angeles. Originally, the Will Rogers Memorial Fund, Todd also led the organization through a merger with the Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers in 2002, creating the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers. And in 2015, Todd was instrumental in expanding the work of the Will Rogers Institute, creating a new program called Brave Beginnings, which is exclusively focused on providing grants for equipment that doctors and nurses need to care for premature infants.
Before joining Will Rogers, Todd held positions with the American Heart Association, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, LEGO toy company, and Professional Sports Publishers (PSP).
A graduate of San Diego State University. Todd was raised in Pasadena, California and currently resides there, where he has also been involved with multiple community organizations.
Heather Morgan - Bio:
Heather Morgan is currently the Vice President of Content & Programming for Harkins Theatres, where she transitioned from her previous tenure at AMC. Driven by her passion for mentoring young professionals, advocating for others and driving positive change within our industry, she has been featured in Box Office Magazine, delivered sessions on behalf of NATO's Webinar Series, served on the NATO Young Members Committee and is currently serving on the Executive Board of the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. She holds a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Kansas State University and currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.