Jessica Fernandes

Originally from Montreal, she currently lives in New Zealand where she manages Weta Digital's Digital Models Department.  This is her 7th year volunteering for the SIGGRAPH conference.  She has previously held positions on the SIGGRAPH International Committee and Chapters Committee and is currently Publications Chair for ACM SIGGRAPH Professional and Student Chapters. Her background is in Computer Science and Digital Arts and she has worked previously as Editor of CGChannel.com, and in production and recruitment at EA Canada.

JoAnn Patel

Lives in Plainfield, NJ.  She works as a freelance digital artist in NYC, teaching 3D Modeling, Lighting & Rendering at Pratt Institute, and teaching online for the Art Institute and Miami International University of Art and Design.  She is interested in many areas of computer graphics, especially those related to 3D animation and visual effects. This is her 4th SIGGRAPH. The first year, she was a regular attendee. The second year, she represented Digital Media Arts College at their booth on the exhibition floor (she was Chair of Undergraduate Studies at that time). Last year she volunteered and worked with Scott Lang on the SIGGRAPH Scoop DVD project.

Joseph M. Kennedy

A digital illustrator living in the Los Angeles area. He recently graduated from Otis College of Art and Design where he majored in Digital Media focusing on Concept Art. While there, he founded the first student ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter in Southern California and encouraged a few other startups. He was Chair of OtisSig from 2004 – 2006. Computer graphics as an art medium have always intrigued him, digital painting being his first love (for its speed and versatility). This is his fourth conference.  He attended his first SIGGRAPH as a student volunteer in 1999, then as an exhibitor with Otis in 2005, and as a Student Reporter in 2006.

Fascinating tidbit: He sketches daily, and recently started a subway sketch group called LA Draw with members from the CG Society.

Michael Shafae

Currently lives in Fullerton, CA after having received his Ph.D. in computer science from UC Irvine. His areas of interest are geometric meshes, parallel rendering and level-of-detail rendering.  SIGGRAPH 2007 will be his 6th SIGGRAPH conference. He was a Student Reporter for SIGGRAPH 2005 and 2006. This year he is both a Student Volunteer and SIGGRAPH Reporter.

Stephanie Huerre

Lives in Los Angeles and has been working at Disney Imagineering Research and Development for the past two years. She is in charge of the 3D crowd simulation project (realistically reproducing crowd movement in the theme parks, using autonomous agents). She also participates in brainstorming meetings on various subjects, such as architectural concepts, rides, and special effect.  She is particularly interested in virtual reality, interactive installations in immersive environments, augmented reality, and art performances in which real and virtual interact.  Prior to working at Disney, she studied computer science applied to imagery and art, near Paris, and had lived in Paris for over 15 years.  This is her second SIGGRAPH, having attended last in Los Angeles in 2005.

Tiffany Houghton

Currently lives in Los Angeles while studying character animation at Otis College of Art and Design.  She is interested in all aspects of 3D art and would like to pursue a career as a technical director.  This is her first year attending the SIGGRAPH conference.  She studied computer science at UCSD and worked at the San Diego Supercomputer Center for a few years.

Valerie Tuffy

Currently a candidate for the Bachelor of Science degree in Media Arts and Animation at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco.  Her specialization is in 3D animation and she will be graduating this September.  This is her second SIGGRAPH, and her first time volunteering at the conference.  She served as Treasurer/Secretary for the San Francisco ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter from 2006-2007 and assisted Hans Westman with the E-Quarterly newsletter in February.

Fascinating tidbit:  She directed a short film for the 48-Hour Film Project in 2006 that won Best Special Effects.