2019 TSL Summit Interviews

Susan Hurwitz Arneson is a Screenwriter and Executive Producer.

Susan Hurwitz Arneson’s credits include South Park, The Tick, Preacher, Bordertown, Mr. Robinson, and Malibu Country. She is a Writer and Producer best known for her work on six seasons of SOUTH PARK. She was with the show through three Emmy wins and one memorable death threat. Most recently she worked as a Writer and Co-Executive Producer for two seasons of THE TICK and the yet to be aired final season of PREACHER. In the past Susan has written for Seth MacFarlane’s BORDERTOWN, MR. ROBINSON starring Craig Robinson and MALIBU COUNTRY with Reba McEntire and Lily Tomlin. Susan has also developed series for Fox Television Animation, MTV, Comedy Central and others.

She received her MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA.

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Ali LeRoi is an Award-winning Writer, Director and Producer.

Ali LeRoi’s credits include Everybody Hates Chris, Are We There Yet?, Survivor’s Remorse, Head of State, Down to Earth, Pootie Tang, and The Obituary of Tunde Johnson. He is an Award-winning writer/director/producer best known for his work on the critically acclaimed series, CW’s “Everybody Hates Chris”, TBS “Are We There Yet?” and the breakout Hit for STARZ, “Survivor’s Remorse”. Ali’s major motion picture credits include producing and co-writing “Head of State” and “Down to Earth,” as well as producing cult-favorite, “Pootie Tang.”

He has also served on the Board of the Producer’s Guild of America, as well as holding the current chair as President of The Humanitas Prize, a non-profit organization that awards and promotes the craft of television and film writers. Ali has five Emmy nominations as well as one win, he’s a two-time winner and five-time nominee for NAACP Image Awards, as well as scoring several nominations from the Golden Globe, WGA, and others. Originally from Chicago, Ali LeRoi currently is working on several projects under his CBS Deal and in Post-production on his Indie Feature Film Directorial Debut, “The Obituary of Tunde Johnson.” Read More

Julie Plec is an Executive Producer, Showrunner, Director and Writer.

Julie Plec’s credits include Legacies, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Containment, Roswell, New Mexico, The Vampire Diaries, Riverdale, Kyle XY, Dawson’s Creek, and The Tomorrow People. She is the creator, executive producer and showrunner of “Legacies” on the CW, a spin-off of her series “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals”. Plec also developed and executive produced “Containment,” which aired as a limited series on the CW and is an executive producer of “Roswell, New Mexico” on the CW, for which she directed the pilot. Along with directing multiple episodes of “The Vampire Diaries,” Plec directed an episode of the CW’s hit series “Riverdale” last year.

Plec got her start as a television writer and co-executive producer for the series “Kyle XY,” which she produced for the show’s three-year run. Other television credits include “Dawson’s Creek,” on which she collaborated with creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson, and “The Tomorrow People,” on which she collaborated with fellow executive producers Greg Berlanti and Phil Klemmer.

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Karin Gist is a Showrunner, Executive Producer and Screenwriter.

Her credits include Mixed-ish, Sister Act 3, Star, Grey’s Anatomy, Revenge, House of Lies, Girlfriends. Karin has been one of the most singular and powerful voices in the TV and film industry, is serving as showrunner and executive producer of the highly anticipated BLACK-ISH prequel series MIXED-ISH for ABC which will tentatively be released in Fall 2019. She is also unique in that she has crossed over in both showrunning and script writing in both the comedic and dramatic genres. She has created a range of culturally, ethnically and sexually diverse characters that have helped contribute to equal representation within the industry.

She recently wrote the upcoming SISTER ACT 3 for Disney Plus. Previous credits include: showrunner of Fox’s STAR for 2 seasons, writer/co-executive producer for 2 seasons of GREY’S ANATOMY, writer/co-executive producer for 2 seasons of REVENGE, writer/co-executive producer for 2 seasons of HOUSE OF LIES, and writer and supervising producer of 5 seasons of GIRLFRIENDS.

Karin practiced family law before becoming a writer.

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