Accomplishments
- 25+ DiMeNars (Digital Media SemiNars) Since 2002 – Informative Evening Mini-Conferences
- Open Participation/Co-Sponsorships with Aligned Media Organizations
- Held @ Digital Media Facilities throughout Florida
- Panels covering the State of the Art in DM segments ranging from Mobile Media to Game Development to Simulation to Digital Audio, Video, Music, Graphics, Animation, Visualization and much more
- “The Convergence” – Ongoing Monthly Social Gathering of Florida’s Digerati – since 2003
- Held in and around Central Florida and Miami – expanding to other parts of the State
PARTNERING
- Conducted TRDA SBIR Training Program jointly with the National Center for Simulation
- Organized Media Mingles
- 13 Participating Media & Entertainment Organizations
- Annual Co-Sponsorship of Women in Film & Television-Florida’s Jingle Mingle Holiday Event
- Assist other Media Organizations with organizational development (e.g., re-formation of the Central Florida FMPTA and Orlando ACM SIGGRAPH Professional Chapters)
- Facilitation of Media Organization Alliances
- Initiated Inter-Association Presidents’ Council
- Initiated Member Discount Reciprocity between allied media organizations
EDUCATION
- Formed the Florida Digital Media Education Consortium in 2004 – Excellence in Digital Media Education from K through Life Long Learning
- Facilitated development of longstanding DMAF definition of “digital media” appearing on Wikipedia since 2005
- ‘Florida’s digital media industry association, Digital Media Alliance Florida, defines digital media as “the creative convergence of digital arts, science, technology and business for human expression, communication, social interaction and education”.’
- Led to the Formation of the Employ Florida Banner Center for Digital Media
- http://www.workforceflorida.com/news/news_releases/DMBCBackgrounder.pdf
- $1.5M in funding over two years
- 35 participating organizations from Industry, Education, Government, Workforce & Economic Development
- DMAF’s Executive Director served as the Director of the Digital Media Banner Center
- XX reports with recommendations for the education, training and growth of Florida’s digital media industry
- Provided free digital media software training for displaced media workers
- Hosted the State’s first Digital Media Workforce Summit at Seminole State’s Center for Economic Development
- Hosted Governor’s Digital Media Industry Roundtable during Gov. Christ’s DM Fact Finding Tour
- Hosted TopGun4Kids Program w/Dr. James Rosser “Xbox Doc”
- Provide College and Graduate Student Internships
- Foreign Student Participation
- Facilitated University/Gifted HS Student Program, leading to the development of the Oakridge HS DM Program
- Participation and Representation on Educational Advisory Boards
- Public and Private Vocational, Secondary and College DM Programs
- Chair, Arts, A/V Technology and Communication Working Group of Florida Dept of Education’s Next Generation Occupational Standards Committee for Career and Technical Education, Division of Career and Adult Education
INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
- Led successful bid to Workforce Florida to fund the Employ Florida Banner Center for Digital Media
- UK Trade & Investment/Florida Game Company Interchange
- Successfully implemented economic development projects and initiatives with grant funding from the City of Orlando, Orange County and the National Center for Simulation – 2005-2011
- Digital Media Job Fair at Universal Studios Orlando (DAVE School) with Orlando ACM SIGGRAPH – 2011
ADVOCACY
- Strong, Longstanding Advocate for Florida’s Entertainment Industry Incentives
- Has Annually Supported Film Florida’s Legislative Rally in Tally since 2007
- Founding Executive Member F.A.M.E. (Florida Alliance of Media and Entertainment) non-profit advocacy organization to provide our industry with full time representation in Tallahassee through the engagement of a government relation firm
- Led efforts in incorporate incentive for Digital Media Production into the State’s Entertainment Industry Incentives
- Championed Digital Media parity and Emerging Media queue in $242M Entertainment Industry Tax Credit Incentive/Jobs Bill
- Industry Representation at Trade Shows, Exhibits and Events (Digital Media Demos in the State Capitol; SXSW 2011, etc.)
- Formation of Games 4 Good Special Interest Group
- Financial/Volunteer Support For:
- G.A.M.E.S. Synergy Summit – 2005 (Government, Academic, Military, Entertainment and Simulation synergy)
- Otronicon – 2006 – 2011 - Digital Media, Gaming and Simulation Con at the Orlando Science Center