CAPE has unveiled its 2026 cohort for the Showrunner Incubator Program, which prepares emerging Asian Pacific Islander television writers to become future showrunners. Kelvin Yu (Central Park, Co-Showrunner, Writer, Executive Producer) has joined fellow Showrunner/Writer and program Co-Founder Melinda Hsu (Tom Swift, Nancy Drew) as a new Co-Chair of the initiative, which is entering its third year.
Supported by Starz #TakeTheLead diversity initiative, with The Asian American Foundation joining as a new partner this year, and developed from the successful New Writers Fellowship program for emerging TV writers, the incubator offers writers approaching showrunner roles exclusive mentorship along with practical training and education based on real-world experience.
“I’m involved with the CAPE Incubator Program for almost entirely selfish reasons: the energy, inspiration, camaraderie and perspective I gain from being around other writers are invaluable — especially in such a challenging moment in our industry,” said Yu. “Throughout my career, I’ve benefited enormously from the generosity and mentorship of others, so I’m grateful for the chance to pay that forward in whatever small ways I can. Nothing can really prepare someone to be a showrunner, but having a community of peers navigating the same challenges is an enormous advantage.”
“CAPE’s commitment to creating pathways for inclusion at the writers’ table is why Starz is proud to be a returning partner,” said Kathryn Busby, President, Original Programming, Starz. “We believe in creating opportunities for talent behind the camera and that starts with investing in diverse writers, championing authentic storytelling and cultivating the leadership skills needed to become successful showrunners.”
“The stories we see on screen have the power to move us, entertain us, and when done right, deepen our sense of belonging. And showrunners play an integral role in ensuring that authentic AAPI stories are brought to life with the care they deserve,” added Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. “That’s why TAAF is excited to support CAPE’s Showrunner Incubator and invest in a new cohort of creative leaders who are already making an impact, from the writers’ room to the screen.”
New and returning mentors, speakers, and contributors includes Jenny Jue (Casting Director, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender), Jessica Gao (Showrunner, She-Hulk), Miranda Kwok (Showrunner, The Cleaning Lady), Byron Wu (Showrunner, The Brothers Sun), Steve Maeda (Showrunner, One Piece), Tanuj Chopra (Showrunner, Delhi Crime), Sunil Nayar (Showrunner, 4400), Alex Tse (Showrunner, Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Keto Shimizu (Showrunner, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Tasha Huo (Showrunner, Tomb Raider), Toni Graphia Executive producer, Outlander, Outlander: Blood of my Blood), Charles Yu (Showrunner, Interior Chinatown), Mary Ramos (Music Supervisor, Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Ray Yamagata (Production Designer, Ballard), Christine Tagatac (Hair Supervisor, Wonder Man), Kristin Killey (Line Producer, Tom Swift), Harry Yoon (Editor, Beef), Meghan Robertson (Editor, Grey’s Anatomy), Geoff Garrett (Producer, The Hunting Party, and actors Thalia Tran (Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Arkira Chantaratananond (Downbeat).
2026 Cohort Features Established Drama, Comedy and Animation Writers
The 2026 cohort features experienced writers from drama, comedy and animation, with television projects currently in development. The class includes:
Arkesh Ajay
Arkesh Ajay is an Indian-born writer-director based in Los Angeles. He worked as both writer and director on Netflix’s Black Warrant, which was named one of Variety’s 10 Best International Shows of 2025. He is currently writing the second season. His work has earned multiple honors, including Filmfare and Asian Academy Creative Awards for directing and screenwriting. He has developed television projects with Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, FX, Color Force, and The Js. He graduated from the UCLA MFA Directing Program, where he was selected as the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Honoree.
Ben Smith
Ben Smith is a half-Chinese writer who was raised in a multi-generational household in the suburbs of Boston. After relocating to LA, he has written for network, cable, and streaming series, including Santa Clarita Diet, Barry, and Only Murders in the Building, where he has served as an executive producer for the past six years. He is attached as a supervisor/showrunner for a rom-com heist project currently in development at 20th.
Gursimran Sandhu
Gursimran Sandhu is a writer, producer, and director who has received Emmy, WGA, and PGA Award nominations. Her previous writing credits include Fallout at Amazon, where she received WGA and Hugo Award nominations for her episode “The Beginning,” along with Star City at Apple TV+, We Were Liars at Amazon, Citadel at Amazon, Expats at Amazon, Invasion at Apple TV+, the Star Wars series The Bad Batch for Disney+, and HBO’s award-winning hit series Game of Thrones. She is currently developing a high-stakes medical crime drama with New Regency and Aevitas Entertainment, drawing inspiration from the real-life experiences of Dr. Sandeep Jauhar.
Kevin Seccia
Kevin is an Emmy-nominated writer, comedian, and author. St. Martin’s Press published his book “Punching Tom Hanks: Drop Kicking Gorillas and Pummeling Zombified Ex-Presidents – A Guide to Beating Up Anything”. He has written television shows for Netflix, Paramount, and NBC, most of which you haven’t seen. Kevin recently served as a co-executive producer on The Great North for Twentieth/Fox. He lives in Los Angeles with his dog, Matilda.
Prathi Srinivasan and Joshua Levy
Prathi Srinivasan, an Indian immigrant female, and Joshua Levy, an LGBT mixed Chinese male, form a writing and producing duo working on major franchises including Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Paramount+), Emily in Paris (Netflix), and Titans (HBOMax). They created and wrote the GLAAD nominated film Plan B (Hulu). Prathi and Josh first met in high school in Plano, Texas. Their writing focuses on Zillennial characters caught between their origins and the direction they are heading.
Thomas Reyes
Thomas Reyes is a comedy writer. His Filipino immigrant parents moved the family frequently while he was growing up, but he ultimately settled in Los Angeles by age 12. After graduating from UCLA, he worked across both unscripted and scripted television. Thomas is an alumnus of the Warner Bros TV Writers Workshop. His writing credits include the Paramount Network dramedy American Woman and the Fox animated sitcom The Great North.