Mary Nittolo

Mary Nittolo is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the STUDIO, an independent creative production and animation company committed to visual storytelling with purpose. Founded over 35 years ago, the STUDIO has collaborated with clients like Disney, Viacom, major brands, artists, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations to bring ideas to life across mediums—from film to advertising to exhibition design to data visualizations to advocacy campaigns.

Mary’s own journey—from a streetwise Brooklyn kid to a Philosophy and Comparative Religions major and creative entrepreneur—shaped her commitment to equity, curiosity, and transformation. She’s judged top creative awards including the Webbys, Clios, AICP, and ADCOLOR, and shared insights at global design and media forums. She’s taught at NYU and Hostos Community College and is a longtime advocate for education that empowers.

Mary currently sits on the board of Brooklyn’s AoIT High School, which fosters tech pathways for underrepresented youth, and Worldview Development USA, an organization building sustainable infrastructure and opportunity in communities around the world. Over her career she has mentored numerous students abd women owned businesses.

She sees design as infrastructure—and creativity as a civic tool. At her core, Mary is still that kid from Brooklyn: questioning everything, learning relentlessly, and always looking for a better way to tell the story.