Media technology leaders drive innovation while also building and uplifting the media their communities. These strong leaders find themselves in high-ranking positions in their industry, and even volunteer to lead others outside their offices and laboratories. Sean Richardson is a great example. As a Sr. Solutions Architect at Dolby, and a Chairman of the SMPTE Rocky Mountain Section, Richardson has spent more than 25 years leading and mentoring the industry on multiple fronts.
“My SMPTE involvement began early in my career through standards education and the practical application of standards in specifications and everyday post workflows,” said Richardson when asked about his history with SMPTE. “As a leader in the SMPTE Rocky Mountain Section, I have helped program creative and engineering community-friendly sessions and facility tours, strengthening ties among technologists and vendors.”
Outside of the Society, Richardson has made a name for himself in the worlds of audio, Standards, and DEI initiatives. “Leslie Gaston-Bird, a creative force in immersive audio and a leading voice for DEI, mentoring underrepresented groups and ensuring new voices thrive in our industry, has been a real honor working with over the years,” said Richardson. “I also learned a lot from Tim Carroll and Jeff Reidmiller, influential audio innovators with practical, user-centric engineering approaches.” Sean also credits Jim Starzinski, Ray Milis, and Tomlinson Holman who shaped his approach to engineering, operations, and technology. “Their mentorship has been truly remarkable.”
At Starz/Lionsgate Richardson scaled multi-platform distribution and post operations. When he arrived at Dolby Laboratories he helped drive industry adoption of Dolby Atmos, Dolby AC-4, and Dolby Vision HDR across OTT, Pay TV, and device ecosystems. His work bridges standards, encoding, and cloud workflows with hands-on delivery at scale. He also focuses on applying AI/ML to QC, compliance metering, and distribution technology.
“I am proud of enabling large-scale deployments of Dolby Atmos/Dolby Vision in mainstream consumer experiences,” said Richardson when discussing his accomplishments. “And of launching early AI/ML pilots for QC and supply-chain automation. Mentoring engineers who have since become leaders in broadcast and streaming ranks alongside my other technical milestones.”
Richardson’s professional aim is to create advanced audio, and the workflows around it, more accessible, measurable, and automated with innovations in AI-assisted QC and scalable personalization like dialog clarity. For SMPTE, he hopes the Rocky Mountain section will continue to grow, attracting students, young professionals, and industry veterans alike, so everyone in the industry can have a place to expand their skills and build community.
Leaders like Sean Richardson bring media to larger audiences, including those who are traditionally part of underserved populations. They also bring people together, encouraging them to expand their networks and create lasting connections as fellow media tech professionals. “I am lifelong audio nerd,” said Richardson “I enjoy Front Range trail time, live sports, and tinkering in my home studio. But I also am an enthusiastic supporter of developer education and community tech events.”