Managing Director, Creative World Management Division, The Trump Group



Five-time Emmy award winning journalist, producer, film maker and Latin media marketing entrepreneur, Giselle Fernandez is the Managing Director of Creative World Talent Management, a division of the Trump Group, overseeing a diverse global media operation with special emphasis in Latin America and the U.S. Latin market. Fernandez has constructed a robust and growing bridge between the U.S. and Latin media markets in Mexico, Spain and Brazil and has opened new doors to shared entertainment on all sides of the border in all mediums, from print, film, television, internet, tele-communications to fashion, marketing, branding, celebrity endorsements and merchandizing.

Fernandez also oversees content development and is currently co-executive producing the legendary Latino baseball hero, Roberto Clemente's life's story with Tom Hanks and HBO, among other Latin themed content.

Fernandez, a much sought after motivational speaker on issues of Latina empowerment, health, fitness and entrepreneurship, is best known over the past decade for her coverage of international news stories and major events.

Fernandez has made significant contributions to the CBS and NBC networks. Among her numerous posts, Fernandez anchored NBC's weekend edition of the "Today Show" and Sunday edition of the "NBC Nightly News." She also handled special and foreign assignments for the NBC network. Prior to that, Fernandez served at CBS News substituting for Paula Zahn on "CBS This Morning," Dan Rather on the "CBS Evening News" and Connie Chung on the "CBS Weekend News". Additionally, Fernandez was a regular contributor to CBS "Sunday Morning," "Face the Nation" and "48 Hours." Her on the spot coverage of international news stories from locations such as the Gulf War, the US Invasions of Haiti and Panama, the Somalia and Bosnian Wars, Hurricane Andrew, the 1993 World Trade Center and Oklahoma City bombings, and interviews with global leaders like Fidel Castro, Henry Kissinger, Presidents William Clinton and George H.W. Bush, Vice-President Albert Gore and U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, garnered this news veteran five Emmy Awards.

Fernandez, known for her unique style of interviewing, co-hosted "This Week in History," a one-hour weekly documentary series profiling famous people and events in history on A&E Network's History Channel and profiled Hollywood's a-list celebrities as the original co-host of NBC's nightly entertainment news magazine, "Access Hollywood." From Barbra Streisand to Sharon Stone to Robert Redford and Tom Cruise, Fernandez was a favorite, and highly regarded as one of the finest interviewers in the business. In the words of Oprah Winfrey after a Fernandez profile, the talk show Queen summed it up best with, "She's a magical smart girl." Most recently, before going into business, Fernandez co-anchored the Tribune Broadcasting company’s morning news out of Los Angeles, KTLA Channel 5 News, and competed in the second season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

Born in Mexico and raised in Southern California, Fernandez graduated from Sacramento state university with a bachelor of arts in Journalism and Government. She later converted her expertise in media messaging into a unique and keen knack for unlocking the mysteries of marketing and branding to the Hispanic market. Becoming well known for her extensive network in the Latin world and in the U.S. Latin market and has consulted to corporate America on marketing strategies to the Latino consumer.

She is a member of the City National Bank Hispanic Advisory board, a member of the board of trustees of the Latin Grammys, and also sits on the board of Latina magazine, the Board of Los Angeles Centre for Dance Arts, and the Board of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where she founded and Executive produces the Hospitals signature bi-annual fundraising extravaganza, Noche de Ninos which has raised almost ten million dollars to date.

Fernandez was named the 2007 philanthropist of the year, the 2007 Hispanic philanthropist of the year. The Legislative Hispanic Caucus awarded Fernandez the Hispanic Spirit Award and was awarded the prestigious Nancy Riordan award in 2007 by Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for her contribution to the children of L.A… and was recently inducted to the Latina Women’s Museum in Sacramento honoring outstanding Latinas in California.

Over the years Fernandez has become extremely well connected in the California Latin Business and Social Community, State Government, as well as the Los Angeles Business and Philanthropic Communities. More recently Fernandez is being contacted by organizations from Central and South America looking to develop businesses in California.

Fernandez is an avid collector of Latin American art and the work of famous women photographers. Fernandez lives in Los Angeles with her husband, John Farrand, former President of Atari and CEO of Panavision, and their daughter, Talei.

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