Full Sail University

Announcing the 13th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Class

Full Sail’s Hall of Fame ceremony is an annual event where we recognize a select group of graduates who have shown unique focus and dedication to their professional careers, and serve as continuing inspiration to our student body.

A photograph of the Hall of Fame award.

Full Sail University is proud to announce the 13th Annual Full Sail University Hall of Fame induction class, comprised of six graduates recognized for outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment media and emerging technologies. The induction of this new class of honorees will occur during Full Sail’s 13th Annual Hall of Fame Week, scheduled to be held April 16-21, 2023.

Full Sail’s Hall of Fame is a weeklong series of hybrid events featuring campus-wide and virtual offerings including:

  • Guest panels, lectures, workshops, and hands-on technology demonstrations from leading industry experts, influencers, and companies.
  • Career networking events focused on employment and mentoring for Full Sail students and alumni.
  • Technology Expo showcasing the latest in emerging technologies trends and interactive experiences.
  • Interactive Creative Challenges for students and alumni.
  • Live musical performances featuring a variety of artists and genres.
  • Gaming tournaments, film screenings, and more.

Several events will also be made available to the public via online streaming. The week will include an induction ceremony to celebrate and recognize this latest class of inductees.

The inductees to be honored during the 13th Annual Hall of Fame Week are:

A three-by-two grid of close-up portraits of the six inductees.

Brandon Blackwell

  • CEO & Founder of Blackwell Productions; Front of House, Monitor & Broadcast Mixer, Author
  • Brandon freelanced as an Audio Engineer and Production Manager for Chew Entertainment, where he worked with Music Director Ray Chew and his wife Vivian. During his time there, he mixed monitors for concerts and special events that included artist such as Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Usher, Pharrell, and the Isley Brothers, among others.
  • Brandon founded Blackwell Productions in 2014 and mixed monitors for R&B artist Ne-Yo. He then went on his first tour with one of the most iconic female groups of all time, TLC, as the Monitor Engineer and Production Manager.
  • Since starting his career, Brandon has worked alongside and mixed notable industry names like A$AP Rocky, Camila Cabello, Big Sean, Lizzo, 24kGoldn, Drake, Beyoncé (Oscars), Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar, and many more.
  • In 2022, Brandon and his wife Ariel wanted to bring awareness to the talented yet small audio engineering industry by writing a children's book called The Beat in My Head. It is the first children’s book focused on becoming an audio engineer.
  • 2013 Graduate (Show Production)

Aaron Hamilton Cook

  • Producer at Bioware
  • Aaron is an Air Force veteran and began working in the military and medical simulation sector of the industry on contracts for Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and various other agencies.
  • In an ongoing effort to give back to the students and graduates at Full Sail University, Aaron dedicates time to mentoring students and graduates, as well as speaking to the veteran student population and incoming students.
  • Additionally, Aaron has served several years on both the Gaming and Entertainment Business program advisory committees (PACs) at Full Sail.
  • Some of Aaron’s notable credits include Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, The Witcher 3, Dying Light, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit, James Bond, Wonder Woman, and the band The Dear Hunter.
  • 2012 & 2013 Graduate (Recording Arts and Game Design)

Caris Baker

  • Senior Technical Artist at Unity Technologies
  • Within the Artificial Intelligence Organization with Unity Technologies, Caris was responsible for designing and delivering synthetic datasets and synthetic dataset generators to train Computer Vision models.
  • Previously, in her role at Walter P Moore, she designed, developed, and delivered virtual reality (VR) tools and experiences, and improved data transformation pipelines from CAD to Unity. She became a champion for VR for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry through numerous public speaking engagements and co-authoring research papers.
  • Early in her career as a Lab Specialist in Game Design and Game Development at Full Sail University, Caris cared deeply for the students and their experience. Today, she continues to be an advocate and mentor through her volunteer work. She has served on the Game Art Program Advisory Committee (PAC), and she has taken part in countless guest lectures and panels.
  • Caris volunteers as a Unity SME at game jam competitions benefitting the medical and military simulation industries.
  • Caris discussed using game skills for practical applications on the 2021 Game Developers Conference (GDC) panel “!Games: Technical Art Outside of Games.”
  • She demonstrates her passion for art in her indie development career and her sole proprietorship Caris Captures, an illustration and caricature practice.
  • In 2019, Caris was awarded her place in The Walter Day Collection of Video Game and Pinball Trading Cards for her contributions to global gaming culture.
  • 2013 Graduate (Game Art)

Victor Herrera da Silva

  • CEO of Nuestra Visión and Founder & Managing Partner of ReadyAnt Studios
  • Victor currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Nuestra Visión – a 24/7 Spanish-language television channel owned by América Móvil, a Forbes Global 2000 company and leading telecommunications corporation that reaches millions of viewers in the United States through a network composed of over-the-air broadcast stations, MVPDs (DISH Network and DIRECTV), and digital live streaming services like Sling TV, DIRECTV Stream, Televisa Univision’s Vix, and Nuestra Visión’s mobile app. The channel features the most important and prestigious library of Mexican movies, live sports, news, sports news, and special events.
  • In addition, Victor founded ReadyAnt Studios, a full-service digital media and marketing agency focused on the metaverse, advertising, creative, and business fields. ReadyAnt Studios serves partners and clients in various industries and also produces original intellectual properties with projects surrounding technology and creative areas, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, marketing and advertising, business consulting, and creative content production such as mobile apps, game development, video production, motion graphics, and web development.
  • Previously, Victor worked at Verizon Enterprise Solutions. He backed the company’s efforts as head of the Special Projects department and was responsible for the design, development, testing and launching of interactive virtual applications, over 20 video productions, and special project initiatives to solidify presence, increase sales, and expand market penetration with Fortune 100 companies, corporate initiatives, and compliance.
  • Victor has been a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and had the opportunity to serve as Juror for the 2020 and 2021 International Emmy Awards.
  • 2007 & 2019 Graduate (Game Development and Entertainment Business)

Devan Renea

  • Staff Writer for Warner Bros. Television in conjunction with the OWN Network and Founder of Boss Up Productions
  • After graduating from her third Full Sail University degree program, Devan was accepted into the Emmys' prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship Program. She was later brought on as the assistant to the showrunner on shows from the Oprah Winfrey Network, and has worked as a writer’s assistant for DC Universe, as well as a writer’s assistant on Freeform.
  • Devan is a staff writer on season one of the upcoming Warner Bros. TV-produced, OWN drama series Delilah, and most recently she served as the script coordinator for Mike, the biography of Mike Tyson.
  • In her personal life, Devan is an entrepreneur and advocate at heart. She is the owner and CEO of Boss Up Productions, a multi-platform production company, and a dedicated screenwriting instructor for Kids in the Spotlight, a nonprofit filmmaking initiative for foster care youth.
  • Devan has served as the Board Co-Chair President of Black Employees of Warner Bros. She is also heavily involved in mentoring Full Sail alumni and has given back in classrooms, as well as being a panelist at campus and online events.
  • 2012, 2013, & 2015 Graduate (Film, Education Media Design & Technology, Creative Writing)

Jeff “Supa Jeff” Villanueva

  • Sound Designer/Recording Engineer at TyFy Studios
  • Jeff’s career spans every sector of the entertainment industry ranging from audio for TV and film, video games, concert tours, theme parks and attractions, and the music industry.
  • To date, Jeff’s work has contributed to over 110 million records sold worldwide and has earned him four Grammy awards.
  • Some of his most notable work as an engineer/mixer has been with super-producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, DJ Khaled, and The Runners of We the Best Music Group, and with artists such as Lionel Richie, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Usher, Mariah Carey, Drake, Rihanna, and many others.
  • Most recently Jeff's continued success and experiences have helped him cross over into the world of AAA gaming, working on titles such as Madden NFL 20 and NBA Live 19.
  • Jeff currently works as an Engineer/Sound Designer for TyFy Studios, adding his expertise to Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Worldwide with shows such as nighttime fireworks spectaculars, as well as to the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature Encanto, where he assisted in the recording of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”
  • 1998 Graduate (Recording Arts)

Since 2009, Full Sail University has celebrated the now time-honored tradition that is the Full Sail University Hall of Fame. Its purpose is to acknowledge those graduates who have made outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment media and emerging technologies throughout the university’s 40-plus-year history.

This honor serves as a tribute to the creative inspiration, technical brilliance, and determination of each inductee, their unyielding dedication to more than a decade of excellence in their professional career, and their heartfelt commitment to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Full Sail University.

Additional information regarding events and special guests will be announced closer to Hall of Fame Week.