Member Profile: Amira Malcom
1. What do your do, and how long have you been doing it?
I work in the nonprofit sector with an organization called Giving Compass – our work aims to improve donor education and use data insights to help practitioners better understand charitable giving. I’ve been at this for a couple of years now, though I’ve been working in corporate communications and project management for over five years with a number of other organizations including Diversity MBA, the Indianapolis Public Library, and.various arts organizations in my area.
2. What was your first job?
My first job was selling textbooks at the Barnes & Noble on what is now the Indiana University Indianapolis campus (formerly IUPUI). It wasn’t very glamorous, but it gave me a crash course in patience, problem-solving, and campus culture. That job is also how I met one of my closest friends – who I went on to work alongside at the Indianapolis Museum of Art for the next few years.
3. Where did you complete your formal education?
Indiana University! When I initially enrolled as a journalism major in 2013, the campus that is now locally known as “IU Indy” was called Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (say that 5 times fast!). By my sophomore year I had shifted my focus to general communications – only to be completely side-tracked when Big Hero 6 came out and I started attending my school’s SIGGRAPH club meetings. I went back to my advisor not long after and switched my major to media arts and science, determined to pursue feature film production. I graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Media Arts & Science and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography, with concentrations in art history, film production and storytelling. I am currently working on research for a dual masters program in library information science and philanthropy (also at IU), and hope to graduate by 2027. My concentrations there are in digital curation, cultural preservation, and new approaches to philanthropy in virtual spaces.
4. How did you first get involved with ACM SIGGRAPH?
My first experience with ACM SIGGRAPH was in undergrad when I started getting involved with my school’s student chapter. I wasn’t studying CG at the time; I just liked learning about animation and different methods of storytelling. I attended my first conference as a student volunteer in 2017 and have continued volunteering in various positions since then. My SV experience came full circle in 2025 when I had the honor of chairing the Student Volunteer Subcommittee in Vancouver.
5. What is your favorite memory of a SIGGRAPH conference?
Each conference has its own collection of special moments – it’s hard to pick just one! My first Vancouver conference in 2018 stands out as one that brought a lot of new experiences, one of which was exploring the Richmond Night Market with new friends. A lot of my favorite moments stem from the camaraderie of the SV program and the enduring friendships I’ve gained because of it.
6. Describe a project that you would like to share with the ACM SIGGRAPH community.
An ongoing project that I get excited about from year to year is actually a shout out to my friends on the ScavengeAR team! They developed the popular Pokemon Go-esque app that was present at the conference in 2017 and 2018. Participants scanned codes posted around the convention center to unlock different characters and interact with attendees. I think it does an amazing job of making the conference more interactive for attendees, and encouraging them to make the most of their experience at SIGGRAPH. I’m looking forward to seeing it come back soon!
7. If you could have dinner with one living or non-living person, who would it be and why?
Brad Bird is up there for sure – I think there’s so much to learn about his approach to storytelling. If I ever meet him, I want to ask about what some may see as a throwaway moment in The Iron Giant (one of my favorite movies). We get our first real bit of alone time with Hogarth after he finds out his mom is busy that night with work – we find him up late watching a scary movie under a blanket fort and eating whipped cream filled twinkies. The movie he’s watching is unnamed, but I’m so curious about how the development of this “film within the film” and if there were any bigger thoughts about its place in the narrative.
8. What is something most people don’t know about you?
People are often surprised to learn that I can speak Japanese – I studied the language in high school and college and have visited the country twice but am still far from being fluent! I’m still in touch with my host sister from my first homestay, so writing letters with her has been really helpful.
9. From which single individual have your learned the most your life? What did they teach you?
I don’t necessarily think I’ve learned the most from one individual person – I owe a lot of how I approach life these days to Ben Martinkus, Nichelle Hayes, AJ Christensen, Mahasin Ameen and others. I think what comes through most from that is how to be a good leader while also still being myself.
10. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your decision to work with ACM SIGGRAPH?
I don’t think I would have gotten the nerve to submit my first SV application without Zeb Wood, but the person who has influenced me most to continue to work with ACM SIGGRAPH after nearly ten years is AJ Christensen. He recruited me as a regional chapter liaison when he started his first term as chair of the Chapters committee – a role that gave me so much between the working relationships I’ve built with chapter leaders to experiences at conferences around the world. Working with him and the rest of our team on the PSCC has been so rewarding, and I’m honored to step into his role as Chair this year (2025).
11. What can your point to in your career as your proudest moment?
Being able to chair the Student Volunteer program at SIGGRAPH in 2025 was a huge honor. Having started out in SIGGRAPH as a student volunteer myself, I always feel at home with the infectious energy they bring to every conference venue and program they’re involved in. Being able to understand the experience from both sides was surreal, and reinforces my respect and gratitude for volunteers across the organization.