Wendy Kurtzman is an author, educator and writing mentor helping emerging writers and performers develop their work and build sustainable creative careers. She teaches high school, undergraduate, graduate and working professionals, drawing on more than 30 years in storytelling and entertainment experience, including an Emmy nominated casting career.

Starting College to Career Acting, a business designed to help emerging BFA/MFA artists navigate the transition from academia into the entertainment industry, led to a career in teaching. She is currently on faculty at Pace University and has also taught at Chapman University, UCLA, NYU, The New School and Pepperdine University. Her passion is to empower artists by fostering their ability to write and perform their own original material.

 Her book, “Acting is Your Business: How to Take Charge of Your Creative Career” (Bloomsbury Press) is available on all platforms and is currently being used as required reading at UCLA, Pace, and Pepperdine.

Her casting credits include: Independence Day, Auto Focus, Replacement Killers and A Woman of Independent Means. Wendy has worked with many distinguished directors including Barry Levinson, Paul Schrader, Roland Emmerich, Diane Keaton, Sally Field and Antoine Fuqua.

Wendy currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Casting Society of America and has served on the Education Board for The Geffen Playhouse.

When she’s not writing or teaching, she is forever in search of the perfect cup of coffee, cool vintage clothing and a great song to sing.