Summer 2026 Instructors

Rikke Alderson is a global marketing leader and educator focused on creating transparent, human-centered digital systems that drive growth and build trust. She has led omni-channel transformation for brands such as The Hershey Company, Capital Group, and Nogin SmartCommerce, and advises organizations on ethical AI, e-commerce, and marketing performance.

At NYU Los Angeles, she teaches Digital Business Strategy, where she brings together platform economics, technology ethics, and practical case studies from her work with global brands and startups across the U.S. and Europe. She earned her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Originally from Houston, Texas, Alysia Anderson is General Counsel and Head of Business Affairs at the Academy Award nominated studio Ventureland and the world-renowned production company, PRETTYBIRD.

 After graduating with a degree in Film & Television from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Alysia graduated from SMU Dedman School of law and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment law. 

Alysia also proudly sits on the board of Made In Her Image and artworxLA. Before nesting at PRETTYBIRD, Alysia worked for industry giants like WME, Fox, BET, and Disney.

Mia is originally from New Orleans and has been a writer for the mobile gaming industry since 2014. She has an M.A. in Rhetoric and Composition from LSU and an M.F.A. in Screenwriting from UCLA.

Adam Fratto is a veteran film and TV producer, creative executive, and media educator.  He has held senior positions at various companies, including his recent term as head of scripted programming at The History Channel (VIKINGS).  

His produced credits include TV series HAVEN, GREEK and CLEVERMAN, and he is currently producing an experimental documentary about comedy and AI and a podcast supported by a grant from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation.

Shivani Honwad, Esq. is a passionate advocate for human rights and dedicates part of her practice to these efforts. She founded The Law Firm of Shivani Honwad, LLC in 2014 after working in the public and private sectors and clerking for the Chief Judge of the Family Court of Delaware upon graduating from law school. She is admitted to practice law in both New York and California and focuses primarily on business and immigration law for creative individuals and companies in the fashion, entertainment and tech industries.  

She has worked with models, actors, artists, DJ's, painters, musicians, architects, designers, creative directors, photographers, filmmakers, and producers among others and negotiated contracts for her creative clients working with Nike, Amazon, Disney, Netflix, HBO, AppleTV+ and many more. She successfully lobbied to amend Delaware’s state laws to provide better protections to juvenile victims of prostitution and is actively advocating for improved transparency in the modeling industry. Her work has been highlighted by the Spotlight Team in The Boston Globe and she has been featured in Business Insider, Brit + Co, VoyageLA and The American Fashion Podcast among many others.  

She has consulted on the legal process for a TV show script for ABC. Shivani has guest lectured at UCLA, NYU and spoken at numerous events and panels around the world. She has served on the Young Executive Board of the Nomi Network, the Young Professionals Board of Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) and is a current member of the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition. She has also been a member of the South Asian Bar Association of New York, serving as the Vice President of Public Interest in 2015 and was recognized as the 2017 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year; the American Bar Association, including being appointed by the ABA President as the Young Lawyer’s Delegate to the ABA Human Trafficking Task Force in 2013, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.   

As a graduate of New York University's Stern School of Business and founder of a few companies and ventures, Shivani understands what it takes for entrepreneurs and companies to be successful and thus blends her passion and expertise to help people achieve their dreams.

Marina Litvinsky is a professor, researcher and activist. She has a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Marina’s research focuses on community activism to resist the changes of gentrification and how residents’ consumption of media, or lack thereof, might help or hinder that. She has worked with and conducted research in various Los Angeles communities to better understand the residents’ perspectives of gentrification and its social and cultural effects. Prior to her Ph.D. work, Marina worked in communication for human rights organizations in Los Angeles, New York and Germany. Originally from Ukraine, she has traveled independently to over 40 countries.

Michelle Marks is a highly accomplished and innovative global entertainment marketing executive with a successful history of achievement within the Motion Picture and Television Industries. She serves as brand ambassador and team leader, constantly striving to find innovative ways to produce engaging content for audiences on all platforms. Michelle has proven success in maximizing content exposure, driving revenue growth, and consistently achieving award-winning results. Global campaigns include content from a variety of genres, which has deeply impacted and permeated pop culture, including: Bohemian Rhapsody, Deadpool, Hidden Figures, The Greatest Showman, Alien, Kingsman, and Logan. Developed inventive campaigns opening some of the biggest franchise films of all time, including: Ghostbusters, X-Men, Ice Age, Planet of the Apes, and Avatar.

She is currently an Adjunct Professor for the USC SCA Peter Stark MFA program and is CMO of Highest Marks, Inc., a creative and content distribution consultancy dedicated to identifying and maximizing platforms for pop cultural brands and political campaigns.

She has a BS in Television, Radio and Film Management from the Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).