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CUTTER CONNECTIONS

Professional. Female. United. Forward. 

Cutter Connections is a mentorship program designed to unite professional women from all career stages of the advertising, entertainment, and digital media industries. At our events, young women entering the field are able to sharpen their network skills and develop relationships with experienced creative professionals.

EVENTS

New event coming in December 2026.
Stay tuned!
December 2025

Soapbox Women NYC networking event

Cutter Connections partnered with Soapbox Women NYC to host an intimate networking mixer on December 4th. 

The goal of this special evening, which closes out Cutter Connections' 10th-year anniversary, is to introduce our Cutter Connections family to Soap Box Women NYC, their newly launched, vibrant brand of Soapbox, an independent LA-based organization committed to empowering and promoting women and gender non-conforming people in the entertainment, creative advertising, and marketing industries. We’re inspired by their mission and thrilled to collaborate as they continue growing their new NYC chapter, which was launched a year ago. We believe the more female empowerment, the better!

Thank you to our 14 Cutter Connections industry veterans who continue to inspire and empower the next generation of female creators and congrats to the 8 mentees we chose to attend this special evening!

We also want to thank our partners, Soapbox Women NYC and duotone audio for helping us put together such an inspiring event.

June 2025

Embracing Growth and Longevity in Entertainment and Media

Embracing Growth and Longevity in Entertainment and Media brought together over 90 women working across film, television, and media for an unforgettable evening of inspiration, mentorship, and celebration. With our community now over 1,000 women strong, we gathered to honor a decade of connection and the power of women supporting women in production.

 

From empowering conversations to new collaborations and lots of joy in the room, this milestone event reflected what Cutter is all about: building a more inclusive, supportive, and sustainable future in entertainment—one relationship at a time.

December 2023

Crossing Boundaries and Mixing Mediums

At the event, “Crossing Boundaries and Mixing Mediums,” hosted at Nice Shoes, our panel of industry experts talked about navigating the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry and spilled some special tips for our mentees about how to make the most of their network and skillset as they enter the industry. 

A final HUGE shout out to our sponsors: Nice Shoes, William Chris Vineyards and My First Job in Film. 

OUR MENTORS

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Hillary Cutter

Founder & EP, Cutter

Hillary Cutter is the founder of Cutter Entertainment. She is a renowned film executive & producer, curator of directorial talent, and fierce champion of the inclusion of women in entertainment from set to screen.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Niki Janowski

Head of Production, Cutter Entertainment

Niki has 2 decades of experience as a producer, prod manager, prod coordinator, and 1st & 2nd asst director on features, docs, shorts, television, live events, commercials, promos, music videos & corporate videos.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Farah X

Director | Editor

Farah X is an award-winning Pakistani-American director and editor, whose list of clients includes Prince, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé – among many other industry icons.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Severine Reisp

Creative Video Producer | Director

Severine Reisp is an award-winning German-American filmmaker based in New York City. With a background in ballet, she brings an intuitive sense of rhythm and movement to her work, crafting visually striking narratives with emotional depth.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Barbie Leung

Cinematographer

梁麗君 Barbie Leung is a New York based cinematographer working in features, commercials, and music videos. Narrative features include Tubi Originals "Hidden Exposure" (Dir. Todd Bogin), "Kids Like Me" (Dir. Cynthia Lowen and Jon Cohrs), and an upcoming ensemble comedy for FOX Entertainment, directed by Christine Luby.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Shannon Williams

Freelance Editor | Animator | Producer

With over fifteen years of experience in video editing and animation, Shannon has collaborated with a wide range of brands, advertising agencies, production companies, and non-profits.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Lauren Ciaravalli

Creative Director & Film Director

Lauren Ciaravalli is a Webby Award–winning director and WGA Award–nominated writer with a passion for talent-driven storytelling and imaginative social campaigns.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Patrice Francois

Executive Director | Post Production Professional

Patrice Francois is a filmmaker working in post-production for TV and digital media. She founded Imagine This Women’s Film Festival to amplify women’s voices, promote diversity, and mentor emerging filmmakers.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Rozz Therrien

Executive Producer

Rozz Therrien is a Brooklyn based film, television, podcast, and commercial producer. She has consulted on development projects for Academy Award - nominated and BAFTA winning producers and writers. She has managed production on TV shows for Disney+ and Oxygen and produced commercials for Planned Parenthood, HULU, ABC, and Amazon.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Jessica Sherif

Writer | Director | Producer

Jessica Sherif is a writer, director and producer whose work has been featured on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, A&E, E! and Starz. Her work centers on identity, purpose, and belonging, often through the lens of comedy or romance. Jessica is deeply committed to mentorship and creative community building.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Ayana Baraka

Cinematographer

Ayana Baraka was the Director of Photography for the 3x Emmy-nominated ESPN and Religion of Sports docuseries "In the Arena: Serena Williams" and the Paramount+ documentary "Uncharted" about Alicia Keys’ “She Is The Music” Camp which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Maple Shipp

Director | Creative Director

Maple is a director and award-winning film creative with over a decade years of experience in creative direction, production, and post-production. She specializes in directing emotional storytelling and family content, and leads teams for both live action and animated productions.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Mary Nittolo

Founder | CEO, The Studio

Mary Nittolo is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the STUDIO, an independent creative production and animation company committed to visual storytelling with purpose.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Ashley Gabriel

Producer | Director

Ashley is a Director and creative producer living in New York City. She's developed and directed recurring series for TV and digital brands like HGTV, National Geographic, Travel Channel, Conde Nast Traveller, Architectural Digest, Vanity Fair and more.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Deborah Brozina

Content Creator | Emmy-Winning Filmmaker

Deb has had a camera in her hands since the 4th grade. Her credits include work on Succession, A Different Man, The Noel Diary, The Equalizer, as well as numerous live events and promos.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Liza Gipsova

Director of Photography

Liza is a Soviet-born and NYC-based award-winning cinematographer, ASC Vision Mentee, ICG Local 600 member, and organizer of several female/nb+ cinematography and film education groups.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Kristen Paladino

Founder | Casting Director 

Kristen Paladino is an industry-celebrated Casting Director and founder of Paladino Casting. With over 20 years in business, she is renowned for a notable portfolio of projects, from TV/film, VOs and commercials, in NYC, LA, and globally.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Heather Roymans

Partner & Director

Heather Roymans is an explorer, driven by boundless curiosity, respect, and vision. With a deep commitment to uncovering overlooked and muted stories, she sees her role as a director as a sanctuary where people can share their own narratives.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Antigone Thanasias

Coordinator

Antigone started in public relations & is entering her 4th year as the in-house prod. coordinator at Cutter, working for global brands such as Disney & Hulu, & on pharma projects with clients like Pfizer & Abbvie.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Assal Ghawami

Screenwriter | Director | Creative Producer 

ASSAL GHAWAMI is an award-winning filmmaker and performer based in New York. Cinema’s combination of music, art, culture, story, and desire to create social impact, gives Assal a medium that combines everything she loves.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Nika Offenbac

Director | Executive Producer

Nika Offenbac is an award-winning director, producer and collaborator whose heart lives in the world and whose stuff lives in Brooklyn NY.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Sydney Ferleger

Music Supervisor and Executive Producer

Sydney Ferleger is a seasoned music industry leader and executive producer, currently working as Music Supervisor and Executive Producer at duotone audio group. With over a decade of experience, she is known for seamlessly blending creative vision with strategic sync licensing, leading projects across advertising, branded content, and film. Her expertise spans original composition, artist collaborations, music supervision, and full-scale audio post.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Chloe Smolkin

Cinematographer

Chloe Smolkin is an award-winning cinematographer and storyboard artist with 16 years of experience in the worlds of independent film, nationally broadcast television, and high-end commercials.  

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Elizabeth Victorine

Executive Producer

Liz Victorine is a seasoned Executive Producer with two decades working in film and photo production, specializing in advertising content of all flavors. She is currently producing commercial content at Shutterstock Studios.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Janet Oh

Filmmaker | Screenwriter

Janet Hyojo Oh (she/her) is a Korean American producer and screenwriter in NYC championing cultural identity through authentic storytelling while uplifting the next generation of women in media.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Halle Cooke

Production Coordinator

Halle Cook is the in-house Production Coordinator at Counterpart Studios. Starting off in branded content and commercials, Halle has also worked in scripted TV on series including “Power Book II: Ghost”, “Three Women” and the recent FX series, “Dying for Sex.”

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Lauren Anderson-Taylor

VP Assistant Creative Director | Director

Lauren Anderson is a Group Art Supervisor and short film director/producer living in Brooklyn, NY.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Liza Wyles

Writer | Creative Producer

Liza Wyles is a writer, producer, and intimacy coordinator, spanning live action, animation, documentary, and editorial content for all platforms. She has executive produced TV series for Marvel and Discovery, including "Marvel's Hero Project" on Disney+ and "In Deep Shift" on OWN.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Sydney Muench

Associate Producer | Content Creator

Sydney Muench is a Multidisciplinary Creative, Production Assistant, and Photographer based in NJ/NYC. She’s passionate about visual storytelling and currently works at Cutter Entertainment as a Social Media Coordinator and Production Assistant, and at The High Lantern Group as a Communications Strategy Consultant. Her creative work spans commercial shoots, editorial photography, and digital storytelling.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Mielle Ezra

Sound Mixer

Mielle is a production sound mixer who started in live music & now works on narrative films, docs, commercials & podcasts. She brings tech know-how and a collaborative, inclusive energy to every set.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Jendra Jarnagin

Cinematographer

Jendra Jarnagin is an award winning DP with over 25 years experience working in feature films, episodic television and online series, commercials, music videos, documentaries and VR

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Jamie Baker

Educator | Audio Mixer & Sound Designer

Jamie Baker is an NYC-area based post production sound designer and educator.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Jess Peterson

CEO | Creative Producer, Mighty Oak

Jess Peterson is an Emmy-nominated creative leader specializing in video, music, and hand-crafted animation. As Executive Producer at Shopify, she leads global video initiatives for their Growth and Revenue departments, driving high-performance campaigns for one of the world’s leading commerce platforms.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Rebecca Eskreis

Director | Producer | Writer

Rebecca Eskreis is a writer, director and producer whose work has screened at major film festivals around the world. Credits as director include WHAT BREAKS THE ICE, starring Madelyn Cline, Sofia Hublitz and Lukas Gage, and CLEARMIND, starring Rebecca Creskoff, Rob Benedict, and Kadeem Hardison, released in 2024.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Soon Kwon

Sr. Producer | Director of Design Operations | Events Specialist

From humble beginnings as a wide-eyed Production Assistant to an award-winning Senior Writer/Producer and Director of Design Operations, Soon has spent 20 years at the heart of creative marketing and post-production for networks like Showtime and Paramount+.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Vanessa Hudson

Director | Creative Producer

Vanessa Hudson is a New York-based freelance director, producer, and showrunner with a decade of experience leading documentary and branded projects across the globe. She has directed and produced content in over 20 countries, creating films and series that spark empathy and encourage audiences to dream bigger for their own lives.

Cutter Entertainment creatives connecting and collaborating through Cutter Connections

Whitney Cusack

Executive Producer | Filmmaker

Whitney Cusack is an Executive Producer who leads impactful brand content, blending creative vision with strategic leadership while mentoring and empowering diverse voices in media and the next generation of creators.

OUR SPONSORS

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