After serving as head of television at Imagine Entertainment since 2022, Kristen Zolner has decided to part ways with the company. This decision was made as part of broader streamlining measures at Imagine, but it is important to note that her departure was amicable and her role will not be filled by another individual.
Zolner took over the position from Samie Kim Falvey, who left Imagine in late 2021. During her time at Imagine, Zolner was responsible for overseeing various projects, including the Peacock series reboots of “The ‘Burbs” starring Keke Palmer and “Friday Night Lights,” a scripted series about magicians Siegfried & Roy on Apple TV+, and the Netflix Mexico series “The Gringo Hunters.”
Prior to joining Imagine, Zolner spent almost a decade at Netflix as the director of original series. Her work at Netflix included popular shows like “Emily in Paris,” “Dead to Me,” “Big Mouth,” “Master of None,” and “Survival of the Thickest.” Zolner also played a key role in programming Netflix’s first 25 original stand-up specials.
Before her time at Netflix, Zolner worked as a development executive at Amazon and held positions at Scot Armstrong’s American Work and at HBO. At Imagine Television, Natalie Berkus and Max Greenspan will continue in their roles as senior vice presidents. Berkus was promoted to this role in 2023, while Greenspan recently joined the company earlier this year. They will now divide up Zolner’s responsibilities within the TV division.
In October 2024, it was reported by Variety that Yolanda Cochran had been hired by Jax Media, an Imagine Entertainment company, to serve as head of production. In this new role, Cochran will oversee sales, strategy, and execution of Jax Media’s production services and provide production support and consultation to Imagine Entertainment’s scripted divisions.
Overall, Kristen Zolner’s departure from Imagine Entertainment marks the end of a successful chapter in her career, and her contributions to the company will be remembered. The changes within the company’s leadership structure reflect the ever-evolving nature of the entertainment industry, and the new appointments are poised to continue driving Imagine Entertainment’s success in the future.
