In short: I'm an entertainment professional who is passionate about seeing more stories by historically excluded people told... and told well!Bio: Maha Chehlaoui is an award-winning creative producer and social change strategist. She has developed and produced films, plays and events as well as worked on campaigns for clients in the arts, environment, and other advocacy spaces. She is currently the Program Director for the Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity (TTIE), an intersectional team of working TV writers committed to creating an equitable entertainment industry that tells more accurate and authentic stories. Maha also consults and produces as Pass the Mic Media, producing events and films including the short films Brothers (Winner of 10 Jury & Audience Awards) and Ubuntu for Mike Mosallam Productions, and Jo (Play Mountain Productions). Producing projects by and/or about historically excluded communities can carry unique opportunities and responsibilities. Maha is adept at identifying and navigating these, shepherding projects with bespoke attention. Though she began as an actor, post 9-11 New York and the need for authentic Arab and Muslim American voices compelled her to quickly transition to producer. Since then, Maha has helped identify talent and build infrastructure including Nibras Theater, The Arab American Comedy Festival, and the OBIE Award-winning Noor Theatre, where she was the co-founding Executive Director. She transitioned from New York to Los Angeles via a fellowship from the Pop Culture Collaborative, spending a year talking to industry insiders about career pipelines for underrepresented writers. She is a 2018 alumnus of artEquity’s National Facilitator Training, and has consulted with organizations and facilitated multiple conversations around equity, inclusion, and justice. Maha holds a BA in International relations from Tufts University and an MFA in Theatre, from Columbia University.