Harvard to Hollywood
Talent manager Aleen Keshishian describes her path through the entertainment industry to becoming one of the most highly respected talent representatives in the business. Some of her clients include Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Jason Bateman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laura Linney, Orlando Bloom, Josh Gad and Justin Theroux, to name a few. She’ll explain her transition from New York to LA and the dedication she has to her work, family, and personal goals.
Masterclasses are only open to dues-current Harvardwood Full Members. You must be logged in to the site to access the RSVP link below. Join or renew your membership.
Aleen Keshishian AB '90
Founder, Lighthouse Management & Media
Manager & Producer
Aleen Keshishian is the founder and CEO of Lighthouse Management & Media and is one of the most highly respected talent representatives in the business. Her clients include Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Jason Bateman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laura Linney, Orlando Bloom, Josh Gad, Topher Grace, Billy Crudup, Justin Theroux, Emily Mortimer, Kathryn Hahn, Nina Dobrev, Miranda Kerr, writer/directors Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, and director Jesse Peretz.
Keshishian knows a thing or two about managing stars from the very beginning. Her 1st client was Natalie Portman (before she came out as the precocious star of THE PROFESSIONAL). Keshishian put Darren Aronofsky together with Portman to collaborate on BLACK SWAN, the film that earned Portman an Oscar for Best Actress.
Four years ago, Selena Gomez asked Keshishian to be her manager overseeing her music, film, and branding career. Since then, her singles “Good For You,” “Same Old Love,” and “Hands to Myself” hit #1 on radio and Gomez became the highest-selling female artist of 2015. Her album REVIVIAL transitioned Gomez from Disney household name to global superstar. This year, Gomez released the hit single "It Ain't Me" and critically acclaimed records "Bad Liar" and "Fetish." In addition to guiding her music career, Keshishian helped Gomez nab 6 films including Woody Allen's latest and helped negotiate record breaking deals for Gomez with Puma & Coach and campaigns with Luis Vuitton, Pantene, Verizon, Coca-Cola, and Apple.
In addition to her role as a representative, Keshishian has also produced films including MY IDIOT BROTHER starring Paul Rudd, HESHER starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, HAVEN starring Orlando Bloom and Zoe Saldana, LIFE OF CRIME starring Jennifer Aniston, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES starring Lily James, and JANE GOT A GUN starring Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton. Most recently, Keshishian sold Evan Romansky's script RATCHED to Netflix in a two-season order and will executive produce the show with Ryan Murphy directing and Sarah Paulson starring.
Keshishian graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1990. She got her start in the entertainment industry as an assistant to New York casting legend Juliet Taylor, with whom she cast films directed by Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Mike Nichols, Nora Ephron, and Neil Jordan.
In 1993, Keshishian was hired as an agent at ICM in New York where she spent 6 years under the tutelage of the legendary Sam Cohn. In 1999, she made the transition to management, and was hired to run the Talent Department at Artists Management Group (which was bought out by The Firm in 2002). She joined Brillstein Entertainment as a partner in 2005 and left in 2016 to be the founder and owner of her own company, Lighthouse Management & Media.
Married to her Harvard classmate, Kit Troyer (a criminal defense attorney), Keshishian lives in Hancock Park with their two children, Lulu and Jesse.
NOTE: Harvardwood is instituting a new late-arrival policy. Those who arrive over 15 minutes past the event's listed starting time will not be admitted. THIS EVENT WILL BEGIN PROMPTLY AT 5:00PM.