The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named Bridgette Wilder as its first chief people and culture officer, Wilder will report directly to Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy Museum director and president Jacqueline Stewart.

In this newly created position that combines the Academy and Academy Museum’s human resources teams, Wilder will be responsible for building a people-centric culture at the Academy. With a strong focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, Wilder will oversee talent management, organizational development and training, employee relations, compensation and benefits, HR systems and practices, and employee resource affinity groups. 

“We are thrilled to elevate Bridgette to this new and needed position at the Academy. She is strategic, compassionate and an incredible community and team builder. She is the perfect fit to lead our People and Culture team as we form a holistic leadership department—a department that is so vital to our day-to-day operations and mission. Bridgette’s commitment to, and vast knowledge of, the people and culture field is critical to our evolution as an organization,” shared Kramer and Stewart in a joint statement.

“I look forward to contributing to the Academy’s ongoing evolution in this new role. I have so enjoyed working with the Academy’s hardworking, passionate and diligent staff,” said Wilder. “We have so much fantastic team building work in front of us.”

Prior to this role, Wilder served as the interim chief people and culture officer for the Academy and as the Academy Museum’s VP of people and culture. In these positions, she partnered with senior leadership to implement best practices in the areas of talent management, compensation, employee benefits, legal compliance, employee relations, workers’ compensation and union relations.

Wilder previously held the position of VP and chief human resources officer at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). She also served as the chief human resources officer at Albany State University. Additionally, Wilder has held senior positions at Verizon and The Citadel at the Military College of South Carolina.

Wilder earned her BA in human resources from Birmingham-Southern College and a BS in workforce education from Southern Illinois University. She holds an MBA from Averett University, is a graduate of the Furman University/Riley Institute Diversity Leadership Academy, and is a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Humanitarian Award.