Carina Walker Named Head of YA at Amazon MGM Studios

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Amazon MGM Studios has tapped Carina Walker as its head of YA programming, completing the leadership team under TV chief Peter Friedlander.

Walker will take charge a growing segment of Amazon MGM’s TV output, including Prime Video series Sterling Point, Off Campus and the upcoming Boys of Tommen, among others. She takes over as head of YA from Jen Chambers, who departed in a July reorganization of Friedlander’s exec team — the second such effort Friedlander, head of global TV for Amazon MGM, has undertaken this year.

“Carina has a collective 9.5 years at Amazon where she’s worked across drama, international and most recently developed a deep understanding of the YA space,” Friedlander wrote in a memo announcing Walker’s appointment (read it in full below). “Her strong talent relationships and creative instincts can be seen in the development of shows like Off Campus, Every Year After, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. With an upcoming slate of huge BookTok IP and voice-driven talent, Carina is the perfect choice to lead this industry-leading vertical.”

Walker is in her second stint at Amazon MGM, most recently as a senior drama development executive. In between her two tenures there, she was a development executive at Apple TV working on international content.

Friedlander reorganized Amazon MGM’s TV structure into genre-based teams earlier this year. Walker’s hire, along with recently named comedy head Andy Weil, completes a group that also includes Kara Smith (drama), Blair Fetter (“worldbuilding,” i.e. sci-fi and fantasy), Jenn Levy (unscripted) and Melissa Wolfe (animation).

Friedlander’s note to staff is below.

Team,

I’m excited to share that Carina Walker has been named Head of YA.

Carina has a collective 9.5 years at Amazon where she’s worked across drama, international and most recently developed a deep understanding of the YA space. Her strong talent relationships and creative instincts can be seen in the development of shows like Off Campus, Every Year After, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. With an upcoming slate of huge BookTok IP and voice-driven talent, Carina is the perfect choice to lead this industry-leading vertical.

With Carina’s appointment alongside Andy Weil as Head of Comedy, our creative leadership team is now fully in place: Kara Smith (Drama), Blair Fetter (Worldbuilding), Carina Walker (Young Adult), Andy Weil (Comedy), Jenn Levy (Nonfiction), and Melissa Wolfe (Animation). This is the team that will define the next chapter of our storytelling.

Please join me in congratulating Carina. I know she’s excited about what’s ahead — and I am too.