Researchers
Meet the Team
We are a dedicated team of researchers working to advance equity and inclusion in entertainment. Through data-driven research and collaborative solutions, we aim to inform and inspire change across film, television, and digital media.
Our Founder
Dr. Stacy L. Smith
Stacy L. Smith, Ph.D. is the foremost disrupter of inequality in the entertainment industry. Dr. Smith is the Founder of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative (AII), the leading global think tank studying inequality in entertainment. Her groundbreaking research and solutions span film, TV, and digital platforms, the music business, and economic analyses investigating the relationship between inclusion and financial performance.
Our Team
Dr. Katherine Pieper
Program Director
Carmen M. Lee, PhD
Affiliated Faculty
Ariana Case
Program Manager
Sam Wheeler
Research Programmer
Brooke Kong
User Experience Designer
Katherine Neff
Project Administrator
Sarah Neff
Content Strategist
W. Michael Sayers
Research Associate
Zoily Mercado
Project Specialist
Zoe Moore
Project Specialist
Karla Hernandez
Project Specialist
Terrell Shaffer
Project Specialist
Matthew A. Davis
Program Specialist
Aimee Christopher
Project Assistant
Braxton Albers
Project Specialist
![](data:image/svg+xml,<svg display="block" role="presentation" viewBox="0 0 10 10" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M 10 0.556 L 10 7.778 C 10 8.084 9.751 8.333 9.444 8.333 C 9.138 8.333 8.889 8.084 8.889 7.778 L 8.889 1.896 L 0.949 9.837 C 0.732 10.054 0.38 10.054 0.163 9.837 C -0.054 9.62 -0.054 9.268 0.163 9.051 L 8.104 1.111 L 2.222 1.111 C 1.916 1.111 1.667 0.862 1.667 0.556 C 1.667 0.249 1.916 0 2.222 0 L 9.444 0 C 9.751 0 10 0.249 10 0.556 Z" fill="rgb(0, 0, 0)" height="10.000000000000227px" id="kCL4EVE4g" width="10.000000000000028px"/></svg>)
HELP US IMPROVE
Take a brief survey about today's visit
STAY IN THE KNOW
Follow us on our Instagram account