Timothy Kuryak and Jill Dickerson Join OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network as Vice Presidents of Programming

(Los Angeles, Ca.) Timothy Kuryak and Jill Dickerson have each been named Vice President of Programming for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network reporting to both Nina Wass, Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs and Maria Grasso, Senior Vice President, Programming. In their new roles, Ms. Dickerson and Mr. Kuryak will collaborate with producers, writers, agents, and distributors to drive development of non-scripted programming. They will also supervise editorial management with outside production.

“Jill and Tim have proven on their own that they are successful at creating programming designed to enlighten and connect viewers,” says Ms. Wass. “That is why we are eager to have them with us, because their creative philosophy is right in step with what is being developed at OWN.”

Added Ms. Grasso, “Jill is well known for her top rated reality programming and passion for programs that tell real peoples’ stories. Coupled with Tim’s production experience on both the executive and producer level, they are perfect additions to our first rate production operation.”

Mr. Kuryak joins OWN effective immediately from Discovery Communications’ Planet Green where he served as Vice President of West Coast Production and Development. Prior to joining Planet Green, Mr. Kuryak was Vice President of Fox World Productions and Head of Development/Programming at ReelzChannel. He served as Executive Producer for numerous series including Greensburg, Focus Earth with Bob Woodruff, as well as the international versions of Beauty & The Geek and other Fox Formats.

Mr. Kuryak received dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science at Brown University. He is also a member of the Producers’ Guild of America and a Gerson Lehrman Council Member within the Media Division.

Ms. Dickerson steps into her new role at OWN on January 5, 2009, from her post as Head Writer and Consulting Producer for The Real World. Her production credits include Co-Executive Producer for Venus & Serena: For Real, Supervising Producer for My Fair Brady 2, Series Producer for Miami Ink, and Supervising Story Producer for The Player, Love Test and The Bachelorette. Additionally, she was the Senior Story Editor on Big Brother 3 and Supervising Story Editor for The Mole I & II and Making the Band I. Prior to her work for The Real World and inspired by her passion for documentaries, as well as her graduate studies at New York’s Museum of Natural History Margaret Mead Ethnographic Film Festival, Ms. Dickerson worked on a documentary about Ralph Bunche.

Ms. Dickerson received a Masters of Arts degree in Culture and Media at New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Anthropology from Harvard & Radcliffe Colleges.