Women Leading the industry: Monique Bradshaw

Monique Bradshaw is the Head of Product for Media & Entertainment at CoreWeave. An accomplished leader, she has over 25 years in the Media & Entertainment industry, with extensive experience in visual effects and animation studios. 

Her career in Media & Entertainment began at Industrial Light & Magic in the Systems R&D team during the critical transition from monolithic compute infrastructure to distributed Linux render farms. Since then she has held key technology leadership roles in studios delivering groundbreaking productions, including Head of IT at Animal Logic (Happy Feet), CTO at Weta Digital (Avatar), and Head of Technology for Animation (Star Wars: The Clone Wars).

Her focus has been on delivering and managing the technology platforms, from production pipelines to large infrastructure build-outs, needed to achieve award-winning results. Having directly experienced the challenges studios face in meeting and managing the intensive compute requirements of modern digital productions, she became VP of Business Development & Operations at fledgling startup Conductor, a multi-cloud SaaS platform spun out of VFX studio Atomic Fiction, to focus on enabling studios to access and manage the capabilities of on-demand public cloud infrastructure for rendering. In 2023, Conductor was acquired by hyperscaler CoreWeave. She is a long-standing member of the Visual Effects Society.

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What drew you to work in this industry?

I was drawn to this industry by the combination of creativity and technology. As an avid reader, I’ve always been captivated by stories that make me feel deeply or see the world differently. While I’m not a writer or an artist, this industry offers many roles that are essential to bringing stories to life. Knowing that my work in technology contributes to experiences that move and inspire people is a privilege that few other industries can offer. 

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What part of your work brings you the most joy, and what fuels your passion and motivation in your career?

I find working with amazing people to solve complex production challenges incredibly rewarding. Every show, every studio, and every team is unique, which means no two problems are ever the same. The opportunity to bring together diverse perspectives and expertise to design solutions—often for something that’s never been done before—is both energizing and deeply fulfilling.

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What's the most empowering career advice you've received?

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Early in my career, while working in Systems R&D, I was responsible for developing technical solutions to complex challenges that often required significant investments in software and/or hardware. I sometimes hesitated to recommend options with large budgets, even when I believed they were the right choice. My manager would always respond with a simple but powerful question: “Is it the right thing to do? Then do the right thing.” That advice was transformative. It told me that I was trusted to analyze problems thoughtfully, understand the implications, and make sound decisions. I’ve carried that question with me ever since, using it as a touchstone when facing a difficult decision, and passing it along to others.

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What advice would you give a young woman starting in the industry?

Believe in yourself and stay open to the breadth of what this industry can offer. When I began my career, there were very few women in technology roles or senior creative positions, and even fewer female VFX supervisors, directors, or CTOs, but progress has been driven by women who believed in their abilities and kept moving forward. While there’s still work to do, this industry is constantly evolving, creating new roles and opportunities all the time. Focus on honing your craft, stay curious, and don’t let others define the limits of what you can do. While challenges are inevitable, there is always a path forward.

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If you could give your younger self one piece of career advice, what would it be?

The most difficult problems and the hardest decisions are almost always where you can make the greatest impact. Do your homework, trust your judgement, and do the right thing, even when it feels overwhelming. 

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Given the incredible women making waves across our industry, do you believe there's more our industry could do to support their advancement?

I believe there is always more we can do. I would especially like to see more formalized mentorship and networking opportunities supported by guilds, unions, and other industry organizations. Because women remain underrepresented in many senior roles, it can be challenging for younger women to find mentors—particularly if they want exposure to a different discipline.

Cross-disciplinary mentorship programs could be especially impactful, helping women better understand the full breadth of career paths available and empowering them to pursue opportunities they might not otherwise see.

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What does International Women’s Day mean to you personally?

For me, International Women’s Day is both a celebration and a call to action. It is a marker of the meaningful progress that has opened doors for women to pursue their ambitions, while also reminding us how much work remains. True equity means equal opportunity and equal standards—and until that becomes the norm, the day serves as both recognition of achievement and motivation for continued progress.

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