The Geena Davis Institute has spotlighted Cheldin Barlatt Rumer, CEO and Executive Producer of THIS IS IT NETWORK™, in its latest member profile. Rumer, a staunch advocate for equity and inclusion, uses data-driven storytelling to amplify often-underrepresented voices in media.
In her feature, Rumer describes how she leverages the Institute’s research to bring undeniable metrics into conversations around representation. “I like to be armed with the data,” she says, citing her immigrant, Black woman, and mother identities as dimensions of perspective she brings to entertainment spaces. She sees the Institute’s rigorous studies as tools to argue for access, not just artistic desire.
Under her leadership, THIS IS IT NETWORK™ produces educational entertainment across streaming, talk shows, and live events—“any way you can learn while you laugh.” Rumer emphasizes that inclusion is not optional: closed captioning, accessibility, and authentic casting must be baked in, not tacked on. She points to alarming statistics, such as the scarcity of characters with disabilities played by actors with disabilities, as reminders of the gaps the industry still must close.
Rumer also reflects on the formative power of representation: growing up watching The Oprah Winfrey Show, she never questioned her belonging in media spaces. Oprah, she says, “wasn’t a novelty for me.” For her dream guest, she names Oprah—hoping to ask how women find and sustain their rooms in powerful arenas, and how we ensure those rooms evolve.
With her membership in the Geena Davis Institute, Rumer continues a path of visibility, accountability, and action. Her story underscores how data, storytelling, and purpose can converge to move the dial on equitable media representation.