Marvel Studios executive VP of production Victoria Alonso has been named keynote speaker for SIGGRAPH 2019, which runs July 28-August 1 in downtown Los Angeles. 

One of few women in Hollywood to hold such a prominent title, Alonso’s dedication to the industry has been admired for a long time, leading to multiple awards and honors, including the 2015 New York Women in Film & Television Muse Award for Outstanding Vision and Achievement, the Advanced Imaging Society’s first female Harold Lloyd Award recipient, and the 2017 VES Visionary Award (another female first). A native of Buenos Aires, her career began in visual effects and included a four-year stint at Digital Domain.

Alonso’s film credits include productions such as Ridley Scott’s “Kingdom of Heaven,” Tim Burton’s “Big Fish,” Andrew Adamson’s “Shrek,” and numerous Marvel titles — “Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Iron Man 3,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Thor: The Dark World,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Ant-Man,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Thor: Ragnarok,” “Black Panther,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” and, most recently, “Captain Marvel.”

“Victoria is the ultimate symbol of where the computer graphics industry is headed and a true visionary for inclusivity,” said SIGGRAPH 2019 Conference chair Mikki Rose. “Her outlook reflects the future I envision for computer graphics and for SIGGRAPH.”

In its 46th year, the SIGGRAPH conference looks to inspire the next generation, inclusive of gender, race, ability, and beyond.

“I’ve been attending SIGGRAPH since before there was a line at the ladies’ room,” said Alonso. “I’m very much looking forward to having a candid conversation about the state of visual effects, diversity, and representation in our industry.”

She added, “At Marvel Studios, we have always tried to push boundaries with both our storytelling and our visual effects. Bringing our work to SIGGRAPH each year offers us the opportunity to help shape the future of filmmaking.”

The 2019 keynote session will be presented as a fireside chat, allowing attendees the opportunity to hear Alonso discuss her life and career in an intimate setting. Registration is now open for SIGGRAPH 2019.