RSVP-ed members will receive the Zoom link by email one hour prior to the start of the program, and will be able to ask questions through Zoom's chat function.

Join us for a LIVE remote Zoom discussion with talent agents Toni Howard (ICM), Sarah Clossey (UTA), Tracy Brennan (CAA), and Esther Chang (WME). Moderated by actor and writer Lori Hammel.

A Q&A will follow the program, and member participation is encouraged. 

Panelist Bios

TONI HOWARD is a Founding Partner at ICM Partners, a talent and literary agency representing clients in the fields of motion pictures, television, publishing, music, theater branded entertainment and digital media.  ICM Partners is one of the predominant agencies in the United States and Europe, with its principal offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

The recipient of Women in Film’s inaugural Sue Mengers Award in 2015, Ms. Howard oversees a celebrated and eclectic group of actors.  She has been recognized for her ability to structure innovative and creative deals for her A-list roster of clients including Samuel L. Jackson Michael Keaton, James Spader, Edie Falco, Michael Sheen, Spike Lee, Holly Hunter, Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Christopher Walken, Tim Robbins, Candice Bergen, Goldie Hawn, Michael Caine, Alan Alda, Catherine O’Hara, Annaleigh Ashford, Topher Grace, Anna Chlumsky, and Nathan Lane.

The statistics speak for themselves: Examples of her client successes include Samuel L. Jackson, who boasts box office receipts that outnumber any actor in history, Edie Falco, who is the Screen Actors Guild’s most nominated actor in history and Alan Alda, who holds the distinction of being the most Emmy-nominated actor in television history.  Ms. Howard’s clients have garnered an astonishing 125 Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award nominations. 

In 2009, Ms. Howard was recognized in Elle magazine’s annual Women in Hollywood Power List issue, and she has been named as one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 Women in Entertainment for the past 10 consecutive years.  Additionally, Ms. Howard was cast by director Alexander Payne as the voice of agent ‘Evelyn Berman-Silverman’ in the film SIDEWAYS. 

Prior to joining ICM, Ms. Howard was an agent at the William Morris Agency for seven years. She began her entertainment industry career as a casting director, working on such hits as TOOTSIE, SUPERMAN and THE RIGHT STUFF.

TRACY BRENNAN is a Motion Picture Talent Agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA).  Brennan works in the Los Angeles office and represents many of the world’s leading actors, including Zoey Deutch, Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Isabela Merced, Ana de Armas,  Rosario Dawson, Sophie Turner, Camila Mendes, Yara Shahidi, Madison Bailey, Chrissy Metz, Norman Reedus, Nathan Fillion, David Boreanaz, Alexander Skarsgård, Shamier Anderson, Martin Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, Aaron Eckhart, Don Johnson, Vera Farmiga, Jenna Ortega, Vanessa Hudgens, Freya Allan, and Kerry Washington, among others. 

Brennan began her career in 1991 as an Assistant at ICM and was promoted in 1994 to Agent.  Brennan joined CAA in 2003 and served as co-head of the agency’s Motion Picture Talent department for five years. 

Brennan was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California.  She attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received a B.A. in communication studies and graduated with honors.

SARAH CLOSSEY is a partner in the Motion Picture Talent Department at the United Talent Agency. Her notable clients include six-time Emmy Award winner, Academy Award nominee, Tony winner and Golden Globe winner Bryan Cranston, Golden Globe winner Claire Foy, Emmy Award nominee Rashida Jones, Golden Globe Award nominee Corey Stoll, Emmy Award nominee and WGA Award winner Carrie Brownstein, SAG Award winner Danai Gurira,  Emmy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross, Emmy Award winner Jon Cryer, Golden Globe Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Maura Tierney, Emmy Award nominee Hugh Dancy, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Jimmy Smits, Critics’ Choice Television Award winner Carrie Coon, Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominee Allison Tolman, Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominee and Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski, Emmy Award winner Dana Delany, Independent Spirit Award winner Steve Zahn and Thomas Sadoski, Emmy Award winner Craig T Nelson, Casey Wilson and Zosia Mamet, among others.   

After graduating from Brown University, Clossey began her industry career as an assistant to filmmaker James Cameron at Lightstorm Entertainment. She spent three years at CAA and served as Head of Talent at Paradigm before joining UTA in 2007.

ESTHER CHANG is a partner at WME in the Talent Department. She represents a diverse roster of leading talent and filmmakers such as Andra Day, Ben Stiller, Bob Odenkirk, Charlize Theron, Dave Franco, Daveed Diggs, Deborah Chow, Elisabeth Moss, Gemma Chan, Karena Evans, Michael B. Jordan, Naomie Harris, Olivia Rodrigo, Whoopi Goldberg, and Yifei Liu.

Chang began her career at the William Morris Agency. She is a graduate of Columbia University, where she majored in English literature and minored in Asian American studies.

Chang is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is also on the board of both Women In Film and the American Cinematheque. Chang resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two young children.

LORI HAMMEL is a NYC-based actress and writer who has performed on Broadway, Off Broadway and in National Tours including: MOMMA MIA, DOLLY PARTON'S 9 to 5 and as Ethel Mertz in I LOVE LUCY LIVE.  TV includes JESSICA JONES, FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE, MASTER OF NONE, HIGH MAINTENANCE, 30 ROCK and THE COLBERT REPORT.  Film work includes the feature PUZZLE, the Coen brothers' BURN AFTER READING, SHE'S LOST CONTROL and playing the lead in CONEY ISLAND QUEEN (Cannes Shorts Corner).  Lori received an Excellence in Acting Award at the NY International Fringe Festival. She is the recipient of a Jeff Award, two Jeff nominations, two After Dark Awards and the SAG-AFTRA Joseph C. Riley Service Award. Lori co-authored the critically acclaimed guidebook MINDING THE EDGE – STRATEGIES FOR A FULFILLING, SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS AN ACTOR and is a contributing writer for ACTING FOR THE STAGE (Focal Press).  Website: www.lorihammel.com