The eighth annual Women in Entertainment (WIE) summit has been set for June 17 with Kathy Bates, “Matlock” showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, and “Nobody Wants This” executive producers Erin and Sara Foster among the headlining speakers.
Co-founded by Relativity Ventures’ Renee Rossi and Gretchen McCourt, WIE aims to bring together experienced leaders in the entertainment and marketing worlds to address a range of pivotal and timely issues that affect women.
Per WIE, the 2025 summit, which will take place at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, will center on themes including “the evolving economics of content creation and distribution, the growing influence of niche platforms and tailored audiences, shifting genre trends, and the impact of emerging technologies on storytelling and audience engagement.” Along with Bates, Urman, and the Fosters, this The year’s speaker list includes: Sheila Ducksworth, President of CBS Studios/NAACP Venture & Executive Producer (Beyond the Gates); Nikki Toscano, Co-Creator, Showrunner, Writer, Director, Executive Producer (Long Bright River); Lisa Taddeo, Author, Creator, and Executive Producer (Three Women); Alison Hoffman, President of STARZ Networks; Diana Dapito, Head of Consumer Content, NA for Audible, Inc.; Ashley Williams, Founder of Hallmark’s Make Her Mark Women’s Directing Program; Laurel Duquette, Head of Entertainment and Media of Snap Inc.; Sarah Malkin, Director of Entertainment Content at Reality Labs, Meta; Candissa Williamson, General Counsel for Hartbeat; Leslie Koch, SVP, Creators and Social Strategy at TelevisaUnivision; Sara Rea, Head of Unscripted for Hello Sunshine; Candice Lim, Host of ICYMI at Slate Magazine; Jessica Lee Gagné, Director of Episode 207 and Director of Photography, Severance; FredAnthony Smith, SVP of Non-Scripted for SMAC Entertainment; John Mass, President of Content Partners; and Tobias Queisser, CEO of Cinelytic.
“Creating spaces for women to share knowledge, connect with industry leaders, and support each other is at the heart of what we do, all year round,” Rossi said. “As the entertainment landscape evolves with new technologies, rising competition, and growing audience expectations, sharing information, challenges, and triumphs, as one community, becomes more vital than ever. Whether in front of or behind the camera, we’re here to empower women and help them thrive.”
Sponsors for the year’s summit include presenting sponsor Starz, supporting sponsor Hallmark Media’s Make Her Mark, with additional support by Moviepass, First Entertainment Credit Union, Buzzer PR, Screenvision, Amazon/UA, Prima Pavé, Poppi, Pop & Bottle, Ving Vodka, Teremana Tequila, Fresh Victors Mixers, LesserEvil Snacks, Angeleno Beauty, GoMacro, UNREAL, That’s it., Nature’s Path Organic Foods, Rodin Photography and Solely. The exclusive media partner will be Slate Magazine.
