Everybody’s got a story…

Here’s mine.

My Start

I started in Hollywood as a stand up comic, a job I loved. But, even more, I loved TV and Film, and I really wanted to be a part of that exciting world. I started as an assistant, worked my way up, and eventually became a senior-level creative television executive. I worked at CBS Comedy, and then became Vice President of Amblin Television for Steven Spielberg .

Working at Amblin was thrilling and challenging, but my work-life balance was completely off. By then I was married, with a young daughter, and I realized I was missing watching her grow up! So I changed gears, left the studio, and started consulting all over Hollywood.

Building Two Programs

It was a great decision professionally, as well as personally, because within a few years I was able to create the CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program, which I’ve now run for 17 years. I'm immensely proud of the work we do in the CBS program, helping to launch the careers of over 140 diverse television writers.

When the CBS Program was up and running, the Writers Guild reached out to me. They had recently created a program for established writers who were preparing to take on their first assignments as Showrunners. This project, the WGA Showrunner Training Program, was sorely needed in Hollywood, and I was so fortunate to be hired to help Jeff Melvoin develop the program's curriculum. I've now been running the program for 16 years, and have been honored to work with and instruct some of Hollywoods most brilliant writers.

Coaching and Speaking

Over the years, I've had the unique opportunity to work closely with creative professionals at all stages of their careers, from just breaking in to running multiple hit shows. I've learned an incredible amount about what works and what doesn't, when it comes to navigating this unusual business. Over time, I realized that my skillset and point-of-view would be valuable to more than just the folks that came through the programs I run. So, I began to carve out time to teach what I know in a few other ways.

I've learned that the most effective way for me to share my knowledge with folks at any level, from beginner to showrunner, is individual one-on-one coaching. More than most businesses, Hollywood is the antithesis of one-size-fits-all. That's why I make time to work one-on-one with writers, producers, directors, and other creative professionals in related fields, coaching them to build the Hollywood careers of their dreams.

In addition to one-on-one coaching, I am frequently invited to speak at studios, networks, film festivals, conferences and universities all over the world. I love speaking in these environments, because it lets me teach a slice of what I've learned to a large group of creative professionals all at one time.

Game Plan and Boot Camp

When I started hearing the same questions, time and again, from folks new to the industry, I realized there was a need for a basic "How To Hollywood" type book. Something that lays out the fundamentals of the industry for people who are ready to dive in, and that points out some of the pitfalls best avoided, passing along the experience I've gathered personally, and through clients and students throughout my career. That project became the book Hollywood Game Plan.

When the book was well-received, I decided to expand on its concepts, and blend them with some of the most successful elements of my public speaking that I'd honed at universities and other engagements focused on folks brand-new to the industry. I produced an online video course called Hollywood Boot Camp, designed to get Hollywood hopefuls ready to launch their careers.