FMS Alumni Industry Talk with Georgia Ranes (A11), Netflix: Event Recap

November 21, 2025 • Barnum 204

As part of its 10-Year Anniversary celebration, FMS welcomed alumna Georgia Ranes (A11) back to campus for an engaging and candid industry lunch talk on Friday, November 21. The event brought together students eager to learn about careers in television, media strategy, and the evolving entertainment landscape from someone actively working at the highest level of the industry. The conversation was moderated by Don Schechter (A01, MA03), FMS Professor of the Practice, Tufts alum, and founder and CEO of Charles River Media, adding a full-circle dimension to the afternoon.

The event opened with a brief presentation from Georgia Ranes outlining the range of media positions available at Netflix and across the television industry more broadly. She provided an overview of how roles intersect across production, strategy, and operations, offering students a clearer sense of how skills learned in film, media studies, and communications translate into professional pathways. From there, the discussion transitioned into a wide-ranging Q&A moderated by Schechter. The conversation touched on Georgia’s career trajectory, the realities of today’s media industry, and the growing impact of AI on production workflows and decision-making. Students asked thoughtful questions about breaking into media, building professional networks, navigating early-career uncertainty, and adapting to rapid industry change.

Schechter reflected on the significance of welcoming Georgia back to campus, noting her journey from student to intern to industry professional: "It was great to see Georgia return to campus and speak to students after watching her journey from student to one of my interns to a thriving career at Netflix. Her honesty about networking and ‘putting yourself out there’ clearly resonated, as students were eager to stay after and continue the conversation with her." That enthusiasm was evident as students lingered well beyond the scheduled end time, continuing informal conversations and seeking advice about internships, entry-level roles, and professional growth.

Georgia’s visit underscored the value of alumni engagement and real-world perspective within the FMS curriculum. Reflecting on the event, the Gina O'Connor, the FMS Program Administrator, shared her appreciation for Ranes' time and openness: “We are deeply grateful to Georgia for taking the time to share her media experiences and insights with our students. Her visit provided an opportunity for students to learn firsthand about the media industry – its challenges, opportunities, and evolving landscape. The lively conversation helped bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice.”

Georgia Ranes (A11) is a manager on the Original Series Production Management (Drama) team at Netflix. She is currently working on The Little House on the Prairie reboot and The Age of Innocence limited series, and has contributed to projects including His & Hers, Sirens, Untamed, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Recruit, Resident Evil: Venus Flytrap, and Keep Breathing. Prior to Netflix, Georgia spent three years at Annapurna Television, where she helped build studio policies and workflows during the company’s expansion into television, working on projects such as Monsterland and Pam & Tommy. Earlier in her career, she worked at HBO on Westworld, Girls, The Leftovers, Looking, and Real Time with Bill Maher. While at Tufts, Georgia majored in Sociology and minored in Communications and Media Studies, and completed an internship at Charles River Media, marking the beginning of her professional journey in the media industry.

Georgia Ranes’ return to campus was a meaningful reminder of the power of mentorship, persistence, and alumni connection. We thank her and Don Schechter for making this event such a valuable experience for our students and look forward to welcoming more alumni back as the anniversary year continues.