SCV Media Collaborative &
NextGen MediaMakers Festival
Building a Regional Media Ecosystem & Launching the NextGen MediaMakers Festival
The Opportunity
The Santa Clarita Valley has long been a hub for film, television, journalism, and digital media — yet the region lacked a centralized structure to connect students, educators, professionals, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies into a cohesive media ecosystem.
As Executive Director of SCVTV, I identified a gap between classroom education, industry access, and sustainable local career pathways. The opportunity was not just to create programs, but to design an infrastructure that could support media makers at every stage — from elementary school through professional careers.
I felt very strongly that SCVTV, a nonprofit community media center, would be the perfect space to bring all of these groups together and foster that community.
The Vision
The SCV Media Collaborative was developed as a cross-sector initiative to strengthen the local media industry by:
Creating meaningful, equitable career pathways
Connecting education to real-world industry experience
Supporting workforce development while reinforcing community ownership of media
The goal was long-term sustainability — building systems that could grow, adapt, and continue serving the region beyond any single program or event.
The Approach
I authored the original scope of work, mission, and operational framework for the SCV Media Collaborative, positioning it as a dedicated department within SCVTV while maintaining flexibility to collaborate across institutions. I brought together various stakeholders to serve as committee members and advisors, all serving in a volunteer capacity.
The work focused on three core pillars:
Network: Convening professionals, educators, students, businesses, and agencies into an active, collaborative community
Workforce Development & Opportunity: Designing hands-on learning, internships, apprenticeships, and career exposure aligned with real industry needs
Resources: Creating shared tools, training, and access points that support both emerging and established media makers
This framework allowed the Collaborative to function as both a connector and an incubator — aligning education, industry, and community impact. This project initially kicked off in late 2022.
Flagship Program: NextGen MediaMakers Festival
To activate the Collaborative and immediately serve students, I led the development of its first major initiative: the NextGen MediaMakers Festival.
Launched in May 2024, the Festival was designed as a competitive, educational, and celebratory event for junior high and high school media students across the Santa Clarita Valley.
Program Design
A student-centered media competition judged by industry professionals
A platform for collaboration between students, educators, and working media makers
A real-world introduction to creative standards, feedback, and presentation
A community event that elevated youth voices and creativity
I served on the founding committee alongside educators, industry professionals, and recent graduates — shaping the festival’s structure, goals, and evaluation criteria to ensure both rigor and accessibility.
Execution
The inaugural Festival brought together:
Students from multiple schools and programs
Educators and media professionals serving as judges and mentors
Community partners, families, and supporters
Hosted at the Canyon Country Community Center, the event balanced professional expectations with an encouraging, inclusive environment — reinforcing that young creators belong in the media industry now, not just someday.
The Impact
Together, the SCV Media Collaborative and NextGen MediaMakers Festival achieved several key outcomes:
Established a visible, trusted platform for local media workforce development
Created new points of connection between schools, industry, and community organizations
Provided students with tangible experience, feedback, and recognition
Laid the foundation for expanded programs, partnerships, and future festivals
Most importantly, the initiative reframed media education in the Santa Clarita Valley as a shared community responsibility — not siloed within individual schools or organizations.
