Rowena Pedrena

M.F.A - Film Production
Ohio University - 2013

B.A. - Political Science
Mount Saint Mary's University - 2005

Emmy Nominee, "Ed & Day in the 'Burgh" (Very Local/Hearst Television) - Mid-America Emmy's [2024]

Gold Telly Winner, "Finding Adventure" (Very Local/Hearst Television) - Telly Awards [2024]

Emmy Winner, "Blind Kitchen Boston" (Very Local/Hearst Television) - Boston/New England Regional Emmy's [2023]

Bronze Telly Winner, "Restaurants on the Radar" (Very Local/Hearst Television) - Telly Awards [2023]

Emmy Nominee, "Restaurants on the Radar" (Very Local/Hearst Television) - Suncoast Regional Emmy's [2023]

Peabody Award Winner, "Asian Americans" (PBS/WETA) - The Peabody Awards [2020]

Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Dallas [2025–Present]
School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Assistant Professor
University of Arkansas [2023–2025]
School of Journalism and Strategic Media, Fulbright College

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

BEA 2025, Las Vegas, NV April 7, 2025: Creating Impactful Partnerships: Service Learning Through Collaborations with Business and Non-Profits, presenter.

BEA 2025, Las Vegas, NV April 6, 2025: Practical Approaches to Teaching Documentary Storytelling, presenter.

BEA 2025, Las Vegas, NV April 6, 2025: Representation of BIPOC/Queer Women & Its Impact Beyond Content Creation, presenter.

BEA 2025, Las Vegas, NV April 5, 2025: Problems and Solutions in Modern Production Practices for Televsion and Film, speaker.

BEA On-Location 2024, Clark University Atlanta, October 6, 2024: Practical Approaches to Teaching Documentary Storytelling, speaker.

ASPA State Convention 2024, Little Rock, AR April 25-26, 2024: Short-Form Branded Documentaries as Student Opportunities, presenter.

BEA 2024, Las Vegas, NV, April 14, 2024: The Convergence of Art and Sport in Broadcast and Digital Platforms, speaker.

BEA 2024, Las Vegas, NV, April 13, 2024: Adaptations in Scripts & Practices, speaker.

BEA 2024, Las Vegas, NV, April 13, 2024: Documentary Production and Distribution: New Challenges and Opportunities, speaker.

University of Arkansas University Programs, March 5, 2024: Filmmakers Panel, speaker.

Personal Bio

Rowena Pedrena is a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning television producer with more than a decade of experience in scripted, reality, and documentary formats for feature films and television. Her credits include work featured on Netflix, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNBC, PBS, TLC, History Channel, NatGeo, Hearst Television, Food Network, and Discovery Channel.

Prior to joining the University, Rowena was the Supervising Producer for Hearst Television’s streaming app, Very Local, where she developed and produced unscripted original series and delivered 80+ episodes of half-hour broadcast television focused around the 26 Hearst local news markets. Rowena specifically developed shows in the following genres: hosted travel & tourism, restaurant profiles, food competition, renovation, action/adventure, human interest, and love & dating.

In addition to network broadcast, Rowena has experience in sports media, branded content, commercials, social media campaigns, testimonials, and corporate/educational videos. Clients include: NFL, MiLB, Hyundai, Nutrisystem, Warner Bros. Pictures, Wall Street Journal, Intel, and 2U.

She earned her MFA in Film Production from the Ohio University School of Film with a focus on screenwriting and directing. As a multi-hyphenate artist (Writer/Producer/Director) her creative research lives at the intersection of unscripted and scripted media, applying scripted artistic techniques to elevate the unscripted form.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Producers Guild of America, Member
Broadcast Education Association, Member
A-Doc: Asian American Documentary Network, Member
Mid-America Emmy's Region, Member
Mid-Atlantic Emmy's Region, Member