Tea Talks With Tomeka

Hanelle M. Culpepper is an energetic and unflappable award-winning television and film writer/director whose visual, story-driven films have played in festivals around the world and on television. Last year, she made history by being the first African-American woman to direct for the Star Trek franchise. Her Parenthood episode was chosen by the producers to represent the series for Emmy consideration.  And in 2015, Hanelle was nominated for an Image Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Hanelle has directed numerous episodes of television for all the networks. She has directed movies for Lifetime including Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer, a feature starring Amanda Schull (Center Stage, Suits, One Tree Hill), Michael Nouri (Flashdance), Coby Ryan McLaughlin, Anne Ramsay (Mad About You), James Avery (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), and featuring Gina Gershon; Murder on the 13th Floor starring Tessa Thompson (For Colored Girls) and Sean Patrick Thomas (Save The Last Dance, The District); and the suspensefu