If you’ve always wanted to work on film and television productions in the Big Apple, here’s your chance to hear about programs that can help you land a job in the industry. Whether you’re interested in producing, directing, writing, set design, or the many different roles behind-the-scenes, these resources will give you the next steps for the career of your dreams.
Kwame Amoaku, Deputy Commissioner, NYC Film Office, Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment
As Deputy Commissioner of the Film Office at the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, Kwame Amoaku serves as principal advisor on film and television production policy in New York City. This includes promoting New York City as a premier location for production, developing and maintaining relationships with key industry stakeholders, and overseeing the film permitting process.
Prior to joining MOME in July 2022, he served as director of Chicago's Film Office. Amoaku's career in film and television spans 30 years, and includes experience in directing, producing, writing, cinematography, acting, and location management. As director of the Chicago Film Office, he helped develop COVID-19 protocols that allowed filming permits to be issued by June 2020 and served as part of the city's COVID Recovery Task Force, which invested in workforce development and infrastructure to increase soundstage capacity and revenues by 25 percent and film production by 125 percent. Amoaku also designed and implemented a workforce development program for Chicago residents from underserved areas and created the Chicago Independent Producers Lab, to provide professional development and support to Chicago's independent film community.
Venus Anderson, Program Director, "Made in NY" PA Program & Post Production Training Program, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations
Venus Anderson, Director of Media Programs, has been on staff with Brooklyn Workforce Innovations’ “Made in NY” Production Assistant Training Program since December 2011. Prior to her current position as the MINY Program Director, Venus was the Program Administrator; handling administrative duties for the program participants. She earned her BA in Mass Communication from The Ohio State University. A native New Yorker, Venus entered the “Made in NY” Production Assistant Program as a student in 2008. Upon graduation she worked as a Production Assistant on various shows including “Project Runway” & “America’s Next Top Model”. She was also an event coordinator on live events such as “The Revlon Run Walk”. To date, she has worked to train and place over 1,000 New Yorkers as Production Assistants into the world of tv/film in NYC.
Keisha Katz, Chief Strategy & Program Officer, Reel Works
Keisha Katz serves as Chief Strategy and Program Officer at Reel Works, leading workforce development, education initiatives, and data-driven impact strategies. With ten years of experience building equitable talent pipelines, Keisha specializes in designing career pathways that unite higher education, industry leaders, unions, and government agencies. Her leadership is informed by her roots as a documentary television producer; having navigated the industry herself, she is dedicated to dismantling the barriers she once witnessed. Since 2019, Keisha has scaled MediaMKRS to provide over 1,000 rising creatives access to meaningful careers. A proud Afro-Latina and Temple University alumna, she serves on the Advisory Council of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition and is fueled by her family and a mission to create equitable opportunities in the future of media
Sandra Forman, Administrator, DGA Assistant Director Training Program
Sandra Forman began her career working in HR during the early years of the A&E cable network. For many years, Sandra has been the Administrator of the DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TRAINING PROGRAM, guiding an annually selected group of Trainees through the rigors of film, television and commercial production. Sandra is also the Administrator of the DGA Commercial Qualifications List accrediting Assistant Directors and Unit Production Managers for DGA membership in conjunction with the AICP (Association of Independent Commercial Producers).
Moderator: Nikki Bethel, President & CEO, Emma Bowen Foundation
Nikki Bethel is a dynamic, results-driven senior leader with 20+ years of experience in strategic planning, diversity, equity & inclusion, talent management, leadership development, and public speaking. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Emma L. Bowen Foundation (EBF). In this role, Nikki is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the overall EBF mission to prepare students of color for the workforce and increase and sustain diversity in the media industry. She is the primary spokesperson for the Foundation and works with the Board of Directors, staff and stakeholders to develop the future strategic direction of EBF and oversee the execution and communication of that strategy across the organization, with corporate partners and the broader industry. Nikki also guides and oversees the financial sustainability of the Foundation, maintains the EBF brand identity, and successfully implements operational improvements to support the long-term success of the Foundation’s mission.
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Prior to the Emma Bowen Foundation, Bethel was the Senior Vice President of Talent Management for Home Box Office, Inc., and was responsible for overseeing the areas of talent acquisition and organizational effectiveness, which encompasses executive leadership and coaching, management training and professional development, employee communications and initiatives. She also oversaw integrated business solutions, including culture, talent assessment, succession planning and organizational strategy. In addition, Bethel represented HBO at Time Warner and WarnerMedia councils in the learning and development areas. She was named to this position in August 2015. Bethel joined HBO in 2003 as a recruiting associate and was named manager, Human Resources, in 2004, responsible for employee relations for eight internal departments. In 2006, she was promoted to director, Human Resources, adding several internal clients to her responsibilities. She was elevated to vice president and then senior vice president, Organizational Effectiveness, in 2008 and 2013, respectively.
In 2001, Bethel was a consultant at A-List, where she developed, coordinated and managed strategies designed to help college students and professionals find placement and/or transition across industries. Between 1998 and 2001, she worked in the financial sector as an associate, Global Diversity at Morgan Stanley and as an associate, Human Resources at Merrill Lynch, responsible for various strategic initiatives including career development, recruitment and retention. She began her career in 1997 as a teacher at English High School in Boston, where she also managed an after-school tutoring program for elementary grade students through the B.E.L.L. Foundation.
Bethel is a member of the Brooklyn Chapter of The Links, Inc., a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is an honorary member of the Women’s League of Science and Medicine, Inc. She also sits on the board of The Apollo, is a former board member of the Emma L. Bowen Foundation, and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC).
She holds a BA degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, an MA in Education from Harvard, and received a Human Resources Management Certificate from the City University of New York (New York City College of Technology). Nikki is happily married to the love of her life and they live between Sag Harbor and Brooklyn with their daughter.
Presented with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and BRIC
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
The Center's programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
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