Jinko Gotoh To Succeed Marge Dean As WIA President After Transformative 13-Year Run

Marge Dean, who has spent the past 13 years transforming WIA (formerly Women in Animation) from a relatively small advocacy group into a global force for gender equity in animation, is stepping down as president. Oscar-nominated producer Jinko Gotoh, a longtime WIA vice president and one of the industry’s most respected figures, will succeed her.

The transition was announced Friday at the Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles. Dean, who has led WIA since 2013, will leave its board this month but remain involved as president emerita, advising the organization on global programming.

It is difficult to overstate Dean’s importance to WIA’s modern history and, by extension, the industry as a whole. Under her leadership, the nonprofit dramatically expanded its membership, international presence, and influence within the animation ecosystem, becoming a prominent voice in conversations about representation, opportunity, and gender equity.

When Dean took over, WIA was much smaller. Today, it has nearly 18,000 members and operates 58 chapters and collectives worldwide. According to figures shared by WIA, the representation of women and nonbinary people in the industry has increased from 20% to 33% during her presidency.

In a release, Dean reflected on her time helming the organization:

Leading WIA for the past thirteen years has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. When I stepped into the role, we were a small group with a big idea about what this industry could be. Today, WIA is a global community with almost 18,000 members, and representation of women and nonbinary people in the industry has grown from 20% to 33%. We’re not at parity yet, but we’re closer than we’ve ever been.

What we’ve achieved never came down to one person. It happened because thousands of underrepresented creatives and the allies who stood with us believed change was possible and made it happen.

But there is still work to be done, and that’s why this is the moment for new leadership. I’m so happy to pass the baton to Jinko, who has been beside me for the past decade. I can’t think of anyone better to lead the organization into its next chapter. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and excited to see what comes next.

Dean’s influence extends well beyond her advocacy work. An animation producer and executive with decades of experience, she currently heads Skybound Animation Studio (Invincible). Her leadership at WIA helped establish the organization as an international platform for mentorship, professional development, and industry accountability.

Her successor brings an equally impressive résumé and more than a decade of experience helping shape WIA from within.

Gotoh is a BAFTA-winning, Oscar-nominated producer whose credits include Klaus, The Little Prince, The Illusionist, 9, and The Lego Movie 2. She began her feature career as CGI producer on Space Jam, subsequently held senior digital production roles at Walt Disney Animation Studios, and worked on Pixar’s Finding Nemo. She is currently producing Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Beyond her producing career, Gotoh serves on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors and the Producers Guild of America’s board. She has been WIA’s vice president for more than a decade, so her appointment continues the organization’s existing leadership as much as it marks the start of a new era.

In the WIA release, Gotoh said:

Marge’s leadership has shaped WIA into the global organization it is today, and I am deeply grateful for her partnership and vision over so many years. Stepping into the role of President is an honor, and I look forward to working alongside our Board to continue expanding WIA’s reach – from North America to Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and beyond.

As our industry navigates profound change, WIA’s commitment remains clear: to advance gender equity in animation, VFX, and gaming, and to provide meaningful programming, mentorship, and resources to every creative who needs it. I’m also deeply appreciative of the Global Fund Sponsors who have supported this work since 2019 and helped us extend our impact worldwide. I’m excited for what we will build together in this next chapter.

The transition comes at a particularly challenging time for the animation industry, with widespread concerns about job security, ongoing studio consolidation, the rapid development of AI and other new technologies, and fundamental changes to how animated art and content of all kinds is distributed and consumed. Against that backdrop, WIA’s advocacy and professional support programs have become even more important.

Several additional board leadership changes were also announced on Friday. Julie Ann Crommett, founder and CEO of Collective Moxie and WIA’s current secretary, will become vice president. Tracy Campbell, director of production training and development at Walt Disney Animation Studios, will serve as secretary, while animation executive Sharon Taylor will become treasurer.

Current directors include:

• Amy Smith – Global Director, Recruitment & Outreach at Framestore – UK
• Barbara Stephen – President/CEO, Flying Bark Productions – Australia
• Brendan Burch – President, Six Point Harness; COO, Mondo Media – NYC, USA
• Christine Chang – Head of Global Operations, Airbnb – LA, USA
• Craig Hunter – Chief Content Officer, Minno – LA, USA
• Deepa Joshi – Co‑CEO, Incessant Rain Studios; Founder, WIA Nepal – LA, USA
• Hsiang Chin Moe – Chair, BFA Animation, School of Visual Arts – NYC, USA
• Jinko Gotoh – Oscar-nominated Producer – LA, USA
• Julie Ann Crommet – Founder & CEO of Collective Moxie – Colorado, USA
• Maya Penn – Artist, animator, founder of Upenndo! Productions and Maya’s Ideas; Goodwill Ambassador (FAO); global speaker and mentor – Georgia, USA
• Rozanna Tesler Fried – Principal Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs, Film at Netflix – LA, USA
• Sharon Taylor, Animation Executive – Australia
• Tracy Campbell, Director – Production Training & Development at Walt Disney Animation Studios – LA, USA

More broadly, WIA reported continued growth across its programs. Its global communities hosted 761 events over the past year, nearly 50% more than the previous year, while its Mentorship Circles program has now served 3,460 mentees since its inception. The organization also recently appointed Hayley Porter as executive director and held its tenth WIA World Summit in Annecy, drawing 650 attendees.

For Dean, the leadership change represents the culmination of more than a decade spent building an organization that has become vital to the animation industry’s efforts to address gender inequality. For Gotoh, it presents an opportunity to build on that foundation at a time when the industry faces some of its most difficult challenges in years.