The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named Meredith Shea as its first-ever Chief Membership, Impact, and Industry Officer, it was announced on Monday by Academy CEO Bill Kramer, to whom Shea will directly report.
In this newly created position, Shea will strategically bring together the Academy teams who lead the strategy and implementation for the Academy’s new member cultivation and outreach, awards administration, rules and regulations, membership branch structural changes, member and industry engagement, film festival and international strategies, talent development programs, and industry DEAI and sustainability efforts.
“We are thrilled to welcome Meredith back to the Academy in this leadership position. Her vast knowledge of the film industry and Academy membership, along with her commitment to building and nurturing a diverse and equitable global film community makes her a perfect professional for this new role. In addition, Meredith’s strategic acumen will help guide the Academy as we move towards our 100th year,” noted Kramer.
“I have a deep connection to the Academy and its membership. This is a pivotal time in the Academy’s history, and it’s both a joy and an enormous responsibility to support our industry and lead initiatives that connect people and communities through film,” Shea said in a statement. “I am incredibly thankful to Bill, Janet, and the Academy board for their insightful leadership and dedication to making positive changes in the world for filmmakers, audiences, and the industry. I look forward to working again with the Academy’s exceptionally talented staff and dedicated members to support the Academy’s mission.”
Shea recently served as the Director of Industry Relations at ARRAY, the social impact collective dedicated to narrative change. There, she oversaw ARRAY Crew, the personnel database designed to connect underrepresented below-the-line crew members with producers, studio executives, and department heads. Prior to that, Shea spent a decade at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a Membership and Awards executive. At the Academy, she oversaw the Directors, Film Editors, Short Films & Feature Animation and Writers branches, including the administration of the rules, submissions, and voting for the Animated Feature and International Feature Film Oscar categories.
Shea is a frequent participant on industry panels, including the Directors Guild of America, Producers Network Marché du Film at Festival de Cannes, Mifa at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, and Flanders CONNeXT at Film Fest Gent. She has served on juries for numerous film festivals, and she began her career at the Everett Collection in film preservation and archival management.
