BAFTA North America is delighted to announce the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors, bringing diverse expertise and leadership to its mission of celebrating and supporting excellence in film, games, and television. Joining the Board are Julia Bianco Schoeffling, Niels Swinkels, Siobhan Reddy, and Rochelle Rose. Julie La’Bassiere’s appointment to the Board earlier in 2024 is also formally recognized. Additionally, Sally Habbershaw has been appointed as Deputy Chair, succeeding Elliot Knight and Jon Katz has been appointed as Secretary, succeeding Betsy Rodgers.
“I am thrilled to welcome Julia, Niels, Siobhan, Rochelle to the board, to continue working with Julie, and celebrate the exceptional leadership of Sally and Jon” said Board Chair, Joyce Pierpoline. “Each of these individuals embodies the values and vision of BAFTA North America. Together, we will continue to champion creativity, inclusivity, and opportunity across the industries we serve.”
Julia Bianco Schoeffling is a voice and performance capture casting director and has played a pivotal role in expanding representation in media and redefining how talent is identified and cultivated. She is the co-founder and COO of The Halp Network, a leader in interactive media talent casting. Her casting credits include notable titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Spider-Man 2. Julia is also the author of The Art and Business of Acting for Video Games, a first-of-its-kind industry guide.
As EVP and Managing Director of Universal Pictures International, Niels Swinkels has overseen strategic direction and theatrical distribution efforts across global markets. With over two decades of experience at Universal, Niels has driven business development, market expansion, and regional partnerships, enhancing the studio’s reach and impact worldwide.
Siobhan Reddy, Studio Director at Media Molecule, is an industry innovator recognized for her contributions to inclusive game design. Under her leadership, Media Molecule created critically acclaimed titles like LittleBigPlanet and Dreams, fostering player creativity and connection. Siobhan’s commitment to inclusivity earned her the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship in 2021.
Rochelle Rose is the National Director of Performers Programs at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. She oversees the creation, development and delivery of innovative career-building training programs for SAG-AFTRA artists nationwide, which has expanded to nearly 10,000 programs under her leadership. With a deep commitment to empowering performers, her transformative work ensures they have access to the resources they need to thrive both personally and professionally, while navigating the evolving entertainment landscape. Rochelle is the executive producer of the twice Emmy-nominated Storyline Online, a global children’s literacy program reaching. She is a seasoned actor and is best known for her role as The Countess of Rothes in Titanic.
Julie La’Bassiere, Chief Strategy Officer at DDA, was appointed to the BAFTA North America Board in July 2024. An industry veteran with a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion, Julie has been at the forefront of innovative entertainment marketing and communication campaigns spanning across film and television for over 25 years.
In addition to the new appointments, Sally Habbershaw, EVP of the Americas at All3Media International, steps into the role of Deputy Chair, succeeding Elliot Knight. With an extensive career spanning global programming and content strategy, Sally brings a wealth of experience to her leadership position. She has been a dedicated advocate for elevating British talent and championing opportunities for underserved voices in the industry.
Jon Katz also joins the BAFTA North America leadership as Board Secretary, bringing his two decades of expertise as a motion picture and television business affairs executive and producer. He has held senior roles at leading studios and production companies, and has produced acclaimed projects such as Netflix’s Longest Third Date and HBO’s Emmy-nominated Paterno. Jon’s experience spans business strategy, creative development, and producing standout content, making him a valuable addition to the Board’s leadership team.
As a leading independent screen arts charity, BAFTA’s global academy of members is at the heart of everything they do—celebrating creative achievements, leading the conversation on the issues that matter, and striving for a better future for screen industries and the people that power them. Applications for membership will open March 2025. To learn more about BAFTA Membership and apply, please visit bafta.org/membership. For more information on BAFTA North America and its initiatives, visit BAFTA’s website.
About BAFTA
BAFTA’s mission as a charity is to champion the creative and cultural importance of the screen arts across film, games and television. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of talent initiatives and learning events that include masterclasses, lectures, scholarships, bursaries and mentoring schemes in the UK and North America, BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new screen talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For more, visit www.bafta.org. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726)
