Royal Kennedy Rodgers is a producer, director, and writer with experience in local and network news, as well as public broadcasting television. She began her career as a reporter for NBC television stations in New Orleans, Cleveland and Chicago. Then, as an ABC Network News correspondent, based in Los Angeles, she covered assignments as diverse as breaking news, presidential politics and the entertainment industry. She spent ten years as a producer/correspondent for “Chicago Tonight” at WTTW-TV, the PBS station in Chicago. Her professional awards include a local Emmy, and recognition from the San Francisco State School of Journalism, as well as from the American Association of Trial Lawyers. She is currently an independent producer based in Washington, DC.
Kathy McCampbell Vance is an Emmy Award winning television producer, specializing in news, entertainment, and documentary production. Beginning at NBC4 Washington as a trainee reporter, in her more than 20 years at NBC 4 Washington, she rose through the ranks as news writer, show producer, executive producer, and ultimately Director of Programming, Community Affairs and Broadcast Standards. At NBC she executive produced live event programs, as well as local and syndicated shows for national and international distribution. Upon leaving that job, she continued to produce special news series and high profile interviews for NBC, for Black Entertainment Television and more. Among her other awards is recognition from the National Black Media coalition for her contributions as an African American journalist.
shirlyn@hollywoodsarchitect.org
Shirlyn Cesar has over 10 years experience working in scripted television, in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta, on programs such as “Blue Bloods,” “Marvel’s Daredevil,” and “Seven Seconds”. In addition, she has worked a number of years in documentary television, now as associate producer on “Hollywood’s Architect.” She began her career as recipient of the Academy of Television Arts and Science Foundation’s CTA, commonly known as student Emmy Award, followed by an ATAS Foundation internship on the acclaimed television show “Mad Men”. In her documentary work, Shirlyn’s expertise is in finding and booking high-profile interviews as well as scheduling and coordinating video and film shoots.
Karen Elyse Hudson is Paul Williams’ granddaughter and the director of the Paul Williams Architectural Archives. She is the author of three books on her grandfather — Paul R. Williams: A Legacy of Style; The Will and the Way, a biography for children; and Paul R. Williams: Classic Hollywood Style. She also lectures frequently on the subject to architectural and preservation groups. With Karen Grigsby Bates, she has written Basic Black: Home Training for Modern Times and The New Basic Black, both etiquette books for our times. She recently launched Gumbo Girlz, an interactive journal for middle readers. Currently, Karen is working on a memoir of her two grandfathers, Paul R. Williams, Architect, and civil rights leader, Dr. H. Claude Hudson.
HOLLYWOOD'S ARCHITECT:
THE PAUL R. WILLIAMS STORY
DOCUMENTARY FILM FOR PUBLIC TELEVISION
@ 2024 PBS SOCAL AND RKR MEDIA LLC