The most compelling careers in entertainment today rarely follow a straight line. This discussion brings together creators who stopped waiting for permission and began building on their own terms, redefining what success in the industry truly looks like.
Participants*
Lee Citron, Writer/Director - VHS Dates, Family Dinner, Martian American
Cassandra Freeman, actress (Bel-Air), entrepreneur, and co-founder of Creatricity
Liza Mandelup, award-winning documentary and narrative filmmaker, Jawline, Caterpillar, and Luigi.
Emily Rose Lyons, actress and director, known for And They Were Roommates, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Good Egg; 2026 Tribeca NOW Creator
Moderator
Georgette Pierre, Emmy Award–winning creative producer, voice actor, Co-Lead, Television Academy Black Affinity Group, and member of the East Coast Committee.
*Panelists subject to change
RSVP is required. Due to limited space, members only, please — no guests.
If you are feeling ill, please do not attend.
This event is presented and hosted by the Television Academy.
Georgette Pierre is an Emmy Award-winning creative producer, storyteller, and voice actor with 15+ years of experience shaping stories across TV, digital, audio, print, and branded content. She has produced for VH1, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Brand Studio, People Inc. (fka Dotdash Meredith), and Netflix, including season four of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. A former radio and podcast host, she previously served as the local morning host for The Rickey Smiley Morning Show at 99Jamz in Miami and co-hosted The Creative Cut Up podcast alongside writer, director, and producer Felicia Pride. Her voiceover credits include campaigns for Botox, Saysh (aired during the 2024 Paris Olympics), MTV/Homes.com, Intuit Credit Karma, Spotify, Waze, Shipt, Flamingo, and Rinvoq, as well as the character Grace Goldstein in NBA 2K21 and the intro for the Smithsonian Channel’s Afrofuturism: The Origin Story, among others. She currently serves as co-lead of the Television Academy’s inaugural Black Affinity Group and member of the East Coast Committee. Through her company imprint, she continues to consult, create, and develop original ideas that blend creativity with cultural impact—spanning voice acting, hosting, moderating, and guest appearances.
Lee Citron is an acclaimed director and writer based in Los Angeles who works in surreal yet relatable comedy and high-concept narratives. He is most known co-creating and directing the digital project VHS Dates, as well his new digital comedy, Family Dinner.
Lee has directed original series for BratTV and created original comedies for TruTV, along with directing promos for MTV. His short-form content includes Martian American, which garnered numerous accolades including an Emmy Award for Best Comedy in Student Film, and Android Love, recognized at festivals such as Newport Beach Film Festival and the ICG Emerging Cinematographer Awards.
He holds an MFA in directing from the American Film Institute (AFI) and has honed his craft through studies at the Sanford Meisner Center and The Groundlings. He loves pit bulls, typewriters, and vintage tube cameras.
Liza Mandelup is an award-winning documentary and narrative filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Her debut feature, Jawline—dubbed “A Grey Gardens for Gen-Z” by The New York Times—premiered at Sundance Film Festival, won the Special Jury Award for Emerging Filmmaker, and became a Hulu Original with a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Her second feature, Caterpillar, premiered at SXSW 2023 to rave reviews—Indiewire praised its “layered approach” as “a single, beguiling cinematic package”—and is now streaming on Netflix with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. In 2026, her short film Luigi screened at Sundance Film Festival, and her documentary series Grandmasters is set to premiere at Tribeca 2026. Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Cinema, Liza created, wrote, and directed the pilot for Lifted, a scripted series with A24 and Amazon, and is currently in development on a TV project with Seaview. Her first scripted feature, Tunnel, which she wrote and will direct, is in development with Archer Grey.
Cassandra Freeman is an actress, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Creatricity, a platform dedicated to empowering elite creative professionals across the entertainment industry. Known for her commanding presence and uncommon depth, she transforms every role into a revelation.
Best known for her critically acclaimed portrayal of Aunt Viv on Peacock’s Bel-Air, Cassandra has built a body of work spanning television, film, theater, and stand-up, collaborating with icons including Denzel Washington in Inside Man and Chris Rock in I Think I Love My Wife. She captivated audiences in Luke Cage, Atlanta, The Enemy Within, and her newest film Love, Brooklyn, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Beyond her acting career, Cassandra is a recognized thought leader, creative strategist, and passionate advocate for greater diversity and inclusion in entertainment. Her advocacy for women and creators of color isn’t a side pursuit—it is a calling.
Through Creatricity, Cassandra channels her experience as an actor, producer, communication expert, and entrepreneur into a singular mission: to build the room where creatives, brands, and capital find each other—and where the spark of real collaboration ignites.
Emily Rose Lyons is an actor, writer, and director based in New York City. She is a 2026 Tribeca NOW creator, and her directorial debut, the rom-com web series And They Were Roommates, was selected for the 2026 Tribeca Creator’s Market. The series also won best web series/episodic at Indy Shorts Fest, Venice Shorts Festival, and the Big Apple Film Festival this year. And They Were Roommates Season One can be found on YouTube and Instagram @atwrtheseries.