Mentorship Program

MentorshipProgram

Mentees 

Applications are now closed for our 2025 Mentorship Program. Please check back for information about our next cohort application period in March 2026.

Mentors 

We’re always looking to connect with talented professionals who want to lend their expertise to shape the future of children’s media. If you’re interested in volunteering, please submit your information here.

Guidance can make all the difference in your professional journey. In keeping with our mission of “Connecting the dots across kids and family media,” CMA offers a 7 month Mentorship Program dedicated to helping our members lead, innovate, and make their mark in children’s media!

Our program creates meaningful connections within our membership community and across the broader children’s and family media industry. We believe mentorship works both ways. Veterans and newcomers alike bring valuable perspectives. The best relationships happen when both people show up ready to learn, share honestly, and challenge each other.

We foster two dynamic styles of mentorship – Collaborative Groups and 1-on-1 Mentorship Pairings:

Collaborative Groups bring together 1 mentor with a group of mentees around a topic or professional area. These groups provide an opportunity to learn from your peers as well as your mentor in a collaborative setting.

1-on-1 Mentorship Pairings bring together 1 mentor and 1 mentee. The pairings aim to provide mentees with focused guidance in their careers and professional endeavors.

2025 CMA Mentors 

Check out this year’s talented mentors with expertise across the spectrum of the children’s media industry:


Adam Wade
Storytelling Instructor | Magnet Theater, NYC
Alan Foreman
Supervising Director | Netflix Animation
Alex Breen
Executive Producer | Breenscreen LLC
Alissa Brodsky
Production Director | Dark Arts Software
Allie Fogel
Freelance Content Creator | Self – Employed
Amber Owen
Creative Production Director | Cartuna
Anne Toole
Writer | Self Employed
Ariel Alexander
Music Director | Self employed
Ashley Moulton
Freelance Writer/Educational Consultant | Freelance
Betsy Bozdech
Editorial Director | Common Sense Media
Brad Birch
Showrunner/E.P./Writer | Killer b Content, LLC.
Brett Sylvia
Independent | Self Employed
Brian Newlin
Freelance Writer | Pocket FM
Brittany Sommer Katzin
Consultant | Self-employed
Caitlin Burns
Exective Producer | Caitlin Burns & Associates
Carter Higgins
Author/Illustrator | Carter Higgins
Cathryn Asip
Associate Director, Content | PBS KIDS
Charles Goon
Senior Product Manager | Disney
Charley Thomas
Senior Series Producer | prev Brown Bag Films
Corey Nascenzi
Senior Product Manager | Disney
Danny LaBrecque
Creator and Host | Self-employed
Dave Peth
CEO/Founder/Producer/Creator | Mighty Picnic
David Colicchio
Senior Producer/Editor | Paramount / Nick Jr.
David Kleeman
SVP, Global Trends | Dubit (dubit.io)
Dayna Gonzalez
Creative Director/ Lead Artist | Jumping Tadpole Productions
Ed Kulzer
Senior Editor | Sesame Workshop
Edgar Vega
Associate Creative Director | Fun Ideas LLC/Self
Emily Helfgot
Founding Curriculum Director | Paloma Learning
Emily Rukobo
AVP, Content Development | LearningMate
Emma Assin
Creative Consultant | Upily
Estee Bardanashvili
Supervising Producer / Media Consultant | Self-employed
Eunice Kim
Editorial Consultant | Eunice Kim Query Critique Services
Evren Yigit
Co-founder/Chief Content Officer, Mako Kids
Garrett Beltis
Senior Producer | Nickelodeon
Genevieve Johnson
Technical Instructional Designer | Roblox
Harold Fyütch Simmons
Music Artist, Composer, Voiceover Actor | Self-employed
Heiko Martens
Freelance Author & Dramaturg
Ira Singerman
Producer, Consultant and Founder | Hero Complex Entertainment LLC
Jackie Payton
Creative Producer | Nickelodeon
Jacquelyn Fishman
Consultant
Janella Watson
Founder and Principal | Watson Creative Consulting
Jason Spencer
Director of PBS KIDS Original Productions | PBS
Jeffrey Lesser
Co-Executive Producer Music & Audio Producer/Director | Jet Laser Production and Snowflake Films NYC and Nickelodeon and Apple
Jennifer Oxley
Show Runner / EP | Snowflake Films NYC
Jennifer Wells
Chief Product Officer | Bini Games
Jennifer Treuting
Creative Producer & Writer | Freelance / Consultant
Jerome Rossen
Composer | Self employed
Jody LeVos
Chief Learning Officer | Begin
Joon Chung
Producer / Social Media Manager | Mighty Picnic
Jordana Gilman
Senior Associate Strategy Director | The Pineapple Lounge
Justine Gunn
Ghost Writer | L’Abri
Kait Boss
Development Consultant | Freelance
Karen Halpenny
Senior Editor | Workman Running Press Group, Hachette Book Group
Kat Alioshin
Producer | Freelance and get hired by the studios
Katie Dominguez
Sr Director Branded Content | Sesame Workshop
Kerri-Anne Lavin
Showrunner/EP | LA Creative Agency
Kerry Crowley
Production Manager | Crayola Studios
Khurrum Sultan
TV Drama Director | BBC Studios
Laura Dalesandro
Freelance | Self
Laura Stricker
Senior Curriculum Consultant | Watson Creative Consulting
Laurie Rabin
Executive/Supervising Producer | Mighty Picnic
Linda Simensky
Development and Content Executive
Liza Wyles
Writer & Creative Consultant | Self-Employed
Luigi Barragan
Producer/Writer | Nickelodeon Digital Development
Lynn Kestin-Sessler
Senior Creative Director | Nickelodeon, Paramount Global
Lynne McVeigh
Associate Professor, New York University
Magda Liolis
Freelance writer/producer, Self Employed
Mamatha Chary
Director, Learning and Research | Begin
Marc Hecht
Writer/Producer | Nickelodeon
Marc Cantone
VP, Preschool Digital Content, Nickelodeon
Marcy Pritchard
VP Production | Titmouse
Margaret Cavalier
Associate Producer | Fred Rogers Productions
Mark Fujita
Writer | Sanrio
Mathieu Penot
Product Manager | IXL Learning
Maya Lennon
Manager Digital & Cultural Consumer Insights | Nickelodeon
Megan Boddum
Consultant | Self-employed
Melinda LaRose
Writer | Freelance
Melissa Dino
Executive Producer | prev Sesame Workshop
Michal Richardson
Freelance Writer
Michelle Sullivan
VP, Creative Exec | Gaumont TV – Animation
Monica Dennis
Sr. Director of Creative Content | Mattel
Monica Joy
CEO | Monica Violet Joy Productions
Noelle Scindian
Creative Talent Specialist
Noelle Wright
Story Editor | Air Castle Entertainment
Pammy Salmon
Content Writer & Editor | Sesame Workshop
Polly Conway
Head of TV | Common Sense Media
Pooja Inamdar
Supervising Animation Producer | Nickelodeon Jr.
Raquel Cedar
Writer / Show Creator | Freelance. Most Recent Nickelodeon Digital Studio
Richard Barry
Senior Creative Director | Sesame Workshop
Rick Deutsch
Creative Director
Rick Fernandes
Executive Director | Look Listen and Learn
Rossanna Wright
Music Director | Rosin and Bow
Robert Hetzron
Creative Producer | Nickelodeon
Rupeshi Shah
Children’s TV Writer | Freelance
Ruth Morrison
Writer | Freelance
Sarah Kelley-Luker
Learning Consultant / Creative Producer | Kelley-Luker Consulting
Sarah Wallendjack
Senior Director, Content Development | PBS KIDS
Scott Gray
Writer
Sherri Hope Culver
Professor / Director | Temple University
Sindy Spackman
Story Editor | HappyNest
Sonia Tiwari
Children’s Media Researcher | Everyone AI
Stephanie Glover
Consultant | Mattel
Stephen Gass
President | The Gass Company
Syr-Ivan Bennett
Teaching Artist/ Illustrator | Self Employed
Toby Cochran
Director / Founder | Big Grin Productions
Tracy Casper
Video Editor | CBS (division of Paramount Global)
Tyler Schwartz
Founder | Learn Through Stories
Valerie Humbard
Creator Consultant/Producer | Self-Employed
Vicky Fang
Author-Illustrator /Freelance TV Creative | Scholastic, Candlewick, HarperCollins, Sourcebooks, etc.
Wendy Bronfin
Venture Advisor | Tower Capital
Zachary Stuckelman
Head of Research and Curriculum Development | Tiny Souls Media

 

The CMA Mentorship Committee

Corey Nascenzi, Director of Mentorship

Danielle Tulchinsky, 2025 Mentorship Manager

Allison Boucher, Coordinator

Janet Liu, Coordinator

Noelle Scindian, Coordinator

We’re here to help, so if you have any questions, please e-mail us any time at mentorship@childrensmediaassociation.org.