WHO WE ARE

Hillman Grad is a full service media and production company founded in 2018 by Emmy® Award-winning writer, producer, and actor, Lena Waithe, and led by CEO, Rishi Rajani. Since its inception, Hillman Grad has grown to include six divisions across TV/Film, Music, Books, Podcasts, Branded Content and Mentorship–quickly rising to become one of the most prominent companies in entertainment.

We have built a platform to empower underrepresented artists by amplifying and celebrating the stories and voices of diverse, historically marginalized communities across all industries.

Hillman Grad Productions, the company’s film and television arm, is home to the producers behind Showtime’s most streamed drama series “The Chi”; the critically acclaimed “Queen & Slim”; Sundance award winning “The Forty-Year-Old Version”; and GLAAD Nominated series "Twenties" (BET). Hillman Grad has upcoming projects set at Netflix, BET, Disney, Amazon, Universal, and Focus, including A.V. Rockwell’s feature debut "A Thousand And One", starring Teyana Taylor; the Disney Studios high school basketball movie "Chang Can Dunk" for Disney+; and "Being Mary: The Mary Tyler Moore Documentary" with HBO Films.

TEAM

Lena Waithe

Lena Waithe

Founder
Rishi Rajani

Rishi Rajani

CEO
Albert Cooke

Albert Cooke

General Manager, Records
Amarachi Ekekwe

Amarachi Ekekwe

Project Manager
Brianca Williams

Brianca Williams

Executive Assistant
Christine Mathewson Coronado

Christine Mathewson Coronado

Development Assistant
Ellis Richmond

Ellis Richmond

Development Coordinator
Garry Harris

Garry Harris

Director of Development
Humberto Rivas

Humberto Rivas

Executive Assistant
Jessica Houston

Jessica Houston

Administrative Assistant
Justin Riley

Justin Riley

Senior Vice President, Operations
Kayla Velasquez

Kayla Velasquez

Development Assistant
Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright

Lacy Lew Nguyen Wright

Executive Director, Foundation
Marquis Phifer

Marquis Phifer

Head of Cultural Marketing
Naomi Funabashi

Naomi Funabashi

President, Film and Television
Rocio Melara

Rocio Melara

Vice President, Film and Television
Sylvia Carrasco

Sylvia Carrasco

Creative Executive
Travis Ing

Travis Ing

Creative Executive
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.