Master of Entertainment Industry Management - Student Bios

AVERI ALLISON
Undergraduate Education: The Ohio State University, Communications
Hometown: Canton, OH
Favorite Film: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Area of Interest: Music (Creative or Licensing)

Averi Allison's passion for entertainment began as a performer in musical theater productions, piano recitals, show choir, band, and dance. While attending The Ohio State University and pursuing her bachelor's degree in Communications, she found a curiosity for the industry's business side. She declared triple minors in musical theater, music media enterprise, and entrepreneurship. While at OSU, she had the privilege of leading multiple student organizations, creating and coordinating a natural hair symposium titled Natural Hair: The Experience, and participating as an active member of Epsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

After graduating early in 2022, Averi was in pursuit of an avenue to strengthen her leadership skills and expand her insights regarding diversity, creativity, and innovation. This led her to the Master of Entertainment Industry Management program at Carnegie Mellon University. Since joining the program, Averi has interned at Paramount Pictures and completed an externship with United Talent Agency.

Combining her love for music and film, Averi strives to use her creativity and analytical skills to become a music supervisor.

TATIANA BEHAR RUSSY
Education: Universidad Autonoma de Occidente de Cali, Publicity
Hometown: Cali, Colombia
Favorite Film: The Producers (2005)
Area of Interest: Film & TV Production, Business Development

Tatiana Behar Russy is from Cali, Colombia and she is a publicist passionate about making ideas and projects a reality. She fell in love with the world of entertainment through theater and of course movies, for their great power to tell stories that touch the heart of the audience.

As a student of the Master of Entertainment Industry Management at Carnegie Mellon University, she has been able to work more closely in the entertainment business through internships with The George Romero Foundation and Cinema Sounds and Secrets Podcast. She is also the president of the CMU Colombia Student Organization and is the producer of the project "Mi Gente Latino", a multimedia play with an important video and interactive component on stage, that sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of the immigration process, inviting audiences to reflect on the powerful impact of Latino culture on our society.

SATYA ADITYA BONEPALLI
Undergraduate Education: University of Mumbai, Filmmaking
Hometown: Hyderabad, India
Favorite Film: Mission: Impossible (1996)
Area of Interest: Executive Production & Management (Films)

Aditya Bonepalli's journey in the entertainment industry began with a Bachelor of Arts in Filmmaking from the University of Mumbai. With a firm foundation in filmmaking, he aspires to reach new heights as an executive producer and entrepreneur. His vision extends beyond the boundaries of traditional entertainment, aiming to create a production house that seamlessly integrates with diverse industries like technology and public policy. His distinctive focus lies in international movies that harness the collaborative power of technical experts and creative energies from different regions, resulting in compelling global products.

He recently finished working as a business development intern at the George A. Romero Foundation, where he crafted a comprehensive business plan for a horror-oriented OTT streaming channel and A horror-themed museum in Pittsburgh. He is also an intern at RelishMix, where he applies his analytical acumen to evaluate upcoming movie releases and project first-week box office collections. These estimates are instrumental in informing industry magazines like Deadline. This fall he is interning with the California Film Commission.

ERIN COUGHENOUR
Undergraduate Education: University of Waterloo, Global Business & Digital Arts
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Favorite TV Show: Saturday Night Live
Area of Interest: Music (Marketing, Live Events/Touring)

Erin’s love for the entertainment industry was fostered by her parents, who always took her to the movies, spent weeknights watching their favorite shows, and drove her to concerts. At the end of her time in the Global Business and Digital Arts program at the University of Waterloo in Canada, she decided she wanted to combine her education with her greatest passions through the Master of Entertainment Industry Management program. After working with Sony Music Entertainment on a course project, she honed into the music industry.

Erin spent her summer internship at Sony Music in New York with the Marketing Team at Ultra Records - home to electronic and dance artists like SOFI TUKKER, Icona Pop, and Benny Benassi. She will be continuing with Ultra through the fall, where she will continue her work with their marketing, social, and digital teams. She hopes to continue her work in the music industry, and potentially branch out to touring or artist management.

ANGELA CUI
Undergraduate Education: University of Toronto, Commerce, Specialist in Management
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Favorite Film: 13 Going on 30 (2004)
Area of Interest: Music Marketing, Management, and A&R

Angela grew up in Toronto and attended the University of Toronto, studying business. She worked in consulting for a while before deciding she wanted to take her business-focused background and apply it to her love of media and entertainment and found the next step of her career with the MEIM program. Angela hopes to combine her background in strategy, marketing, and CX as well as her interest in music (both from the perspective of a fan and as a business student) to pursue a career within music marketing or artist management. Angela has completed internships at CAA in Brand Consulting and at Select Management Group in Talent Management. She is currently interning at Live Nation Entertainment in the Tour Management department. She aims to bring her past experiences as well as her desire to be at the forefront of industry changes in diversity and innovation to provide a people/artist/fan first approach to the music space.

VIOLET GARNER
Undergraduate Education: Cal State Long Beach, Psychology, Film & Electronic Arts minor
Hometown: Acton, CA
Favorite TV Show: Reservation Dogs
Area of Interest: Development and Production

Growing up in a small town outside of Los Angeles that had more film sets than grocery markets, Violet’s fascination with the entertainment industry was inevitable. She got her start volunteering backstage at community theatre productions, before becoming a production assistant for Paramount Pictures and at the Emmy Awards. Violet has gone on to intern at Blumhouse, the Television Academy Foundation, and Sony Pictures. She is currently interning at NBUniversal in Film and TV Development. Interested in both development and production, Violet wants to focus on creating inclusive and diverse media, especially through highlighting Indigenous perspectives.

NATALIE GERIOT
Undergraduate Education: High Point University, Media Production & Entrepreneurship, Graphic Design
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Favorite TV Show: Only Murders in the Building
Area of Interest: Live Television Production

Natalie graduated from High Point University with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Graphic Design, and Media Production & Entrepreneurship. She is originally from Philadelphia and has always had the bug for everything pop culture and entertainment! Throughout her time at High Point University, Natalie gained television & video production experience through multiple internships and through her school's video production club. Because of her previous experiences and interest in entertainment, Natalie knew that joining the MEIM program was the perfect next step to advance her career.

Working on her school's news show and entertainment programs during undergrad made Natalie want to pursue a career in live television; she loves the excitement and high intensity that comes with it. Natalie has previously interned at QVC and Center City Film & Video before becoming a MEIM, and after her first year in the program she fulfilled her lifelong dream of interning at NBC News for the TODAY Show! She is currently interning with the LA Clippers and TMZ.

RUHI (RUE) GUHATHAKURTA
Undergraduate Education: University of Toronto, English & Book and Media Studies
Hometown: Mumbai, India/Toronto, Canada
Favorite Film: Heathers (1989)
Area of Interest: Film & TV Development/Production, Talent Management

Born and raised in India, Rue moved to Canada to attend the University of Toronto where she graduated with double majors in English & Book and Media Studies and a minor in Creative Writing. After a year of working in advertising, she decided to make her love of movies and television more than just a pastime and moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Industry Management program.

She hopes to utilize her writing experience (as well as her other pastime as a voracious reader) by working in Film/TV Development or Production, where she can watch her favorite stories come to life. Although she misses the frigid cold of Toronto, she's excited to make LA her new home. In the summer, Rue worked at 42 MP as a Management and Production intern and Incognegro Productions as a Development intern. This fall she will be at NBCUniveral's Universal International Studios as a Scripted Programming Intern.

SARAH HILL
Undergraduate Education: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Mass Media Communications, Film Studies minor
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Favorite TV show: Community
Area of interest: Scripted TV Production, Talent Management

Sarah's interest in the entertainment industry started at a young age. Growing up, she bonded with family and friends over her passion for film and television. Her favorite aspect of film and television has always been the stories they tell. This enjoyment and passion continued into her time in undergrad and led her to work on the 2021 UNC Charlotte Film Festival. After graduation, Sarah chose to further her pursuit of a career in the entertainment industry by enrolling in the Masters of Entertainment Industry Management program at Carnegie Mellon University.

For her summer internship, Sarah was a management intern at ATN Entertainment. During this internship, she had the opportunity to work directly with the CEO to learn aspects of talent management. She is currently a theatrical and commercial intern at The Dragonfly Agency She hopes to further explore talent management and also explore scripted TV production to see what goes into making stories come to life.

RENEE ZIYING HONG
Undergraduate Education: NYU, Media, Culture & Communication
Hometown: Foshan, China
Favorite Film: About Time (2013)
Area of Interest: Marketing, Live Events

Growing up, Renee had always been fascinated by all kinds of entertainment around the world. Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in media, Culture, and Communications from New York University in 2022, she transitioned to the MEIM program to pursue her passion for the entertainment industry. Through internships at the CMU International Film Festival, Warner Music Group, and BMG Rights Management, Renee developed interest in marketing and live events within the entertainment realm. With a belief in the impact of entertainment on human experiences, she channels her passion through social media and marketing, aiming to amplify remarkable creations and impactful messages worldwide.

REESE LAMPING
Undergraduate Education: University of Alabama, Marketing & Management
Hometown: Evansville, IN
Favorite TV Show: I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
Area of Interest: Music A&R/Artist Management

Reese first discovered her love for the music industry when she started singing at the age of three. She was a competitive choral performer for over 8 years and also grew up discovering how to play different instruments, including the guitar and flute. Reese studied marketing and management in undergrad to open up a path of implementing her creative and leadership skills in the industry she loves most. All of these factors came together and allowed Reese to find her fit in the MEIM class of 2024. After completing her summer internship with Soundbyte Management, she has solidified a desire to begin a career in either artist management or A&R. This fall she is interning at The Shalizi Group and Roc Nation.

MAY LI
Undergraduate Education: Fudan University, Marketing
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Favorite Film: Green Book (2018)
Area of Interest: Marketing, Theme Parks, Franchise Management

May Li is an international student from Shanghai, China. She studied business & marketing at Fudan University and is proficient in marketing research, consumer insights, and brand communication management. May has strong data analysis experience and is familiar with multiple programming tools including R, Python, SPSS, and MS Access. During her internship at Shanghai Disneyland as a campaign coordinator, May gained insights into guest experience design and customer service management in the theme park industry. May is now pursuing a master's degree in the MEIM program, expecting to learn more about the creative side of the business. Her major interests are live entertainment, theme parks, and entertainment franchise management. She is currently interning at Sony Pictures Entertainment as a Market Intelligence and Content Insights intern.

KELLY LIU
Undergraduate Education: Parsons the New School for Design, Communications Design & Photography
Hometown: Singapore
Favorite Video Game: Valorant
Area of Interest: Gaming & eSports Management, Talent Mgmt

Kelly Liu is a content creator and an Esports Management Intern at Knights, a leading esports organization that competes in various gaming titles and hosts live events. Kelly graduated with honors from Parsons the New School for Design, majoring in Communications Design and minoring in Photography. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Entertainment Industry Management at Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College, where she is learning about the creative, business and legal aspects of the entertainment industry. She is interested in working at the intersection of gaming, music, and tech, and has skills in art/creative direction, graphic design, strategy, and content creation. She is fluent in English and Chinese and has a keen eye for storytelling and uplifting POC voices. She is passionate about diversity and representation, and has worked with emerging musicians such as Bohan Phoenix, Higher Brothers, Amber Liu, and James Arthur as a concert photographer, music manager, and creative director.

NEVADA NICOLETTE
Undergraduate Education: Texas A&M, ID Engineering
Hometown: Forked River, NJ
Favorite TV Show: Shooter
Area of Interest: Production

Upon completing her studies in Industrial Distribution Engineering at Texas A&M University, Nevada opted to further her academic journey in pursuit of her true passion for the entertainment sector. Despite her STEM-oriented foundation, she had always been drawn to the realm of creativity, aspiring to infuse life into cinematic experiences that evoke deep emotions. By amalgamating her diverse experiences within different production firms, Nevada aspires to ascend to the role of an Executive Producer, aiming to secure a position within a prominent film studio. She is currently interning at WeCare Impact and DPA.

JUJU NIETO
Undergraduate Education: CMU, School of Drama, Dramaturgy
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Favorite Film: Todo Sobre Mi Madre (1999)
Area of Interest: Creative Development, Agency

Juju Nieto, known as Julia by her family, is a Los Angeles based, Mexican and Colombian-American emerging entertainment professional. Having seen firsthand the power representation had on her own family, Juju strives in all of her work to bring specificity, nuance and authentic representations of marginalized communities to the stage and screen.

Juju earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dramaturgy from Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama in the Fall of 2022. Through earning her BFA and freelancing professionally as a dramaturg, Juju has developed vital skills in producing, creative development, and advocating for disenfranchised voices both on and behind the stage. In August, 2023, Juju developed the new musical At the Barre by New York City playwright SMJ in tandem with New York Stage and Film and the Latiné Music Theatre Lab.

Juju worked extensively during the summers of 2021 and 2022 with Verité Entertainment as a production assistant. Credits with Verite include Hello Kitty and Friends Season 6 and CBS’s Reindeer in Here. Through her time at Verite Juju was able to learn the value of ethical casting for animated works.

This past summer, Juju was privileged to have worked on several projects that fulfilled her lifelong passion of creating representation for her community. Juju worked as a Development Intern at UnbeliEVAble Entertainment (Eva Longoria's production company) where she completed copious amounts of coverage and supported the entire UnbeliEVAble team through scheduling, note taking, and giving personal insights on various forms of intellectual property. She is currently interning at Mucho Mass Media as a development and production intern.

TYLER PETROSSI
Undergraduate Education: Belmont University, Commercial Music
Hometown: Bethel Park, PA
Favorite Artist: Post Malone
Area of Interest: Artist Development, Music Production, Publishing, Distribution, Talent Management, Songwriting, & Performing

Tyler has always loved music and stems from growing up in a household of music teachers and musicians. From a very young age, Tyler studied voice and percussion performance and even studied musical theater at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (CLO). Some of Tyler’s experiences include the CLO’s Guild Ball GALA to present the upcoming Pittsburgh musical summer series, performing at the Gene Kelly Musical Theater Awards, and being given the opportunity to workshop Disney’s 25th Anniversary tribute show for Broadway for The Jimmy Awards in New York City, sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, and more. Although Tyler loves musical theater, his true passion lies in creating music. Therefore, he decided to pursue a career as a music artist and work in the music industry. To help this dream, Tyler attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, to study Commercial Music Vocal Performance, with an emphasis in Music Technology and Production.

While at Belmont, Tyler developed his voice, writing, recording, and performing skills to help build his career as an independent music artist. Since then, Tyler has released ten singles, five features, and a debut album on all music streaming platforms. In addition to his music, Tyler also was a part of the top commercial ensemble at Belmont that performed in the worldwide televised program Christmas at Belmont every year and was even in a competitive acapella group, The Pitchmen, where they performed and won the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA’s) and put out an album on all music streaming platforms.

Before graduating from Belmont University, Tyler became interested in the business aspect of the entertainment industry. After some research, Tyler found the MEIM program at Carnegie Mellon University. As a Master of Entertainment Industry Management candidate, Tyler’s passion for the music industry has only grown. Tyler had a Summer Internship as a Production Intern with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tyler was also given the opportunity to be a local artist spotlight on Star 100.7, a top 40 hit radio station in Pittsburgh, PA. Currently, Tyler interning at Soundbyte Management in marketing and outreach.

NATALIE PYLE
Undergraduate Education: University of Pittsburgh, Industrial Engineering
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Favorite Film: Mulholland Drive (2001)
Area of Interest: Music A&R, Brand Partnerships

Natalie graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2020 with a degree in Industrial Engineering and worked in digital marketing full-time prior to graduate school. Having grown up playing piano and learning music production, Natalie made the decision to attend Carnegie Mellon to take her love of music into the business as an industry professional. Natalie lives and breathes all things music - from going to festivals and concerts to learning new instruments and software. She has interned for Degy Entertainment, Yondr, and Universal Attractions Agency since starting at CMU. She is currently interning at Position Music. Having a variety of skills and experience including marketing, agency work, data analysis, and artist relations, Natalie aims to work in either A&R or Brand Partnerships upon her graduation. Her goal is to support the creative process from behind the scenes to both empower artists and bring joy to fans.

LUOMING (IZZY) QU
Undergraduate Education: UC Santa Barbara, Drama & Theatre
Hometown: China
Favorite Film: Get Out (2017)
Area of Interest: Agency

Hailing from China and cultivated in Los Angeles, Izzy recognizes the profound unifying power of the entertainment industry, transcending cultural, racial, and societal boundaries. Holding a bachelor’s degree in film and Media Studies from UC Santa Barbara and currently pursuing a master’s degree in Entertainment Industry Management at CMU, Izzy focuses on agency management, with a steadfast commitment to nurturing talent across various domains within the industry. This past summer she interned for writer, Carolyn Kras, Grandave International as a Sales intern, and Three-Body Universe in development. She is currently interning at Liveology in influencer marketing.

SCOTT ROSENBERG
Undergraduate Education: George Washington University, International Business
Hometown: Haworth, NJ
Favorite Film: Coming to America (1988)
Area of Interest: Film/TV Content, Business Strategy, Music Live Events or Label Management

Scott graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in International Business. While there, he further developed his passion for entertainment by rising to Director of Events for the campus program board. He also joined the campus radio station where he gained experience not only in producing shows, broadcasts, and podcasts. but also in hosting shows and commentating on games. Scott also gathered a wide range of industry experience during this time, interning with the RIAA, a Legal Intern with CK Talent Management, and a production assistant on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. This past summer, Scott worked as a Finance and Business Development Intern for Hyphenova and is currently interning at Relish Mix in data analytics. 

Since coming into the program on the music track, Scott has cultivated an interest in film/tv and streaming and now harbors a fervent interest in both sides of the industry. Scott sees himself as an executive one day.

AKANKSHA SAHAY
Undergraduate Education: University of Michigan, Communication and Media Studies
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI/West Chester, PA
Favorite TV Show: GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling)
Area of Interest: Film/TV Production Management

Akanksha's passion for storytelling and entertainment was ignited by the title sequence of the James Bond film SKYFALL. Focused on the industry end and the way taste and culture are dictated by media, she completed her Bachelor's in Communication and Media Studies at the University of Michigan. She was thrilled to find a program so specific to her interest in the cross-section of the business and creative aspects of the entertainment industry and deeply enjoys her coursework and experiences in the MEIM Program. Having gained a stronger understanding of how films sell and are distributed and appreciated through her time assisting with the CMU International Film Festival and interning with EST Media's acquisition team, Akanksha is ready to learn more about development and production. She is currently interning with FOX Alternative Entertainment and Day Zero Productions. Her long-term goal is to apply her creative and analytical mindset as a studio executive for film and TV.

JAI TA
Undergraduate Education: University of Southern Maine, Business Administration (International Business)
Hometown: Portland, ME
Favorite Video Game: Valorant
Area of Interest: Music A&R, Marketing, & Brand Partnerships, Gaming Events, Marketing, & Brand Partnerships

Jai is a culture-savvy, creative strategist with the ability to bring forth actionable insights and inspirational trends. With a Bachelor's in Business Administration and a background that runs the gamut of several creative industries, he is now a Master of Entertainment Industry Management student at Carnegie Mellon University. Aside from entertainment, he is an avid traveler with 17 countries under his belt.

Jai has worked on several production projects from music videos to short films. Recently, he has worked with CMU's International Film Festival as the Head of Marketing & Communications, and the Knights, a premiere esports organization, as a marketing intern. He is currently interning for Dim Mak as an A&R intern and DojoHouse Media and Nobody Gets It as a marketing intern. He wishes to pursue a career in A&R, marketing and/or brand partnerships.

JULIA TIMMONS
Undergraduate Education: CMU, School of Music, Vocal Performance & Music Technology
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Favorite TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy
Areas of Interest: Music Live Event/Tour Management, Film Production & Music Supervision

Julia Timmons was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and has been involved in the entertainment industry since childhood. Julia started doing print and commercial work as a toddler and became deeply involved in music shortly thereafter. Julia went on to study Classical Vocal Performance and Music Technology at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Music. In the midst of COVID, Julia decided to take a career pivot into Entertainment Industry Management and continue to perform in her spare time.

Today, Julia finds herself interested in multiple facets of the entertainment industry including TV and Film production management, production accounting, and music supervision. She is also interested in live event production and music tour management. Her past and present internships at Steiner Studios, The Syndicate, The Red Door Films, Valley Opera and Performing Arts, and Blue Trolley Music Festival will inform her path forward.

HONGYUN YU
Undergraduate Education: UC Irvine, Film & Media Studies
Hometown: Chengdu, China
Favorite Film: Interstellar (2014)
Area of Interest: Marketing Campaigns (film, gaming, music)

Hongyun Yu, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University pursuing a Master of Entertainment Industry Management. With a deep-rooted passion for film and games, Hongyun's academic journey stems from her undergraduate days at the University of California, Irvine. There, she stumbled upon an article highlighting Miramax's remarkable role in elevating independent films to widespread recognition. Inspired by that success story, Hongyun's academic path signifies her commitment to bridging creativity and business in entertainment. This past summer, she interned at Confluency, IO and she is currently interning at Relish Mix in data analytics.

ZIQI ZHOU
Undergraduate Education: UCLA, Music History & Industry, Statistics
Hometown: Tianjin, China
Favorite Film: Spirited Away (2001)
Area of Interest: Data/Marketing Analytics

As a Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) student at Carnegie Mellon University, Ziqi is a highly motivated self-starter with a passion for the entertainment industry. She was born in Tianjin, China, and moved to the United States with her family at the age of 12. With a double bachelor’s degree in Music History and Statistics from UCLA, she has a strong background in both the creative and technical aspects of the entertainment business. Ziqi has always aimed to merge her passions with a career at the junction of entertainment and technology. Throughout her academic life, Ziqi interned at Studio71, Tianjin Television and Radio Station, Grandave International, Highland Film Group and Tencent Video. These experiences have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the entertainment industry, offering valuable insights from both Chinese and American contexts.