Keynote Speaker

Janine Sherman Barrois

Speaker Biography: 

Janine Sherman Barrois is currently an Executive Producer on CBS’ Criminal Minds, which she joined at the beginning of Season Six. Prior to that, she worked on ER for four seasons, the final two of which she spent as an Executive Producer. Before ER, Barrois spent five seasons on Third Watch, rising from Story Editor to Co-Executive Producer. She has also written for Eddie Murphy's The PJ's and The Jamie Foxx Show. Barrois got her start on Lush Life, where she was placed after participating in the Warner Brothers Writers’ Workshop. She currently has a pilot entitled Darkness Falls set up at CBS with Mark Gordon productions and ABC/CBS studios, which she co-created with Erica Messer. Barrois is contracted to serve as showrunner if the drama is picked up to series.

Barrois has been nominated for six NAACP Image Awards and a Humanitas Award for her writing. She also serves on the board of the William H. Johnson Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to giving scholarships to African-American Contemporary artists. Barrois graduated from Howard University.