Industry Profiles and Q&As

Brittney M. Russell is a dynamic Bronx-born filmmaker and storyteller whose work is rooted in advocacy, authenticity, and the pursuit of justice. As a first-generation Jamaican American, she draws inspiration from her community’s resilience and cultural richness, using her lens to amplify underrepresented voices and challenge systemic inequities.

Brittney's filmmaking journey began in the public health sphere, where she uncovered her passion for documenting real-time stories that matter. Her work reflects a commitment to truth-telling, spotlighting critical issues such as maternal health disparities, social justice, and the lived experiences of marginalized groups.

A rising force in the industry, Brittney combines her talent for narrative-driven storytelling with an eye for visual artistry, creating compelling films that not only inform but inspire change. Her dedication to capturing the unfiltered realities of her subjects continues to shape her as a bold and visionary filmmaker.

Victoria Sung is the Phyllis C. Wattis Senior Curator at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), where she oversees the museum’s long-standing MATRIX series of contemporary art and works with artists to create exhibitions, publications, and public programs. Recent projects include solo exhibitions with Amol K Patil, Lee ShinJa, Sin Wai Kin, Duane Linklater, Kenneth Tam, and Yee I-Lann. From 2015 to 2023, Sung was a curator at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, where she organized the touring retrospective Pacita Abad (traveled to SFMOMA, MoMA PS1, and the Art Gallery of Ontario), as well as exhibitions with Siah Armajani, Theaster Gates, Pao Houa Her, Candice Lin, Rayyane Tabet, and Laure Prouvost, among others. Her latest exhibition Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Multiple Offerings, the first retrospective on Cha in 25 years, is on view at BAMPFA until April 19, 2026.

Annabel O'Hagan is known for her acclaimed role as Steph Harper in Amazon Prime's hit series FALLOUT. She is a Harvard graduate who broke barriers as one of the first women cast in Harvard's historic Hasty Pudding Theatricals before making her television debut on LAW & ORDER: SVU. Previous credits include A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN (Dir: Denzel Washington) and DEAR EDWARD for Apple TV+. She will soon be seen in two independent films: INTO THE SKY opposite Sam Richardson and David Cross, written and directed by Evan Buxbaum and Drew Mulrea, and ECHO LAKE, directed by Lindsey Ruggles. She is represented by MJ Management and Stewart Talent.

Jordana Lewis Jaffe is a seasoned television writer and producer who has written for NCIS: LOS ANGELES, HIGH POTENTIAL, and CSI: VEGAS, among others. She's developed TV projects for Netflix, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Hallmark, and has a romantic comedy screenplay in development with R/K Films. Before segueing into entertainment, she was a journalist for THE NEW YORK TIMES and NEWSWEEK. Jordana earned her Bachelor's degree from Harvard University, where she studied History and Literature and was Editorial Chair of THE HARVARD CRIMSON. She also holds a JD from UCLA School of Law. Originally from Orange County, California, she and her husband Mark have two children.

Before founding the production company Temple Hill, Marty was a partner and top literary agent at United Talent Agency. His UTA client roster included Charlie Kaufman (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), Larry McMurtry (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN), David Stern & David Weiss (SHREK 2), and actors Bernie Mac, James Gandolfini, and Wesley Snipes. Films Marty produced at Temple Hill include FATHERHOOD starring Kevin Hart, FIRST MAN starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Damian Chazelle, THE HATE YOU GIVE, and the TWILIGHT franchise. Marty’s TV credits as executive producer include: LOVE VICTOR, DAVE, THE OUTSIDER, and REVENGE.

Ashely Alker is a practicing emergency medicine physician and adjunct professor at George Washington Medical School and the author of 99 WAYS TO DIE: AND HOW TO AVOID THEM (St. Martin’s Press; January 2026). Dr. Alker specializes in using media to create accurate public health messaging. She has been featured in USA Today, BBC World, San Diego Union-Tribune, TEDMED, and TEDx San Diego. She serves as the Chief Medical Media Officer of Doctorpedia, a patient education organization, and produced and co-hosted the “COVID Frontlines” public health education webcast. Ashely also contributes to public health education as a medical technical consultant and screenwriting editor for over 20 television shows, including TV and film for Netflix, HULU, HBO, CBS, Disney, and Apple TV.

Thomas Allen Harris AB '84 is a critically acclaimed, interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and scholar whose work explores family, identity, and spirituality. He is also Co-Founder and Co-Director of Family Pictures Institute for Inclusive Storytelling, a nonprofit that uses participatory storytelling, artistic projects, and community engagements that activate the family archive to increase community well-being. Today, Harris is currently working on his upcoming documentary film, MY MOM, THE SCIENTIST, and its national outreach campaign, Scientists in the Family, which explores hidden figures within STEM. A Professor-in-the-Practice at Yale University, he teaches non-fiction film theory and production classes based on his pioneering research methodologies.

Alissa Lee '94 HLS '97 is an author and lawyer. She was formerly Associate General Counsel and COO, Legal at Google, where she led the Asia Pacific and Latin America legal teams. Although proud of her New Jersey roots, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a board member of Friends of the San Francisco Public Library. Her first novel, WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, was published in November 2025. 

Renee Zhan AB '16 is a Chinese-American director and animator from Houston, Texas. In her films, Renee is primarily interested in exploring topics of identity, obsession, and the inner monster —all things beautiful, ugly, and squishy. She is an alumnus of the Sarabande Foundation, BAFTA crew x BFI Network and Berlinale Talents, and her short films have screened and won awards at festivals internationally, including AFI Fest, Locarno, TIFF, Telluride, SXSW, an Annie Award nomination, BAFTA LA shortlist, and the Jury Prize for Animated Short at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. She is currently developing her first feature with BBC Film.

Kim Onah, hailing from Staten Island, NY, is an actress, writer, and singer currently based in New York City. She graduated from Harvard University with an AB in English and Music. Despite her parents’ best efforts to persuade her, Kim still isn’t getting a Computer Science degree or pursuing a traditional career.

Kim began singing at the young age of 8 years old. She studied voice and piano at the Staten Island Conservatory of Music until she moved to Cambridge, MA for college in 2011. During her time at Harvard, Kim sang in and arranged for an a cappella group, The Harvard Callbacks. She also performed work with Oberon @ ART, Loeb Drama Center (Mainstage & Experimental Theater), Farkas Studio, Adams Pool Theater, Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, and the Umbrella Theater in Concord, MA.

Favorite credits include: & JULIET (Broadway), BEAUTIFUL (Tour Company), AIDA (as Aida), GUYS AND DOLLS(as Sarah Brown), ALL SHOOK UP (as Lorraine).

Kim's interests outside of music and theater include writing, traveling, eating, and s

Ken Liu AB '98 JD '04 is an American author of speculative fiction. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards, he wrote THE DANDELION DYNASTY, a silkpunk epic fantasy series, as well as short story collections THE PAPER MENAGERIE AND OTHER STORIES and THE HIDDEN GIRL AND OTHER STORIES. His latest book is ALL THAT WE SEE OR SEEM, a techno-thriller starring an AI-whispering hacker who saves the world. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Liu worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. Liu frequently speaks on a variety of topics, including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, history of technology, bookmaking, and the mathematics of origami.

​