KWEIGHBAYE KOTEE
About Kweighbaye Kotee
Kweighbaye Kotee is a filmmaker, writer, entrepreneur and the founder of the Bushwick Film Festival, an independent cultural organization she has built and led for nearly two decades.
She speaks on storytelling, fearless entrepreneurship, creative leadership, collaboration, and building a career without a traditional blueprint. Her speaking and moderating experience includes Google, JPMorgan Chase, TEDx, SAG-AFTRA, Lululemon, Blackstone, Société Générale, NYU, Northwestern and Pace University.
Drawing on years of producing films, leading creative teams and navigating the entertainment industry, Kweighbaye helps audiences turn ideas into action, communicate with greater impact, and build sustainable careers and organizations.
- Founder of the Bushwick Film Festival, built from the ground up and led for nearly two decades
- TEDx speaker on storytelling, representation and why the stories we tell shape the history we keep
- Filmmaker, writer and producer with a career spanning film, media and entertainment
- Keynotes, fireside chats and panels for Google, JPMorgan Chase, Blackstone and SAG-AFTRA
- Employee network and culture programs for Lululemon and Société Générale
- Guest speaker at NYU, Northwestern and Pace University and other institutions
Watch Kweighbaye Kotee In Action
Speaking Topics
Kweighbaye's signature leadership keynote. Built for teams and leaders who need different personalities and priorities pulling in the same direction.
Film producers are responsible for bringing different personalities, priorities, resources and creative perspectives together around one shared vision. Drawing on nearly two decades of producing films, leading teams and building the Bushwick Film Festival, Kweighbaye shares practical lessons on collaboration, communication, decision-making, and how to keep ambitious work moving forward.
The Audience Will Leave With
- A producer's approach to aligning different personalities around one shared vision
- Practical communication habits that keep collaboration moving under pressure
- How to make decisions and keep ambitious work on track with limited resources
- Ways to build teams where creative perspectives strengthen the outcome
Stories shape how people understand ideas, organizations and one another. Drawing from her work as a filmmaker, writer, entrepreneur and cultural leader, Kweighbaye explores how intentional storytelling can help leaders communicate more effectively, strengthen culture, build trust, and inspire people to take action.
The Audience Will Leave With
- Why narrative shapes trust and culture inside an organization
- How to communicate an idea so people remember it and act on it
- A filmmaker's tools for shaping a message with clarity and intention
- Storytelling practices leaders can use in their next meeting or all-hands
Turning an idea into something real requires more than inspiration. Drawing from her experience building the Bushwick Film Festival from the ground up, Kweighbaye shares lessons on navigating uncertainty, limited resources, setbacks and growth while staying committed to a larger vision. Audiences leave with practical strategies for moving ideas from possibility to execution.
The Audience Will Leave With
- Practical strategies for moving an idea from possibility to execution
- How to keep building when resources are limited and the path is unclear
- A way to work through setbacks without losing the larger vision
- Lessons from building an organization with no blueprint to follow
Formats
Kweighbaye is available in person and virtually in the following formats:
Best Fit Audiences
- Women's conferences and employee resource groups looking for a speaker who connects on a personal level
- Leadership and management teams that need collaboration across functions, personalities and priorities
- Creative, marketing and media organizations where the work depends on storytelling
- Entrepreneurship programs, incubators and founder communities building something that does not exist yet
- Universities and campus programs preparing students for careers without a traditional blueprint
- Culture and connection events where a moderator or fireside host is needed to guide the conversation
Testimonials
I heard so much wonderful feedback about your sharing during the panel, you really moved people.
Carolina Monnerat Amorim, NA Events Manager, NA Community, LululemonThanks again for participating in today's event and guiding the conversation with such thought and care.
Leah Meyerhoff, Founder, Film FatalesThank you for leading this event for our firm. We have received great feedback. It was a pleasure working with all of you.
Monica Rodriguez Roldan, Associate, Private Wealth Solutions, BlackstoneA great filmmaker of powerful stories with powerful messages. Thank you for your collaborative efforts to bring this event to SG!
Head of the Women's Network, Société GénéraleWhere Kweighbaye Appears
Kweighbaye Kotee is featured on these Amplify Speakers rosters: