AIE People
AIE Executive Staff
Chairman - John De Margheriti
John is a true entrepreneur, visionary and one of the most motivated and passionate people in the Australian Game Development Industry. After co-founding his Company, Micro Forté Pty Ltd in 1985 (a veteran Australian game development studio), he set out with the goal of establishing a training institution that would specialise in supplying industry ready artists, programmers and developers for the Digital Content Industry.
John’s goal came to fruition in 1996 when the Academy of Interactive Entertainment was officially opened. The campus was strategically co-located with Micro Forté Pty Ltd and has been producing top quality, industry ready graduates for over ten years!
Today, AIE has two campuses (both co-located with professional game development studios) in Canberra and Melbourne. The AIE has gained much recognition for being Australia’s premier Registered Training Organisation for the Computer Game Development and 3D Digital industries.
Johns is also the founder and Chairman of Canberra Technology Park (CTP), the Australian Game Developers Conference (AGDC), and BigWorld Pty Ltd (a Massively Multiplayer Online game middleware company).
John also founded the Game Developers Association of Australia (GDAA) at the inaugural AGDC in 1999, and acted as one of its main financial backers and treasurer until late 2005 when he resigned from the board to focus his energies on expanding BigWorld Pty Ltd. In December 2005, John also announced the closing of AGDC, Australia’s most successful and well known Game Developers Conference to provide the GDAA an opportunity to run an industry conference.
Executive Director – Vicki De Margheriti
Vicki has over 20 years experience in business administration and has been actively involved in the Digital Content Industry since 1985. Vicki was AIE’s CEO from 2001 to 2006 and continues to manage the operation of IE Events and Canberra Technology Park.
Vicki is currently a Director and the CEO of Canberra Business Parks Pty Ltd where she is responsible for the overall management of CBP Pty Ltd, the formulation of company policy and overall direction of the business.
Vicki is also a Director of BigWorld Pty Ltd and Micro Forté Pty Ltd.Chief Executive Officer - Ian Gibson
Ian, a graduate of Aberdeen University, has had extensive management and leadership experience in the schools and vocational education sectors. He has further founded adult education programs, established innovative student extension and support programs and designed innovative curriculum materials and delivery methods. He has also sustained a career as player and coach in professional sport in both Scotland and Australia.
Ian is a committed advocate and supporter of quality education wherever it is found and has made effective contributions as board member on a variety of state and national training and industry boards including the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, the Association of Private Training Providers, the Games Developers Association of Australia and a variety of training package, e-learning, international education and skills development groups.
He has led AIE’s growth in quality and scope since 2001.
Canberra Head of School - Neil Boyd
Neil Boyd, Head of School Canberra , has a distinguished career in education with AIE and in the NSW public education sector. Neil, a graduate of Sydney University, joined AIE In 2001 teaching the Diploma of Computer Game Development (Art). Neil has also worked as a freelance graphic artist, website developer and founded Kraken Studios, an independent 3D studio.
Neil is also actively involved on various boards, including the Game Developers Association of Australia and is an active particapant in various state and federal digital media programs.
Melbourne Head of School - Bruce Jenkins
Bruce's broad management experience ranges across a variety of media settings. Beyond games production experience on titles such as Spectrobes, Pirates of the Carribean 3 and Desperate Housewives, television credits include Line Producer for The Silver Brumby and The New Adventures of Ocean Girl animated television series. He was founding Creative Services Manager for the Madman Entertainment Group and has managed animation, film, web and DVD Studio and Production environments. Bruce also has strong Government experience acting as as Invest Victoria's eServices manager.
Bruce is an enthusiastic advocate of the promotion and development of Australia's screen, games and digital culture production capacities and remains a passionate advocate of expanding Australian film, television, games and digital media opportunities.
AIE Advisory Committee
Dr Barry Roantree
Dr. Barry Roantree is an Architect and has a Professional Doctorate in Environmental Design. He has extensive senior educational leadership and management experience in both Vocational and Higher Education Sectors in Australia.
Barry was appointed foundation Dean of Design at Canberra Institute of Technology in 1988 and held that position prior to his retirement from CIT in 2005.
As the Dean, Barry was instrumental in moving CIT’s Faculty of Design into the forefront of design education in Australian Vocation Education and Training. He initiated new fields of design study in areas of building design, interior design, graphic design, photography, fashion, computer-aided design and graphics, printing and graphic arts, multimedia and digital animation. successfully introducing two new CIT Bachelor of Design qualifications
Barry has formal tertiary qualifications in education with a particular expertise in teaching practices in design education and developing the new skill sets required for design practitioners in post-industrial economies.
Barry is assisting the Academy for Interactive Entertainment develop its capacity to deliver a range of programs specifically targeted to people currently working in or aspiring to animation careers in the rapidly emerging creative digital media industries.
David Giles
Initially David came from a background in Tertiary education
specialising in Media studies and film and video production. David
taught on a sessional basis at Deakin University after completing
his bachelor of education. During this time he completed
a Master of Arts focusing on cultural and ethical dilemmas
facing society as it moved into the digital information age.
In 1995, David began working at Beam Software, Australia's oldest and largest video game company as a senior producer. Beam was taken over by Infogrames/ATARI in 1999 and David continued to work as both the Studio Manager and Director of Development until the middle of 2003.
David was involved in the development and production of the following games: Dame was Loaded, KKND 1, KKND 2 krossfire, Alien Earth, Dehtkarz, GP500, LeMans, Looney Tunes Space Race, Men In Black 2 and Transformers.
David joined AIE in 2003 as Head of School Melbourne, where he helped grow the campus from just 30 students to over 100! David now works back in the games industry with Tantalus Entertainment, though he continues his involvement in education through AIE's advisory comittee.
Matt Curtis
Programming for a living since 1991, Matt has written software for everything from laser tag systems to market research tools. Working as a games and systems programmer for Melbourne House, his published credits include KKND2: Krossfire, Microprose GP 500, Le Mans 24 Hours, Looney Tunes: Space Race, Men in Black II: Alien Escape, Grand Prix Challenge, and TransFormers.
Matt joined the AIE in 2004 to develop and deliver the programming curriculum, drawing upon his experience writing games software for Atari Melbourne House, before taking over the reins of the Melbourne campus in 2006.
He also consults to games studios in the areas of sound engines and recruitment, speaks at game development conferences and events, and is a judge for the IGF Student Showcase (2007).
CLICK HERE for more information on our Canberra Staff
CLICK HERE for more information on our Melbourne Staff
