Rise and ScreenSkills announces 2021 pairings for mentoring scheme

Rise, the award-winning advocacy group for women in the broadcast media technology sector, and ScreenSkills has announced the pairing up of mentees and mentors for the ScreenSkills Rise Mentoring Programme.  

This new ScreenSkills Rise Mentoring Programme, funded by ScreenSkills as part of the BFI Future Film Skills programme using funds from the National Lottery, supports Rises’ 2021/22 expansion of its mentoring schemes within the broadcast media technology sector. 

The mentoring programme sees a variety of experienced industry leaders, at a diversity of levels of seniority, ready to offer expertise, knowledge and guidance to 25 women across England within the film, television, VFX, animation and games industries. The diverse group of mentees were chosen from over 50 applications. 

The scheme provides mentees with a range of support, including 12 hours of one-to-one time with their mentor, the opportunity to meet the mentee group on a monthly basis, as well as attend networking events, workshops, and seminars throughout the six-month programme*  

Jane Saunders, ScreenSkills Mentoring Manager, said: “ScreenSkills is thrilled to be working with Rise, offering guidance, encouragement and support to our talented, women as they take their next step towards building a career in the UK screen industry.” 

Saunders added: “The ScreenSkills Rise Mentoring Programme supports ScreenSkills commitment  of investing in developing skills and talent across this sector. Our inspirational mentors are keen to give back, encourage and provide valuable insights, especially during what continues to be, an unsettling time” 

UK Mentor and Mentees Pairings: 

• Joanna Alpe, Chief Commercial Officer, Bild Studios will mentor Hannah Robinson, Production Development Producer, Dock10
• Paula Bargery, Sales Director EMEA, Key Account Management, VIZRT will mentor Chang Li, Business Development EMEA and LATAM, Accedo

• Susi Cardew, Head of Talent, disguise will mentor Sneha Varghese, Service Operation Coordinator, Frame 25
• Hannah Chambers, Freelance Broadcast Engineer, will mentor Charlotte Pardy, Junior Broadcast Engineer
• Chrissie Collins, Unit Manager, Telegenic will mentor Claire Downey, Technical Broadcast Manager, Aurora Media and Formula E
• Lisa Collins, Head of Membership Engagement, IABM will mentor Jodi Cranston-Perrier, Consultant Digital & Production, K-TV
• Katie Colledge, Senior EMEA Communications Manager, Blackmagic Design will mentor Corinna Mason, Communications Executive, The DPP
• Ben Davenport, VP Global Marketing, Pixotope will mentor Emily Wilford, Head of Partner Marketing, BASE Media Cloud
• Markela Debradou, Guarantee Broadcast Engineer, NEP will mentor Rachel Dicker, Graduate, Solent University
• Karen Dunn, Senior Product Lead, Sky will mentor Kiran Nirmal, Operations Manager, Prime Focus Technologies
• Caroline Ewerton, VP Production Services, DAZN Group will mentor Laura Wignall, Business Development Manager – Production, Gravity Media
• Jason Fiddes, Senior Strategy Lead – TV & In-Home Experience, Sky will mentor Olga Nevinchana, Senior Research Analyst, IABM
• Lorna Garrett, Managing Director, Zest Technologies Limited will mentor Louise Seddon, Head of Global Operations Access Services, Red Bee Media
• Purminder Ghandu, Technology Transfer & Partnerships Manager, BBC R&D will mentor Gabriella Watkins, Broadcast Technician, Dock10
• Marina Kalkani, CEO, M2A Media Ltd will mentor Evrem Rahsan Kayan, OTT Solutions Architect, LeaCoders
• Pav Kudlac, MD & Co-Founder, Ovyo will mentor to be confirmed
• Lesley Marr, Director of Operations, Molinare TV & Film Ltd will mentor Emily Heath, Project Manager, Easel TV
• Lucinda Meek, CFO, IABM will mentor Shaunna Beedle, Project Manager, University of Oxford
• Gabby Redfern, Executive Vice President Global Operations, BBC Studios will mentor Rimpal Shah-Matharu, Content Operations Manager, DAZN
• Michael Robertson, Group Vice President Technology Business Management, Discovery Inc. will mentor Sarah Essoof, Operations Business Analyst, Timeline Television
• Dara Urquhart, Head of Live Services, Red Bee Media will mentor Pilar Granados, Live Workflow Manager, DAZN
• Louise Wells, Associate Director, Bubble Agency will mentor Leanne Tomlin, Marketing Manager, Object Matrix
• Charlotte Wheeler, Event Director, Media Production & Technology Show will mentor Melissa Bowen, Roadshow Event Coordinator, CVP
• Morwen Williams, Director of UK Operations, BBC News will mentor Emily Dunn, Technology Graduate, ITV
• Laurissa Yeung Shea, Business Analyst, Discovery Inc will mentor Isabel Tulloch, Quality Assurance Operator, Sky UK

Carrie Wootten, managing director of Rise, said: “We are really excited to announce the 2021 ScreenSkills Rise mentor and mentee pairing. The partnership with ScreenSkills enables Rise to extend its reach, and this new mentoring programme enables Rise to support and inspire another 25 young women totalling to over 70 mentees this year.” 

Wootten added: “I would like to thank ScreenSkills and the mentors as we embark on this new mentoring series. Their generosity and valued support enables Rise to deliver much needed mentoring schemes for women within our industry, providing the support they need to achieve their goals.”