CDM Alumni

Daniel Willis (MS '12)
Directory, Writer, Photographer
Daniel Willis is a director, writer and photographer who draws on his experience growing up on Chicago’s south side. Daniel began his production career as a writer’s assistant on the ABC drama, Grey’s Anatomy. He was a 2017-2018 Sony Diverse Directors Fellow and 2018 Film Independent Project Involve Directing Fellow. Willis' short films and television projects have screened at festivals around the world including The Chicago International Television Festival, SeriesFest (Best Writing - Public Housing Unit), The New York Television Festival, ITVFest (Best of Fest - Public Housing Unit) and the Cannes Short Film Corner. Willis is currently directing network television (Grey's Anatomy, The Blacklist) and writing for the shows Boomerang and Twenties. He is also developing on his first feature film.

School of Cinematic Arts Alumni

Shannon Linares (CDM '19)
Information Security Engineer at Raytheon
Shannon Linares (CDM ’19) is an information security engineer at Raytheon, a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation specializing in missile systems, military and commercial electronics, and cybersecurity services. She’s worked at Raytheon’s missile systems subsidiary in Tucson, Ariz., since July 2019.

Chris Wade (BS '15)
Game Developer, Owlchemy Labs and Founder/Director, Luckshot Games
Chris is a game developer and artist at the Austin-based Owlchemy Labs, contributing to design, programming, art, writing and more. Chris founded Luckshot Games to make experimental, charming, polished games. Chris began working on studio’s first game, Sausage Sports Club, while he was a student at CDM. The game was released on Nintendo Switch and Steam in 2018.