Karen Willaman

Karen Willaman serves as Chief Financial Officer for Artists Equity, bringing to her role years of experience in finance, accounting, and financial reporting within the entertainment industry, transforming companies’ accounting and finance departments into industry leaders.

Prior to joining Artists Equity, Willaman served as Chief Accounting Officer & Treasurer at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners (formerly DreamWorks Studios). Having joined DreamWorks Studios in 2009, Willaman was a key member of the team responsible for the Amblin Partners’ formation, which included a $500 million credit facility, new distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, and later Universal’s acquisition of a minority stake in the company.

Willaman began her career in Los Angeles in Public Accounting at Deloitte in its entertainment and consumer business practices, working as a Manager on IPOs, private equity financings, financial statement audits, and participation audits. After graduating with an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business, she made the transition to the entertainment industry as Controller at Jersey Films, and later as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Double Feature Films, and Chief Accounting Officer at 2929 Entertainment and Landmark Pictures.

She is an active CPA in California, and she donates a significant portion of her free time as a volunteer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, volunteering in their pet therapy programs, and serving on the Board of Paws4Healing.