“I’ve been in television a long time, and I’ve worked with a lot of producers. So when I tell you Malena Larson is one of the good ones, I’m not being polite. I’m being accurate.

Malena worked for me when we were launching a startup network. If you’ve never done that, here’s what it means: no playbook, no safety net, a schedule that laughs at the idea of a weekend, and a thousand things that needed to happen yesterday. It shows you very quickly who someone is. Malena showed up every day ready to go, stayed as long as it took, and never once complained. Not once. And she did it with a smile on her face, which at hour fourteen of launch week is basically a superpower.

As a booker, she is relentless in the best possible way. Hand her a lead and she will chase it down with calls, emails, follow-ups and follow-ups to the follow-ups. She does not stop until she gets an answer. “No response” is not a status Malena accepts, and that’s exactly why she lands the stories other people give up on.

She also knows what makes a great story. She has strong news judgment and can turn around a timely booking fast, but she has a real eye for human interest too: the person you didn’t know you needed to hear from until Malena found them. That range is rarer than it should be, and it makes her valuable on any kind of show.

Just as important, she’s a genuinely good teammate. Malena is loyal and considerate, and when someone else is out or underwater, she’s the first to step in without being asked. She makes the room better.

Bottom line: hire Malena and you get a tireless, resourceful producer with great instincts and an even better attitude. I’d work with her again in a heartbeat.”

—October 23, 2026

Stephanie Granader, Emmy-Winning EP & Showrunner