Speaker Bio
Amanda Harrell is the former Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs for the Alternative and Specials division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM).  MGM’s Alternative and Specials division focuses on unscripted and similar content but also develops and produces other entertainment content such as podcasting and live events.  Harrell was responsible for business and legal affairs for all areas of the division, including development, production and management of the team of legal professionals working in the division.

Harrell’s background in unscripted television is deep. She began her career with Mark Burnett in 1994 during college when she had a brief internship with Burnett’s original Eco-Challenge project before being hired by Burnett to oversee competitor relations for the cutting-edge sporting event and television production. Throughout the decade following her graduation from college, Harrell held several positions within the Burnett organization, including serving as line producer for the original Eco-Challenge project and on a number of Burnett’s development projects, including The Apprentice. Harrell left the Burnett organization to attend Villanova University School of Law but didn’t stay away long.  

While in law school, Harrell clerked for the Burnett organization’s then newly formed in-house business and legal affairs department, working primarily with the international distribution department. After earning her law degree and passing the California bar, Harrell officially rejoined the organization as a member of its business and legal affairs department, eventually rising to head up the department. MGM engaged Harrell to stay on in this capacity after its acquisition of Burnett’s companies in 2016.  In a moment of coming “full circle”, while serving as the business and legal affairs head for MGM’s Alternative and Specials division, Harrell negotiated the deal to revive the Eco-Challenge project for Amazon’s Prime Video in 2020.