Brian Pohl
M&E Technical Program Manager, Epic Games
As Dean of the Unreal Fellowship, I've had the pleasure of teaching and working with an array of fantastically talented people. Nikki, who came to the Fellowship after the closure of Blue Sky Studios, is unquestionably one of our top 1 percent. Her friendly, energetic and motivated personality combined with her commitment to producing technically proficient and artistically beautiful works of animated art, motivated me to invite her to become a technical artist / teacher's assistant and later a mentor within the Unreal Fellowship. Nikki takes her job seriously. Always willing to volunteer, Nikki will embrace each challenge with determination. Many of the Fellows she mentored consistently commented on her professionalism and willingness to go the extra mile. She always lead by example. Nikki will always have a place at our family table. As she strikes out to do even greater things, I look forward to inviting her back to share her new found experiences with future students in our program. She is a benefit to any organization lucky enough to have her as an employee.
Heather Brown
Materials Technical Director, Blue Sky Studios
Nikki rounds out any team well because she’s always strived to problem solve from a place of empathy. She leads by example and remembers what it’s like to be in different place in her career than where she is now. Her mentorship has been essential to my growth as an artist and as a person because she’s shown me that approaching things differently is in itself an invaluable skill.
Leadership comes naturally to some. Nikki is one of those people. Her ability to connect through her work is unparalleled and her standards are among the highest in her field. I strive to impress her more than any art director.
Talent courses through her veins, but she’s unafraid of vulnerability and recognizes the value of that trait in her fellow artists. I’d work worth her again in a heartbeat, and any team would be fortunate to have her as a member.
Nikki has been an influential artist at Blue Sky Studios for many years, even outside of her role. She is the type of person who can create beautiful artwork, and also grasp the technical workflows very quickly. She also has the capacity to assess workflow challenges and offer solutions that are at the best interest of the project, even if it means more work on her plate. Her understanding of the full pipeline, problem solving skills, critical thinking and artistic talents have earned her a high level of trust and confidence at this studio. She constantly offers up suggestions to help meet the creative vision of the projects, along with meeting it's needs with the art she personally creates.