Stephanie Allain, President

STEPHANIE ALLAIN is one of the most prolific African American producers working today. Her award-winning films by writer- directors of color make headlines, launch careers and shape the cultural landscape. Critical acclaim includes Oscars, Independent Spirit Awards, NAACP Image Awards and worldwide recognition at the Sundance, Telluride, Toronto, and Cannes Film Festivals.

Allain started her career as a studio executive at Columbia Pictures in the early 90s, championing John Singleton’s directorial debut, Boyz N the Hood, which earned $65 million and two Oscar nominations. She stayed at the studio for a decade, supervising seminal, independently spirited films by writer-directors, which include Poetic Justice, El Mariachi and Higher Learning.

In 1996, she became President of Jim Henson Pictures and produced Muppets from Space, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland and Buddy.

She founded Homegrown Pictures in 2003 to produce inspirational and aspirational films by and about women and filmmakers of color, including Biker Boyz, Hustle & Flow, Something New, Black Snake Moan, Peeples, Beyond the Lights, Dear White People, French Dirty, Burning Sands, Juanita, The Weekend, Really Love and more.

From 2011-2016, she served as Director of the LA Film Festival, turning it into the most diverse film festival in the United States and the first to report on its percentages of films directed by women and people of color.

As a writer, she adapted Misty Copeland’s best-selling memoir, Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina for New Line Cinema.

In 2020, she became the first African American woman to produce the Academy Awards for which she was Emmy nominated. Her TV credits include Justin Simien’s Dear White People, CW’s Make It Work and Ava Duvernay’s Zoom Where It Happens.

A long-time activist for inclusion and diversity within the business, she is a founding member of gender parity organization, ReFrame, and an active member of AMPAS and the Writers Guild of America. A former board member of Women in Film and Film Independent, she currently sits on the boards of American Cinematheque and the Producers Guild of America.

A recipient of the 2020 PGA/UCLA Vision Award, she has taught at UCLA, USC and is a frequent panelist and commentator.

 

Donald De Line, President 

DONALD DE LINE has collaborated with outstanding talent on both sides of the camera during his more than 25 years in the film and television industry.

De Line is currently developing a wide range of upcoming film and television projects under his De Line Pictures banner, headquartered at Warner Bros Pictures. He is currently filming a limited series about Billy the Kid and is in post-production on the feature “Don’t Make Me Go” for Amazon Studios starring John Cho.

Currently airing is the limited series “Chapelwaite”, based on Stephen King’s short story “Jerusalem’s Lot” and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, which De Line executive produced. He also produced 2018’s blockbuster “Ready Player One,” directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the bestselling book by Ernest Cline, which grossed over $580 million worldwide.

De Line scored his first major hit as a producer with 2003’s “The Italian Job,” starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and Edward Norton. His prior films include: Zach Braff’s “Going in Style”, starring Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin; Michael Bay’s hit “Pain & Gain,” starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson; Ridley Scott’s “Body of Lies”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe; and John Hamburg’s “I Love You, Man”, starring Paul Rudd. De Line also served as executive producer alongside M. Night Shyamalan on the popular series “Wayward Pines” on Fox.

In addition to his producing career, De Line was formerly a studio executive, serving as President and Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures, and President of Touchstone Pictures, a division of The Walt Disney Company. During De Line’s tenure, Touchstone’s films grossed in excess of $2.5 billion worldwide and garnered an impressive 24 Academy Award nominations.

Among the films he oversaw at Touchstone were “Pretty Woman,” “What About Bob,” and “Father of the Bride” and its sequel. Also under his aegis was Ron Howard’s “Ransom,” the Oscar- nominated biopic “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” Wes Anderson’s “Rushmore,” Tim Burton’s critically acclaimed “Ed Wood,” and the worldwide blockbuster “Armageddon.”

De Line serves on the Producers Branch Executive Committee at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as the executive board of UCLA's School of Theater, Film & Television.

 

Charles Roven, Vice President, Producing

CHARLES ROVEN is an American film producer and the president and co-founder of Atlas Entertainment. He has been a member of the Guild for over 20 years.

 

Steve Cainas, Vice President, Producing Team

STEVE CAINAS is based in Atlanta. He joined the PGA in 2010 and has been active in the East Coast Region. Steve graduated from Full Sail University with a film degree in 1992 and returns often to lead speaking engagements, as well as mentor students and recent graduates. He has served 30 years in our industry, predominantly as a Production Coordinator and Production Supervisor on over 50+ feature film and television productions with award-winning producers and directors. Steve’s credits include Sweet Home Alabama, Twilight Breaking Dawn, Fast 8, Lost, True Detective, Jack Ryan, and several AMC Network series with filming locations throughout the US, Cuba, Colombia, & Canada.

 

Tonya Lewis Lee, Vice President, Eastern Region

TONYA LEWIS LEE is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, award-winning author, successful entrepreneur, and tireless women's health activist. Her creative work and her advocacy often explore the personal impact of social justice issues. Through her documentaries and her books, she has easily reached tens of millions with her important health messages. Aftershock (Hulu), a feature-length documentary she co-directed and co-produced, highlights the United States' maternal mortality crisis. It received numerous awards including a 2024 DuPont-Columbia Award, a 2023 Peabody Award, a 2022 Sundance Special Jury Impact for Change Award, and a 2023 Emmy Award nomination.

As a television producer, Tonya served as Executive Producer on the episodic series She's Gotta Have It (Netflix) and wrote and produced The Watsons Go to Birmingham (Amazon). As a film producer, she produced Monster (Netflix), which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. She is also president of her own production company, Madstone Company Inc. When she's not focused on being behind the camera, you can find Tonya in front of her computer crafting stories. She co-authored three children's books with her husband Spike Lee. The highly-praised Please, Baby, Please; Please, Puppy, Please; and Giant Steps to Change the World have sold over one million copies. Tonya tackled adult fiction with Crystal McCrary Anthony, co-writing The Gotham Diaries (Hyperion) which was hailed as "vicious," "funny" and "juicy" by Publisher's Weekly. She has also penned guest editorials for prestigious media outlets including The Hollywood Reporter. Tonya's staunch advocacy for women's health and dedication to activism has drawn her to be a spokesperson for the US Department for Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health as well as a member of the Board of Trustees of the March of Dimes and a Board Emeritus of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her work including being named to the 2023 Forbes 50 Over 50 list. As an entrepreneur, Tonya founded and became CEO of Movita Organics, an organic vitamin supplement company. For the past decade, it has provided a premium vitamin supplement to the marketplace and created an opportunity to bring to the forefront critical conversations about how women can access and achieve optimum health. Media outlets consistently invite Tonya to share her thought leadership around women's health, healthcare inequalities, and social justice. She has reached millions through her appearances on ABC News, CBS Mornings, ABC's The View, and NBC News Now. Tonya has been featured on dozens of podcasts and radio shows including NPR, The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Capehart, The Stephen A. Smith Show, The Breakfast Club, and more. From being a keynote speaker to engaging in panel interviews, Tonya has addressed audiences as large as 10,000 virtually and in person. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Harvard University, and Walmart are just a few of the prestigious organizations, universities, and companies who have invited her to speak.

Tonya is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and The University of Virginia School of Law. She is a member of the Writer's Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, and the Television Academy. Tonya is happily married to her husband, Spike Lee, has two adult children, and lives in New York.

 

Yolanda T. Cochran, Treasurer

An experienced and skilled producer, consultant and executive, YOLANDA T. COCHRAN is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (serving on the Executive Branch Executive Committee), Television Academy of Arts & Sciences and also the Board of Directors of the Producers Guild of America (PGA). Her dedication to the PGA includes having been a former national co-chair of the Women’s Impact Network committee, member of the Anti- Harassment Task Force (which was among the first of industry guilds to establish and publish specific guidelines for film and television productions), the One Guild Steering Committee as well as the Production Safety Best Practices Task Force.

Cochran is also a co-producer and co-host of the irreverent podcast series Dungeons ’n’ Durags which follows the hilarious journey of one nerdy black man’s crisis of racial identity and crisis of faith in an America turned upside down. Prior podcast productions include a documentary short and podcast mini- series entitled Breaking the Glass, highlighting and seeking solutions to challenges specific to gender and race in the entertainment industry.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she took on the role of SVP Live Action Production at ViacomCBS’ Kids & Family where she oversaw scripted and unscripted series and specials for Nickelodeon & AwesomenessTV (notable among them a reboot of iCarly, the resurgence of Nick News and the launch of new series That Girl Lay Lay and NFL Slimetime). Previously Cochran was VP Production at Walt Disney Television’s Freeform studio and network, overseeing Good Trouble, The Bold Type, Siren, Motherland: Fort Salem (among others) and prior to that was EVP Physical Production at Warner Bros. affiliated Alcon Entertainment. Her feature producing credits include: The Book of Eli, Dolphin Tale 1 & 2, Something Borrowed; Joyful Noise; Lottery Ticket, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Beautiful Creatures, Point Break, and The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture. In 2005, Cochran co-wrote and produced an independent thriller entitled Paved with Good Intentions. Other credits from her work behind the lens include: Life, Blue Streak, Nutty Professor II, Coyote Ugly and Dragonfly.

A former CPA, Cochran is an oenophile and native of Texas with proud familial roots in Louisiana.

 

Mike Jackson, Secretary

MIKE JACKSON is an Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning film, theater, and television producer. As co-founder and managing partner of Get Lifted Film Co., a production company which has developed projects with major networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, HBO, Showtime, Netflix, and FX, Jackson harnesses his Philly hustle and unparalleled tenacity to bring elevated multi-cultural content to global audiences alongside Ty Stiklorius and EGOT-winner John Legend.

Jackson’s current projects include Loudmouth, a documentary about Reverend Al Sharpton who has been at the center of the national conversation around race since the late 1980s, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival; The Black Cyclone, a feature drama film about cycling champion Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor; the film The Long Way Down based on Jason Reynold’s award-winning novel which will be distributed by Universal; the film adaptation of S.A.

Cosby’s novel Blacktop Wasteland; and the latest season of the comedy series Sherman’s Showcase, returning this October to IFC.

Notably, Jackson produced David E. Talbert’s acclaimed holiday film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story and executive produced HBO docuseries Atlanta’s Missing And Murdered: The Lost Children, which received the AAFCA TV Honor for Best Documentary and was awarded “Best Multi-Part Documentary” by the International Documentary Association.

Jackson and Get Lifted also executive produced the HBO documentary 40 Years A Prisoner and the Netflix documentary Giving Voice. Additionally, Sherman’s Showcase: Black History Month Spectacular, a one-hour special on IFC and AMC, Rhythm + Flow for Netflix, which won the 2020 NAACP Image Award, ABC’s "John Legend and Family: A Bigger Love Father's Day”, Damien Chazelle’s Oscar®- winning musical La La Land, as well as NBC’s 2018 Emmy®-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live and the 2017 Tony® Award winning August Wilson play Jitney.

Aside from film/TV, Jackson and Get Lifted have partnered with Zando to form Get Lifted Books, which builds upon Get Lifted Film Co.’s mission of spotlighting stories from dynamic creatives. The imprint will publish brilliant authors, who transform the conversation, in both adult fiction and nonfiction as well as titles for young readers.

Last year under Jackson’s leadership, Get Lifted and Erik Feig’s Picturestart formed Picture Lift, a joint venture focused on developing, producing and financing multiple films in the $10M range, featuring diverse filmmakers and inclusive casts. Recently announced, Get Lifted and Universal Studio Group’s UCP inked a first-look deal for unscripted series and an exclusive multi-year overall deal for scripted content.

 

Kristie Macosko Krieger, Secretary

KRISTIE MACOSKO KRIEGER is a Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award, PGA Award, Emmy Award and BAFTA- nominated producer. She serves on the Executive Committee of AMPAS’ Producers branch, the PGA’s National Board of Directors, the Peabody Awards’ Board of Directors – West Coast, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Amblin Partners. Macosko Krieger is currently producing The Fabelmans (Universal) alongside close collaborator Steven Spielberg, and Bradley Cooper’s upcoming film, Maestro (Netflix). She recently produced Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated West Side Story (Disney), and executive produced Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar- nominated The Trial of The Chicago 7 (Netflix) and the Emmy-nominated HBO film Oslo.

 

Bianca Ahmadi

BIANCA AHMADI is a New York-based Post-Production Supervisor with over 15 years of experience in the television industry. She has worked on projects for Vice News, A&E, and the Tribeca Film Institute. Bianca graduated with a M.A. from The New School University and has lived and studied in both Europe and South America. She recently finished a 3-part documentary series about talk radio and how it has shaped the Republican Party. Prior to that, she delivered 8 feature films during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021, she has been a member of the National Board of Directors for the Producers Guild of America.

 

Autumn Bailey-Ford

AUTUMN BAILEY-FORD has been deemed as a results-driven and highly qualified entertainment executive, specializing in Independent & Studio Film Productions. She has produced multi-award winning films and documentaries such as Maynard (2017), Broken Chains (2021), Through The Glass Darkly (2020), Tulsa (2020), Mine 9 (2019), and On A Wing And A Prayer (2023).

 

Fred Berger

FRED BERGER is an Academy-Award nominated, Emmy winning, and Golden Globe winning film and television producer based in Los Angeles.

Berger produced Damien Chazelle’s musical La La Land, which won a record seven Golden Globes and six Academy Awards (nominated for a record 14). The film has grossed nearly $500m worldwide and earned Berger awards from the PGA, BAFTA, Critics Choice, AFI, and NY Film Critics Circle among others.

Berger won an Emmy and was nominated for a PGA award for Cory Finley’s Bad Education, which secured a record-breaking deal from HBO Films.

In 2016, Berger partnered with Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Midnight Special, Loving) under their Automatik banner, as well as with literary and talent management company Grandview.

Berger and Kavanaugh-Jones have produced over 50 films together, including Alma Har’el’s Honey Boy, Karyn Kusama’s Destroyer, Roseanne Liang’s Shadow In The Cloud, Max Minghella’s Teen Spirit, Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade, Benedict Andrews’ Seberg, and Michael Pearce’s Encounter.

Berger is in post on Kaleidescope, a high concept heist series for Netflix, and in pre-production on James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet for Fox Searchlight.

 

Melanie Cunningham

MELANIE CUNNINGHAM is an Emmy-nominated producing MacGyver!

With credits such as NatGeo, PBS, History, & Smithsonian on her resume, she is more than familiar with major networks’ inner workings, yet amazingly has managed to hold steadfast to her core ethical values. Integrity, diversity… and of course, the color PINK, are the themes that have made her life’s calling sparkle!

Melanie started her television career as an archival assistant for Ken Burn’s film, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. Over the years she has honed her experience in documentaries into a magical, glitter- filled, character-driven storytelling machine. All the while, never forgetting her small-town New England roots… she says WICKED a lot!!!

As an active member of the Producers Guild of America, she’s not only an elected AP Council delegate, she has served 3 consecutive years as the board’s secretary. Her other PGA duties include sitting on the One Guild Steering group & helping organize the semiannual job forum.

In her spare time, Melanie enjoys pole dancing and binge-watching 90s sitcoms!

 

Linda Evans

LINDA EVANS is a producer who develops and produces both television and film. Her most recent production, Tripped Up, released around the world in 2023. The film was directed by a first-time female director and is distributed by Universal internationally and Decal domestically. Linda has founded and runs two production companies with various producing partners, Lunch Hour Productions and KittenPlan Entertainment. She’s building an inclusive, collaborative team of exceptional talent to deliver powerful experiences as well as engrossing stories.

Over her 25 years in corporate entertainment, Linda held executive and creative leadership positions at HBO, Arista Records, Turner Networks, AOL, Time Warner Cable. Her goal then and now is finding the best way to tell a story and create a memorable experience for the audience.

While still at NYU, Linda began her production career filming concerts, music video series and producing industry events. She went on to produce Off-Broadway shows, multiple NYC concert series and national concert tours.

As a long-standing member of the Producers Guild of America, Linda co-chaired the Women’s Impact Network and assembled an international community of producers for bi-weekly Zooms to share ideas. Collaborators included industry experts like Alana Mayo, President Orion Pictures, Rob Williams, SVP Theatrical Motion Pictures, for JuVee Productions and Kent Sanderson, President Bleecker Street Media. Linda champions industry change for key issues championing equity across the industry with tools for producers to find new talent and new stories; to run a green set and adhere to safety protocols.

Winner of over 40 industry awards - Cleos, Webby Awards and One Pencil. Long-standing member of PGA and NYWIFT. Graduated NYU/Steinhardt with a BS in Music, Business & Technology.

 

Mike Farah

MIKE FARAH is the Chief Executive Officer of Funny Or Die, the premiere comedy brand known for its award-winning content. He has produced television series, feature films, and digital programming. Prior to becoming CEO, Mike was Funny Or Die's President of Production and won two Emmy Awards as executive producer of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis. Select credits include the Emmy-nominated Billy on the Street, the Peabody Award-winning American Vandal, and Players.

Mike is from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is a graduate of Indiana University. He began his career in entertainment as a food expeditor at The Standard, Hollywood.

 

Jennifer Fox

JENNIFER FOX is an American film producer. From 2001 to 2007, she was president of Section Eight Productions; before that she was Vice President of Production at Universal Pictures. Fox was nominated for an Oscar in 2008 for her production work in Michael Clayton.

In 1997, she was appointed head of the development department at Universal. Two years later, she moved to the vice president of the company and supervised feature film production. One of the first films created under her leadership was Steven Soderbergh's 2000 environmental drama Erin Brockovich, with Julia Roberts in the Oscar-winning title role.

In 2001, Fox became head of Section Eight Productions, the production company founded by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney in 2000. During Fox's tenure, the company produced Ocean's Eleven, Welcome to Collinwood, Full Frontal, Far from Heaven, Insomnia, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Ocean's Twelve, The Good German, and Ocean's Thirteen. Furthermore, she was involved at this time in the comedy Out of Sight by Soderbergh with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez.

In 2004, Fox first appeared as an executive producer with the detective film Criminal, starring John C. Reilly, Diego Luna and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Afterwards, she worked on the 2005 mystery drama The Jacket, starring Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley. In the same year, she also executive produced the George Clooney dramas Good Night, and Good Luck and Syriana and Rob Reiner's romantic comedy Rumor Has It with Jennifer Aniston.

For the legal thriller Michael Clayton (2007), Fox was credited as producer, together with George Clooney, Kerry Orent, Sydney Pollack, Steve Samuels and Steven Soderbergh. Fox, Pollack and Orent were nominated for an Oscar in the Best Picture category, but lost to Scott Rudin and the Coen Brothers for No Country for Old Men.

In 2009, Fox produced the romantic thriller Duplicity, with Julia Roberts in the title role, and the crime drama The Informant!, by Steven Soderbergh starring Matt Damon. She also produced the drama We Need to Talk About Kevin in which Tilda Swinton plays a mother who is struggling to build a relationship with her child. In 2012, she again worked with Tony Gilroy (they had previously collaborated on Michael Clayton and Duplicity), this time on the fourth installment of the Bourne film series, The Bourne Legacy. She also worked with Dan Gilroy on the 2014 thriller Nightcrawler, who made his directorial debut with this film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo.

 

Beth Fraikorn

BETH FRAIKORN is an Emmy® winning and nominated producer / executive producer with a deep industry reputation for her acumen in working with television specials and series, filmmakers, and distribution. Known for her expertise, passion, and digital business savvy, Fraikorn is a growth catalyst with a keen focus on content strategy and creation. From her early years in visual effects, Beth has gone on to establish and run studios in NY, LA, and Orlando (Disney®). Beth has launched divisions, spearheaded content development, created international co- productions, produced award winning documentaries, and overseen hundreds of hours of original, library and branded content. Beth now focuses on unscripted series and premium documentaries.

Beth has had the honor of working with great creatives and high prestige production and award-winning directors and is often a guest lecturer at universities. Fraikorn has received and been nominated for several industry and festival awards and served as a judge for the PGA, NATAS, BANFF, Real Screen, NYWIFT, etc.

 

DeVon Franklin

Named by Variety as one of the "Top 10 Producers to Watch" and by Oprah as “a different kind of Spiritual Teacher,” DEVON FRANKLIN is a Hollywood Producer and New York Times bestselling author blazing his own unique trail with an unwavering commitment to uplifting the human spirit through entertainment.

DeVon serves as President and CEO of Franklin Entertainment, a dynamic production company in conjunction with Paramount Pictures and CBS TV Studios. He’s the driving force behind some of Hollywood’s most successful inspirational films including Breakthrough and Miracles From Heaven and the soon to be released movie Flamin’ Hot for Disney and Kingdom Business TV series for BET.

In addition to his work as a producer, DeVon is also the author of multiple bestselling books such as The Success Commandments and his new Audible Original It Takes A Woman which is a deeply personal look into the tragedy that transformed his family’s life forever.

DeVon serves the greater Hollywood community at large as Vice-President of the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. DeVon is a graduate of the University of Southern California and lives in Los Angeles.

 

Donna Gigliotti

DONNA GIGLIOTTI is one of only eight women awarded an Academy Award for Best Picture. She has been Oscar nominated for producing Hidden Figures, Silver Linings Playbook, The Reader, and Shakespeare In Love (which won a total of eight Oscars).

Gigliotti was Emmy nominated for the 2018 ABC Academy Award telecast, the shortest show in modern Oscar history.

 

Jinko Gotoh

JINKO GOTOH is a BAFTA® winner and an Oscar®-nominated producer and consultant for the animation industry. Her strengths and passion include discovering and nurturing diversified creative talent and charting new technologies and creative processes.

Born in Japan, Gotoh's passion for animation sparked at an early age after two profound experiences: a viewing of “Lady and the Tramp” and a resounding meeting with the creator of “Astroboy,” Osamu Tezuka.

Her extensive producing screen credits include 2020 BAFTA winner and Oscar-nominated “Klaus,” “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” BAFTA winner “The Little Prince,” Oscar nominated “The Illusionist,” “9,” and Oscar-winning “Finding Nemo.”

Gotoh started her feature animation career as the CGI producer on the 1996 hit comedy “Space Jam.” She then became the Director of Digital Production at Walt Disney Animation Studios, overseeing the inevitable move to CGI animation and its extensive application on “Dinosaur” and many more films, including VFX work for The Secret Lab. In 2002, her experience led her to Pixar where she served as an associate producer on “Finding Nemo,” and since then, Gotoh's assignments have taken her around the globe, working for major studios and independent films.

Gotoh is devoted to advancing women and all underrepresented people in the industry. She serves as vice president for Women in Animation and as a Board of Governors for The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Math and a Master of Fine Arts in Film from Columbia University. She is also a published poet and the happy rescuer of many dogs.

 

Bob Greenblatt

BOB GREENBLATT is one of the few people in the television business who is uniquely distinguished as both an executive and an award-winning producer, known for his transformative leadership and innovative programming. His 35-year career encompasses unprecedented success in broadcast television, cable, streaming, and even the Broadway stage.

His first job as an executive was at the young Fox Broadcasting Company, where he played a pivotal role in developing and overseeing some of the network's most iconic shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, The X-Files, Ally McBeal, and Party of Five, and he also developed the pilot of The Sopranos. His work at Fox established him as a key figure in shaping the television landscape of the 1990s.

In 1997, Greenblatt co-founded The Greenblatt Janollari Studio with producing partner David Janollari. Over the next six years, their company was responsible for producing a varied range of successful series across multiple networks. Notably, Greenblatt served as an executive producer for the critically acclaimed HBO series Six Feet Under, a groundbreaking show that received numerous accolades (Golden Globe, PGA, GLAAD, and Peabody awards). The studio also produced the 2005 miniseries Elvis (CBS) and Gregory Nava’s American Family (PBS), both of which were Emmy-nominated, showcasing Greenblatt's versatility and commitment to bringing diverse narratives to the screen. In addition, his studio produced six African American sitcoms ranging from The Hughleys to One on One.

Greenblatt's career took a significant turn in 2003 when he was appointed President of Entertainment at Showtime. During his tenure, which lasted until 2010, he revitalized the network with a bold slate of original programming that positioned Showtime as a formidable competitor to dominant HBO in the premium cable space. He developed and supervised a slate of award-winning shows including Weeds, Dexter, Shameless, Californication, The Tudors, Nurse Jackie, and United States of Tara. Dexter has since become the service’s most successful series of all time, and Shameless, its longest-running. These programs not only garnered critical acclaim but also grew subscriptions and profits to a record level and helped redefine the boundaries of premium television, earning Showtime a reputation for high-quality, provocative content.

Greenblatt's impact on the television industry continued as he took on the role of Chairman of NBC Entertainment in 2011, following Comcast's acquisition of NBCUniversal. Under his leadership, NBC saw a resurgence in both ratings and critical acclaim, bringing the network back to #1 after ten years in last place. He was credited with turning around the network's fortunes through strategic programming decisions and a renewed focus on quality content, which delivered iconic franchises such as The Voice, the Chicago trilogy, This is Us, The Blacklist, Smash, The Good Place, and the revival of Will & Grace (to name a few). He also surprisingly revived the live musical genre for network television, starting with the 20 million viewers who tuned into The Sound of Music Live! and culminating in the Emmy-winning Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert! Greenblatt also rebuilt Universal television, which became a major supplier to both NBC and virtually every other programming service. It remains one of the largest and most prolific studios today.

In 2019, Greenblatt was appointed Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment, where he oversaw HBO, the Turner networks, and HBO Max, WarnerMedia's flagship streaming service, which launched in May 2020. His contributions were instrumental in laying the groundwork for the company's streaming strategy — now called Max — which currently has over 100 million subscribers and is distinguished with original programming ranging from the award-winning Hacks to The Sex Lives of College Girls, The Staircase, and The Penguin.

In addition to his television work, Greenblatt has made significant contributions as a producer on Broadway. He was the lead producer in bringing the musical adaptation of the film 9 to 5 to Broadway in 2009, with Dolly Parton as composer of her first Broadway show. It earned four Tony Award nominations. His involvement in the project highlighted his ability to successfully transition between different entertainment mediums. He has since won four Tony awards and two Oliviers for his work in theatre.

Currently, Greenblatt is an executive producer of HBO’s The Gilded Age, a project that took over a dozen years to get produced. He is lead producer with partners Neil Meron and Stephen Spielberg of the stage musical adaptation of Smash which will open Broadway next Spring. And he has embarked on a new venture with his own production company, The Greenroom, backed by a deal with Lionsgate Television. His ongoing work in the entertainment industry continues to reflect his passion for storytelling and his commitment to producing content that resonates with audiences worldwide.

 

Lynn Kestin Sessler

LYNN KESTIN SESSLER is a Peabody, Webby and Parent’s Choice Award-winning Producer and Development Executive who is the Senior Creative Director at Nickelodeon, overseeing the creative development and production of Nick’s audio and video podcasts- ranging from preschool ages up through YA.

Lynn has created TV digital and podcast programming for Nickelodeon, PBS, Netflix, HBO, Audible, Noggin, Sesame Workshop, Pinna and Common Sense Media. Lynn is honored to be in her second term as Co- Vice Chair of the Producer’s Guild New Media Council Board and is also a member of the Children’s Media Association’s Board of Advisors.

 

Samie Kim Falvey

SAMIE KIM FALVEY is the President of PICTURESTART, the discovery-of-voice focused media company, where she oversees all efforts in scripted and unscripted content across film, television, audio and print media. With an extraordinary track record in developing, producing and programming zeitgeist- shaping hits across multiple platforms, Samie excels at finding unique voices and helping them tell the most powerful, memorable stories.

She joined PICTURESTART from Imagine Entertainment, where she was Chairman of Imagine Television. In that role, she led the transition of Imagine Television from producing pod to boutique studio, with an eye to ownership and IP creation. Some of the projects she shepharded in her time there: Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, Swagger with Kevin Durant, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Why Women Kill, Ms. Pat, and Willow.

Samie's previous posts include leadership roles at M4 and ABC. At M4, the premium short-form mobile content service where she oversaw the development and production of all comedy pilots and international scripted formats for ABC. At ABC, Falvey and her team developed and launched the breakout Tuesday and Wednesday Night Comedy blocks, renowned for their quality and inclusivity including five-time Emmy-winning Best Comedy Series Modern Family, Peabody-winning and Emmy-winning Black-ish, and critically acclaimed series: Fresh Off The Boat, The Goldbergs, The Middle, and The Real O'Neals.

 

Rachel Klein

RACHEL KLEIN is a 2-time Primetime Emmy® and 2-time Producers Guild Award Nominated Director/Producer and founder of short form studio - Fire Starter Studios. Fire Starter Studios is currently building a sound stage in the Santa Clarita Valley. Fire Starter Studios and Ignite are certified Woman-owned companies with the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the State of California, and the Federal Government. Most recently Ms. Klein directed and produced 12 hours of brand documentary content on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and 360 short films for the Harassment Project.

She co-created, produced, and directed the 2-time Primetime Emmy® and 2- time Producers Guild Award nominated documentary series National Endowment for the Arts: United States of Arts. The vast 67-part series, filmed in almost 2 years, shot in more than 400 locations across all55 states and territories, featuring the remarkable stories of arts and artists around the country including Maya Lin, Robert Redford and Sundance Institute, Gary Sinise and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Edward Villella, Larry Wilmore, and a truly unique collaboration with the Department of Defense - the power of Arts in healing our wounded United States military. She directed digital branded series including THE LINK with Carrie Underwood for Sports Illustrated, Jordana Brewster and I ♥ My Closet for People Magazine, and Bryan Cranston and Jalen Rose for JEEP/NBA and the USA Olympic Men’s Basketball team for Facebook.

Rachel started her career in sports with giants such as HBO, Showtime, UFC, Fox and ESPN. Her passion in the genre created a natural path to documentary filmmaking, producing films suchas the highly acclaimed documentary 30 for 30 – The Fab Five (ESPN), 30 Days in May (Showtime), and 7 seasons of the docu-series UFC Primetime (FOX). While at HBO, Ms. Klein cut her teeth on studio and live shows including Inside the NFL, World Championship Boxing and the Pay per View brand for Boxing. Prior to HBO, Ms. Klein was Director of Production at Emmy® winning Windfall Productions, where she assisted directors and producers in creating award-winning sports programming for ESPN, NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, Lifetime, Oxygen, OLN and many others. Within her tenure at Windfall Productions, she was responsible for supervising physical and postproduction on over a dozen sports series annually. Ms. Klein is creator and former Co-Chair of the Produced by Conference for the Producers Guild of America, is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and is a member of the National Board of Directors of the Producers Guild of America.

 

Jean Lane

JEAN LANE is a freelance Producer who specializes in Post Production. Jean divides her time equally between post producing documentary features and narrative features for theatrical and streaming release. Some recent credits include His Three Daughters, King Coal, Camp Courage and Dick Johnson Is Dead. She post produces television series as well, most recently season 3 of Hulu’s award-winning series Ramy. Jean is the former Executive Producer at post facilities Light Iron and Goldcrest Post where she oversaw Finishing on Oscar nominated documentary Restrepo and multiple Ken Burns documentaries including The Roosevelts, The Central Park Five and Prohibition. Jean’s career in the entertainment industry started as an assistant to award winning casting directors in Los Angeles and New York which led to an Oz like journey in various capacities through pre-production, production and finally to her true home in post-production. Jean is a fan of going to the movies, nature walks, cooking, Iyengar yoga and Hello Kitty. She currently lives in the Bronx with her husband and two children.

 

Lori McCreary

LORI MCCREARY is the CEO of Revelations Entertainment, a production company she and actor Morgan Freeman founded in 1996 with a mission to produce entertainment that reveals truth. The duo first worked together on McCreary's critically acclaimed “Bopha!” (Freeman’s directorial debut) in 1992.

McCreary’s credits include the upcoming Rendezvous with Rama directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve, Award-winning Invictus, 5 Flights Up, the groundbreaking documentary cancer film, The C Word, and Executive Producer of the hit 120-episode series Madam Secretary starring Téa Leoni. She is an Executive Producer of the highest-rated series in National Geographic Channel history, The Story of God and The Story of Us. McCreary also served as Executive Producer of Discovery Science's Emmy-nominated series Through the Wormhole, exploring how science pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.

McCreary is a unique combination: part producer, part UCLA-trained computer scientist. She maintains a passionate, ongoing dialogue with filmmakers, talent and executives to stay ahead of technology, and works to help change the landscape for diversity in the industry.

 

Tommy Oliver

Emmy-winning multi-hyphenate filmmaker TOMMY OLIVER is also the Founder & CEO of Confluential Films, a production company and financier devoted to championing authentic, commercial, and culturally specific stories, and Black Love, a brand and media company dedicated to building community, conversation, and content around things that Black people love.

Oliver's recent films include The Perfect Find (Netflix), starring Gabrielle Union, Keith Powers, and Gina Torres, three Sundance 2023 narrative films, Fancy Dance (Apple TV+), starring Lily Gladstone and Isabel Deroy-Olson, Young. Wild. Free. (BET+), starring Algee Smith, Sanaa Lathan, and Mike Epps, and To Live and Die and Live, starring Omari Harwick and Cory Hardrict, as well as the Emmy and Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize and Emmy-winning Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (HBO).

Oliver’s past projects include AFI Fest Audience Award winner Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss and the critically acclaimed HBO documentary 40 Years A Prisoner, both of which he directed, produced, shot, and edited, as well as the Sony thriller The Perfect Guy, which he produced and opened No. 1 in the U.S., the groundbreaking docuseries, Black Love, which he created and executive produced along with his wife, Codie Elaine Oliver; the Sundance and AFI Fest Audience Award winner Kinyarwanda, which he produced and Roger Ebert ranked as the No. 6 film in his top 10 of 2011; and Lionsgate’s critically acclaimed indie film 1982, which he wrote, directed, produced, and edited.

Projects in post include Hamlet, starring Riz Ahmed; Goons, starring Michael Rainey Jr and Chloe Bailey; and Die Like a Man, starring Miguel Angel Garcia and Cory Hardrict, all three of which Oliver produced.

In addition to his film, TV, and documentary work, Oliver is also a noted photographer whose photography is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC), where more than 50 of his photos are also part of the permanent collection.

Oliver is a member of AMPAS, the PGA, the WGA, the DGA, the Television Academy, a Sundance Producing mentor, a PGA producing mentor, a Doc NYC mentor, an Academy Gold mentor, a recipient of the prestigious Carnegie Mellon Alumni Achievement Award, a member of Carnegie Mellon CFA Dean’s Council, a board member of The Philadelphia Film Society, a member of the AMPAS Producer's Branch Executive Committee, and was named by Goldman Sachs as one of the 100 most intriguing entrepreneurs.

 

Joanna Popper

JOANNA POPPER is a Senior Media and Technology executive and Executive Producer. Most recently, she was the Chief Metaverse Officer at Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Popper joined CAA from HP, where she led XR initiatives for Go-To-Market. Previously, she was Executive Vice President of Media & Marketing at Singularity University and Vice President of Marketing at NBCUniversal.

She served as Executive Producer on BREONNA’S GARDEN, FINDING PANDORA X, FIGHT BACK and MASTERS OF LIGHT, award-winning immersive content, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and SXSW. FINDING PANDORA X won Venice’s Golden Lion for Best Immersive Experience and SXSW’s best Virtual Cinema Award. BREONNA’s GARDEN received awards and recognition for social impact from Producers Guild Innovation, Unity, Auggie, Filmgate, and Aurea. FIGHT BACK won an audience award at Venice. She is also an Executive Producer on recently announced independent film UNEXPECTED TREASURES. She is also advising media and technology companies on emerging technology like AI and spatial computing and serving on Boards.

She was selected as “Business Transformation 150,” “XR Hall of Fame,” “50 Women to Watch," "Women of the Future,” “50 Women Can Change the World in Media and Entertainment,” ”25 Pioneers in the Metaverse,” “Top 50 Original Thinkers in VR,” “Top Women in Media: Game Changers,” “Top Women in Media: Industry Leaders,” “Digital It List,” and “101 Women Leading the VR Industry.”

 

Angela Victor

ANGELA VICTOR is a relentless problem-solver, who is budget-minded, with a focus on meaningful storytelling that delights and engages audiences. She has worked in producing roles for live events, and scripted and unscripted programming for streaming, cable, and network broadcasts.

In 2023, Angela served as the Co-Chair for the PGA National Nominating Committee. She is currently serving on the Producers Guild of America's National Board of Directors and previously served on the Associate Producer Council Board of Delegates. She is also a member of the Television Academy's Producers Peer Group, Post New York Alliance, and New York Women in Film and Television.

In addition to her production experience, Angela has an MBA in finance and management. She worked at NBC TV Network and Turner Home Entertainment in strategy, consulted to entertainment entities through KPMG Consulting, and helped launch three internet start-ups.

Her areas of expertise include TV and film project management, post-production workflow, budgeting, digital asset management, team building, and vendor management.

 

Harvey Wilson

HARVEY WILSON has been engaged in television production for more than 46 years, with projects spanning the spectrum of genre and distribution. Most recently, positions include Executive in Charge of Production for the reboot of Iron Chef, Is It Cake?, a new culinary competition show to drop in 2025 for Netflix, and Jose Andres’ Dinner Diaries on Amazon Prime. Past credits include Executive in Charge of Production for Crossing Over with John Edward and The Queen Latifah Show. For Children’s Television Workshop he was Production Consultant for Sesame Street and Sesame Street Home Video and Specials. Involved with MTV at its launch, he worked on such ground breaking productions as Live Aid and Farm Aid. As the Network Production Manager for Nickelodeon, Harvey worked on many award-winning programs including Mr. Wizard’s World, winner of the prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in children’s programming.

Network credits include: ABC, CBS, FOX, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, PBS, Comedy Central, Discovery, A&E, The History Channel, WeTV, Court TV (now TruTV), SyFy Network, Amazon Prime, and Netflix.