Tamika Etheart has been hired to lead the New York operations of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Starting Aug. 15, the former director of membership & events at The Paley Center for Media will hold the position of New York director of member relations & global outreach.
Also hired: Erica Babrenburg, who will serve under Etheart as New York’s senior coordinator of member relations & global outreach. She comes to the Academy from Max and began in her role last week.
These moves follow the departure earlier this year of Patrick Harrison, a longtime Academy employee — he was director of New York programs and membership from Feb. 2001 through July 2022, and then VP member relations and global outreach — who was popular with Tri-State members. At the time, some members expressed displeasure about the lack of transparency regarding Harrison’s “disappearance,” as well as a number of other matters that impacted New York members.
Shortly thereafter, the Academy retained Meredith Shea to serve as its chief membership, impact & industry officer, and she and colleagues have spent the subsequent months interviewing candidates to succeed Harrison.
“I am thrilled to let you know that we have hired fantastic new team members for both positions,” Shea said in a Monday missive to New York area members. She added, “Moving forward, the New York office will report directly into me. We are extremely excited to continue our presence in New York and to work with you all to celebrate cinema and build community.”
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