ETC Welcomes Wendy Aylsworth as New Board Chair

Industry veteran and award-winning media executive Wendy Aylsworth — CEO and CTO of Walden Pond technology consultancy — has been named the new chair of ETC’s executive board. Aylsworth has an impressive history developing entertainment technology while serving leadership positions at Warner Bros. and The Walt Disney Company. She also has a distinguished track record providing strategic board guidance for numerous organizations, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), among others. As the next chair of ETC’s executive board, Aylsworth replaces Michael Wise, former CTO of Universal Pictures.

“The Entertainment Technology Center at USC is where the future of entertainment takes shape — a place for companies to collaborate, experiment with emerging technologies, and help define how those technologies will shape the way we entertain and engage audiences,” said Aylsworth.

“As artificial intelligence streamlines many of the more mundane tasks of content creation," she added, "ETC@USC has an exciting opportunity to bring together new partners and explore new approaches to the art of storytelling, using technology not simply to work faster, but to tell better stories.”

Aylsworth will chair ETC’s executive board as the entertainment industry faces a critical crossroads with new technologies dramatically impacting media production, distribution, and exhibition. Her professional experience and long history with ETC will help shape strategic planning and long-range goals of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and its relation to emergent media, narrative systems, enterprise, and more.

“My personal and professional relationships with Wendy encompass many of my most important and enduring industry experiences,” explained Ken Williams, executive director and CEO of ETC@USC.

“Whether as a friendly competitor at Warner Bros. during my own studio stint, as a leader in a remarkable array of organizations, and as a former ETC chair and emeritus board member, I know of no one who has given more to our industry," said Williams.

"I’m thrilled that she has agreed to accept the role of ETC executive board chair.”