TAAFI (Toronto Animation Arts Pageant Worldwide) co-founder Barnabas Wornoff has stepped down as Chair of the non-profit group’s board, with Karen Jackson, a long-time TAAFI chief and board member, appointed to the function. As well as, board member and head of publicity Matthew Celestial assumes the function of Treasurer, overseeing day-to-day operations.
In 2012 Barnabas co-founded TAAFI with Ben McEvoy; Wealthy Duhaney; Mike Weiss; JoAnn Purcell; and Mark Jones. Since then, he has served as its Chair, guiding the group, and establishing it as a revered entity inside the animation neighborhood. Underneath his management, TAAFI has grown considerably, attracting top-tier expertise from throughout the globe and offering a platform for rising artists to showcase their work.
In a press release, Wornoff mentioned:
“Serving because the Chair of TAAFI for the previous 10 years has been each an honor and privilege. Being one of many founding members of TAAFI and witnessing it develop and morph through the years has been one among my proudest achievements. Collectively we now have fostered an inclusive neighborhood, nurtured rising expertise, and cast invaluable trade partnerships.
I’m assured that underneath Karen’s management, TAAFI will attain its fullest potential, whereas persevering with to be a driving drive within the animation trade. She has already introduced so many modern concepts and recent views to the desk and paired along with her deep respect and dedication to our TAAFI neighborhood, I go away the board in good arms. Cheers to the longer term madame chair!”
Jackson commented:
“On behalf of the TAAFI board and neighborhood, I wish to specific my honest appreciation to Barnabas for his unwavering dedication to creating TAAFI a profitable surroundings for animators, trade professionals and fans. His management has been instrumental in constructing TAAFI into the thriving group it’s at this time, and we’re grateful for his dedication to our mission.
I’m honored to imagine the function of Chair and sit up for working with the board, our sponsors, and our companions to proceed to foster a vibrant animation neighborhood in Toronto and past. TAAFI has develop into a familial identify and our neighborhood is aware of that we’re right here to assist them. We’ve thrilling plans for the way forward for TAAFI, and I’m assured that, with the continued assist of our neighborhood, we’ll proceed to attain nice issues.”
Jackson graduated from Loyalist Faculty with an Superior Diploma in Animation and New Media. Earlier than accepting the function of Chair of TAAFI, she served as a member of the TAAFI board of administrators since 2020 and labored as an outreach coordinator. At present working at MainFrame Studios, Jackson has labored with leisure corporations akin to Nelvana; Guru Studio; Jam Stuffed; WildBrain!; and Tangent Animation.
The primary girl to Chair the group, Jackson has expressed her dedication to selling inclusion, fairness, and variety in TAAFI’s occasions and driving the group towards new successes.
Animation trade veteran Celestial is at present the President and CEO of Assertion Methods, a public relations agency specializing in animation, video video games, know-how, and shopper merchandise. He brings trade relationships and expertise throughout communications, public technique, authorities relations, operations, and humanities administration to his new function.
Celestial has led PR campaigns for Emmy Award-winning studio Ado Ato Footage; Corus Leisure’s Nelvana and Children Can Press; Spark CG Society; HaZimation; and Finite Movies & TV. After graduating from the College of Toronto, he started his profession in movie publicity.
Supply: TAAFI
Debbie Diamond Sarto is information editor at Animation World Community.
