Bio – Lab 2022 In-Person

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Sofie Lebow

Inspired by surrealism, performance art, and poetry, Sofie Lebow is a writer-director who explores womanhood and the evolution of the self over time. With a deep belief that the personal is political, she creates films that explore identity within society, striving to capture strength in vulnerability.

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After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Sheridan O’Donnell

Born in Texas and raised in New Mexico, Sheridan O’Donnell is a Korean American writer and director based in Los Angeles. He is low vision and a passionate disability advocate. His films are deeply personal and focused on the underseen—traumedies that are filled with moments of intense catharsis and humor, and dedicated to their richly drawn, complicated characters.

His short “Wolff’s Law,” which stars Brendan Meyer (Netflix’s “The OA”) was drawn from O’Donnell’s personal experiences with bullying, and had its World Premiere at the Brussels Short Film Festival, where it was the only US film in competition, and had its North American Premiere at Hollyshorts in Los Angeles.

His next short, “A Picnic Table, At Dusk” starring Taylor Hickson (Freeform’s “Motherhood: Fort Salem”) made its World Premiere at the 37th Vancouver International Film Festival where International Shorts Programmer Sandy Gow called it “absolutely one of my favorite shorts this year.”

His upcoming feature debut, “Little Brother”, was inspired by his late friend who died by suicide. Its cast includes J.K. Simmons, Daniel Diemer (Netflix’s “The Half Of It”), Philip Ettinger (A24’s “First Reformed”), and Polly Draper (“Shiva Baby”). The script was a semi-finalist in the Screencraft Drama Competition and tells the story of Jake, played by Diemer, as he drives his older brother Pete (who is neurodivergent), played by Ettinger, home from Albuquerque to Seattle for a family intervention after his most recent suicide attempt. In addition to the cast, some highlights of the creative team include cinematographer Conor Murphy (“Mickey and the Bear”, Cannes ‘19), editor Mike Selemon (Shirin Neshat’s “Land of Dreams”, Venice ‘21), and producers Keagan Karnes, Chris Dodds, Dylan Matlock (“Mass”, Sundance ‘21), J.P. Ouelette (“Mass”, Sundance ‘21), and Brent Morris.

In addition to films, O’Donnell has also directed award winning commercials for clients like eHarmony, Destination El Paso, and Dawn Foods which have been written up by Advertising Age and aired nationally around the globe.

Learn More

After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Scott Jones

Scott Jones is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and musician from Nova Scotia, Canada. After a homophobic attack left him paralyzed from the waist down, Jones has utilized various forms of artistic expression to process his journey with acquired disability, grief, and resilience. He is most passionate about exploring narratives and creating works of art that authentically convey the complexities of living at the intersection of disability and queerness. Jones worked with director Laura Marie Wayne and the National Film Board of Canada to create a feature-length documentary, “Love, Scott (2018),” that explores trauma and resilience in relation to small town homophobia. Jones is collaborating with playwright Robert Chafe (Artistic Fraud Theatre) and director Jillian Keiley (National Arts Centre of Canada) to create a play on the complexities of forgiveness (“I Forgive You”), which is set to premiere at the Saint John’s Arts and Culture Centre (Newfoundland) in August 2022. Jones has participated in the AccessCBC Lab (2022) for scripted TV writers with disabilities, the Bluenose All Abilities Film Festival Mentorship Program (2022), and the Whistler International Film Festival Screenwriting Lab (2020). In 2020, Jones won the Atlantic International Film Festival Screenwriter’s Lab Power Pitch Award for his feature film screenplay “Opus 118, No. 2.” He recently wrote and directed his first short film, “Coin Slot (2022),” which premiered at the British Film Institute LGBTQ Flare Festival (UK, 2022) and the Phoenix Film Festival (AZ, 2022). He has also worked as a disability consultant on numerous projects, including the upcoming reimagining of “Queer As Folk” (Peacock, 2022). Jones is currently developing a short animation film (“Freedom,” 2022) with poet Tanya Davis and animator Sarita McNeil that will enter production this summer.

Learn More

After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Roma Murphy

Roma has always wanted to make the world a better place, but as a comedy writer, she suspects she’ll probably make it worse. Years of existence as a quadruple-pronged diversity hire have left her fascinated by how systems of oppression leave marginalized people so desperate to prove themselves that they miss out on forming real connections with others, and often explores that through comedy in her work (and tragedy in her personal life). Since graduating USC with a BFA in Screenwriting in 2020, she’s worked in political market research, scripted TikTok serials for teens, and in writers rooms for several unannounced children’s shows, so she’s used to her family having no clue what she does for a living. In her spare time, she can be found eating oatmeal, arranging flowers for church, or anything else that helps her prepare for her granny era. [continue reading…]

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Peter Lee

Peter Lee is a native Angeleno and the proud son of immigrants. Growing up, he wanted to pursue a different path than his poet father. But after losing an arm to cancer and confronting his mortality, Peter embraced his love of writing. He is obsessed with stories that explore the forces that compel some people to perpetuate cycles of violence, while others transcend seemingly insurmountable circumstances. Peter is a 2020 CAPE New Writers Fellow, 2021 AFF Winner, and was featured on This American Life to chronicle the final fitting of a prosthetic arm and bionic hand. [continue reading…]

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Morani Kornberg

Born in Tel Aviv, Morani Kornberg had a dream to become a college professor. But after earning her PhD in English, she realized that she wanted her research on Israel and Palestine, coupled with her mental health experiences, to reach the widest possible audience. She has since transitioned from scholar-poet-translator to writer-actor.

Morani was recently selected to participate in the 2022 Women in Film Peer Mentoring Program. She also attended the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television in their Acting for the Camera Professional Program and UCB Improv. Previously, she taught literature, writing, and theory at UCLA, SUNY Buffalo, and Tel Aviv University. Morani has also published widely across genres, including academic articles, poems, essays, translations, and a poetry book, Dear Darwish. She participated in Oral Storytelling Shows at the Markaz/Levantine Center and showcased parts of her solo show Letting Go of Zelda. Morani was a member of TAU’s Playback Improv Theater and Buffalo’s Poets Theater and has performed her poetry in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East.

Morani is currently working on multiple projects — spanning from television to film — all with the aim of breaking mental health stigmas, transforming the social imagination, and subverting political, gender, and national divides.

Learn More

After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Monique Moreau

Monique Moreau is a Native American, autistic writer, stand-up and actress from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. She has lived in Los Angeles since 2008 and has spent most of her time performing musical comedy and stand-up around North America, the UK and Australia. She has been a featured performer at San Francisco Sketch Fest, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and the Edinburgh Fringe. She’s currently a regular at the Largo Los Angeles, opening for Beth Stelling, Nick Kroll, Anthony Jeselnik and Laurie Kilmartin.

Recently, Moreau has written for “Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go,” two American Girl webseries and an upcoming Thomas and Friends webseries.

Learn More

After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Lonzo Bentley

Lonzo Bentley is an award-winning writer and director born, raised, and currently residing in Detroit, Michigan.

Storytelling has always been the main form of communication in his life, whether it was listening to his elders recount their history, or watching classic films such as “Rocky” or “Night of the Living Dead” with his father. He soon discovered that cinema was not only a medium for entertainment, but a medium to tell stories that could invoke empathy, capture history often buried, and explore the nuances and complexities of the human condition.

Since 2015, he has produced, written, and directed three feature films called “Suicide Isn’t Painless,” “Beautiful Melancholy,” and “Love is Love,” and a handful of shorts and web series. In addition to being in development on multiple projects, Lonzo is currently in pre-production on his fourth feature, “There You Are Flat Rock,” which is set to start shooting in the summer of 2023.

Learn More

After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation

RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2022

Ayla Harrison

Ayla Harrison is an LA-based playwright and screenwriter from the backwoods of Florida. From the moment she was born, Harrison’s life was a series of near-death experiences. A rare retinal disease caused her to spend three months in an ICU, and as a result of several complications, this left her blind with low vision before the age of one. Growing up alongside a disability rights/LGBTQIA+ political activist father and a blue-collar Oklahoma-bred mother, Harrison’s work often centers on low-income characters struggling with issues of class, disability, identity, and gender.

While coming up as a playwright, she earned her MFA in Playwriting from UCLA, assistant directed plays at The Geffen Playhouse, worked in the lit department of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and taught inner-city kids at The Shakespeare Theatre. Her plays have been produced around the country, with productions and workshops in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, DC, and Nashville. Recently, Harrison was selected to be part of the Women In Film Writers Circle, the Sundance Collab mentor collective, and she has written for TV on Hulu and Netflix.

Learn More

After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Los Angeles Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2022 Entertainment Lab taking place June 7 – July 14, 2022. This 6-week, 18-session Lab aims to further develop and elevate the talent pipeline of diverse professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 50’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.

The Los Angeles Cohort of the 2022 Entertainment Lab is made possible with support by:

• Platinum Sponsors: Murray/Reese Foundation and Netflix
• Gold Sponsors: The Harnisch Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company
• Silver Sponsors: Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, and NBCUniversal
• Location Sponsors: Bunim-Murray Productions, DreamWorks Animation, Endeavor, Lionsgate, Nielsen, and ROSIES Foundation