top of page

396 results found with an empty search

  • MUSIC | Unlock Her Potential

    Check out our Music mentors for Unlock Her Potential MUSIC CRISTINA CHAVEZ VP of A&R | Universal Music Publishing Group JOEY BADA$$ Rapper | Actor | Philanthropist | Pro Era Records, Badmind Records JUST BLAZE Director of Music & Culture | Hip Hop Producer VANESSA ANGIULI Sr Director A&R | Interscope YOUNG GURU Record Producer | Executive | Engineer VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • SARA SIDNER

    JOURNALISM SARA SIDNER Co-Anchor CNN News Central Sara Sidner is co-anchor of CNN News Central, airing weekdays from 9am-12pm ET. She is also CNN's multiple award winning senior national and international correspondent. In 2014 Sidner provided extensive coverage of the 6 month long protests in Ferguson, Missouri after Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed by a white police officer. From 2020 thru 2021 she led the network's coverage in Minneapolis of the protests following the death of George Floyd and the trial of Derek Chauvin. She was one of the lead reporters in Washington State reporting on the first known deadly US outbreak of Covid-19. As an international correspondent, Sidner covered the aftermath of the deadliest earthquake in modern Turkey which left more than 44 thousand people dead earlier this year. She has reported for more than a dozen countries throughout the Middle East and Asia. Her work in Libya reporting surrounded by rebel fighters during the fall of Tripoli has been recognized all over the world. She was live for hours as grenades and gunfire rang out during the 2008 deadly terrorist attacks on several five star hotels in Mumbai, including the famed Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel. Her stories from South Asia also included a documentary on the 25 year civil war in Sri Lanka, several stints reporting in war-torn Afghanistan, and live coverage of violent political eruptions in Thailand and Bangladesh. Sidner also traveled to Chile and Haiti to cover the aftermath of devastating earthquakes in those countries. Sidner was part of the team that won a Peabody award for CNN's coverage of the Arab Spring. In 2011 Sidner shared the Achievement of the Year Award from SKY WFTV Women in Film & Television in the United Kingdom for her war coverage in Libya. Sidner has collected a Peabody award, two Emmys, two Asian Television Awards, two Alliance for Women in Media Gracie Awards, an NABJ award, several Telly awards and an Edward R Murrow award. Sidner received her journalism degree from the University of Florida and is in the UF School of Journalism and Communications Hall of Fame. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • HOW TO APPLY | Unlock Her Potential

    How to apply for Unlock Her Potential - review the questions and prepare your answers for the application. HOW TO APPLY GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATIONS In order to qualify for the program, you must be a woman* of color, 18 years or older, residing in the US (including Puerto Rico) for the duration of the program in 2026, and have an active LinkedIn profile. You may only apply for ONE MENTOR. If you submit more than one application, we will only accept the last one. There is a non-refundable $75 fee which you can purchase here . This donation helps offset the cost of processing applications and makes a meaningful difference in sustaining the program. As always, please feel free to email us with any questions at support@unlockherpotential.com . Review the questions below and prepare your answers for the application. *This includes cis, trans, non-binary, femmes, gender non-conforming, gender-expansive, & gender-fluid people. PREPARE Up QUESTIONS We strongly encourage you to take time to prepare your answers as they constitute the most critical part of the application. This will allow you to give more time and thought to this portion of the application. We recommend you keep a copy of your answers as we will not send them to you and in the unlikely event that something goes wrong with your submission. 1 At this stage in your career, what are your short-term and/or long-term professional goals? (750 characters or less) 2 Why is this mentor a good fit for you and vice versa? (750 characters or less) 3 List 3-5 topics and or questions you would cover with your mentor. (750 characters or less) TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS Once you have chosen your mentor, take the time to research them. This will be apparent in the answer to the question "Why this mentor is most suitable for you". Prepare your application early so that you do not miss the submission deadline. This is a highly competitive program, so we recommend you inject your personality into your responses so that you stand out. Mentors consider interpersonal dynamics in addition to professional alignment. FAQ FAQ Can I apply if I have previously applied and did not get a mentor? Yes, of course! Can I apply if I have been an UP mentee in the past? Yes. Can I apply for more than one mentor? No. If you apply to more than one mentor, we will only accept the last submission. What if I make a mistake and accidentally submit early? Email support@unlockherpotential.com. Will I receive confirma tion of my application? If you do not receive a confirmation email within an hour, please email support@unlockherpotential.com . When will I hear if I have been chosen as a mentee? Everyone who applied will be notified mid-December 2024 whether or not they were selected. Will you provide me with a copy of my answers? No. In case something goes wrong in the application process, we highly recommend you keep a copy of your answers for your records. If I don't get chosen, will I still get an email? Yes. May I contact the mentor to whom I'm applying directly? No. If you are chosen, we will put you in direct contact with your mentor. If you are not chosen, we discourage you from contacting the mentors directly. Will I be provided with the reasons why I wasn't chosen? Unfortunately, no. Does Founder Sophia Chang review the applications and make matches? No. Sophia only reviews her own UPlicants. The mentors review their UPlicants and make their own choices. What if I have to travel abroad in during my program year? If you anticipate being out of the country for more than 3 months, you should note it in your application. Can I apply to the program if I am a white woman? No. But we welcome you to be a member of the broader UP community by signing up for our newsletter . Can I apply for the program if I do not live in the US but am a US citizen? No. You must reside in the US (including Puerto Rico) during your program year. Do I need to be 18 years old to apply? You must be 18 year s old by January 1, 2026 when the program begins. When do applications close? The applications close August 31 , 2025 at 11:59 PM EST/8:59 PM PST .

  • ALICE GU | Unlock Her Potential

    FILM/TV ALICE GU Director | Cinematographer | Photographer "I can help you hone and focus your ideas, find your artistic voice, help guide you to on your projects from conception to finishing, build pitches." Alice Gu is an award-winning director and director of photography. A Los Angeles native, Alice began her career as a director of photography, working with renowned directors Werner Herzog, Stacy Peralta, and Rory Kennedy, among others. Her commercial clients for print and live action include TBWA/ Chiat Day, Media Arts Lab, Deutsche, Edelman, Berlin Cameron, Cole & Weber, Pereira & O’Dell, Doremus, Publicis, Beats by Dre, Laird Hamilton, ESPN, FIFA, NFL, NHL, NBA, the WSL, and Apple. Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton made its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017, a documentary film directed by Academy Award-nominated director, Rory Kennedy, and lensed by Alice Gu. THE DONUT KING is Alice’s feature directorial debut and was slated to premiere in the canceled 2020 SXSW film festival. Despite the cancellation, the film won the Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling, as well as the Best Documentary awards from the Sun Valley Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival, Urbanworld Film Festival and Best Emerging Director at the 43rd Asian American International Film Festival. A feature-length documentary about the rise and fall of a Cambodian refugee turned donut tycoon, “The Donut King” is executive produced by Academy Award-winners Ridley Scott and Freida Lee Mock. Alice’s follow-up feature, REALLY GOOD REJECTS, premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival. The film was produced by Academy-Award winning producers David Dinerstein and Robert Fyvolent. A loving look inside the magic of music, the film features prominent musicians such as Jackson Browne, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Aaron Dessner of The National, and Phoebe Bridgers, among others. Alice was recently selected as a 2022 fellow of the prestigious Concordia Studios Fellowship, which was founded by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim. While developing several documentaries, Alice is also transitioning into the narrative space, developing a feature project with Scott Free Productions. WEBSITE LINKEDIN INSTAGRAM "My mentoring experience with Alice has been amazing this year. Alice has introduced me to books, funding opportunities, and educational resources in our time together, as well as personal growth resources which also pour back into my career. I am honored to be able to work with her, especially considering I am a fan of her work, and I’m so grateful to the UP community and her as a person for the ways in which I have grown during this 2023 session." — Allyson VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • ADAM NEUHAUS

    FILM/TV ADAM NEUHAUS Founder Neuhaus Ideas Adam is the founder of Neuhaus Ideas, an ideas production company. Before that, Adam spent 7+ years as head of development for 30for30, ESPN Films and ESPN+ developing and producing 100+ storytelling projects across feature length documentaries, docuseries, scripted adaptations, digital series, and 30for30 Podcasts. Adam is longtime supporter of the Ghetto Film School, previously serving on the Board of Directors and currently serving on the Advisory Board. Adam also serves on the Board of Directors for the Bushwick Film Institute and proudly serves as a mentor for Unlock Her Potential. WEBSITE LINKEDIN TWITTER "Adam has helped me in so many ways - it's hard to believe it's only been four months since we met! He has introduced me to a host of industry connections and consistently pushes me to grow in my career. I've seen tremendous progress already, and I am checking off boxes as I get closer to my dreams." — Chloe VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • SARAH HARDEN | Unlock Her Potential

    SARAH HARDEN CEO Hello Sunshine Sarah Harden is the CEO of Hello Sunshine, a media brand anchored in storytelling, on a mission to change the narrative for women. Alongside founder Reese Witherspoon, Harden leads Hello Sunshine’s growth as a premium content studio and direct-to-consumer media brand developing films, scripted and unscripted television series, podcasts, live events and more. She also oversees Reese’s Book Club, fast-growing in reach & influence. Prior to her time with Hello Sunshine, Harden was President of Otter Media, a privately held joint venture between AT&T and The Chernin Group, where she spearheaded Otter’s first investment in Hello Sunshine. She also served as Group Director at News Corp Asia, where she oversaw growth initiatives in Hong Kong. Additionally, Harden served as SVP of Business Development for Fox Networks Group, identifying, cultivating, and executing new business for Fox. Harden began her career at Boston Consulting Group in Melbourne, Australia after graduating from Harvard Business School with high distinction as a Baker Scholar. FILM/TV VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • ALEX KIM | Unlock Her Potential

    ALEX KIM VP of Development Monkeypaw Alex Kim is Monkeypaw's VP of Development. Since joining the company in 2017, Kim has been integral to building Monkeypaw’s expansive TV and film slate, working on the development and production of HUNTERS, LOVECRAFT COUNTRY, LORENA, WEIRD CITY and THE LAST OG. Most recently, Kim has served as a producer on the second season of THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Across Monkeypaw, Kim manages content curation, project development, creative oversight, and production workflow, ensuring that all projects are aligned creatively with the Monkeypaw vision. Caveats: "I'm okay with reading projects to discuss, but I'm not interested in project pitches for Monkeypaw consideration. I'm happy to talk at length about any advice or feedback I can give to help someone better understand the process, but if they want to pitch something to me for Monkeypaw consideration, I will only consider hearing the pitch if we set that up through the proper channels/reps outside of this program. I would like to use this time to focus on how I can help an individual and not on purely developing/producing a project for someone." Languages: I speak some Korean. I'm somewhat conversational, but definitely shy of saying I'm fluent. FILM/TV VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • CABRINA QUESADA

    FILM/TV CABRINA QUESADA Vice President of TV Heyday "As a mentor, I will help you establish a foundation for development, networking and honing your brand, particularly for those with creative executive or producing aspirations." Cabrina Quesada is the Vice President of TV at Heyday, David Heyman’s Oscar-winning production company (HARRY POTTER, GRAVITY, MARRIAGE STORY, CLICKBAIT). Previously, she was the Director of Development at Anonymous Content, where she oversaw TV & Film for the Producer Joy Gorman Wettels (13 REASONS WHY) and covered Dana Fox’s Overall Deal with AC Studio and Paramount TV (HOME BEFORE DARK). Prior to AC, she worked at Netflix, starting in International Series & Film. On the creative team, she helped launch their first original slates in India and the Middle East (SACRED GAMES, DELHI CRIME, BARD OF BLOOD, LITTLE THINGS) and traveled to Mumbai to grow their regional office. Later on the U.S. Original Series Team, she worked in the Drama department on titles such as Molly Smith Metzler’s award-winning limited series MAID, as well as Overall and First Look deals, such as Obama's Higher Ground Productions and Regina’s King’s Royal Ties. Prior to the streamer, she worked for Director Ruben Fleischer’s and Producer Dave Bernad at The District (THE BOLD TYPE, SUPERSTORE, WHITE HOUSE PLUMBERS, WHITE LOTUS), Brian Grazer at Imagine Entertainment, Barry Josephson’s Entertainment and Freeform. Additionally, she worked for Rob Lowe on-set of multiple scripted and unscripted series (CODE BLACK, ORVILLE, THE LOWE FILES), helped him adapt his memoir to the stage, STORIES I ONLY TELL MY FRIENDS, and co-ran the show on tour. As the daughter of a Naval Submarine Officer and a Military Therapist, she attributes her passion for telling universal stories that transcend borders to her family’s time stationed across the U.S. and Abroad. She is also an UCLA’s school of Theater, Film and Television Alum where she majored in Directing. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • MARYA SPENCE

    PUBLISHING MARYA SPENCE Literary Agent Janklow & Nesbit Associates Marya got her B.A. at Harvard and her MFA at NYU, where she taught undergraduate creative writing. She spent her 20’s waitressing in NYC and working/interning at The New Yorker, PAPER, Travel & Leisure, Vanity Fair, Publishers Weekly, and more. As a literary agent, Marya represents a diverse range in fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Her writers have been on the New York Times Bestseller List, collaborated with Beyoncé, featured in Valentino campaigns, and been awarded or honored by such distinctions as the NAACP Image Award, the African American Literary Award, the PEN Ackerley Prize, Center For Fiction First Novel Prize, the San Francisco Public Library Award, the LA Times Book Prize, an NPR Best Book, an Oprah Magazine Best Book, the Michener Copernicus Fellowship, the Wallace Stegner Fellowship, the Windham-Campbell Prize, and more. WEBSITE VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • ANDREA HAILEY

    SOCIAL IMPACT & ADVOCACY, C-SUITE ANDREA HAILEY CEO Vote.org Andrea Hailey is the CEO of Vote.org , the nation’s largest nonpartisan digital voter engagement organization. Andrea led Vote.org to record-breaking growth during the 2020 General Election and the Georgia runoff elections, helping more than 4.4 million people register to vote and more than 3.3 million request mail-in ballots, and leading a 50-state get-out-the-vote operation which made over half a billion voter contacts across the country. Andrea and Vote.org’s work in 2020 has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, and Bloomberg. With nearly two decades of experience in voter engagement operations and campaigns, Andrea is a recognized expert on civic engagement, and a staunch defender and promoter of democracy. Prior to joining Vote.org, she served as the founder of Civic Engagement Fund, an incubator for grassroots nonprofit organizations focused on voter empowerment and engagement. She has advised and supported the efforts of presidential and congressional candidates, ballot initiatives, and historic landmarks, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Andrea launched her career on Capitol Hill in the office of Representative Patrick Kennedy. In addition to leading Vote.org, Andrea sits on the boards of NARAL and Bend The Arc, serves on the Leadership Council of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and is a member of the Society of Fellows for the Aspen Institute. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • SAMANTHA MILITANTE | Unlock Her Potential

    SAMANTHA MILITANTE Director of Current Series FX Networks "As a creative executive who has seen the evolving landscape of TV over the last several years, I can help give you perspective on the business and help you hone in on your creative voice. Whether you’re an aspiring exec, producer, writer, or director – being confident and articulate about your voice is a key quality to lean on." Samantha Militante is a director of current series at FX Networks, where she works on comedy, drama, and docuseries across all of FX Networks. Currently, she is overseeing ATLANTA, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, SNOWFALL, MAYANS, & RESERVATION DOGS. In addition, she helped develop and launch the initial FX docuseries slate, including shows like CHILDREN OF THE UNDERGROUND, HIP HOP UNCOVERED, THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL OF ALL, and HYSTERICAL. Before joining FX, Militante began her career in the mailroom at Gersh and went on to work for multiple agents within the motion picture literary department. "I am incredibly grateful to have Samantha Militante as my mentor. From the start, she has actively supported my aspirations of being a TV writer, both in affirmation and in action. As an executive, she has given me invaluable insights from the development process to navigating the TV industry (and life!) as a woman of color, and has provided me with resources that have tremendously helped my writing craft. Her wisdom and talent is matched by her kindness and generosity, which altogether have helped me build greater confidence in myself, my work, and the path I’ve set on. Thank you, Sam!!" — Chloe FILM/TV VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • JANET BILLIG RICH

    MUSIC JANET BILLIG RICH Music Executive | Supervisor | Producer | Manager Janet Billig Rich is a music supervisor, Tony-Award nominated theater producer, artist manager and music executive. Among Janet Billig Rich’s most recent theater projects include, MOULIN ROUGE – THE MUSICAL, MJ The Musical and the five-time Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical ROCK OF AGES, and the musical theater/ cabaret hybrid show FOR THE RECORD: THE SERIES. She is also the music supervisor for the Steve Aoki documentary, I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD, Sundance winner, STEP and recently released documentaries FOUND and SISTERS ON TRACK, both on Netflix. After starting her professional journey in the rock clubs of New York City, Billig Rich partnered with Gold Mountain Entertainment as an artist manager before landing at Atlantic Records, where she established herself as one of the youngest senior executives and department heads ever appointed at the company. Her work as a publicist and artist manager during her early years helped to advance the careers of some of the biggest bands in history, including the Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Hole, Sugar Ray, Matchbox 20, Jewel and, Grammy-award winning artist Lisa Loeb. Janet’s other ventures include being a Commercial Music Supervisor for Peloton, and a partner in The Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection (now featured at Costco), and a partner in Loudspeaker Music Group, which provides music supervision & clearance for numerous independent & documentary films as well as national TV commercials. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • JERRY HENRY

    FILM/TV JERRY HENRY Cinematographer | Director Jerry Henry is a LA-based Director/DP who received his MFA degree from UCLA's prestigious Production Program with an emphasis on Documentary and Cinematography. His award-winning short documentary "I Promise Africa" premiered in over 100 film festivals worldwide and won many prestigious awards, among them a Directors Guild of America Student Award. Jerry’s visual talents can be seen in the Oscar nominated documentary "Exit Through The Gift Shop" directed by Banksy, and Peabody Award winning documentary "American Revolutionary" by director Grace Lee. He lent his visual talents to help shoot the Grammy Award winning HBO doc series titled "The Defiant Ones" which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Dre. and Jimmy Iovine. Jerry contributed cinematography on the Oscar Nominated documentary short film "St. Louis Superman" by directors Smriti Mundra and Sami Khan. His most recent work is the Documentary/ Narrative hybrid adaptation of the Ta-Nehisi Coates book "Between the World and Me" directed by Kamilah Forbes for HBO Max and "High on the Hog" Season 1 directed by Roger Ross Williams for Netflix. He is recently lensed the documentary series "The 1619 Project" with the Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones for Hulu/ ABC/ Disney+ and Season 2 of High on The Hog. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • JULIA ZAK

    FILM/TV JULIA ZAK Senior Development Executive Cinetic Media Julia Zak runs Cinetic Media’s TV and film development division. Since joining the company in 2020, Zak has been curating a slate of projects that highlights female voices, queer voices, and people of color by fighting for stories about those who have been systemically erased or cast in the shadows of others’ stories. Most recently, Zak has served as a producer on Restaurants at the End of the World for Disney+ and is also in post on a series for Apple that will premiere later this year. Zak previously worked at Red Wagon Entertainment and WME. She was born and raised in Queens, NY. “I deeply appreciate Julia’s commitment and leadership in wanting me to grow and develop to my truest potential. Julia’s mentorship has been an invaluable asset to my journey. Because of her guidance and support through difficult times, I applied my learned skills and navigated my way to Tribeca Film Festival working with a director. This unique opportunity led to a full-time position working as a Social Media Producer at a production company. Today, I am doing amazing work and helping others in ways that I never could have imagined for myself.” — Jaresiah W. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • LINDA CAMACHO

    PUBLISHING LINDA CAMACHO Literary Agent Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency Linda was always a fan of escaping into a good book, so the fact that she gets to make it her career is still surreal. She graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Communication and has seen many sides of the industry. She’s held various positions at Penguin Random House, Dorchester, Simon and Schuster, Writers House, and Prospect Agency. She's done everything from foreign rights to editorial to marketing to operations, so it was amazing to see how all the departments worked together to bring books to life. Somewhere in between all that (and little sleep), Linda received her MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. At Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency, Linda represents children’s and adult fiction across various genres, along with select narrative nonfiction. My specialty is in books, especially fiction. I don't represent screenplays, poetry, or short stories/novellas, so I wouldn't be the best advisor for those arenas. I'd love to work with someone who's interested in becoming an agent or editor in the book publishing industry. I won’t be reading pages or accepting pitches. WEBSITE TWITTER INSTAGRAM VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • KIMBERLY CARVER

    FILM/TV KIMBERLY CARVER Talent Manager | Producer Anonymous Content Kimberly Carver is a talent manager and producer at Anonymous Content in Los Angeles. She represents a diverse and talented group of writers, producers, directors and talent in the entertainment industry, specifically in television and film. Kimberly is the executive producer of the HBO Max series, JULIA, starring Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce. She also co-created and executive produces the non-scripted version of THE JULIA CHILD CHALLENGE for Food Network. In addition, she executive produced several comedies series, including BARELY FAMOUS, COMEDY GET DOWN and VERY SUPERSTITIOUS. At the very heart of what I do is the ability to effectively be many things to many people, be it an entrepreneur, advisor, producer, therapist, and cheerleader. Vital to my role as a manager is the capacity to package and manage client ideas, persuade others to see the value of their vision and act on it all the while pushing client career goals to new heights. While I may have a passion like others in the business, the path that led me here is a little different. I was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and believed my career lay in the finance world. However, shortly after my career in finance began, it quickly ended. I knew this was not where I wanted to be, and it did not fulfill my creative aspirations. So, I did the only thing I could do, I quit and headed out west. My biggest asset during that time was my willingness to do whatever I needed to do to make my dreams a reality, which all started with the first step – the willingness to bet on myself. I learned early on in this journey that there are a million different ways into the entertainment business, and it was critical to be open minded every step of the way. That open mindedness paid dividends when I gave a contact a stock tip that paid off. As a result, this “contact” was so impressed with the information I gave him that he passed along my contact information to a friend of his at a talent agency, CAA, which led to a job as an assistant. From that seemingly inconsequential stock tip, my career took flight. For over 20 years I’ve continued to maintain that level of openness and intellectual curiosity as a manager and producer. Combined with the knowledge that I’m doing exactly what I want and love to do. What propels my career is the choice to continue to make something happen in the face of a thousand no’s. This thinking has led to a very rewarding and unpredictable journey in bringing the artists vision to life. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • LIZ PAULSON

    FILM/TV LIZ PAULSON EVP of Casting and Talent Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon (Live-Action & Animation), & Awesomeness (Live-Action) "I hope to help shine a light on my mentees vulnerabilities and strengths, for me they’re often one and the same. I will remind one another that we’re constantly evolving and growing and that this relationship will ideally be reciprocal. I truly appreciate the role of the mentor and deeply identify with teaching. With that said, I’m reminded that we’re often mirrors and gain immense knowledge and strength through learning from one another and our ever evolving landscape." Liz has spent the past 20+ years immersed in the casting community. She joined Nickelodeon Animation Studio as SVP of Casting and Talent Development in February 2020 and expanded her oversight to include live-action for Nickelodeon and Awesomeness series and movies in May of 2021. Recently promoted to EVP with a purview to include; Nickelodeon, Awesomeness & Paramount Animation. Prior to Nickelodeon, she was SVP of Casting at 20th Century Fox Television, with oversight of both scripted television and animation. She attributes a large part of her success to leadership, creativity and the ability to attune to others and the marketplace. Her strengths and entrepreneurial spirit help to effectively implement a structure that is organized yet immensely creative. In October 2015, Variety honored Liz as one of Hollywood's New Leaders. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • 2026 MARKETING | Unlock Her Potential

    Check out our Marketing mentors for Unlock Her Potential MARKETING FREE MARKETING APPLICATION For the first time ever, a third party is sponsoring a full cohort! Top digital marketing agency Razorfish, part of Publicis Groupe, is providing all of the Marketing mentors in 2026. Thanks to Razorfish's generosity, ALL applicants to these 5 Marketing mentors will be free. Please apply here for Marketing mentors only. MELANIE GEE GVP, Client Partner | Razorfish OMAR FAJARDO VP, Creative Director | Razorfish RICARDO LATORRE VP, Group Experience Design Director | Razorfish SUNYA GANBOLD Head of Delivery, EVP | Razorfish THEO JONES VP, Brand Creative + Social Strategy | Razorfish VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • JOSEPH PATEL

    FILM/TV JOSEPH PATEL Producer | Director | Writer “Summer Of Soul” "As a mentor, I can share my experiences, my advice being on both sides of the creative equation, and any guidance you may need wherever you are in your journey. I can’t guarantee reading or watching anything, or making any professional introductions. But if you commit time and effort to this mentorship, those things can happen organically." Joseph Patel is an Academy Award-winning Producer, Director and Writer on documentaries and short films. He recently produced the documentary feature, SUMMER OF SOUL (...OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED), directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, which won the Oscar in 2022 for Best Documentary Film. The film won multiple awards (BAFTA, Independent Spirit, PGA, Critics Choice, Sundance Grand Jury & Audience Award) and was declared “The Best Film of 2021” by The New York Times. Patel began his career as a music & culture journalist, writing for magazines and websites. He went on to produce and direct television and digital content for MTV News & Docs and Vice Media, and served as Content and Creative Director at The FADER and Vevo. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • MARKETING | Unlock Her Potential

    Check out our Marketing mentors for Unlock Her Potential MARKETING ALIX TYLER Creative Director | Creative Strategist | Instagram + Facebook ILEANA DIEZ Brand Strategist | Roc Nation MARCELLE KARP Editorial/Creative Director | Brand Strategist | Marketing Magnet MELISSA ROSENFIELD Founder | IFP Communications VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • TY STIKLORIUS

    MUSIC, C-SUITE TY STIKLORIUS Founder & CEO Friends At Work I can help you: in fields of music, film, TV and entertainment, understand how better to build a team culture that lasts, stay healthy and whole as an entrepreneur, manage artists and make a positive social impact on the world. Ty Stiklorius is the Founder and CEO of Friends At Work, an entertainment and social-impact company that partners with leading creators, influencers and brands to elevate important voices and help their vision thrive. Founded in 2015, LA-based Friends At Work supports the careers of artists including John Legend, Raphael Saadiq, Lindsey Stirling, and Charlie Puth, among others. Friends At Work also advises organizations and individuals on social-impact strategy, business development, and creative storytelling and production. In 2019, Ty started managing impacters Neal Katyal and Erica Chidi Cohen recognizing the important need for infrastructure around changemakers. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • TEAM | Unlock Her Potential

    If you're interested in joining the Unlock Her Potential team or want to get involved, send us a message. TEAM BRAINTRUST CARLA MILLER ELLA GUDWIN JESSICA TEUTONICO SARA SIDNER TREVA LINDSEY CREW BRANDI NEUWIRTH HR TEAM MICHELLE NAM CREATIVE DIRECTOR WEBSITE INSTAGRAM GRACE OLIVER COPYWRITER LINKEDIN ROSIE CHU GRAPHIC DESIGNER LINKEDIN INSTAGRAM JOLIA THADAL SOCIAL MEDIA - RESEARCH & INSIGHTS LINKEDIN SHWETA DASAI HR TEAM LINKEDIN KITKAT FISHER MENTOR LIAISON LINKEDIN INSTAGRAM TIKTOK STEPHANY ADAORA MOGHALU SOCIAL MEDIA LINKEDIN INSTAGRAM WEBSITE LANI WILLMAR HR TEAM LINKEDIN SYLVIA MUNGUIA PITTMAN HR LEAD LINKEDIN If you're interested in joining the Unlock Her Potential team or want to get involved, send us a message. MESSAGE US

  • AMELIA HANIBELSZ

    FILM/TV AMELIA HANIBELSZ Former Executive Director of Development | Founder ABC News Studios Amelia Hanibelsz is the former Executive Director of Development for ABC News Studios. In this role and in life she uplifts communities of color, underrepresented voices and under estimated audiences. She is a Prime Time Emmy nominated Supervising Producer and Genesis Award Winning Producer. Most recently she worked as Executive Producer at the USC SHOAH Foundation - founded by Steven Spielberg- supporting the creation of immersive and educational content inspired by over 55,000 testimonials of Holocaust and Genocide survivors from around the world. In 2020 Amelia wrapped as a Senior Producer for VICE on an 8-part series about young global activists. Over the past 20+ years, Amelia has acquired extensive experience in discovering and cultivating new talent for content initiatives on leading media networks such as Discovery, A&E, National Geographic, Animal Planet, The Smithsonian Channel, MTV, and VICE. She worked as the VP of Development for the award-winning production company Pangolin Pictures in New York for seven years. In 2013, Amelia founded Tell2C Productions to continue to utilize her storytelling skills for good. Since then, she has collaborated with FilmAid and the talented filmmakers of Kakuma Refugee Camp and is now proudly a FilmAid Kenya Board Member. She has worked with UNICEF, ActionAid, The Sesame Street Workshop, and The Gates Foundation to create compelling advocacy films on women and empowerment all over Africa. In South Sudan, she produced and distributed multimedia content for the United Nations, featured in Vanity Fair, Discovery, and Global Citizens social media platforms. She was a judge for the Reel Impact and IOM Global Migration Film Festival, which was in 106 Countries with over 500 screenings, a judge for the 41st, 42nd News & Doc Emmys, 73rd LA Emmys, the Netflix "New Voices" competition @ "Sunny Side Of The Doc" and a judge for the International Documentary Awards. She is an active member of the Television Academy, Global Impact Producers Assembly, and last but not least, a proud member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia. "Thank you for choosing me as your 2022 - 2023 Unlock Her Potential mentee, Amelia Hanibelsz. You've been a friend, sister, mentor and much more. Thank you for reminding me of my worth and pushing me to dream bigger. If it weren't for you, I may have learned lessons the hard way. Thank you for sharing inspo videos and WOC career advice podcasts. Thank you for showing up to Disney as a mover and shaker. ABC News President Kim Goodwin noticed your light and love. You glow without trying to. I'm most grateful for your transparency as you navigate grief. Thank you for feeling it because you've given me permission to feel mine too. Like you always say, it's wild how similar our lives are (right now). Thanks for making sure I didn't navigate this thing on my own. Cheers to that and as Sophia Chang says, 'Being the baddest b**** in the room." — Aja VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • MICHELLE RAIMO KOUYATE | Unlock Her Potential

    FILM/TV MICHELLE RAIMO KOUYATE Former President | Sony Pictures Animation "As a mentor I can help you understand the perspective of both the producer and studio buyer, how to put a project together and move it forward and how to advocate for yourself and know your true worth." Michelle Raimo Kouyate is a producer with over two decades of experience producing and developing for film and TV. Formerly President of Production at Sony Pictures Animation, she has the rare distinction of success in the live action and animation spheres, both as a producer and top-level executive at companies such as Nickelodeon, and Miramax Films. The films she has been involved with, which range from CHOCOLAT and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK to PUSS IN BOOTS and HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 1 & 2, have grossed over $3 billion worldwide. Michelle currently has a deal with Sony Pictures Animation where she is producing a slate of movies and is running LENS: Sony Pictures Empowerment and Leadership for New Storytellers which seeks to develop filmmaking leadership from underrepresented communities in an effort to allow them to create the content that reflects their worlds and perspectives. She is deeply committed to creating space that includes more marginalized voices and viewpoints. She also serves on the board of A Place Called Home, which offers services to the youth of South Central Los Angeles. "My mentor's name is Michelle Raimo Kouyate and from our 1st call where I admitted to being nervous and she replied “don’t be” I instantly felt that I was in good hands. She is a role model for how to “wear” your success while creating a space for others to also be successful. When I explained to her that I wanted to move from being a “corporate creative” to a creative in my own right as a writer/producer I felt that she totally supported me and would be invaluable on my journey. On her advice I have taken classes which have already strengthened my ability to tell the stories that I want to tell with more clarity and confidence. It’s incredible what I have learned through her insights and our mutual passion for storytelling. I am amazed at how much I have grown in just 4 sessions and excited to meet myself at the end of this year. I am also grateful to her and Unlock Her Potential for giving me this awesome chance and opportunity." — Nicole VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • HILARY STRAW

    FILM/TV HILARY STRAW Vice President of People Hello Sunshine Hilary can help you plan what’s next in your career, how to navigate finding your dream job, preparing for those conversations or interviews. Additionally, she can delve deeper into executive coaching and support your communication plans. Hilary Straw is the VP of People at Hello Sunshine, a media brand anchored in storytelling, on a mission to change the narrative for women. Hilary supports Hello Sunshine’s Executives and their teams across the organization to engage, grow, develop, and retain, by creating programs that support the empowerment of the individual and streamline communications. In partnership with the Executive leadership team, Hilary fosters the culture and community around the growing organization. Being a People-First leader, Hilary embraces innovation to find new and creative ways to engage with her audience, the hello sunshine team. Understanding how important it is to show up for our team the way we show up for our audiences. Prior to joining Hello Sunshine, Straw led Human Resources for a number of venture-backed start-ups in food and tech. VIEW ALL MENTORS

  • support@unlockherpotential.com

Sign up to receive UP news and updates.

UNLOCK HER POTENTIAL is not an employer or employment agency and assumes no liability for any participant’s advice, action, or inaction arising out of or related to participation in the program.
 

Copyright ©2026 UNLOCK HER POTENTIAL.  All rights reserved.

Branding & design by Michelle Nam.

bottom of page