Team — Movikarma

About Us

**Jared Milrad, J.D., M.S.**

**FOUNDER | PRESIDENT | MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS**
Jared Milrad is an award-winning social impact filmmaker, entrepreneur, and lifelong advocate for social change who has spent over two decades leading transformative initiatives.
As the Founder of A Show For A Change and Movikarma, Jared fosters inclusion, representation, and social impact through the power of storytelling and entertainment. Jared has launched a social impact streaming platform, Inclusive Pathways Fellowship Program, and social impact film festival that has worked with 600+ filmmakers from 51+ countries. He has cultivated a diverse roster of relationships across Hollywood, including with Warner Bros. Discovery, The Academy for Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Netflix, Amazon Studios, Apple TV+, Disney, The Sundance Institute, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Participant Media, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Bad Robot, Hello Sunshine, Shondaland, Ryan Murphy Productions, The Obama Foundation, and with Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning filmmakers, nonprofits, and production companies. On Movikarma’s award-winning podcast, Rewriting Hollywood, Jared has interviewed Oscar-winning and notable underrepresented talent from across the industry and has hosted events with major partners, such as a groundbreaking Trans Equity Summit with the Biden White House. He also currently serves as an Executive Producer on an upcoming project with TIME Studios.
An accomplished progressive leader, Jared has worked with leaders at the White House across two presidential administrations, including with U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Admiral Rachel Levine, M.D. during the Biden Administration, and attended the signing ceremony of the landmark Respect For Marriage Act. Jared also served on the Out For Biden States Team on President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, working with LGBTQ+ leaders nationwide. He previously worked on President Barack Obama's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, and served in The White House during the Obama Administration. To help families afford legal services, Jared founded a nationally recognized nonprofit organization personally supported by Warren Buffett's family foundation, Peter Buffett, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.), and Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow. He also appeared in Hillary Clinton's historic presidential campaign commercials ("Getting Started," "Equal"), which received over 10 million views worldwide and fostered LGBTQ+ equality and civil rights. Jared has been profiled by dozens of media outlets around the world, including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, TIME, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, and ABC News.
A finalist for The Sundance Institute’s prestigious Episodic Lab, Jared is an award-winning writer/director, actor and producer who has created numerous films, TV pilots, web series, documentaries, political ads, and PSAs. Jared has cultivated a diverse roster of collaborations across Hollywood, including with two-time Oscar-nominated director Bryan Buckley and many others. His latest award-winning film, “Expecting,” addresses gender identity and stars Jack Settipane (“Last Call”) and Kiana Madani (“The Pirates of Somalia”).
Jared has received performance training at the prestigious The Second City Chicago, Crash Acting Studio, and the Royal Academy for Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, UK. He is an accomplished author with three published books, including his memoirs “Believe In You” and “So, You Think You Want To Get (Gay) Married,” as well as an original poetry collection, “And The Dawn Will Come.”
In 2018, Jared was a candidate for City Council in Long Beach, CA. Advancing to the runoff election from a highly competitive primary, Jared was personally endorsed by actor/producer Kal Penn, several local leaders, and Run For Something, a national progressive organization that empowers young candidates to run for public office. Jared is an accomplished public speaker who has advocated on behalf of President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and numerous social causes.
Jared holds a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law, a graduate degree from Tufts University, and an undergraduate degree with highest honors from North Carolina State University. He has earned numerous awards, including the Presidential Award for Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University, the prestigious General Hugh Shelton Leadership Award of Excellence, and the Caldwell Fellowship at North Carolina State University.
Jared is proud to call Los Angeles, CA, home with his rescued Golden Doodle mix, Dolly.

**Mato Abourezk**

**VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIPS | EXECUTIVE PRODUCER**
Mato James Abourezk is a Native American from South Dakota and a member of the Yankton Sioux tribe. Mato was born with Cerebral palsy and found writing as a way to deal with recovery from his surgeries. He has worked with groups of other artists at multiple film camps, including in Seattle and in Kyle, South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation. In 2022, Mato was selected to participate in Movikarma’s groundbreaking Inclusive Pathways TV Development Fellowship Program with HBO Max, where he learned casting, research, editing, and pitching through a 10-week intensive training program. Since then, Mato has been a lead member of Movikarma’s development and partnership team and serves as an Executive Producer on an upcoming docuseries with a major industry partner.
Mato is currently writing a novella and aspires to be a writer/director in the TV and film industry.

Liam Sigman

VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIPS | EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Liam Sigman is an accomplished producer and filmmaker with a roster of film and TV credits from Imagine Entertainment, Discovery+ and TLC. A native of Seattle, WA, Liam also has extensive experience in digital media, having produced for YouTube and TV personality Mark Rober. In 2022, Liam was selected to participate in Movikarma’s groundbreaking Inclusive Pathways TV Development Fellowship Program with HBO Max, where he learned casting, research, editing, and pitching through a 10-week intensive training program. Since then, Liam has been a lead member of Movikarma’s development and partnership team and serves as an Executive Producer on an upcoming docuseries with a major industry partner.

Driven by his passion for compelling stories and people, Liam takes pride in joining Movikarma in their mission to build a more equitable and equal Hollywood.

Dean Lin

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Dean Lin is a multi-hyphenate creative. From development, producing, graphic design and creative directing, Dean also garnered a social following due to his incredible ability to stay on top of trends. He has given a TED Talk, worked in unscripted TV and is a big proponent of ‘being successful’ in the most non-traditional way possible.

Dean’s primary focus through his platform and creative work is to further visibility on mental health, LGBTQ+ rights, and DEI in the entertainment industry.

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Dean moved to Los Angeles and graduated from Occidental College in 2019. Since his time there, he’s worked at places such as The Daily Show, Paramount Pictures, The Academy, Fulwell 73 Productions, and more. Dean has worked on shows like Carpool Karaoke: The Series, Cardi Tries, Friends: The Reunion, associate produced an Emmy-nominated documentary with Sheryl Lee Ralph attached as producer–and previously a Development Coordinator at Critical Content then a Development Manager at Center Drive Media before joining Movikarma.

Nickko Kelly

PROGRAM MANAGER

Nickko Kelly is a passionate self-starter. After getting their start in entertainment and brand partnerships in 2020 at a prolific production company in Chicago, Nickko has continued to work their way through the industry, garnering substantial leadership experience in Major Gifts Fundraising, Program and Production Coordination. As a non-binary individual, Nickko’s primary goals have included increasing visibility for LGBTQIA+ individuals through fundraising, partnerships, and inclusive storytelling. Nickko is proud to be part of the transformative, change-making team at Movikarma.