Lionsgate Appoints New Head of Inclusive Content at Movie Group

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After nearly four years in the role, the head of inclusion and diversity efforts at Lionsgate’s film division is stepping down and striking a production deal with the studio.

Kamala Avila-Salmon, who left Facebook to join Lionsgate as head of inclusive content for the Motion Picture Group in October 2020, is launching her own publishing company, Kas Kas Productions. In the transition, Avila-Salmon has signed a two-year first-look feature film deal with Lionsgate.

“We are thrilled for Kamala and I am proud to support her future as a filmmaker. When Kamala shared with me her dream of producing films, we decided to develop an opportunity that would not only foster her growth toward this personal goal, but would also utilize her strengths to help us continue to create commercially and culturally relevant films for Lionsgate's slate—a win-win situation,” said Adam Fogelson, Chairman, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.

Avila-Salmon's successor will be Tayanna Todd, who spent more than three years in Santa Monica at the studio in various roles related to inclusive content and business strategy. Previously, Todd served as coordinator, original programming at Showtime on projects such as Alone AND Ripley and worked as an executive assistant at CBS.

As part of its efforts, the Inclusive Content group helped develop the studio’s inclusion tool, Story Spark, which allows screenwriters (both internal and external to Lionsgate) to complete an interactive questionnaire that helps identify ways and ideas to expand accessibility within a script.

Avila-Salmon added, “I am also incredibly grateful to Lionsgate for cultivating the Inclusive Content team and supporting our work over the past four years. Tayanna has been an integral part of that work since day one, and I couldn’t be more proud of her as she leads the next chapter of the Inclusive Content team within the Motion Picture Group.”

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