The Road Less Traveled: Unconventional Careers In Entertainment

A visionary editor and producer, Frances DeLoach has cemented her legacy in the realm of film and media. Hailing from West Covina, California, Frances embarked on her journey with a passion that led her to a Bachelors of Arts degree in Film & Media Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Frances’ introduction to filmmaking began in high school, when her band was selected to be in John Singleton’s iconic film Higher Learning. This is where her love for the process of filmmaking began. Mothers, a narrative short that she produced, was selected as part of the Emerging Directors program at the 2018 American Black Film Festival. It won five awards at the Back In the Box Film Festival & Competition including Best Actress and Best Short.

Frances founded FDL Entertainment, a film and video production company catering to non-profit and corporate organizations. Notable partnerships include Kaiser Permanente, The University of Southern California, The NAACP, and the City of Santa Monica. Frances was selected to help develop The Brotherhood Crusade Media Collective, an intensive 11-week program supporting filmmakers from communities typically underrepresented in film and entertainment.

Being a part of the African American as well as the LGBTQ+ community has given Frances a unique perspective and drive to inspire others to tell our stories. Through her endeavors, she kindles inspiration, encouraging others to step forward and tell the stories that define us all.

Ndidi Oriji is the Senior Vice President of Standards for NBCUniversal’s Media Group. She leads teams located in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, overseeing the review and evaluation of program and advertising content airing across NBCUniversal’s portfolio of broadcast, cable, and streaming properties. Ndidi serves as a primary adviser to senior leaders, manages legal and reputational risk, and drives content policy initiatives when issues of public or strategic importance arise. She also serves as NBCUniversal’s representative on the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board, an industry body focused on consistency and uniformity in TV parental ratings.

Prior to her current role, Ndidi was an attorney in NBCUniversal’s legal department, an Entertainment associate at Loeb & Loeb LLP, and a Mergers and Acquisitions associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

Ndidi holds a bachelor’s degree in Black Studies & Law and Society from UC Santa Barbara (’00), a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law (’03) and is a licensed attorney in the State of New York. The summer after her first year of law school, Ndidi was a legal aid intern at Beijing University’s Center for Women’s Law Studies and Legal Services in Beijing, China.  She is a member of Corporate Counsel Women of Color and has served on the Executive Committee of the Nigerian Lawyers Association.

In addition to her professional activities, Ndidi has maintained strong ties to the UCSB community. She is a member of the Social Sciences Dean’s Cabinet at UC Santa Barbara, and Chair of UCSB’s New York Advancement Council.  Ndidi is also the founder of Naija Diaspora Moms, an organization that aims to empower Nigerian mothers in the diaspora, and a co-founder of two cultural enrichment organizations: Naija Happy Hour and Igbo Roots for Kids.  For more than a decade Ndidi performed improv and stand-up comedy in her spare time. But then she ran out of spare time.