Teni Melidonian Exits as AMPAS Chief Oscars Officer
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- Teni Melidonian is stepping down from her full-time role as chief Oscars officer at AMPAS as the Academy prepares to move the ceremony to YouTube in 2029
- AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer informed staff of the transition via email, according to sources familiar with the memo
- Melidonian had served as the lead liaison between the Academy and Disney/ABC during her tenure
- She will remain involved with AMPAS in a consultant capacity rather than departing entirely
- Awards production is shifting under Jennifer Davidson as part of the reorganization tied to the YouTube move
Why it matters: The leadership change comes precisely as AMPAS restructures awards production around its 2029 move to YouTube, meaning Melidonian's Disney/ABC liaison experience becomes less central while Davidson inherits the operation in transition. Her retention as a consultant signals the Academy wants continuity of institutional knowledge during a platform switch that upends decades of broadcast tradition.
