Last Wednesday, we welcomed Maureen Fan, Co-Founder and CEO of Baobab Studios, for our final Creative Connect of 2026.
Category: Guest Speakers
We’re thrilled to announce our Spring Quarter Creative Connect, with Baobab Studios Co-Founder + CEO and MSLCE Industry Advisory Board member, Maureen Fan! Maureen will be joining us at 12:30pm on Wednesday, April 15, at our home base at the Frances Searle building on Northwestern’s Evanston campus. This event is free and open to the
In February, the program welcomed Emmy-nominated TV writer and director Sam Bailey to campus for our second Creative Connect of the year. Sam Bailey is an Emmy-nominated writer and director from Chicago. Bailey directed and co-executive produced the first 3 episodes of Marvel’s series IRONHEART. She is the co-creator of the acclaimed Emmy-nominated webseries BROWN GIRLS and
Editor’s Note: In March 2025, Michele Ganeless, CEO at Comic Relief and former president of Comedy Central, returned to Northwestern University, her alma mater, to talk about her career experiences and the state of entertainment with MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises (MSLCE) students. Although she spoke at length about her career path and the
by Priyanshi Katare Lisa Trifone has been a part of the film industry for nearly two decades now. Throughout her career she has worked with the film industry in several different capacities, but her journey actually started off as a communication major. “ I thought maybe I’d work in a local newsroom somewhere or something
By Priyanshi Katare Leading global talent and entertainment company UTA represents many of the most acclaimed figures across film, television, news, music, sports, speakers, theater, fine art, literature, video games, podcasts and other social and digital content. A passionate advocate for artists, creators and innovators, the company also is recognized in the areas of film
Jon Faris joined MSLCE for our fall Creative Connect series. Learn more and join future events on our speaker series page. by Priyanshi Katare Northwestern alum Jon Faris is no stranger to the creative industry. During his time at Northwestern he studied Theatre and helped found and manage several theatre boards like WAVE Productions and
by Samantha Sartori Take a moment to picture someone you consider to be a leader. What is it about them that makes them stand out? Is it her perseverance and how she focuses on the group’s vision? Perhaps it’s his ability to keep his team aligned and accountable. Or maybe it’s their imagination and intuition
By ALYSSA HOLCOMB Seasoned digital programmer, platform builder, and NU alumnus Kenny Miller joined students and moderator/MSLCE faculty member AJ Christian for an engaging and insightful chat on “making, sharing and learning” the changes in television in the digital era.
by Thomas Wall As graduate students, we are constantly seeking advice on how to advance our careers. But when that advice comes from an Emmy-winning film producer and CEO/Founder of her own media company, it carries a special weight. Thanks to the MSLCE program, we were granted the opportunity to meet, hear from, and most