Industry Profiles and Q&As

Madeline Benson AB '14 is a music director, songwriter, and pianist based in New York City. As a theater artist, she has long lived in the overlap of theater and songwriting, performing and facilitating the work of composers such as Sara Bareilles, Gavin Creel, Andrew Butler, and the Lazours.  In 2016, Madeline made history as the youngest woman to ever conduct on Broadway when she served as conductor for WAITRESS. She is currently adapting the upcoming stage version of Disney’s TANGLED alongside composer Alan Menken. Madeline holds a B.A. in Classical Civilizations from Harvard University.

Dr. Cara Natterson AB ’92 is a pediatrician and New York Times bestselling author of ten books including THE CARE and KEEPING OF YOU series. Vanessa Kroll Bennett is a bestselling author and puberty educator. Together, they are two of the most trusted voices on puberty, co-authoring the national bestseller THIS IS SO AWKWARD: MODERN PUBERTY EXPLAINED and co-hosting THIS IS SO AWKWARD, the podcast. Cara and Vanessa run Less Awkward, the first company aimed at making puberty more comfortable with a membership for parents, an innovative health & sex ed curriculum for schools, and game changing products. Cara and Vanessa speak to audiences across the country, using science and humor to encourage open (albeit awkward) conversations – a relatable, reliable approach to help keep kids safe and healthy. They don’t just hand out this advice; they live it: between them they are raising six teenagers.

Danielle Feinberg AB ‘96 is a cinematographer who has helped create acclaimed animated movies while mentoring young women to pursue careers in STEM. Having worked at Pixar Animation Studios since 1997, Feinberg now serves as visual effects supervisor, collaborating with a crew of more than 250 artists and technologists. She has applied her talents to many of Pixar’s best-loved films, including Oscar winners FINDING NEMO, WALL-E, THE INCREDIBLES, RATATOUILLE, BRAVE, and COCO as well as TOY STORY 2, MONSTERS INC., and TURNING RED.  

Leyla Brittan AB '19 is the author of the young adult novel ROS DEMIR IS NOT THE ONE (Holiday House 2024). Originally from Chappaqua, New York, she graduated from Harvard College in 2019 with an A.B. in English and a secondary in Computer Science, and she received an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Wyoming in 2023. Her short fiction has appeared in PIGEON PAGES, 5X5, and THE HARVARD ADVOCATE, and has been nominated for BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES. In addition to writing fiction, she has worked as a technical writer, actor, and outdoor sports journalist, as well as in film and television production. You can find her online at leylabrittan.com or @leylabrittan. 

Bill Rauch AB '84 is the inaugural artistic director of Perelman Performing Arts Center. His work as a theater director has been seen across the nation, from low-income community centers to Broadway in the Tony Award®-winning production of Robert Schenkkan’s ALL THE WAY and its sequel THE GREAT SOCIETY, as well as at many of the largest regional theaters in the country. His other New York credits include the world premiere of Naomi Wallace’s NIGHT IS A ROOM at Signature Theatre, the New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s THE CLEAN HOUSE at Lincoln Center Theater, and a site-specific OCCASIONAL GRACE in multiple Manhattan churches for En Garde Arts.

Sarah Lewis AB ‘01 is an art and cultural historian and founder of Vision & Justice. Her research focuses on the intersection of visual representation, racial justice, and democracy in the United States from the nineteenth century through the present. She is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities and Associate Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University where she serves on the Standing Committee on American Studies and Standing Committee on Women, Gender, and Sexuality.

Alana B. Lytle AB '11

Lance Oppenheim AB '19

Aislinn Brophy AB '17 is a queer writer and theater artist whose work seeks to explore hard truths about our world with empathy and joy....

Lauren Mechling AB '99 has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, The New Yorker online, and Vogue, where she...

Michael Sonnenschein AB '94 is currently writing and Executive Producing KIBERA POWER, an independently-financed crime/coming-of-age...

Alan Horn MBA '71 retired from leading studios in 2021, but he recently agreed to consult part-time for David Zaslav and Warner Bros....