Television Academy Foundation Offers College Media Educators Nationwide Access to Top-tier Hollywood Talent in ‘Faculty Seminar: The Conference’ Nov. 15-17

Industry Professionals Gloria Calderón Kellett, Harry Friedman, Jorge Gutierrez, Ivana Kirkbride, Cliff Plumer and Matt Strauss Among Speakers for Three-Day Educator Conference on Current Media Trends

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Television Academy Foundation today announced that registration is open for its annual “Faculty Seminar: The Conference” to be held Nov. 15-17. College and university media arts educators nationwide may register for the three-day virtual event at TelevisionAcademy.com/faculty-seminar/registration.

The Foundation’s Faculty Conference offers media professors a VIP pass to curriculum-enhancing seminars with industry heavyweights to get the latest news on the art, science and business of television.

“We have a stellar lineup for this year’s virtual Faculty Conference available to educators nationwide,” said Cris Abrego, Television Academy Foundation chair, chairman of Banijay America Group, and president and CEO of Endemol Shine Holdings. “This program is designed to keep faculty up-to-date on production trends, state-of-the-art technologies, and the vital skills needed for students entering the workforce.”

The conference will kick off with opening remarks from Abrego, followed by a keynote from Matt Strauss, chairman, direct-to-consumer and international, NBCUniversal.

Industry panel discussions include “Script to Screen: Maya and The Three” featuring animation creator/executive producer/writer Jorge Gutierrez, producer and character designer Sandra Equiha, and sequence director John Aoshima; and “The Art of the Game: Careers in Quiz and Game Shows'' featuring former Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune executive producer Harry Friedman, Jeopardy! co-head writer Michele Loud, and executive vice president of production at Warner Horizon Television Inc. Kevin Fortson, moderated by Bob Boden, executive producer of Funny You Should Ask.

Also on course for the event are an “Ask Me Anything” session with the CEO of GloNation Studios executive producer/showrunner Gloria Calderón Kellett (With Love; One Day at a Time), moderated by Ben Lopez, executive director, National Association of Latino Independent Producers; “A Conversation with Ivana Kirkbride,” global director of content strategy and programming at Facebook Inc.; and “Emerging Technology: Virtual Set Production” featuring Cliff Plumer, global president, NEP Virtual Studios, moderated by Emmy^®-winning production designer James Pearse Connelly (The Masked Singer).

Additional seminar topics for educators include “Plugging In: Helping Students Launch a Career in TV” with Lilly Zhang, senior director, recruiting, Endeavor; Nicholas Levan, manager, university relations, WarnerMedia; and Rabia Abedin, manager, early career programs and diversity outreach, DreamWorks Animation, plus “Utilizing The Interviews: An Oral History of Television” (the Foundation’s online archive) in curriculum.

Faculty Seminar: The Conference will be presented virtually Nov. 15-17. To register, visit TelevisionAcademy.com/faculty-seminar/registration, $100 per person. Financial aid is available for select professors courtesy of the Alex Trebek Legacy Fund Fellowships program.

Kia America is the presenting sponsor for the 2021 Faculty Seminar: The Conference.

About the Television Academy Foundation

Established in 1959 as the charitable arm of the Television Academy, the Television Academy Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of television while educating and inspiring those who will shape its future. Through renowned educational and outreach programs, such as The Interviews: An Oral History of Television Project, College Television Awards and Summit, Student Internship and Fellowship Programs and the Faculty Conference, the Foundation seeks to widen the circle of voices our industry represents and to create more opportunity for television to reflect all of society. For more information on the Foundation, please visit TelevisionAcademy.com/Foundation.