Daniel Plagens

Humanitas

As Humanitas’s Program Manager, Daniel oversees the Humanitas Prizes, New Voices Fellowship, College Screenwriting Awards, and the Groceries for Writers project while also handling other day-to-day administrative matters. He came to Humanitas after working for several years in the unscripted television and documentary worlds, and is a writer himself. He was recently a semifinalist for Filmmatic's Inroads Fellowship, and he was named to the University of Michigan Entertainment Coalition’s Blue List in 2020, a compilation of the school’s up-and-coming screenwriting alumni. MORE

Joshua Walker

Paramount

Joshua Walker is the Vice President of Content Engagement, Partnerships & Strategy at Paramount, where he works at the intersection of entertainment, culture, and impact. In this role, he oversees Paramount’s pipeline initiatives, including the Writers Mentoring Program and Directing Initiative, driving efforts to identify, develop, and integrate the next generation of creative talent into the Paramount ecosystem. He also leads initiatives that connect productions with communities, cultivate emerging talent, and build strategic partnerships that strengthen the storytelling ecosystem both on and off screen. Outside of his studio work, Joshua is also a creator. As an actor, writer, director, and host, he develops projects that explore identity, community, and the human experience. His work often blends travel, nature, and personal storytelling, reflecting a broader interest in how place, culture, and lived experience influence the stories we tell. MORE

Liz Kelly

Disney

Liz Kelly is Director of Creative Talent Development and Inclusion at Disney Entertainment Television. In this role, she works with the network and studio to staff writers and directors across ABC, ABC Signature, Freeform, Disney Channel, 20th TV, FX, Nat Geo, Disney+ and Hulu’s scripted television shows. She runs the industry-leading Disney Writing Program and Disney Directing Program. She has staffed talent on THE ROOKIE, HIGH POTENTIAL, 9-1-1 franchise, WILL TRENT, SHIFTING GEARS, TELL ME LIES, NOBODY WANTS THIS, DELI BOYS, and many more through the years. Prior to Disney, Kelly worked for 6 years at Fox, most recently as Associate Director of Production and Development Labs – Film and TV, for 21CF Global Inclusion. Kelly staffed writers and directors on FOX's scripted television shows, including THE GIFTED, THE COOL KIDS, LUCIFER, LAST MAN ON EARTH, THE EXORCIST, THE RESIDENT, and LETHAL WEAPON, among others. She managed the Fox Writers Lab, Fox Directors Lab, Fox DP Lab, and Fox Filmmakers Lab, tracked and maintained network diversity statistics regarding on-air and behind-the-camera creative talent, and managed the department’s partnerships and sponsorships with non- profits and film and TV festivals. Kelly has been a judge, script reader, or panelist for numerous film and TV festivals across the country, including the Tribeca Film Festival, New York Television Festival, Austin Film Festival, ATX Television Festival, SeriesFest Denver, CAAMFest San Francisco, San Diego Latino Film Festival, NALIP Media Summit, LA Skins Fest, Outfest, BlackStar Philadelphia Film Festival, and Humanitas New Voices. In 2017, she was invited to be part of Creative Artists Agency’s “Amplify: Next Gen” group of up-and- coming entertainment artists, agents, and executives. Liz is a member of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society. She has a BA from UCLA and is a graduate of UCLA School of Theater Film and Television’s graduate-level Professional Program in Screenwriting. MORE

Mari Knabben

Fox

Mari Knabben was born in Brazil on September 7th (Brazil's Independence Day!). She majored in Journalism at the Catholic University in Brazil, graduating in 2005. After moving to the USA, she attended UCLA and earned a Certificate in Music Business in 2012. During this time and afterward, she worked in Social Media. Recently she worked as an Assistant to the Producer on the short film *Slow Pulse* and the documentary *The Inquisitor*, and she has been a Program Manager at the Fox Writers Incubator since 2021. MORE