The Girls Inc. 2009 L.A. Luncheon Honorees

The Girls Inc. Los Angeles Celebration Luncheon recognizes the women and men from the Los Angeles entertainment community who are empowering even more girls to try new things, to compete, to succeed, and to achieve their biggest dreams.

Honorees

Jane Fleming
Partner, Amber Entertainment
President, Women In Film

In 2009, Fleming formed Amber Entertainment, a new international entertainment company, with Mark Ordesky, Lawrence Elman, and Ileen Maisel. Previously, she was a producer at Shot in the Dark Entertainment, an independently financed development/production company. Fleming is also President of Women In Film, the preeminent organization for the advancement of women in the film, television, advertising, and digital media industries.

Kate Juergens
Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Development
ABC Family

Juergens oversees and is responsible for the creation of ABC Family’s original movies, series, and specials, including the network’s #1 original series “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Make It or Break It,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” the critically acclaimed “Lincoln Heights,” currently television’s only African-American family series, and the -critically adored “Greek.” Prior to joining ABC Family in 2004, Juergens served as senior vice president of development at The WB.

Jennifer Nicholson Salke
Executive Vice President, Creative Affairs
20th Century Fox Television

Nicholson Salke oversees both the comedy and drama development departments of Twentieth Century Fox Television. In this role, she is responsible for all live action development, from targeting writers to creating shows to selling projects to networks, including Fox's "Glee," "Bones," and "Lie to Me," as well as ABC’s “Modern Family” and “Better Off Ted.” Nicholson Salke joined the studio in June 2002.

Alex Schwartz
Head of Development
DreamWorks Animation SKG

Schwartz currently oversees the development of all projects on the DreamWorks Animation slate. Previously, she served as Executive Vice President of the creative group at Walden Media, where she produced and oversaw numerous movies that feature strong and proactive female characters, including Holes, Because of Winn-Dixie, Charlotte’s Web, Bridge to Terabithia, Nim’s Island, and Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D. She began her entertainment career at Walt Disney Studios’ Touchstone Pictures.

Ligiah Villalobos
Writer, Producer
Jalapeño Films

Villalobos is the Writer and Executive Producer of the feature film Under the Same Moon, (La Misma Luna), an Official Selection at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and the highest sale for a Spanish-language film in the festival’s history. Before becoming an independent writer/producer, Villalobos held positions at several studios including Buena Vista Productions, the WB Network, and Esparza/Katz Productions. In 2007 she was named “One of the 25 Most Powerful and Talented Hispanic Women in the Entertainment Industry” by the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard Magazine.