Mikaela Beardsley

Mikaela Beardsley is an accomplished documentary film producer and entrepreneur, known for her significant contributions to the field of media. Born on January 22, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, she graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University in 1992, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature. During her time at Princeton, she was classmates with notable figures such as screenwriter Craig Mazin and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and she shared a room with film producer Jamie Gordon.1

Beardsley's career began at WGBH-TV in Boston, and she later moved to New York, where she worked as an associate producer on the documentary "The Irish in America: Long Journey Home." She has produced over a dozen nationally broadcast films, collaborating with renowned directors including Martin Scorsese and Wim Wenders. Notably, she produced the documentary "Reporter," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009 and received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Informational Programming.1

In addition to her production work, Beardsley initiated the Half the Sky movement, a global media project aimed at improving opportunities for women and girls in developing countries. This project included a four-hour documentary aired by PBS in 2012, featuring celebrity advocates.1 Currently, she serves as the executive director of the What Works Media Project, which commissions documentary shorts focusing on government officials who are making a difference in their communities.1

Mikaela Beardsley is married to film producer Cary Woods and continues to be an influential figure in documentary filmmaking and social advocacy.1