Industry Profiles and Q&As
View our archival profiles and Q&As here.
Exclusive Q&A with Kelly Yang JD '05
Industry:
author
Kelly Yang JD '05 is the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of the FRONT DESK series, NEW FROM HERE, FINALLY SEEN, FINALLY HEARD, young adult novels PARACHUTES and PRIVATE LABEL, and picture books YES WE WILL and LITTLE BIRD LAILA. Her books have earned multiple awards, including the 2019 APALA Award for Children’s Literature and the Strega Prize, and have featured on multiple best of the year lists. FRONT DESK was named one of the Best Books of the 21st Century by Kirkus Reviews. In addition, Kelly has written screenplays and television pilots for Netflix, CBS Studios, and the CW. Kelly immigrated to the United States when she was six years old and grew up in Southern California. She went to college early and is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School. THE TAKE is her first adult novel.
Alumni Profile: David Frankel AB ’81
Industry:
director
David Frankel is the director of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2, which will be released by Disney in May. His previous work as a director includes THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, MARLEY & ME, THE BIG YEAR, COLLATERAL BEAUTY, JERRY AND MARGE GO LARGE, ONE CHANCE, MIAMI RHAPSODY, and HOPE STREEPS. He won an Academy Award for Best Short for his film, DEAR DIARY, and an Emmy for his direction of HBO’s BAND OF BROTHERS. His other work for HBO includes the pilot for ENTOURAGE, several episodes of SEX AND THE CITY, and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON. His other television work includes episodes of THE MORNING SHOW for AppleTV+; the pilots for MANIFEST (on NBC & Netflix), THE BAKER AND THE BEAUTY (on ABC) and THE IRRATIONAL (on NBC); and the Netflix pilot for INVENTING ANNA, starring Julia Garner. He lives in Miami with his wife, Jennifer Beber.
Alumni Profile: Clive Chang HBS ’11
Industry:
YoungArts CEO
Clive Chang is President and CEO of YoungArts, the National Foundation for the Advancement Artists, whose mission is to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential, and invest in their lifelong creative freedom. Clive brings to this role a combination of commercial and nonprofit arts leadership experience, as well as the perspective of a lifelong artist himself as a classically trained composer and pianist.
Prior to YoungArts, Clive was Executive Vice President, Chief Advancement & Innovation Officer for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. In this capacity, he oversaw fundraising, strategic partnerships, and innovation programs for the world’s pre-eminent performing arts complex—home to 11 world class arts organizations across its 16-acre campus. Prior to Lincoln Center, Clive served as Director, Strategy & Business Development for Disney Theatrical Group, where he led strategic planning and growth initiatives for Disney’s commercial live entertainment businesses worldwide.
Clive holds dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from McGill University, an MFA in Musical Theater Writing from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He was an adjunct professor in the graduate program in Arts Administration at Columbia University in New York City from 2018-2021 and serves on the boards of the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation, Music Academy of the West, and the advisory board of the NYU Center for Black Visual Culture. Clive and his husband divide their time between Miami, FL and Weston, CT.
Exclusive Q&A with Michael J. Polelle HLS ’63
Industry:
author
A native Chicagoan, M.J. Polelle is an emeritus professor of the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. A graduate of Harvard Law School, he practiced civil litigation in Chicago before joining the faculty of De Paul University College of Law and then the UIC-School of Law. He taught a comparative law course in Parma, Italy and served as a Special Assistant State’s Attorney for several years. His first novel, THE MITHRAS CONSPIRACY (Lido Press: 2019), a history-based mystery, was a 2020 finalist in both the Eric Hoffer Book Awards and Royal Palm Literary Awards of the Florida Writers Association. It also earned an IndieBRAG Medallion for placing in the top tier of reviewed novels. He did original research in Rome, Italy concerning the Mithras cult. His second novel, AMERICAN CONSPIRACY (Lido Press: 2021), a political thriller, drew on his years as a lawyer, a professor of constitutional law, and the fateful presidential election of 2016. M.J. Polelle lives now with his wife, Donna, in Sarasota, Florida.
Exclusive Q&A with Brittney Russell HMS Media & Medicine '20
Industry:
director
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.
Alumni Profile: Victoria Sung AB’10 MBA’15
Industry:
curator
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.
Exclusive Q&A with Annabel O'Hagan AB '19
Industry:
actor
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.
Alumni Profile: Jordana Lewis Jaffe AB '02
Industry:
writer, producer
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.
Alumni Profile: Marty Bowen AB '91 (producer)
Industry:
producer
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.
Exclusive Q&A with Ashely Alker, M.D., M.Sc. '09
Industry:
author, physician
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.
Alumni Profile: Thomas Allen Harris AB '84 (artist, filmmaker, scholar)
Industry:
artist, filmmaker, scholar
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.
Exclusive Q&A with Alissa Lee AB ’94 HLS ’97 (author, lawyer)
Industry:
author, lawyer
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.
- 5Page 1