Speaker Bios

Tony Bancroft's animation journey began at California Institute of the Arts in 1987, igniting a lifelong passion. In 12 years at Disney, he crafted characters like Pumbaa in The Lion King and Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast. Key achievements include co-directing Mulan, earning an Annie Award, and supervising animation for Stuart Little 2, receiving a VES’s top award for character animation. Recent work involves executive producing, co-directing Netflix's Animal Crackers, and animating for Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns and Warner Bros.' Space Jam 2. He authored the book Directing for Animation, drawing from 30+ years of industry experience. In his spare time, Tony and his twin brother, Tom, produce The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast, which is the #1 podcast for animation on iTunes.

With over three decades of experience, Michael has contributed to numerous award-winning projects in varied capacities in animated film, advertising, video games, comics and art education. He has collaborated with Pixar, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Marvel Comics, Hasbro Toys, ABC, Microsoft, EA, DreamWorks/PDI, Zynga, The School of Visual Arts, AnimSchool, The Academy of Art University, Nickelodeon, LeapFrog and many others.

He’s the author of the six acclaimed FORCE books, that are translated into multiple languages. His teachings have inspired and educated artists worldwide for over two decades, making him a respected figure in the art community.

Employed at WB Games / Avalanche, the creators of Hogwarts Legacy, Matt Porcaro is an enthusiastic gamer and dedicated animator with 13+ years of experience. Over his tenure at Sony, he contributed to six shipped titles. With a deep passion for gaming, he continuously hones his skills by learning new programs and techniques. Beyond animation, Matt has also delved into modeling, texturing, and rigging, and is always eager to broaden his skill set.

Matt Williams is a seasoned Technical Animator with over 13 years of experience, contributing to major gaming titles like "Hogwarts Legacy." As the head animator for the NPC Behavior Team, he oversees the capture and creation of over 6000 supporting animations, collaborating closely with engineers to develop innovative animation systems. His tenure in this role has propelled his growth as an animator, developer, and content manager, where he's tackled the challenge of managing thousands of animations. Matt's expertise extends to streamlining workflow processes and implementing organizational systems to optimize content creation and delivery.

Creative Director/Motion Designer/Pleasant Ginger

Formerly, Amazon, Microsoft, Disney, Google

Mike will be sharing his personal experience dealing with Depression, Anxiety, and ADHD as an artist in some of the more stressful and demanding projects and companies. He’ll talk about how he’s had both successes and failures in the past. His talk will provide hope to others trying to figure out the balance of work and life.

Moroni Taylor is a renowned Storyboard artist who has storyboarded on 31 animated features, is one of the best gag guys in the animation industry and a mentor to new board artists.

Credits include:

The Iron Giant, Osmosis Jones, Ice Age, Roots, Rio, The Peanuts Movie, The Grinch, Spies in Disguise, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Minions, The Patrick Star Show and so much more!

Author, Illustrator, and Advocate for Specially Abled Individuals

Jordan Burk, an author and advocate, draws inspiration from caregiving for his uncle, Kelly, who had Down syndrome. This experience fuels the Kelly and Kelso book series and now show, that promotes inclusion. Recognized for his dedication, Jordan earned the Dallas Business Journal 2022 Leaders in Diversity Award and was honored as Champion of Change Business of the Year by the National Down Syndrome Society in 2023. Through writing, advocacy, and as the creator of the Kelly and Friends show, Jordan preserves his uncle's memory while championing acceptance and kindness.

Creator: Actor, Animator, Film Maker, Entertainer.

Animation Producer at Spacestation Animation

Animation lead for
Animal Jam Play Wild mobile game
Show host and creator of KrawlZone.tv
(Off-Road Adventure Web Series)
Director and Co-Creator of Acid Reign
(TV Series and Film Franchise)
Actor on Stage and Screen

Eddie is an award-winning designer, filmmaker, and innovator with three patents for developing attractions. He has an extensive 30-year career in creating and producing award- winning experiences with Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Company, Six Flags, Warner Bros Studios, Pixar and HBO.

Robin is an award-winning creative designer with over 30 years of global experience. He is celebrated for his mastery in designing attractions, exhibitions, and immersive experiences. Among his notable achievements are the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, the blockbuster Harry Potter touring exhibition, and groundbreaking AVATAR: Discover Pandora experience.

Ron comes from a performance background of stage and theater acting with over 30 years of experience as a Character Animator.

Ron was the Animation Supervisor for the Academy Award-winning film "Pan's Labyrinth" and was Animation Director on the Namco/Bandai videogame "Afro Samurai".

Currently, Ron is a Senior Animator / Visualization Artist at The Third Floor, Inc. in Los Angeles, CA working on VR Experiences for major theme parks as well as PreVis for premier theatrical feature films. Prior to that, Ron was a Lead Animator at Disney Interactive on Star Wars: Rivals.

Matt graduated animation school in 1996 but he was already working professionally in the industry. He got into TV & commercials in London in the late 90s then steadily worked towards a career in Feature Animation

Credits Include:

Corpse Bride, ParaNorman, Inside Out, Finding Dory, Sonic the Hedgehog, Wolfwalkers, Chicken Run 2, Across The Spiderverse, The Inventor, Maya & the Three… among others…

Will Colón is a Boston native who began as a Live-Action Compositor at ZeroVFX, and served as a Lighting and Compositing Technical Director at Anzovin Studio in Florence, MA before establishing Open Pixel Studios alongside Kathryn in 2017. Will has done creative 2D & 3D animation and post-production for several high-profile clients including Disney, Microsoft, Lego, IBM & GE. He has taught courses in animation and motion graphics in The Valley; most notably at his alma mater, Hampshire College.

Kathryn Taccone is a co-founder and creative at Open Pixel Studios. She has been an executive for the last 7 years in her business, and gained experience in multiple industries through her unique background and affiliation with animation, video games, film, and theater. Her passion for understanding how a production comes together has driven her to creating her own curriculum in college, all the way to starting her own studio alongside Will Colón.