Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Promotes Three Execs, Adds Director of Development (EXCLUSIVE)
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Lena Waithe’s production company Hillman Grad has promoted Rocio Melara, Travis Ing and Sylvia Carrasco to executive ranks in addition to hiring Garry Harris in a newly created director of development position.
Melara will now serve as vice president of film and TV after first joining Hillman Grad in 2019 as a development executive. She began her career in the commercial space before going on to work for Mad House Entertainment, Di Bonaventura Pictures and Ben Stiller’s Red Hour. Along with her current development slate, Melara has served as a producer on the BET comedy series “Twenties” and an executive producer on the “Twenties After Show.”
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Ing has been promoted to creative executive. He joined Hillman Grad in 2020 after working in WME’s TV department. Before his entertainment career, Ing was a venture capital investor.
Carrasco also serves as creative executive across film and TV, having joined Hillman Grad in 2019. Previously, she held positions at Paramount Television, Echo Lake Entertainment and FactoryMade Ventures. She has also served as a co-executive producer on “The Chi.”
Harris enters Hillman Grad’s development director position after working in scripted development at Disney’s Freeform, where he worked on series such as “Single Drunk Female” and “Everything’s Trash.” He has previously worked at New Form Entertainmen, Apatow Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Founded by Waithe, Hillman Grad is led by CEO Rishi Rajani. Melara, Ing, Carrasco and Harris will report to Naomi Funabashi, president of film and TV.
“I’m grateful to build this next chapter together with Rocio, Garry, Sylvia and Travis,” Funabashi said. “Their passion, insight and dedication are the heart of Hillman Grad productions and I look forward to what we will accomplish together.”
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