Inaugural Mitchell McClung AME Leadership Award to be presented at the 2024 AME Institute Burbank

Mitchell McClung AME Leadership Award to Honor Jack Mitchell, Kristine McClung and AME Educator Gayle Nicholls-Ali and AME Industry Partner Matthew Carlson

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, June 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The AME Institute is proud to announce the establishment of the Mitchell McClung AME Leadership Award, a prestigious recognition set to debut at the 2024 AME Institute Burbank. Named for Jack Mitchell and Kristine McClung, founders of the first AME Institute nearly a decade ago, this annual award celebrates exceptional vision, leadership, and contributions to the field of Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) education.

McClung, founding Director of the Coronado School for the Arts, and Mitchell, then the AME Sector Lead at the California Department of Education, saw the need to bring the Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) Career Technical Education (CTE) community together to connect and align their programs with industry practice. They established the first AME Institute (then called the AME Leadership Institute) through a California Department of Education grant in 2015. Their work to support professional development for AME educators elevated this new field and has impacted thousands of AME educators and hundreds of thousands of students across California.

The Mitchell McClung AME Leadership Award distinguishes itself by honoring two individuals annually: one outstanding AME educator and an exemplary AME industry partner whose efforts have significantly elevated AME education and industry collaboration. This year, the awards will be presented to:
Gayle Nicholls-Ali, is an esteemed design and photography educator renowned for her long standing leadership and dedication within the AME community. 2018 La Cañada USD’s Teacher of the Year, Gayle Nicholls-Ali has demonstrated leadership in this community as an AME Community of Practice Lead and AME Alignment Facilitator as well as a Girls Who Code advocate. Retired in the Spring of 2024, Gayle taught high school at La Cañada High School for 15 years and is an adjunct professor at Pacific Oaks College. She is a teacher leader for California Educators Together and the NAEA.

Matthew Carlson is the Director of User Experience Design for Education, Fonts, and Drawing & Painting at Adobe. He is recognized for his pivotal role in advancing AME education through collaboration with the California Department of Industry Advisory committee. In partnership with AME Institute and the California Department of Education, he also curated and hosted this year’s Adobe Design Career Series, a monthly virtual event streamed to classrooms where teachers and students interact directly with a diverse group of Adobe professionals. He has been a consistent and beloved contributor to AME Institute programming, notably hosting the Adobe afternoon programming and Happy Hour at the 2024 Bay Area Pop Up.

“These awards are a testament to the transformative impact of individuals like Kristine McClung and Jack Mitchell whose visionary leadership and tireless dedication shaped the future of AME education," said Ashley Adams, Executive Director of the AME Institute. "The contributions of Gayle Nicholls-Ali and Matthew Carlson exemplify the spirit of innovation and partnership that define the AME field. I’m so pleased to be able to honor all four of them at the AME Institute this year.”

"The Mitchell McClung Award for Excellence in Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) education not only honors outstanding achievements in our field, but also pays tribute to the visionaries who laid its foundation." said Allison Frenzel, Program Specialist for Career Technical Education at the California Department of Education. "Jack Mitchell and Kris McClung’s forethought, innovation, and unwavering dedication continue to empower educators to prepare students for creative careers across industries."

The Mitchell McClung AME Leadership Award ceremony will take place during the Kick-Off Event at the 2024 AME Institute Burbank, where McClung and Mitchell, Nicholls-Ali and Carlson will be celebrated for their outstanding contributions and achievements before an audience of AME educators, industry professionals, and stakeholders.

For more information about the Mitchell McClung AME Leadership Award and the 2024 AME Institute Burbank, please visit www.ameinstitute.org.

About the AME Institute: The Arts Media and Entertainment Institute (AME Institute) is a leading educational non-profit dedicated to training AME educators and strengthening the pipeline from public education to the creative industries. Their largest annual event, the AME Institute Burbank, welcomes over 600 educators and industry partners to Burbank for tours, trainings, and networking to support AME education. 2024 Sponsors for AME Institute events include Adobe, BRIC Foundation, California Film Commission, Certiport, CVL Economics, Dolby, Editmentor, Foundry, Soundtrap, Television Academy Foundation, Toon Boom, Visit Burbank, HTC VIVE Mars, Wacom Technologies, Warner Bros. Discovery, Wix Tomorrow, and Woodbury University. The AME Institute is supported through funding from the Snap Foundation and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Ashley Adams
Arts Media and Entertainment Institute
+1 619-743-0519
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