Variety’s New Leaders: Class of 2026

Agent, UTA

Alpert signed Meg Stalter when she was a rising comedy star on the internet — landing a career-changing role on “Hacks” and a starring role in Broadway’s “Oh, Mary!” She has also identified breakout talent like Kareem Rahma, while guiding the careers of Fortune Feimster, Leanne Morgan, Connor Hines and Gabby Windey. She signed Veronika Slowikowska, who recently had a breakout season on “Saturday Night Live,” after discovering her on Instagram; and works as Curry Barker’s talent agent helping secure his role in “Anything but Ghosts.”

App I can’t live without: “Uber. I’m an objectively terrible driver, and I’ve made peace with that.”

Director, comedy series, Netflix

Alvarado got her start as a production assistant on “The Next Iron Chef,” but at Netflix, she has worked on shows like 13-time Emmy-nominated “Grace and Frankie” and “Emily in Paris,” the latest season of which debuted at No. 2 on the streamer’s Top 10. She will continue her collaboration with “Emily in Paris” creator Darren Star on his forthcoming comedy series “Uncorked,” which landed at Netflix with a script-to-series commitment last year. What’s her biggest hurdle? “Constant yearning to find a balance of work and personal life. Wanting to give each creator and show attention in addition to chasing my two little boys around.”

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? “It’s OK to binge watch TV … it might become your job one day,” she says.

Senior VP of programming, Fifth Season

As the senior-most woman executive at Fifth Season, the independent film and TV production studio, Burkhead’s slate-juggling has reached Olympic-skill level. Managing more than 60 titles with a knack for compelling water cooler dramas, the programming exec’s wins are considerable this year. “His & Hers,” the Tessa Thompson vehicle, dethroned “The Night Agent” as the most-watched English-language title on Netflix thus far in 2026. On top of another successful season of “Severance,” Burkhead is about to help unleash the anticipated “East of Eden” series adaptation — starring Florence Pugh — for Netflix, already tipped as an awards player, and Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy’s “The Good Daughter” at Peacock.

Talent agent, Innovative Artists Entertainment

Client Isa Briones (“The Pitt”) returns to Broadway in hit musical “Just in Time” while client Maxwell Jenkins takes the wheel of the Mystery Machine as Fred in Netflix’s “Scooby-Doo: Origins.” Other achievements include: “Guiding Carlos Manuel Vesga and Samba Schutte of ‘Pluribus’ during their breakout moment” (Vesga was nominated for an Emmy). For Cassandro, a personal connection is key. “Having a hands-on approach is what I cherish most, and I want to continue growing while maintaining the relationships that are at the heart of what I do,” he says.

Worst advice you have ever received? “‘Don’t trust anyone.’ I pride myself on building deep relationships with my colleagues across the industry. We can’t do this alone, and I’m grateful to have a group of people I can trust for advice and support when needed.”

VP, series, 20th Television

Chais works closely with showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer on “Tell Me Lies” and her new series, “Bastards”; worked with showrunner Elwood Reid on hit broadcast series “Tracker”; and is a driving force behind “Deli Boys,” championing its distinct comedic voice and cultural specificity. Chais points out that she’s proud “of the creative talent I’ve been able to grow inside the 20th Television ecosystem. I was fortunate to get to work with Tyne Rafaeli early in her directing career. Now she’s a fixture at our studio.”

What advice would you give to your younger self? “Never apologize for wanting a seat at the table. That mindset starts from the top down, and it’s meant everything to have a leader like Karey Burke, who gives me the space to speak up, build relationships and be a meaningful part of the 20th TV team.”

VP, film, Imagine Entertainment

Choi has supported a diverse slate for Imagine including “How to Rob a Bank,” “Whalefall” “The Mosquito Bowl” and “Spaceballs 2.” She’s also spearheading “Dangerously Funny,” about the Smothers brothers’ battle with CBS censors. Choi also landed two highly competitive books, “200 Monas” and “The Last Letter” with Imagine’s home studio, Amazon, shepherding both through development into packaging. “Growing up, I wasn’t allowed to watch many movies, so the ones I did manage to see felt especially meaningful. That experience shaped the kinds of stories I gravitate toward today,” she says, noting that “with projects like ‘200 Monas’ and ‘The Last Letter,’ I get to champion movies for the same female audience that first sparked my love for film.”

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? “Keep your eyes on your own paper. Everybody’s on their own journey and timeline, and don’t get so stuck on a past decision you made that you miss the things that are really for you.”

Senior VP, television development, Miramax

Series adaptations of beloved “Ella Enchanted” and “Chocolat” with Cynthia Erivo top Dassani’s to-do list for Miramax. “By the time I began my career, I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to develop something I read as a teenager — until last year. I had been tracking ‘The Gallagher Girls’ development for decades and watched as it kept being optioned at various studios for features, but never for television. When the rights became available once again, I chased and courted the author.” Dassani knew Miramax was the underdog in the right fight, “but I — and the rest of our creative package (pilot director and exec producer Brad Silberling) — managed to win the author over.”

First job? “My first real industry job was Michael Gordon’s desk at CAA in the international subdivision of the TV lit department. I would definitely say that it formed the bedrock of the rest of my career.”

Associate, Del Shaw

You wouldn’t be wrong calling Davis an overachiever, and we’d expect it from a legal star rising under the great Nina Shaw. After helping cut the landmark 2024 deal for the James Earl Jones estate to voice an AI version of Darth Vader, Davis contributed to December’s $200 million juggernaut deal between iHeartMedia and top radio personality Charlamagne tha God. He also co-piloted director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s deal to direct Paramount’s tentpole bet “Children of Blood and Bone” and a hat trick of gigs for Laurence Fishburne (“The Amateur,” Netflix’s next season of “The Witcher” and the sci-fi horror “The Astronaut”). He’ll close out the year having advised Rick Famuyiwa on his deal to write and direct Lionsgate’s Dennis Rodman biopic “48 Hours in Vegas” starring LaKeith Stanfield.

Partner, WME

Any talent agency’s future relies on the boldness, taste and fortitude of its homegrown talent. DeVeau is the shining example for WME, starting 13 years ago in the mailroom and rising to partner through the agent trainee program. He works with a wide range of talent at various stages in their careers, closing deals that pivot brands or even lead to Oscar nominations. Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke and Aldis Hodge are DeVeau’s banner signings — but he’s elevated stars like Brandon Sklenar (“The Housemaid”) and gotten icons like Angelina Jolie back into the genres where audiences first fell in love with them (her upcoming reunion with action director Doug Liman, “The Initiative”).

Head of global film, Webtoon Prods.

Goldberg identifies titles on Webtoon and Wattpad for development into Hollywood hits. Following the success of Tubi’s “Sidelined” series, with the first film premiering at No. 1 in the U.S. and Canada, he produced two films that released concurrently earlier this year: “Kissing Is the Easy Part,” based on a Wattpad webnovel with 32 million reads, premiered Feb. 13 on Tubi, while “Love Me Love Me” hit No. 1 globally on Prime Video, with a sequel announced two weeks later. “It is a miracle to get one film made, but it was really unbelievable having two debut on the exact same date,” he says.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? “I would tell my 18-year-old self to be OK with admitting you don’t know everything. It’s so important to ask questions and take the time to learn from the people around you. Also, don’t throw away your baggy jeans — you will need them in 2025-2026.”

Counsel, Pryor Cashman

Greenberg says he takes “pride in being someone that friends, family and clients trust as their ‘go-to’ person when they need help solving complex problems.” He builds trust with his clients “by being their strategic partner and helping them untangle complicated issues, structure deals and find creative solutions that protect and advance their core business objectives.” That has included advising major gaming companies on acquisitions of user-generated content games, intellectual property and platforms for hosting and distributing video game content, such as Spark Universe’s acquisition of Modrinth and the Essential mod for Minecraft.” He also continues to advise indie producer Kaplan Morrison on corporate and business development matters.

What is your next hurdle? “Not allowing ChatGPT-generated contracts and legal advice to drive me absolutely insane,” he says. “AI is not a substitute for a good lawyer, and I’ll keep on repeating that until the day that AI inevitably takes my job.”

VP, television, Proximity Media

Ryan Coogler is done proving himself as a box office king. Now the director and his creative team have TV in their sights, with a vital assist from Harris — who oversees development for Proximity principals Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and the “Black Panther” helmer. She’s spent a large part of her year prepping the anticipated reboot of “The X Files,” led by Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel. Proximity also recently announced an adaptation of the fantasy YA books “Animorphs”; and Harris serves as co-EP on “Southern Bastards,” a Disney+ pilot based on the comic book series about a military vet drawn into a web of crime in a small town.

VP, social media & engagement, Disney Branded Television

“Fan whisperer” is perhaps the coolest job title in this year’s New Leaders class, and it’s a serious undertaking for the Disney exec in charge of social strategy for the company’s kids and family endeavors. Overseeing Disney Jr., Disney Channel and Disney Television Animation, Ho helps originals stay relevant to multiple demographics and keeps conversation high about beloved IP — including “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “Phineas and Ferb,” “Sofia the First: Royal Magic” and “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends.” Notably, she helped Miley Cyrus’ “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” amass 440 million impressions across platforms.

What is your next hurdle? Why? “There has never been a better or harder time to be a marketer.

Culture and consumer behavior are fragmenting and shifting faster than ever, but that same speed creates real opportunity for brands to build relevance with younger audiences. Across my career from building fan communities and managing creators at Wattpad, to audience and young adult marketing campaigns at Netflix to social campaigns and franchise storytelling at Disney, I’ve focused on translating audience behavior into marketing systems that turn stories into ongoing cultural engagement and that’s where long-term fandom and growth are actually won or lost.”

My next hurdle is continuing to navigate that transformation: building ecosystems where content, creators, and platforms work together in real time to grow impact, especially for global franchises trying to keep pace with evolving audience habits. That’s the work I’m most energized by.”

Agent, Gersh

Hudson has worked to align talent with the world’s top brands in fashion. She’s negotiated and overseen several campaigns and ambassador relationships, including Chase Infiniti’s global ambassadorship with Louis Vuitton and Jacob Elordi’s global ambassadorship with Cartier. For “Love Story’s” Sarah Pidgeon, she secured a Balenciaga global ambassadorship as well as a partnership with Rhode. What would she tell her younger self? “I’d tell her to have more fun and truly not worry about having it all figured out. She used to get lost in the mission of trying to do things ‘right,’ but there’s a lot of beauty in those potentially imperfect choices she was trying so hard to avoid making,” she says.

Greatest recent achievement? “My funny little 10-month-old, who I went into labor with while closing a Super Bowl deal,” she says.

Manager, film, Netflix

Action is Kagan’s purview, with recent successes including Artists Equity’s “The Rip.” He’s reteaming with the shingle and Ben Affleck for thriller “Animals,” with Peter Berg’s “The Mosquito Bowl,” the third in the “Extraction” franchise, and “Gears of War” on his docket. He was also instrumental in bringing the Asmodee games “Catan” and “Ticket to Ride” to Netflix. Kagan says “good things come to those who wait” is the worst advice he ever got. “You don’t win anything by waiting on others, and I think moving quickly with the pace of our industry is incredibly important.”

What was your first job? “A summer job at a gelato shop on the Upper West Side in New York City — just a couple of blocks from where I grew up.”

Associate, Sheppard

Kim’s clients live on the cutting edge of pop culture. She advised Blackpink’s Lisa on her acting agreement for Netflix Korea’s project “Tygo”; advised Zara on its collaboration with Bad Bunny; and for “Is God Is” playwright Alesha Harris, handled the rights, writer and director agreements for the film adaptation as well as producer agreements with Tessa Thompson’s Viva Maude, Janicza Bravo and Linden Prods. She was advised not to move to the U.S. “I had just begun practicing as a litigation attorney in South Korea, and many believed it would be nearly impossible to rebuild my career in another country,” she says. “However, I chose to see the move not as abandoning my career, but as an opportunity to redefine it — transitioning from litigation to transactional and ultimately building a career in Hollywood.”

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? “Make plans, but hold them loosely,” she says. “Life will not always unfold the way you expect, and learning to adapt can take you somewhere even more rewarding.”

Senior director of creative, Sony Music Publishing Nashville

Type Landon’s name and Sony into a search engine together and virtually all of the results are articles and photos about her signing songwriters: Cody Johnson, Randall King, Adam James; her work with hit writers like Brice Long, Jim Beavers (nominated for the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame) and Hall of Famer Tom Douglas and artists Drew Baldridge and Gabby Barrett. The Belmont University grad has had just two major jobs since she graduated: Nine years at Young Guns Publishing before she joined Rusty Gaston and the gang at Sony in 2022. It’s not hard to see why: Songwriter Brian Fuller, who signed with Sony in 2024, says, “Aubrey has the drive and work ethic of 10 people and I feel so lucky to have her in my corner.”

Greatest recent achievement? “Becoming a mom and now a working mom. Learning that it is possible to have a beautiful family and a thriving career.”

VP, production, Paramount

Lewis was a key part in bringing two of Paramount’s biggest movies of the year to life: “Scream 7” and “Scary Movie.” Lewis spent the past 18 months working on “KPOP: The Debut,” a film releasing Feb. 26 that she calls a “spiritual successor to ‘The Lizzie McGuire Movie.’” Her career in the entertainment industry has taught her many things, but if she could offer one piece of advice to her 18-year-old self, it would be to not think “Pirates of the Caribbean” is an embarrassing answer when asked what her favorite movie is.

Forward-thinking philosophy: “Turns out loving movies is a better career strategy than pretending to like the ones you think you’re supposed to,” she says.

Producer, the Littlefield Company

While supporting legacy titles such as “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Mao also serves as a co-producer on hit spinoff series “The Testaments,” as well as a co-executive producer on “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.” “Being a part of the development and successful worldwide launch of ‘The Testaments’ was a magical experience. I was an assistant when ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ was still airing, and to be welcomed into and nurtured by that creative family was really special to me. … It has been incredible to watch this show find its passionate audience. Also, the amount of weekly texts I got from friends and family worldwide (I even had friends in China reaching out!) exuding love for the show was euphoric.” She will also be producing the upcoming Hulu series “Conviction.”

Worst advice you have ever received? “‘Wait your turn.’ I think this is often said to slow people down who feel anxious, but who is anyone to tell you when your turn is? Taking active advantage of the opportunities that come your way is a huge part of success.”

VP, exhibitor marketing, Bleecker Street

In addition to her recent work on “Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience,” Moore Patterson also led the launch of first-party data-sharing partnerships with two of the nation’s largest exhibition circuits, becoming one of Bleecker Street’s most influential strategic initiatives. Moore Patterson is currently working on keeping theatrical moviegoing feeling like an event, inventing new ways to keep audiences going to the cinema. “That’s what makes exhibitor marketing so exciting — every campaign is a new chance to surprise people and remind them why seeing a movie in a theater on the big screen is still a special experience,” she says.

Senior VP, creative and strategy, Universal Pictures

As Disney’s chief rival, Universal Pictures maintains a vast marketing operation to hype its diverse portfolio holdings in tentpoles, prestige dramas, mainstream comedy and kids and family. CMO Michael Moses needs someone like Murphy, his direct report, in a bespoke role that keeps trains running, awareness high and filmmakers happy. The Harvard grad ensures all departments are communicating and the filmmakers are being heard — like Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas of Syncopy. The Oscar winners had Murphy as their direct creative liaison on all marketing elements for “The Odyssey,” including creative advertising, digital and publicity. Murphy also served on Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” and will help shepherd new film installments of two crucial franchises: “Focker-in-Law” and “Shrek 5.”

Partner, Greenberg Glusker

Deft in his work with celebrity-driven consumer brands, Perlmutter-Gumbiner has worked with Kim Kardashian’s Skims in connection with its formation, multiple financings and outside general counsel matters, Khloé Kardashian’s Good American brand and Tom Hanks’ Hanx Coffee. Perlmutter-Gumbiner has advised Barstool Sports on several matters, and is representing Warner Music in connection with multiple M&A and investment transactions. His first job was as a Little League umpire. “It helped develop a strong sense of right and wrong, and a tolerance for dealing with unruly people (the parents),” he says.

Greatest recent achievement? “Celebrating my first child’s first birthday,” he says.

VP of film, Rideback

Rideback, the almost 20-year-old production company established by producer Dan Lin, is certainly looking to new leaders after its founder took the top film job at Netflix in 2024. Reynolds is at the forefront of the post-Lin era, helping develop big IP like the splashy “Sesame Street” feature film package that his team will produce at the streamer. His role is to identify or reawaken valuable titles like “The Partner,” a John Grisham legal thriller adaptation set up at Universal. Jason Bateman will direct Tom Holland in the yarn about a junior lawyer who fakes his own death to help a sketchy client reap millions.

Manager, Brillstein Entertainment Partners

Comedy is serious business to Sadeghian — his clients sell out arenas, theaters and clubs. He also stays on the cutting edge of rising talent. He repped a handful of headliners at the Netflix Is a Joke Festival this year — Morgan Jay, Almost Friday’s Eilise Patton, UpDating, Paul Chowdhry, and Deric Cahill — as well as Jeff Arcuri, whose Netflix Is a Joke shows sold out the Hollywood Palladium almost immediately. Client Trevor Wallace sold out his “Alpha Beta Male” tour earlier this year, adding 38 theaters for a second leg. Sadeghian notes that as an Iranian-American whose father has remained in Iran throughout his life, he is deeply committed to amplifying diverse voices in entertainment. His client Bassem Youssef’s work includes the Scholastic children’s franchise “The Magical Reality of Nadia,” which follows an Egyptian-immigrant protagonist navigating racism and identity; bestselling YA duology “The Similars”; and “The Pretenders” by writer Rebecca Hanover, which tackle themes of otherness through a sci-fi lens.

CEO, co-founder, Udio

Sanchez brought Udio to market in 2024 not as a former music industry executive, but as an aspiring academic who dabbled in everything from history to pre-med. Now, he’s the CEO of an AI music generator that’s raised millions, including investment from will.i.am. Next up on Sanchez’s plate, aside from fighting Sony’s most recent lawsuit: getting Udio’s Universal and Warner-backed product to launch. “The major theme here is demonstrating as much as we can how beneficial we think this will be for artists, so that artists participate,” he says. “We want to have a big sort of windfall of artists so that they can see the upside in it.”

His first job? “Singing in the choir. I was actually paid to sing in the choir every morning at 8:15 a.m., which was an amazing experience.”

Manager, the Gotham Group

Among Scully’s recent highlights are the sale of Dave Matalon’s feature spec “The Worst Man” to Universal with 87 North producing; “With the 8th Pick,” co-written by client Gavin Johannsen and Alex Sohn, sold to Warner Bros. with Star Thrower and Religion of Sports producing; and “Get Lite,” written by Eric Gross, greenlit at Paramount with Teyana Taylor directing. “One thing I didn’t learn in college that would have helped me in the real world was the value of traveling and immersing myself in different cultures. My biggest regret is not studying abroad for a semester and getting out of my university bubble. It’s a lesson I’ve learned from and have made a conscious effort to stay curious and seek out new experiences,” he says.

Worst advice you have ever received? “To quit. Whether that was in sports growing up, dropping a class, or even getting into the entertainment industry. Hard work can bring surprising results even in the unlikeliest of outcomes,” he says.

VP, development and production, Searchlight Pictures

Spencer is prestige label Searchlight Pictures’ man in the U.K., an important territory for indie auteurs (and the increasingly international body of Oscar voters). Overseeing all production in the region, Spencer helped mount Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine” — already an Oscar contender and a follow-up to the director’s acclaimed “The Banshees of Inisherin” — as well as Alice Birch’s directorial debut, “Sweetstick,” from star and producer Cate Blanchett. He also manages relationships with key filmmakers including Yorgos Lanthimos and Andrew Haigh.

Books & IP manager, Untitled

In Hollywood, real leadership means results. That more than qualifies Timinsky, who has pushed through significant literary sales and adaptation deals on behalf of clients navigating the dramatic stall in production spends. Over the past year, she’s inked splashy deals for titles like Virginia Evans’ “The Correspondent,” with Jane Fonda attached at Lionsgate; “The Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story” by Julie K. Brown to Sony; and an adaptation of Annabel Lyon’s “The Golden Mean” for “Heated Rivalry” wunderkind Jacob Tierney and EP Jason Bateman. And those are just the sales we’re allowed to write about.

President, David E. Kelley Prods.

Tinker says he has held every job under the sun, from working on an unaired show called “Starfishing,” which took celebrities out to sea, to being a writers’ assistant on shows like “Hawthorne” for TNT. After Tinker’s spec script about young EMTs caught the attention of David E. Kelley, he wound up launching his 14-year (and counting!) career at David E. Kelley Prods., working his way up to president by taking after Kelley’s strong work ethic. The company’s busy slate of upcoming shows includes follow-up seasons to “Big Little Lies,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and “Presumed Innocent.”

Quality control: As they expand and look into unscripted and video game adaptations, Tinker stresses that he is always driven by characters first and foremost: “Let the story be the boss of any notes or any processes. Never let the production wag the dog.”

Senior manager, original movies, development & strategy, Amazon MGM Studios

Tompkins is passionate about helping shape the studio’s slate “including authoring 20-plus greenlights,” he says — those films include “Highlander,” “Heat 2,” “The Wrecking Crew” and “Voltron.” “One project I’m particularly excited about is ‘Untitled Sham Marriage,’ which I’m overseeing as a development executive. It’s a hilarious rom-com that Stephen Merchant wrote, directed and starred in opposite Cameron Diaz. Point Grey and Lee Eisenberg’s Piece of Work produced the film alongside Stephen,” he says.

What is your next hurdle? “Learning to see around corners, champion ideas before they’re obvious and stay humble enough to know I don’t have all the answers. Recognition shouldn’t make me more certain; it should make me more curious. The industry will keep changing, and I want to keep earning the opportunity to help shape where it goes next.”

Motion picture talent agent, CAA

Tsoules helps oversee an embarrassment of riches at CAA’s storied movie talent group: Adrien Brody, Mahershala Ali, Vanessa Kirby, Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan, Jon Bernthal, Channing Tatum and more. He got there by understanding that film stars need consistent reinvention and counterprogramming across their IMDb credits page. Take his closing of Kirby’s deal for “Avengers: Doomsday,” continuing her Marvel run after the harrowing indie “Pieces of a Woman” and the end of Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible” series. He also booked both Garfield and client Jamie Bell on Paul Greengrass’ “The Rising,” and ushered Bernthal into the A-list of “The Odyssey.”

VP of A&R, Atlantic Records

Co-founder & president, Deep Love Recordings

Traditionally, record labels reward their top A&R people with labels of their own, and after a string of genre-spanning successes like Grammy-winning rock titans Turnstile, 100 Gecs, Fred Again and others (not to mention his parallel career as manager for Gecs, Dahi, Daytrip, Emile Haynie and more), last year he got his: Deep Love Recordings. The label includes Dallas rockers Empty Shell Casing, regional Mexican duo Corridos Ketamina and DJ Fifi. His wide-ranging rosters are a modern-day reflection of his background: Jane’s Addiction frontman and Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell is his uncle, and it’s not hard to guess where his love of alternative music flourished (and how he spent every summer as a teen).

Senior VP, business affairs, Warner Bros. Television

Combining her legal mind and her love of TV, Weisberg handles the business affairs of some of the hottest shows on TV: “The Pitt,” “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” “Untamed” and “Leanne,” and is the lead WBTV business affairs exec on all John Wells Prods. and Chuck Lorre Prods. scripted television development. Her most notable recent achievement? “The dealmaking behind ‘The Pitt.’ We’ve secured the deals necessary to provide long-term stability for both the cast and the creators, giving this extraordinary show the foundation to continue growing and succeeding for years to come.”

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? “If the worst thing anyone can say is ‘no,’ ask every time,” she says. “So many of the biggest opportunities in my life happened because I was willing to ask the question, be direct about what I wanted, send the email and advocate for myself — even when the odds felt impossibly long. Rejection is temporary, but wondering ‘what if?’ lasts a lot longer. So, ask. Take the chance. Go for it.”

Founder, CEO, Willa

While Woodward initially set out to focus on production when creating Willa in 2017, the company recently moved into distribution — a move informed by the founder’s strong production experience working on titles like “On the Divide” and shows like “The Vow.” “My guiding lights are being curious and determined,” Woodward says. “Independent film, which is the space that I operate in, requires a lot of passion.” Most recently, Willa picked up Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab” after the buzzy Palestinian film struggled to find U.S. distribution. Woodward (an executive producer on the film) saw the opportunity for Willa to step in and have the core filmmaking team be part of every step, leading the film to an Oscar nomination for best international feature. “We took a lot of care to bring the film out into the world in the right way,” she says.

What app can’t you live without? “Notes and calculator”