The Jamie Tarses Fund Established by Young Storytellers to Honor Groundbreaking TV Executive and Producer

Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization Young Storytellers has officially announced the creation of The Jamie Tarses Fund, dedicated to preserving the legacy of the pioneering television executive and producer who passed away in 2021. Tarses, who served as a founding member of the organization’s board of directors when it officially incorporated as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2003, left an indelible mark on both the television industry and the Southern California educational community. The newly established fund will directly support Young Storytellers’ core creative writing and mentorship programs across Los Angeles public schools, ensuring that underserved youth continue to receive the resources, encouragement, and one-on-one attention necessary to bring their imaginative visions to life.

The formal introduction of the fund will be celebrated on October 29 at The Biggest Show, Young Storytellers’ flagship annual fundraising and community event, hosted at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. This high-profile evening brings together entertainment industry professionals, educators, donors, and students to celebrate the transformative power of storytelling. By linking Tarses’ enduring passion for narrative development with the organization’s daily mission, the fund aims to expand educational access and deepen the impact of volunteer-driven arts education in public classrooms throughout the region.

A Legacy of Television Innovation and Breaking Barriers

To understand the profound significance of The Jamie Tarses Fund, one must examine the extraordinary career of its namesake, whose professional trajectory reshaped the landscape of modern television. Tarses began her ascent in the entertainment industry as a talent executive at NBC’s legendary late-night institution, Saturday Night Live, before transitioning to a role as a casting director at Lorimar. Her keen eye for talent and narrative potential caught the attention of network leadership, leading to her return to NBC in 1987 as an executive.

During NBC’s cultural zenith of the 1990s—widely celebrated as the era of Must See TV—Tarses played an instrumental role in the development and oversight of some of the most successful and enduring sitcoms in television history. Her creative oversight helped shepherd culturally definitive programs such as Friends, Mad About You, Frasier, and NewsRadio. Her ability to identify compelling character dynamics and bridge the gap between commercial viability and critical acclaim cemented her reputation as one of the sharpest creative minds in the television business.

In 1996, Tarses achieved a historic milestone when she was named president of ABC Entertainment. With this appointment, she broke a long-standing glass ceiling, becoming the first woman in television history to lead a major network entertainment division. During her tenure at ABC, she continued her streak of programming success, greenlighting and nurturing acclaimed series such as The Practice, Spin City, Sports Night, and Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place.

Following her network executive career, Tarses transitioned into independent producing, where she continued to champion unique and engaging television projects. As an independent producer, she brought critically praised and fan-favorite series to the screen, including My Boys, Mad Love, Happy Endings, Franklin & Bash, The Wilds, and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Across every stage of her career, Tarses was renowned not only for her executive acumen but also for her deep, personal dedication to fostering writers and supporting creative talent at every level of the production process.

Chronology of Involvement with Young Storytellers

Jamie Tarses’ relationship with Young Storytellers spans nearly three decades, beginning long before her name became synonymous with the organization’s leadership structure. Her involvement commenced in the late 1990s, shortly after the grassroots initiative was launched in 1997 by three film students who volunteered in a single classroom at Playa del Rey Elementary School. Recognizing the profound impact of the program—which pairs volunteer mentors with public school students to write original scripts that are subsequently performed by professional actors—Tarses became an ardent advocate.

When Young Storytellers formalized its structure and incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization in 2003, Tarses was named as a founding member of its board of directors. She dedicated seven years of active service to the board, utilizing her extensive network, industry influence, and persuasive leadership to build a bridge between the Hollywood creative community and Los Angeles public schools.

During her tenure, Tarses went far beyond the standard administrative duties of a board member. She actively recruited entire writers’ rooms from the television comedies she oversaw, along with many of the entertainment industry’s most recognizable stars and creators, encouraging them to volunteer as mentors in classrooms across Los Angeles. Her advocacy helped establish a pipeline of industry talent that continues to support the organization to this day, embedding Hollywood philanthropy into the very fabric of Young Storytellers’ operational model.

Data and Metrics: The Scale of Young Storytellers’ Impact

The Jamie Tarses Fund arrives at a pivotal moment in the history of Young Storytellers, as the organization continues to scale its operations to meet the educational and creative needs of Los Angeles youth. According to recent organizational data, the scope of the nonprofit’s programming has expanded significantly since its modest beginnings in a single classroom.

In recent programmatic cycles, Young Storytellers mobilized 786 active volunteers who dedicated their time and expertise to mentor more than 440 students on a weekly basis. These mentoring sessions took place across 39 distinct public schools and after-school sites throughout the greater Los Angeles area. By providing individualized attention, the organization ensures that children from historically underserved communities are given the tools, confidence, and platform to express their unique perspectives through narrative arts.

The introduction of The Jamie Tarses Fund is expected to provide essential financial backing to sustain and expand these school partnerships. Program administrators note that consistent funding is critical to recruiting, training, and coordinating the large volunteer workforce required to maintain a high student-to-mentor ratio, which remains the cornerstone of the organization’s educational methodology.

Reflections and Statements from Leadership and Family

The announcement of the fund has elicited deep emotional resonance from both the Tarses family and the leadership of Young Storytellers, highlighting the personal dedication that Jamie Tarses brought to her philanthropic endeavors.

Matt Tarses, Jamie’s brother and a prominent television writer and producer whose credits include serving as co-creator of HBO’s Rooster, executive producer of Bad Monkey, and writer on Scrubs and Sports Night, reflected on his sister’s dual passions for professional mentorship and community service.

"Jamie was never happier than when she was helping writers tell their stories," Matt Tarses stated. "She had a gift for it, and everyone who worked with her benefited tremendously from her guidance. In return, she bullied us into doing the same thing for the kids at Young Storytellers. Of course, it became one of the most joyful and rewarding things I’ve done, as she surely knew it would be. When we were trying to come up with ways to honor her memory, Young Storytellers was the obvious choice."

Jaylene Benggon Chung, Managing Director of Young Storytellers, emphasized the foundational role that Tarses played in shaping the organization’s core philosophy and institutional culture.

"Jamie understood that the most powerful thing you can tell a young person is that their ideas deserve to be taken seriously," Chung remarked. "She built that belief into this organization, and it is still at the center of everything we do. Because of this fund, the kids who come through our doors will keep feeling her generosity, whether or not they ever learn her name."

Broader Implications for Arts Education and Industry Philanthropy

The establishment of The Jamie Tarses Fund carries significant implications for the intersection of corporate entertainment philanthropy and public education in Los Angeles. As public school districts face persistent budgetary constraints regarding arts and humanities curricula, community-funded nonprofits like Young Storytellers have increasingly stepped in to fill the creative void.

Analysts of educational equity note that early exposure to creative writing and narrative performance enhances critical thinking, literacy, and emotional intelligence among elementary and middle school students. By channeling industry support through a dedicated memorial fund, the initiative ensures a sustainable revenue stream that insulates community programs from economic fluctuations. Furthermore, the involvement of high-profile entertainment professionals serves to validate the lived experiences of students, bridging the cultural divide between Hollywood and the diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

As the entertainment community prepares to gather at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on October 29 for The Biggest Show, the formal dedication of The Jamie Tarses Fund will serve as both a poignant memorial and a forward-looking investment in the next generation of storytellers. By intertwining the professional legacy of a pioneering television executive with the grassroots empowerment of public school students, the fund ensures that Jamie Tarses’ commitment to nurturing human narrative will continue to resonate in classrooms across Los Angeles for decades to come. Contributions to support the fund can be made directly through the official Young Storytellers website.