MY STORY
Why we love what we do
For almost two decades, Jenean Atwood Baynes has work in multiple facets of the industry’s ecosystem from major studios and production companies to talent agencies and non-profit organizations that produce markets and conferences for content buyers, sellers and distributors both domestically and internationally. She is also integral to the process of developing and presenting programming with high-profile speakers and VIPs around trending industry topics.
Under her own shingle, PH10 Creative Consulting, she pursues what she does best: helping writers and content creators fine tune their projects and make valuable industry connections. In this capacity, she also works as an independent contractor for major industry entities such as NAB and NATPE overseeing special events, program development and onsite show management.
Drawing upon its curators, collection and relationships with the media community, The Paley Center for Media leads the discussion about the cultural, creative and social significance of television, radio and emerging platforms and examines the intersections between media and society. Joining the Industry Programs team in October 2018, her primary focus is to secure new prospects for Media Council membership. Additionally, she will be providing pre-event and onsite support for the Paley International Council Summit London including building relationships and recruiting International Council members.
In January 2018, Jenean joined the Milken Institute. As the Event Housing Associate (independent contractor), she was responsible for housing by supporting the Event Planning and Management Team specifically for Global Conference held annually in the spring at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Responsibilities included: managing, updating and auditing inventory; working closely with ConferenceDirect to process group and individual reservations; prepping and presenting reports; providing customer service and client support to key sponsors including Vista Equity, Citi, Guggenheim and WorldQuant; assigning and coordinating key meeting space in cabanas and suites; functioning as the liaison between key team members, sponsors, ConferenceDirect and property contacts and reconciling housing reports post-event. Additionally, she was tasked with developing ways in which the overall process for VIP and sponsor housing can be streamlined into a smoother experience for all.
In February 2017, Jenean joined the team as Content Development & Relations for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). There, she was responsible for supporting the VP, Content Development who works directly for the SVP of Convention Marketing and Content Development. Jenean’s primary focus was programming four stages (tracks) for the CORE Programming at the 2017 NAB Show New York in October. This process began with conducting intel-gathering calls with key account reps and facilitating conference calls with the Advisory Board to best determine hot topics and key issues for the industry’s ecosystem. When the board was tasked to function as the Selection Committee, Jenean created and implemented a call for speaker submissions portal and vetting process. The feedback from the calls and the results of the vetted submissions served as the foundation upon which she developed and produced the CORE Programming. For the duration of her time with NAB as an independent contractor, she worked closely with staff, other key team members, education partners, sponsors and speakers on the planning, execution and development of profitable, quality conferences, training programs and other initiatives related to education that attendees, exhibitors and members value and support. Additionally, she worked with sales team execs to develop programming opportunities for key accounts such as Google, Sony DADC, Crystal and ARRIS. She was also an integral part of programming and education for the annual NAB Show Vegas in April 2017.
For over a decade, Jenean worked at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE). Seeing the need for additional services, she repositioned herself, spearheading a new department as NATPE’s Director of Buyer Initiatives focusing on buyer retention, outreach and future prospects by maintaining current relationships, fostering new ones and developing prospective buyers for future events. Through pre-market and onsite customized services, she also worked closely with buyers to improve their experience at NATPE’s markets & conferences. As an essential component of registration, Jenean supported the Sales Team by actively connecting its exhibitor/sponsor/producer clients with key buyers. Ultimately, she was the internal and external buyer liaison ensuring that NATPE’s marketing efforts and special initiatives attracted qualified buyers and also leveraged those relationships to connect buyers with key clients. Previously, Jenean served as Exec. Asst. to the president of NATPE and was instrumental in coordinating various NATPE-related events and programs. Her tenure included the very successful NATPE Pitch Pit at PitchCon and PRO Pitch at NATPE Miami where she was responsible for booking 50+ top level agents, broadcast, cable, digital and studio development executives and scheduling over 600+ pitch meetings. Upon exiting this full-time position, she was brought back seasonally to work a host of special events including the Reality Breakthrough Awards, the Buyers Lounge and the Brandon Tartikoff Awards.
Prior to NATPE, Jenean honed her production, coordinating and post-production supervising skills with Scott Sternberg Productions on shows such as Fox Family’s Great Pretenders, Columbia TriStar’s Jep!, Wheel 2000! and TCI’s Montana Live. And, her eye for talent led her to “discovering” Michael Baisden (radio personality, motivational speaker and author) and pegging him for his first nationally syndicated talk show, Talk or Walk in 2001.
Jenean is also a published author. Inspired by a family tradition of storytelling, she formed Atwood Legacy Enterprises with her father in 2000. Together they self-published “Blue Spot! Yellow Spots!” the first book from The Land of Dushkin, their series of children’s books created to reach youth with universal themes of tolerance, cooperation and good citizenship. This journey took them to book signings at Borders, Barnes and Noble and the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. Recently, they published the second edition available via print and as an eBook along with an app.
Starting with the short stories she used to dictate to her mother when she was three years old, Jenean is and has always been a writer. FINALLY embracing her inner comedienne in 2007, she has performed at places such as The Comedy Store, Ice House and the Hollywood Improv. She was also flown to Atlanta to audition for Tyler Perry.
Previously, she was a reader for the Screenwriters Expo and joined the PAGE Awards team of judges in 2015. As a judge, she read feature-length scripts and provided 4–6 pages of extensive notes regarding premise/concept, presentation, structure, plot, pacing, characters, dialogue, theme, style/tone and commercial potential. The PAGE Awards is Hollywood’s most highly acclaimed screenwriting contest committed to helping talented new screenwriters get discovered. To date, over 119 PAGE Award Winners have optioned or sold their winning scripts, 105 have signed with representatives, 82 have landed paid screenwriting assignments and 77 have movies and television shows in production, on the air and in theaters. Previous winners have written: Flash, Bones, Forever, The Mentalist and Red Band Society...to name a few!
Jenean received her MFA from Ohio University’s School of Film with a focus on writing and producing for TV and film.