Member Profile: Jenna Villanueva
1. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
I am a student athlete majoring in video and animation. I have been animating for 3 years now working at my student job for the Recreation and Wellness marketing team.
2. What was your first job?
My actual first job was as a soccer referee for recreational and competitive soccer leagues. My first job working with animation is my current job on the Recreation and Wellness center’s marketing team.
3. Where did you complete your formal education?
Anticipated 2025 Video and Animation BFA at Cal State East Bay
4. How did you first get involved with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I participated as a speaker on the 2024 ACM SIGGRAPH Underrepresented Communities Grant Awardees Panel because I was awarded a grant!
5. What is your favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference?
My favorite memory at SIGGRAPH was listening to the talks from Disney Animation Studios, Dreamworks, Pixar, and the VR theater. It’s my dream to work for a big studio, so being in the presence of people who have made it big and seeing the work they were showcasing was so cool to me!The VR theater was such an immersive experience, the stories were inspiring, and the waiting queues being interactive added to the experience.
6. Describe a project that you would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community.
A project I would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community would be my take on a clip in Moana. For a class assignment, I had to remove all of the audio and add in my own voice overs, sound effects, and music clips. I have found a love for editing and really enjoy it!
7. If you could have dinner with one living or non-living person, who would it be and why?
If I could have dinner with a person it would be with Selena Gomez. She is such a sweet person, could carry on conversation forever based on the interviews I have seen of her, and I just loved the show Wizards of Waverly Place when I was younger, so I would ask her so many questions about that. I also enjoy watching her cooking show, and she seems like someone you would have a genuine and fun conversation with.
8. What is something most people don’t know about you?
When I was only 3 years old, I liked going through the DVD Menu to the Special Features to watch how cartoon movies were made. When I watched how the film was created, and the sound effects were made with objects that I didn’t not expect, I was so intrigued that people did this as a job! This inspired me to pursue a career in animation.
9. From which single individual have you learned the most in your life? What did they teach you?
The single individual that I have learned from the most in my life would be my mom. She taught me how to be the strong woman I am today. I have always wanted to be like her. I admire her handwriting, the way she is tech savvy, her cooking/baking, and how smart she is.
10. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH?
My animation and motion graphics professors influenced my decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH. Knowing that they are experienced in the field of animation and they know about SIGGRAPH, meant a lot to me.
11. What can you point to in your career as your proudest moment?
A moment I am very proud of is being the youngest panel speaker on the 2024 ACM SIGGRAPH Underrepresented Communities Grant Awardees Panel!