Cultural Agency’s first hire is Shawn Finnie, who will serve as executive vice president. Finnie most recently served as executive vice president, member relations, global outreach and awards at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. There, he oversaw member engagement and global outreach for the organization’s membership of more than 11,000 artists and executives, as well as Academy Awards administration, rules and regulations, processes for submissions and voting, along with industry engagement and film festivals strategy and outreach. 

Finnie launched member-led, staff-supported Academy Affinity groups, created for members to amplify voices in the Black, Indigenous/Native American, Middle Eastern, West Asia, North African, LGBTQ+, Asian, Latinx and accessibility communities. 

Finnie also co-created and produced the Academy Dialogues: It Starts With Us series and was an instrumental part of the Academy’s premiere events, including the Governors Awards, Women’s Luncheon and Oscars broadcasts, for the last decade. Finnie is the current host of the Los Angeles Times digital series The Envelope. He has been featured on Variety’s New Leaders list and received the 2023 AdColor Advocate award.

Cultural Agency’s advisory council is made up of industry leaders who will help guide the agency with strategic input and valuable insights, including: Bing Chen (CEO and founder, Gold House), Dee Poku (CEO and founder, The WIE Suite), Jessica Sibley (CEO, Time), Nina Garcia (editor in chief, Elle Magazine) and Sarah Kate Ellis (CEO and president, GLAAD).

Cultural Agency is already working with clients, including major streamers and studios.