SB Moms: Navigating This New Normal & Caring For Ourselves

Join us for a discussion focused on the challenges faced by women balancing motherhood with their careers in our industry. From going on maternity leave to battling “mom guilt,” we’ll share struggles, solutions, stories, and give each other a safe space to learn from each other and ask questions.

We are thrilled to use this panel to introduce SOAPBOX MOMS, a new subgroup for Soapbox members to connect on all things motherhood! Soapbox Moms will have opportunities for moms, moms-to-be, and women who hope to be moms to come together for support, discussions, and new friendships. Motherhood is a journey not meant to be taken alone. Let’s figure it out together.

ILEANNA SAWYER  (CO-MODERATOR)

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Ileanna Sawyer is a Writer/Producer at FX Networks. With a background in writing and poetry, she uses this sensibility to inform the work she has done on fantastic campaigns for clients such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Disney, among others. Now in her new role at FX Networks, she joins an award-winning marketing team and has had the pleasure of working on Pose, Baskets, Archer, and Mayans.

 

In late 2018 she became a mother to a wonderfully willful daughter. Being a mother has brought clarity to her priorities and made her more fun to be around. If there's anything motherhood has taught her in the past nine months it's that a sense of humor, flexibility, and a curious approach can ease moods and get more done. She now sits on the Soapbox board as Soapbox Moms Chair, and is thrilled to kick off the group with Celia Hubbard as a way to make space for our industry's moms to make new friendships and support one another.

 

CELIA HUBBARD (CO-MODERATOR)

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Celia Hubbard is a producer at Open Road and a self-proclaimed TV junkie. She has worked on successful television campaigns for over twenty networks and studios including The Twilight Zone, This Is Us, Bob’s Burgers, Good Girls, Single Parents, and Why Women Kill to name a few. 

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She is currently sits as VP Membership on Soapbox’s Executive Board and is very excited to be launching Soapbox Moms with Ileanna Sawyer. Celia believes that it is never too early to start having conversations about motherhood in our industry and is thrilled to promote a space where women can connect and support each other, wherever they are in the process.

 

FEE SANDOVAL

 

Fee Sandoval is the Head of TV/Streaming at Big Picture Entertainment where she oversees marketing campaigns for Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon, AMC, Showtime and many more. Over the past 20+ years, Fee has had what she calls an around the world experience working in entertainment. Fee got her start in the industry in A&R at EMI Music Publishing, was a talent producer at Nickelodeon/MTV Networks and even spent some time working with director James Cameron. She is proud to say that she utilizes the experience she received in each position in her day to day at Big Picture. 

 

Fee was born and bred in Los Angeles, California. She and her boyfriend, Lee, are dog-parents to a mini Australian shepherd and are beyond thrilled to welcome their human baby boy due to arrive in October. 

 

JESSICA GAITAN

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Jessica Gaitan is a Creative Director at Walt Disney Television. With over fifteen plus years in the entertainment industry, Jessica is passionate about bold and compelling visual storytelling. At ABC, she has spearheaded award winning campaigns for Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Greys Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, and Scandal. Jessica’s creative leadership inspires her team to deliver emotionally resonant work that achieves genuine engagement and lasting impact. 

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Jessica previously held positions at John Cusack’s New Crime Productions and Warner Brothers, beginning her entertainment career working on The West Wing. Jessica graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Film and Media Studies. She lives in Santa Monica with her husband, three kids, and her Labrador Lily

 

HELEN CUTLER

 

Helen Cutler is a creative director and editor at Create. When Helen looks back on her 20+ years in creative advertising and thinks about herself in the third person, Helen asking Helen what are some of the greatest stories she has told in motion picture marketing, she can only think of the human story, the story of the people she has worked with, the friends she has made and their journey together in the evolving world of movie marketing. Somehow, someone as off-kilter and loud as Helen has found a place she can call home in this business, while being constantly humbled and inspired, working side by side with the best, most creative, kick-ass women on planet Earth. It is through these experiences, Helen strives to bring to life memorable and emotionally resonant narratives for audiences, because we can't help but tell our own stories in the trailers we make. That is what Helen always tries to do in her marketing approach, to tell her story as a woman, mother, daughter, sister, friend, Asian and shockingly loud human.

 

TIZ SIMPSON

 

Simpson is a Producer and Editor at Buddha Jones. The road to Buddha started in the mid 90’s with 8 years at New Wave Entertainment, 6 years at Intralink and 6 years at Acme. Over the course of her career she has worked on campaigns such as: The DaVinci Code, The Dark Knight, Labor Day, Phantom Thread, On The Basis of Sex and more recently the Documentary for Netflix’s Knock Down The House, Sony’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and Fox Searchlight’s Ready or Not.

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She was born and raised in West Philadelphia (yes you can sing the Fresh Prince of Bel Air song in your head now) and moved out to LA after graduating from Drexel University in 1994. She is a mom to Alexander (12) and Talia (8). She and hubby Andrew, who is the Senior Editor at Picture Head, just celebrated their 20-year wedding anniversary this may. Oh, and to make life even more interesting they have 3 fur babies as well...Orion, Tonka and Eddie. Life is definitely a constant balance of work, mom, wife and remembering to take care of herself!