Keana McGee
Netflix
Hollywood, CA USA
"As long as you’re doing something, a door will open. And when it does, you just stick your foot right in that crack and try to get it to open for yourself."
Career Roadmap
Keana's work combines: Business, Film, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I struggled a lot in college. I struggled getting accepted, I struggled with the work, and I struggled to pay for it. I cried a lot during this time and had no one who could help me. I was convinced I was going to have to quit. There was a woman in the financial aid office that ended up doing so much to help me figure out how to pay for everything and get through it. I realized that there is always someone who can help.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
Loyola Marymount University
Bachelor's Degree
Entertainment Marketing and Business Management
Loyola Marymount University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Grew up in South Central Los Angeles, CA, in a lower-middle-class family.
2.
I didn’t initially plan on going to college—during my senior year of high school, I decided to apply to Loyola Marymount University (LMU) but didn’t get in.
3.
Started going to community college to earn credits and eventually reapplied to LMU and got accepted.
4.
Graduated with my bachelor’s degree in television production and entertainment marketing.
5.
I began interning on various films and television shows, which evolved into a freelance production coordinator job—I also worked part-time as a substitute teacher to make ends meet.
6.
After a few years, I decided to start working more directly in marketing for various creative agencies and production studios.
7.
I've worked as a marketing manager at Sony Pictures and as a digital marketing director at Starz, where I was in charge of the social media presence for their hit show, “Power.”
8.
I'm now on the global creative marketing team at Netflix.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I can't finish college.
How I responded:
I struggled a lot in college. I struggled getting accepted, I struggled with the work, and I struggled to pay for it. I cried a lot during this time and had no one who could help me. I was convinced I was going to have to quit. There was a woman in the financial aid office that ended up doing so much to help me figure out how to pay for everything and get through it. I realized that there is always someone who can help.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
When I was younger I didn't even plan on going to college, but I ultimately did go and became the first person in my family to do so. I had to figure out a lot of things myself.
I grew up in a lower-middle-class family and we didn't have a lot of money. I always carried that fear of not being able to take care of myself. In the beginning of my career, I was a substitute teacher on the side just in case.
The entertainment industry has it's problems when it comes to these issues. It isn't easy to navigate this industry as a woman of color, but it is possible. I had to learn to be unapologetically myself.