Writers Program

Carolina Hoyos

CAROLINA HOYOS is a first generation Peruvian Quechua-Inca Afro-Latina. Born in Washington, DC, and raised between the quiet suburbs of Virginia and the gritty streets of Baltimore, Carolina has also lived in NYC, San Francisco and Montgomery, Alabama, before making LA her home. She splits time between writing and acting for stage and film as well as releasing records… Read more »

William Paul Smith

William Paul Smith is an Eastern Shoshone actor, writer and filmmaker. Smith earned a BFA in Screenwriting and Directing from the School of the Visual Arts (SVA) in New York and attended Columbia University’s MFA Film Directing Program. In 2017, he received his MFA in Creative Writing from the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)…. Read more »

Anthony Florez

Anthony Florez was born and raised in Reno, NV and is a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of Northern Nevada. From the age of four he was raised by his mother, Theresa Florez, after his father Gerald was killed by a drunk driver. Inspired by the service of his (late) father, uncles, and… Read more »

Joey Clift

Joey Clift is a writer and enrolled Cowlitz Tribal Member who has written on shows for Cartoon Network and DreamWorks. His animated short Telling People You’re Native American When You’re Not Native Is A Lot Like Telling A Bear You’re A Bear When You’re Not A Bear screened at LA Skins Fest 2018.

Jade Puga

Writer/actress Jade Puga (Guachichil, Huastec, Lipan Apache) attended USC. Jade is an alumni of the 2018 LA SKINS Native American TV Writer’s Lab. With partner Richard Montes, their screenplays were in the top 10% of the 2018 Nicholl Fellowship,reader recommended/trending on The BlackList, semifinalists for: CBS Writers Mentoring Program, Sundance Screenwriting Labs and Macro Episodic… Read more »

Tom Hanada

Tom Hanada is a screenwriter and novelist who specializes in the thriller and horror genres. In 2017 Tom was brought on to adapt Stephen King’s short story Morality into a feature film screenplay, with Isaac Ezban attached to direct. Also in 2017, Tom sold the pilot for his serial killer 1-hr drama, Psychopath, to Astronauts… Read more »

Kelly Lynne D’Angelo

Kelly Lynne D’Angelo is a comedy, animation, and musical writer based out of Los Angeles. Recent credits include ‘Final Space’, ‘Littlest Pet Shop: A World of Our Own’, ‘My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Better Together’, and ‘Future Proof’ alongside writing partner Nick Watson. She is also half of the musical theatre writing team Dahan &… Read more »

Ian Skorodin

Ian Skorodin is an award winning director, producer and writer. He recently staffed on a digital series for Paul Feig’s Powderkeg. He wrote, produced and directed three separate Native American digital series airing on Comcast Xfinity. He directed a pilot starring Tantoo Cardinal and Saginaw Grant that screened at numerous festivals. He began his directing… Read more »

Jesenia Ruiz

JFrom the frozen tundras of Alaska and Minnesota respectively, Carlee Malemute and Jesenia Ruiz are graduates of USC’s MFA in Screenwriting Program and a dynamic writing duo specializing in female-driven TV shows about complicated families and marginalized communities. Carlee was a participant in the 2016 Native American TV Writers Lab while Jesenia has graduated from… Read more »

Carlee Malemute

Born and raised in an Alaskan village of 500, Carlee Malemute (Athabascan) is a graduate from USC’s Screenwriting MFA Program and a participant in the 2016 Native American TV Writers Lab and the 2018 Native American Features Lab. She co-wrote three movies for Lifetime, was staffed on Hallmark’s Good Witch, co-ran the writers’ room for… Read more »