Art Directors Guild elects first all-female group of executive board officers

The Art Directors Guild announces Production Designer Dina Lipton has been elected President of the ADG, succeeding outgoing President Nelson Coates who completes 8.5 years at the helm of the Guild.

Lipton will lead a twenty-member Executive Board. For the first time in the Guild’s history, the four top ranking members are all female executive officers.

“I’m thrilled to assume the role of President,” says Lipton. “Thank you to my fellow Guild members for voting me into this role. I’m looking forward to working hard on behalf of the membership during my term.”

Members of the ADG elected Senior Set Designer Kristen Davis as Vice President and Supervising Art Director Helen Harwell as Treasurer. Art Director/Senior Set Designer Judy Cosgrove is elected as Secretary. All four officers will serve three-year terms commencing June 1, 2024.

“Celebrating the results of our elections this year, we’re excited to highlight the milestone of electing all-female executive officers for the first time in the Guild’s herstory,” says ADG National Executive Director Chuck Parker. “I look forward to the leadership they will provide over the next three years.”

Each of the four crafts that comprise the ADG also selected leadership during this election. The Art Directors Council (AD) reelected Miranda Cristofani as AD Craft Board Trustee and renamed Rachel Robb Kondrath to the AD Board. Alex Gaines and Tracy Dishman will return to their roles as two of the four AD Council Members, joined by new members Emma Koh and Marcia Hinds.

Illustrators, Storyboard Artists and Matte Artists (IMA) council members elected Matthew Cunningham as IMA Craft Board Trustee and Fae Corrigan as IMA Craft Board Member. The four IMA council member roles will be filled by Phil Saunders, Stephen Platt, Zachary Berger and Rick Buoen.

Thomas Taylor steps into the role of Craft Board Trustee for the Set Designers and Model Makers (SDMM) Council, while Shelley Wallace is re-elected to the Board. Chad Frey, Anne Porter, Daniela Medeiros and Taura Rivera will serve as the four SDMM Council Members.

The Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists (STG) Council reinstated Dionisio Tafoya as its Board Trustee, alongside newly elected Caitlin Miller to the role of STG Craft Board Member. Cristina Colissimo and Eric Rosenberg will resume their roles as two of the four STG Council Members, joined by new member Sara Escamilla. Sarah Gonzalez is shifting from the STG Craft Board to being the fourth member of the STG Council.