Speaker Zena Van Ackeren
You are not currently viewing the most recent Realscreen Summit. Go to Realscreen Summit 2025.
A TV veteran with 20 years’ experience in the business, Van Ackeren began her career as the phenomenon of unscripted television emerged in 1999. As a freelance Casting Director for over a decade, she crisscrossed the globe discovering authentic characters for over 30 unscripted shows in a variety of genres. In 2008, she joined Shed Media (US) as Head of Casting for series and development, overseeing their hit shows on ABC, CBS, Lifetime and USA. In 2013, she joined the Viacom owned CMT as VP, Talent Development where she tapped new talent on a wide range of projects for the network. Mrs. Van Ackeren joined MGM from NBCU International Studios where she was heading the US division of Monkey Kingdom, bringing to life UK formats for the US market, while also generating a flow of new ideas. In her current role at MGM Studios, Van Ackeren oversees the talent and casting division for the unscripted unit.
Speaking on: Talking Talent
