Peter Tatara, who has been running AnimeNYC since it launched in 2017, is stepping away from the day-to-day management of the show but will continue to be active with parent company Leftfield Media as a consultant, providing training and strategic support. MK Goodwin, who has been running Leftfield’s comic cons, has been promoted to Event Director of AnimeNYC and will take the reins with an expanded team.

Tatara has also taken a new job as Director of Film for the Japan Society, a New York-based organization that organizes a number of different cultural events. Tatara will oversee the society’s year-round film programming and will be the organizer of their film festival Japan Cuts.

Goodwin joined Leftfield Media in 2021 as Portfolio Director, with responsibility for the company’s two comic cons, Awesome Con and Rose City Comic Con. She came to Leftfield with over a decade of experience with ReedPOP and Reed Exhibitions. As Event Director at ReedPOP, she was in charge of Emerald City Comic Con (see “Emerald City Wraps Up Another Solid Show”) and Keystone Comic-Con.

Tatara was the Marketing Director for Central Park Media, an anime and manga company, and in 2007 he moved to Reed Exhibitions, where he was Programming Manager for the 2007 New York Comic Con and the inaugural New York Anime Festival, which took place the same year (see “NY Anime Festival Names Programming Manager”). He moved to LeftField Media in 2015, and in 2017, he launched the first AnimeNYC in 2017 (see “LeftField Announces New Anime Show for New York”). Tatara has been LeftField’s VP-Anime Events since 2017 (see “Tatara Promoted to VP-Anime Events”).