Grad Film Dual MBA/MFA Degree Alum Jessica Li has been announced as the 2026 recipient of the Producers Guild of America Debra Hill Fellowship.
Jessica Li is a producer and dual MBA/MFA graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business and Tisch Graduate Film. Before transitioning to film, she studied economics at Princeton University and began her career as a management consultant at McKinsey, where she developed a foundation in strategy and collaboration.
While at NYU, Jessica produced a slate of narrative shorts with auteur writer-directors that have screened at selective festivals and curated online platforms. Her credits include Tragedy Babes, directed by Christa Haley (Palm Springs ShortFest, Short of the Week); Layover, directed by Taylor Sanghyun Lee (SFFILM, New York Asian Film Festival, Vimeo Staff Pick); and Copy, Save, directed by Alyssa Loh and produced by Madhouse Films (SXSW).
Jessica is drawn to emotionally complex, formally inventive work that privileges the filmmaker’s voice. She gravitates toward stories centering women and Asian American characters, with nuance and intimacy. She is originally from Phoenix, Arizona.
The Debra Hill Fellowship is awarded annually to individuals completing an accredited graduate degree in producing. The grant varies in size and is meant to aid in the advancement of the recipient’s career in producing.
Read more at the Producers Guild of America.