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 five divisions across TV/Film, 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", BET’s "Twenties", Universal’s "Queen & Slim", Sundance award-winner "The Forty-Year-Old Version", and more. Current producorial projects include the Emmy-nominated documentary film "Being Mary Tyler Moore", which held its world premiere at this year’s SXSW Festival and debuted on HBO in May 2023; Focus Features and AV Rockwell's "A Thousand And One", which received the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival Awards, and was released theatrically in March 2023; Magnolia Picture’s "Kokomo City", which received the NEXT Audience Award and NEXT Innovator Award at Sundance 2023, and released theatrically in July 2023; and Disney+’s Chang Can Dunk, which premiered in March 2023. Additionally, in November 2022, Hillman Grad joined the producing team for Broadway’s "Ain’t No Mo’", which opened at the Belasco Theatre in New York City in December 2022 and was nominated for Best Play at the 2023 Tony Awards.

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.