ASIFA-Hollywood

Catch Samantha Newark as a panelist at ASIFA-Hollywood and Saturday Morning Cartoons United’s Panel: Why Do Saturday Morning Cartoons Still Matter—and How Are They Shaping the Next Generation? on Saturday, July 25th, 2026 from 10am-11am PT at Room 9!

As the iconic speaking voice of Jem in Jem and the Holograms and a featured voice in Transformers, Samantha Newark has been a staple of pop culture history for decades. But her talents stretch far beyond the voice-over booth. Samantha is a deeply passionate singer-songwriter currently writing her fifth solo studio album. Whether she is crafting emotional new tracks or geeking out with her wonderfully devoted fans at global conventions, Samantha brings infectious warmth to everything she does. Thanks to a massive resurgence of brand-new Hasbro collectibles, she continues to bridge the gap between childhood nostalgia and modern musical artistry.

Learn more about this panel and organizations:
SDCC Panel: https://comiccon2026.sched.com/event/2Qbt6/why-do-saturday-morning-cartoons-still-matter-and-how-are-they-shaping-the-next-generation
ASIFA-Hollywood: www.asifa-hollywood.org
Saturday Morning Cartoons United: www.cartoonsunited.com

Catch Matt Danner as a panelist at ASIFA-Hollywood and Saturday Morning Cartoons United’s Panel: Why Do Saturday Morning Cartoons Still Matter—and How Are They Shaping the Next Generation? on Saturday, July 25th, 2026 from 10am-11am PT at Room 9!

Emmy Award winner Matt Danner is a well-established Director/Writer, Executive Producer, and Creator in the animation industry. He has worked with Disney, 20th Century Studios, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Mattel, among other studios. Matt has just completed season three of Disney Junior’s MUPPET BABIES as the Executive Producer, Supervising Director, and Writer. He also spearheaded the development for the entire series. Matt is currently directing a series of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID movies for Disney+. For television, Matt has worked on the iconic LEGEND OF THE THREE CABALLEROS, THE LOONEY TUNES SHOW, and GRAVITY FALLS. Other credits include XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN, DAN VS, JOHNNY TEST, WANDER OVER YONDER, and many more shows!

Learn more about this panel and organizations:
SDCC Panel: https://comiccon2026.sched.com/event/2Qbt6/why-do-saturday-morning-cartoons-still-matter-and-how-are-they-shaping-the-next-generation
ASIFA-Hollywood: www.asifa-hollywood.org
Saturday Morning Cartoons United: www.cartoonsunited.com

Find ASIFA-Hollywood at San Diego Comic Con and check out one of our Booth #1532 Exclusives: Meet Emily Brundige!

Emily Brundige is the creator of GOLDIE on Apple TV+ and the mind behind the cult-favorite YouTube series Pubertina, as well as the founder of her one-woman animation studio, Li'l Toughy. She’s an Emmy-nominated storyteller who served as Head Writer on the Emmy- and Annie-winning Hilda (Netflix) and Nickelodeon/Paramount+’s Big Nate, and she also recently earned an Emmy nomination for her work on Goldie. With over a decade of experience, Emily specializes in crafting original, heartfelt, and slightly oddball stories for kids and families.

She recently self-published A Guide to Developing Animated Shows, a practical and personal resource for aspiring creators praised by animation legends Joe Brumm (Bluey), Jorge Gutierrez (El Tigre), and Chris Viscardi (The Adventures of Pete & Pete). Her latest project, Strawberry Vampire, is a Kickstarter-backed pilot animatic about a family of strawberry-draining vampires trying (and often failing) to blend into American suburbia... and it went viral within 48 hours of its YouTube premiere.

Emily Brundige will be at the Booth on the following dates/times:
Thursday, July 23rd from 11am-3pm

To learn more about ASIFA-Hollywood, visit www.asifa-hollywood.org

Catch Bettina Bush as a panelist at ASIFA-Hollywood and Saturday Morning Cartoons United’s Panel: Why Do Saturday Morning Cartoons Still Matter—and How Are They Shaping the Next Generation? on Saturday, July 25th, 2026 from 10am-11am PT at Room 9!

Bettina Bush’s career highlights and on-going passion is children’s entertainment. She began her professional journey as a youngster, voicing pop culture icons such as Rainbow Brite, My Little Pony’s Megan, and many more. She spent most of her life in sound studios singing children’s records and scores (Paint A Rainbow in Your Heart, Minnie & Me) and acting (Rugrats, Madagascar, Ben 10, Final Fantasy). A published author, Bettina loves guesting on shows such as TODAY and Access Hollywood, running her production company, and connecting with her fans at Comicons, all while raising her two multicultural kids and rescue pup. With both her children’s book “Once Upon A You” and her children’s album “Once Upon A Rainbow”, Bettina champions her family legacy of creating a society of belonging and inclusion where diversity is celebrated and children are empowered to be their unique selves.

Learn more about this panel and organizations:
SDCC Panel: https://comiccon2026.sched.com/event/2Qbt6/why-do-saturday-morning-cartoons-still-matter-and-how-are-they-shaping-the-next-generation
ASIFA-Hollywood: www.asifa-hollywood.org
Saturday Morning Cartoons United: www.cartoonsunited.com