This month’s spotlight features Rahwa H. Ghebre-Ab, Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs at Lionsgate, and recipient of The National Diversity Council’s 2020 Top 50 Leaders in Entertainment Award. Read further to learn more about Rahwa and her road to success.

Could you briefly explain some of your responsibilities in your current career role? 

As a Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs at Lionsgate and the Company’s lead employment counsel, I work closely with Lionsgate’s senior management, the Company’s Human Resources team, its various film & television productions, and employees at all levels to address the Company’s day-to-day employment needs, support its M&A and other strategic growth initiatives around the world, and ensure compliance with its commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and respectful work environment.

I provided employment legal support for Lionsgate’s May 2018 investment in and partnership with 3 Arts Entertainment, the first-ever collaboration between a major Hollywood studio and a leading talent management and production company.  I also helped facilitate the continuing integration of the Good Universe production and distribution company into Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group and am one of the executives involved in the ongoing integration of Lionsgate and Starz following the biggest acquisition in Lionsgate’s history.

I have also helped direct legal and employment matters related to Lionsgate’s recent launch of offices in Mumbai, India, Beijing, China, and Toronto, Canada, as the Company continues to globalize its operations.  In addition, I provide legal support and employment counsel to Lionsgate’s numerous film & television productions, joint ventures and SVOD platforms.

How did you come to decide that this was the right career path for you?

I don’t think there was ever an “aha!” moment when it came to my career. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer – as for the rest, I’ve just continued to be open to different opportunities that were presented to me over the years and adjusted accordingly to determine the right fit. While I can’t emphasize enough the importance of being intentional with one’s career choices, sometimes, a career path finds you – and early in my career, that’s what happened to me. I graduated from law school in 2009 during the height of the recession and the Chicago law firm that I was set to join post-graduation asked me if I would be open to joining the firm’s Labor & Employment (L&E) group as first year associate, instead of starting with the Litigation group with whom I’d interned two summers in a row. At the time, I didn’t feel that the request was one I could say no to (I felt so fortunate to be one of few lawyers fresh out of law school that actually had a job at that time) so I joined the L&E group and it was that experience as a junior associate that set the stage for my move to California and my in-house journey. I love the L&E practice area – it’s the perfect marriage between deductive reasoning and emotional intelligence – it was a natural fit. At the Chicago firm, I did quite a bit of international employment work for Sony Pictures which set the stage for my L&E role at Lionsgate.

As a woman and Black immigrant in a senior leadership role, how do you navigate through challenges of being in an industry that predominately male and white? 

I have been incredibly supported during my tenure at Lionsgate (where I’ve spent nearly half of my career) – it is a place where my voice is amplified, my ideas are supported and my presence is validated every day. Not everyone has that – which I recognize. Every day I try to approach my work through the lens of someone who has a unique vantage point given my life experiences. That being said, I have a level of recognition and acceptance about the world around me – if I didn’t, I’d live a very frustrated existence.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? 

Impacting employees’ lives. I’m obviously a representative of the company I work for and my duty is to my client, first and foremost, but I have the ability to impact employees’ experiences from before they arrive through that front door, throughout their time here and on their way out – I value that position tremendously. Employees bring their entire selves to the workplace – it’s impossible to just “leave the personal stuff at home” when you’re dealing with illness, the death of a loved one, etc. – a job performed with compassion is a job well done.

To date, what is your greatest professional accomplishment? 

I don’t have just one – every step forward in my career has been an accomplishment in some way – but picking up and moving to Los Angeles in 2012 to take a shot at building a career I was excited about and proud of – I’d have to say that that is the professional accomplishment that set the stage for all that followed.

How do you mentally/emotionally handle the demands of your job? 

I haven’t always handled it well. I’ve definitely suffered from my fair share of anxiety and impostor syndrome but practically speaking, I try not to over-schedule myself, get a good night’s sleep and maintain meaningful connections in and outside of the workplace. Working with great people who care about my health and well-being (and vice versa) is a blessing.

What’s one piece of advice you would give someone looking to transition into your line of work?

Never underestimate the power of relationships. Build and nurture those connections – they’ll take you far.

Because you’re in the movie business, what are your top 5 Favorite movies? 

I don’t have a favorite anything – color, food, book – nothing – I have broad tastes and like different things at any given moment but *Lionsgate plug* – I absolutely loved the movie Knives Out – I’ve seen it multiple times. I love a murder mystery – you all should definitely check it out.

Outside of all of your hard work and efforts toward building your brand, what do you do for fun? Hobbies?

I love animals. I volunteer with a pet adoption center in Los Angeles and ride horses from time to time after taking a long hiatus from doing so. I also enjoy the usual – relaxing and hanging out with friends/family and design. I recently bought a home so I’ve recently become a bit of a design DIY-er (with several Pinterest fails under my belt!).