PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH – SEGMENT DIRECTOR, December 2021 – present
Cosmic Dust Productions – CEO/Co-founder, April 2020 – present
CEO & Co-Founder of media production company with a slate of IP including feature films, documentary series, narrative shorts & episodics. http://www.cosmicdustproductions.com
Zero Point Zero – PRODUCER, September 2021 – November 2021
Producer on S7 of United Shades of America w/ W Kamau Bell.
attn: – DIRECTOR, AUGUST 2021 – SEPTEMBER 2021
Director/Producer for digital short about Martha’s Vineyard. Created to celebrate the premiere of FOX television show, Our Kind of People.
Time Studios/Netflix – PRODUCER, May 2021 – August 2021
Producer for Netflix doc series Countdown: Inspiration 4 Mission to Space.
Sesame Street in Communities – DIRECTOR, January 2021 – February 2021
Director for digital short on race for Sesame Street in Communities.
Zero Point Zero – PRODUCER, September 2020 – February 2021
Producer on S6 of United Shades of America w/ W Kamau Bell.
McGee Media – SERIES PRODUCER, February 2020 – October 2020
Producer on digital series, Black History in Two Minutes (or so), hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
McGee Media – CO-PRODUCER, May 2019 – February 2020
Co-producer on 4-part documentary series Executive Produced & hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for PBS.
On the Chopping Block w/ Kerry Coddett – PRODUCER, March 2019 – present
Producer for podcast featuring Kerry Coddett. Development, writing, booking, & production management.
Caveat – PRODUCER/SHOWRUNNER, October 2018 – present
Showrunner, producer, & host of Caveat original programming. Show development, research, writing, booking guests, data management, tech supervision, strategic partnerships/audience development, social media and email marketing strategies, and media development & design. Shows: From the Top, Juneteenth, Underground University, Party at the Ivory Tower, Earth’s Greatest…, and Soccer Afternoon Live!
MEDIA PRODUCTION, 2008 – present
Ginny Suss Productions, Symphony Space, Carnegie Hall, ‘me.too’ Movement, Mass Appeal, Columbia University, and many more.
Ya Momz House, Inc.– SENIOR PRODUCER, December 2014 – 2019
Lead contract Senior Producer for the New York office of Ya Momz House, a production company and fully-integrated branded content agency founded by Emmy Award winner Emmai Alaquiva.
Left/Right TV – ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, December 2018 – March 2019
Worked directly with the Showrunner & Executive team on a travel doc-series pilot about ‘traveling while black.’ Research, story development, writing pitch materials, booking, field producing, R&C, archival research, and assistant editing.
WBGO/NPR – PRODUCER, December 2017 – July 2018
Contract Producer for Jazz Night in America, a national radio program collaboration between NPR, WBGO, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Market Road Films – ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, November 2018 – December 2018
Associate Producer for a three-part wildlife series for Nat Geo Wild.
Donna’s House Productions – PRODUCER, June 2018 – November 2018
Producer for forthcoming feature film, Bait & Tackle, directed by James Evans, in association with Killer Films & Stonybrook Univ.
Firelight Media – PRODUCTION MANAGER, May 2018
Production Manager on short film for a national campaign for Firelight Media, in partnership with Starbucks and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Ambrosia for Heads – CONSULTING PRODUCER, January 2017 – May 2017
Collaborated with the Ambrosia for Heads website’s executive team to conceptualize and develop brand franchise video content, including pitching programs, creative development, and production. Produced, wrote, directed, shot, and edited a ‘proof of concept’ pilot for original programming. Freelance cinematography.
John Jay College at CUNY – VIDEO PRODUCER/ADJUNCT – June 2016 to January 2017
Produced, shot, and edited video content for the John Jay Online Graduate Studies Program.
Okayplayer/Okayafrica – CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR, February 2012 to June 2017
Recorded and edited documentary shorts for the Okayplayer (OKP) and Okayafrica websites. Some field producing.
Vice Media – ASSISTANT EDITOR, January 2016 to April 2016
Worked on programs: Weediquette, Noisey, and Gaycation. Junior Editor for social media and broadcast promotions.
DCTV – ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PRO-TV, February 2005 to September 2014
Headed one of the most highly-regarded youth media training programs in the country. Designed and managed workshops, screenings, and multi-media events each year for capacity audiences. Designed new programming and curricula. Instructed all levels of programming in media literacy, social justice, and the art of film making. Expanded the program from eight participants to 1,000+ annually, teaching high school and college students through programs, workshops, residencies, and screenings.
EDUCATION
Showrunner Training Program, Writer’s Guild of America – East
MA – Media Studies, The New School for Public Engagement – The New School
BA – Cinema/African American Studies, cum laude, Macaulay Honors College – CUNY
Spanish Language Intensive, Universidad Nacional De La Mar Del Plata / CUNY Hunter
Arts Education Intensive, Lincoln Center Institute
AWARDS
New York Emmy Award Nomination for Teen Program/Special, 2016.
Robert F. Kennedy Award in Journalism for Youth Broadcast, 2015.
SKILLS
- Extensive experience in research, creative development, ideation & pitching, field producing, and guerilla filmmaking.
- Significant experience in project, program, and team management; a strong leader comfortable using administrative tools.
- Wide range of post-production and design tools incl. Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop and Illustrator, FCP7, AVID, Pro Tools HD, Final Draft, MS Office, Google Suite, et al.
- Experience in the use of industry-standard, DSLR and digital cine pro cameras including Canon C3/500, Sony FS7, Sony A7S, et al.
- Excellent communication skills including writing, public speaking, and grant writing; fluency in Spanish.
- TD training with Tricaster technical direction systems.
- Member of NY Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT), Sundance, and IFP.
Chinisha 