The ninth annual Women in Entertainment (WIE) summit has been set for June 9 with Shondaland’s co-president Sandie Bailey and creative partner Betsy Beers, filmmaker Paul Feig and “Spider Noir” and “Sinners” actor Li Jun Li among the headlining speakers.
Co-founded by Relativity Ventures’ Renee Rossi and Gretchen McCourt, WIE aims to bring together experienced leaders in the entertainment and marketing worlds to address a range of pivotal and timely issues that affect women.
Per WIE, the 2026 summit, which will take place at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, will “explore a range of timely topics, including the rapid growth of vertical micro-dramas, strategies for navigating today’s hybrid distribution landscape, an inside look at Shondaland’s content model, and other critical issues facing women in entertainment.
Along with Bailey, Beers, Feig and Li, this year’s speaker list also includes:
- Hannah Pillemer, Executive Vice President & Head of Scripted Entertainment, FOX Entertainment Studios
- Erin McFarlane, Head of Vertical Content, Dhar Mann Studios
- Sherry Cola, Actor, Writer & Producer (Shrinking, Nobody Wants This)
- Madeline Di Nonno, President & CEO, Geena Davis Institute
- Leah McKendrick, Director, Writer & Actor (Voicemails for Isabelle, Scrambled)
- Katie Lowes, Actor & Producer (The Hunting Wives, Inventing Anna, Scandal, Katie’s Crib, Unpacking the Toolbox)
- Alex Patsavas, Netflix’s Senior Director of Music
- Kristyna Archer, Creative Director, Wonder Studios
- Lyn Paolo, Costume Designer (The Pitt, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Scandal)
- Wendy Calhoun, Writer, Producer, Showrunner & Director (Empire, Justified, Nashville)
- Linda Lowy, Casting Director (Hacks, Imperfect Women, Grey’ s Anatomy, Scandal, Friday Night Lights)
- Mariah Moss, Actor (Queen of the Court, Love & Blood, Revenge of the Billionaire’s Maid)
- Kristina Royce, Co-Chair of the Matrimonial & Family Law Practice, Blank Rome
Tickets for the 2026 Women in Entertainment Summit are now on sale. Additional speakers will be announced at a later date.
“In an era of rapid reinvention, where emerging platforms, evolving pressures, and extraordinary opportunities are reshaping the very fabric of entertainment, WIE exists to equip our members with the community and wisdom they need not only to navigate change, but to lead it,” Women in Entertainment co-founder Renee Rossi said. “This year’s summit delivers immediately applicable strategies, tactical insights, and real-world tools to accelerate career growth, strengthen leadership capabilities, and empower women to thrive and shape the future of entertainment.”
Sponsors for this year’s WIE summit include presenting sponsor Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, supporting sponsors Blank Rome and Amazon MGM Studios, and additional sponsors First Entertainment Credit Union, Buzzer PR, Poppi, Ving Vodka, Teremana Tequila, This Girl Walks Into A Bar Mixers, Skinny Dipped, Solely Fruit Strips, GoMacro Bars, Nature’s Path Organic and Explorer Cold Brew.
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