Who We Are

BREAKING GROUND SINCE 2O17

Over the past five years, Universal's Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) department has become the premier thought leader in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) space across entertainment. This first-of-its-kind, film DEI team has built upon Universal's long legacy of inclusive narratives, but our mission to shape the industry landscape will continue for the next.

Talent for hire

COMING SOON! An interactive talent database of GTDI alumni with resumes, materials and representation details for hiring opportunities. This resource has been designed to increase exposure for alumni to further their career momentum.

coming soon Fall 2O23

Graphic asset of GTDI alumni faces with the words Universal Exposure centered. Coming Soon.

photograph of the Universal Studios entrance gate to the Lot

Discover your next experience

Inclusion is a core principle of the Studio’s overall business strategy

GTDI works to create experiences for talent at various points in their creative and production journeys within all of the Studio’s business functions. Check out our Experiences page for information on our initiatives, programs, labs and traineeships!

Talent Spotlight

the background includes an academy award statuette. in-front are two photographs. top photo is of K.D Davila directing on set. The second image is of Amie Doherty conducting an orchestra.

AMPAS INVITES ARE OUT

Universal Directors Initiative alum K.D. Dávila and Universal Composers Initiative alum Amie Doherty are two of this year’s invitees to become members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

And the grammy® goes to...

Universal Composers Initiative alumna Stephanie Economou took home the first-ever GRAMMY® in that brand-new category for her soundtrack to 'Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök.'

Universal Below-the-Line Trainee, Robert McTyre Jr. on the red carpet at the world premiere for Nope.

Detroiter goes from being homeless to working on film ‘Nope'

Below-the-Line Trainee Robert McTyre Jr hasn’t stopped since completing his traineeship on ‘Nope!’ Since the film wrapped, McTyre has gone on to do set lighting for commercials, TV shows and is currently working on a film directed by actor Chris Pine.

TALENT

The cohort of talent are the top, up-and-comers in their respective fields. We are proud to have identified and recruited them to join our studio ranks. Get to know them a little bit here.

Arun Narayanan

Universal Writers Lab

Mika Cy Ferreira

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Chanel Bush

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Aryn Allen

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Kevin Ochoa

Below-The-Line

Nope

Kieshah Emanuel Davis

Below-The-Line

Strays

Marielle Wood

Directors Initiative

Cody Hall

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Alaina Robinson

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Joey Rayburn

Universal Writers Lab

Pakk Hui

Composers Initiative

Daniel Rojas

Composers Initiative

Samuel Faboyegun

Below-The-Line

fast x

Grace Xie

Below-The-Line

fast x

Nicole Tan

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Kiana Johnson

Animation Writers Program

Brandon Collins

Universal Writers Lab

Terrence Cain

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Raashi Kulkarni

Composers Initiative

Shilpi Ro

Directors Initiative

Lawrence Hughes

Below-The-Line

fast x

Laure De Clermont-Tonnerr

Directors Initiative

Reyna Coca

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Trevon Cole

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Lee Loi-Cheing

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Matthew Mascolo

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Jose Maria Cabra

Directors Initiative

Melissa Hipple

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Ktisaka (Kay) Coleman

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Taryn Hillin

Universal Writers Lab

Christian Hidalgo

Below-The-Line

Nope

Jocelyn Chambers

Composers Initiative

David Ngo

Animation Writers Program

Shari Coleman

Animation Writers Program

Carly Usdi

Directors Initiative

Sydney Allen

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Jen Ailey

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - LA

Rhys Ernst

Directors Initiative

Jessica Kay

Directors Initiative

Sarah Jasem

Below-The-Line

fast x

Lukas von Berg

Directors Initiative

Parisa Barani

Directors Initiative

Sarah Rose Smith

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Jesi Nelson

Composers Initiative

Gabriela Calvache

Directors Initiative

Thomas Blackman

Below-The-Line

fast x

Roland Carter

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Amber Sealey

Directors Initiative

Alyssa Gallo

Below-The-Line

Nope

Diana Ly

Universal Writers Lab

Tyrone Mayorga

Below-The-Line

Nope

Adnan Ahmad

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Dara Taylor

Composers Initiative

Pierre Charles

Composers Initiative

Raziya Hernton

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Joe Winters

Animation Writers Program

Talia Zucke

Directors Initiative

Jorge Granera

Universal Writers Lab

Shyla Jade

Below-The-Line

Spoiler Alert

Sade Lawal-Adewale

Below-The-Line

fast x

Numa Perrier

Directors Initiative

Robert McTyre Jr

Below-The-Line

Nope

Dinh Thai

Directors Initiative

Krystal Tatum

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Fabrae N. Abebe

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Kirsten Ta

Directors Initiative

Constanza Abbas

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Siyou Ta

Directors Initiative

Brittany Blackerby

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Tamra Cash Ellington

Below-The-Line

Strays

Jina An

Composers Initiative

Senibo Myers

Animation Writers Program

Mondi Wannamaker

Below-The-Line

Nope

Arun Narayanan

Universal Writers Lab

Mika Cy Ferreira

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Chanel Bush

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Aryn Allen

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Kevin Ochoa

Below-The-Line

Nope

Kieshah Emanuel Davis

Below-The-Line

Strays

Marielle Wood

Directors Initiative

Cody Hall

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Alaina Robinson

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Joey Rayburn

Universal Writers Lab

Pakk Hui

Composers Initiative

Daniel Rojas

Composers Initiative

Samuel Faboyegun

Below-The-Line

fast x

Grace Xie

Below-The-Line

fast x

Nicole Tan

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Kiana Johnson

Animation Writers Program

Brandon Collins

Universal Writers Lab

Terrence Cain

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Raashi Kulkarni

Composers Initiative

Shilpi Ro

Directors Initiative

Lawrence Hughes

Below-The-Line

fast x

Laure De Clermont-Tonnerr

Directors Initiative

Reyna Coca

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Trevon Cole

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Lee Loi-Cheing

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Matthew Mascolo

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Jose Maria Cabra

Directors Initiative

Melissa Hipple

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Ktisaka (Kay) Coleman

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Taryn Hillin

Universal Writers Lab

Christian Hidalgo

Below-The-Line

Nope

Jocelyn Chambers

Composers Initiative

David Ngo

Animation Writers Program

Shari Coleman

Animation Writers Program

Carly Usdi

Directors Initiative

Sydney Allen

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Jen Ailey

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - LA

Rhys Ernst

Directors Initiative

Jessica Kay

Directors Initiative

Sarah Jasem

Below-The-Line

fast x

Lukas von Berg

Directors Initiative

Parisa Barani

Directors Initiative

Sarah Rose Smith

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Jesi Nelson

Composers Initiative

Gabriela Calvache

Directors Initiative

Thomas Blackman

Below-The-Line

fast x

Roland Carter

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Amber Sealey

Directors Initiative

Alyssa Gallo

Below-The-Line

Nope

Diana Ly

Universal Writers Lab

Tyrone Mayorga

Below-The-Line

Nope

Adnan Ahmad

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Dara Taylor

Composers Initiative

Pierre Charles

Composers Initiative

Raziya Hernton

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Joe Winters

Animation Writers Program

Talia Zucke

Directors Initiative

Jorge Granera

Universal Writers Lab

Shyla Jade

Below-The-Line

Spoiler Alert

Sade Lawal-Adewale

Below-The-Line

fast x

Numa Perrier

Directors Initiative

Robert McTyre Jr

Below-The-Line

Nope

Dinh Thai

Directors Initiative

Krystal Tatum

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Fabrae N. Abebe

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Kirsten Ta

Directors Initiative

Constanza Abbas

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Siyou Ta

Directors Initiative

Brittany Blackerby

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Tamra Cash Ellington

Below-The-Line

Strays

Jina An

Composers Initiative

Senibo Myers

Animation Writers Program

Mondi Wannamaker

Below-The-Line

Nope

Arun Narayanan

Universal Writers Lab

Mika Cy Ferreira

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Chanel Bush

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Aryn Allen

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Kevin Ochoa

Below-The-Line

Nope

Kieshah Emanuel Davis

Below-The-Line

Strays

Marielle Wood

Directors Initiative

Cody Hall

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Alaina Robinson

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Joey Rayburn

Universal Writers Lab

Pakk Hui

Composers Initiative

Daniel Rojas

Composers Initiative

Samuel Faboyegun

Below-The-Line

fast x

Grace Xie

Below-The-Line

fast x

Nicole Tan

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Kiana Johnson

Animation Writers Program

Brandon Collins

Universal Writers Lab

Terrence Cain

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Raashi Kulkarni

Composers Initiative

Shilpi Ro

Directors Initiative

Lawrence Hughes

Below-The-Line

fast x

Laure De Clermont-Tonnerr

Directors Initiative

Reyna Coca

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Trevon Cole

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Lee Loi-Cheing

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Matthew Mascolo

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Jose Maria Cabra

Directors Initiative

Melissa Hipple

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - New Mexico

Ktisaka (Kay) Coleman

Below-The-Line

Renfield

Taryn Hillin

Universal Writers Lab

Christian Hidalgo

Below-The-Line

Nope

Jocelyn Chambers

Composers Initiative

David Ngo

Animation Writers Program

Shari Coleman

Animation Writers Program

Carly Usdi

Directors Initiative

Sydney Allen

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Jen Ailey

Below-The-Line

Oppenheimer - LA

Rhys Ernst

Directors Initiative

Jessica Kay

Directors Initiative

Sarah Jasem

Below-The-Line

fast x

Lukas von Berg

Directors Initiative

Parisa Barani

Directors Initiative

Sarah Rose Smith

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Jesi Nelson

Composers Initiative

Gabriela Calvache

Directors Initiative

Thomas Blackman

Below-The-Line

fast x

Roland Carter

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Amber Sealey

Directors Initiative

Alyssa Gallo

Below-The-Line

Nope

Diana Ly

Universal Writers Lab

Tyrone Mayorga

Below-The-Line

Nope

Adnan Ahmad

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Dara Taylor

Composers Initiative

Pierre Charles

Composers Initiative

Raziya Hernton

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Joe Winters

Animation Writers Program

Talia Zucke

Directors Initiative

Jorge Granera

Universal Writers Lab

Shyla Jade

Below-The-Line

Spoiler Alert

Sade Lawal-Adewale

Below-The-Line

fast x

Numa Perrier

Directors Initiative

Robert McTyre Jr

Below-The-Line

Nope

Dinh Thai

Directors Initiative

Krystal Tatum

Below-The-Line

Shooting Stars

Fabrae N. Abebe

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Kirsten Ta

Directors Initiative

Constanza Abbas

Below-The-Line

COCAINE BEAR

Siyou Ta

Directors Initiative

Brittany Blackerby

Below-The-Line

Praise This

Tamra Cash Ellington

Below-The-Line

Strays

Jina An

Composers Initiative

Senibo Myers

Animation Writers Program

Mondi Wannamaker

Below-The-Line

Nope

A photograph of 50 new employees standing on the steps to Universal's back lot set of City Hall.

We are Universal

together we are reaching amazing heights

At NBCUniversal, we celebrate global narratives and inclusive perspectives. We’re grateful for the support and advocacy we receive from our highly respected and dedicated internal and external partners. This support system helps GTDI continue to make an incredible impact on the Company and across the industry.

have you heard?

Spotlighting Universal's Below-the-Line Experiences

TheWrap celebrates Universal Pictures’ Below-the-Line experiences by spotlighting talent from the Universal Below-the-Line Traineeship and Universal Composers Initiative.

Animated image of Dave the deaf chimp using American sign language to communicate with characters on Madagascar: A Little Wild.

Madagascar Makes History With Animated Deaf Character Signing in ASL

DreamWorks Animation's “Madagascar: A Little Wild” introduced kids to a deaf chimp named Dave, who communicates through American Sign Language (ASL), as well as his sister, Pickles, who translates for him and can also sign in ASL.

Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya review footage on the set of Nope.

A Universal Partnership

Hear how lives are changed by the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), which provides support and advocacy for the formerly incarcerated, in partnership with Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), and Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) department.

A NEW GLOBAL INITIATIVE FROM MONKEYPAW, POWERED BY UNIVERSAL AND TIFF.

COCAINE BEAR - Universal Below-the-Line Traineeship in Partnership with Screen Ireland

UNIVERSAL’S BELOW-THE-LINE TRAINEESHIP LAUNCHES ON JORDAN PEELE’S NOPE: MEET THE TRAINEES

Who We Are

BREAKING GROUND SINCE 2O17

Talent for hire

Discover your next experience

Inclusion is a core principle of the Studio’s overall business strategy

Talent Spotlight

AMPAS INVITES ARE OUT

And the grammy® goes to...

Detroiter goes from being homeless to working on film ‘Nope'

TALENT

We are Universal

together we are reaching amazing heights

have you heard?

Spotlighting Universal's Below-the-Line Experiences

Madagascar Makes History With Animated Deaf Character Signing in ASL

A Universal Partnership