— In the book Becoming a Warrior: Catherine Hand shares a heroine's journey that mirrors the heroine's journey in the award- winning young adult classic novel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. From the early age of ten Catherine dreamt of making this young adult classic into a movie and fifty years later her childhood dream came true. She recounts her time spent with the legendary writer/producer Norman Lear and her 25-year-long conversation with L'Engle about the author's treasured book. Becoming a Warrior gifts us with lessons about acceptance of our differences, religion, science, free will, courage, hope and the power of love. In 2018, five decades after Hand first read A Wrinkle in Time, Walt Disney Studios released a major motion picture based on the award-winning classic. The movie was directed by Ava DuVernay, written by Jennifer Lee, and starred Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Chris Pine, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Storm Reid. Becoming a Warrior offers a treasure trove of wisdom and advice for anyone with who has a dream.

Valeria interviews Catherine Hand — She is the author of  “Becoming a Warrior: My Journey to Bring A Wrinkle in Time to the Screen..”

Catherine is the President and CEO of Catherine Hand Media. She was one of the two producers behind Disney’s 2018 film adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s award-winning classic, A Wrinkle in Time. Her memoir, Becoming a Warrior: My Journey to Bring A Wrinkle in Time to the Screen, was published on October 25, 2022.

Hand began her career as a development executive for acclaimed writer-producer Norman Lear, where she played a key role in launching the national nonprofit People For the American Way. She later worked as a development executive for Francis Ford Coppola’s production company, American Zoetrope, before joining a boutique corporate video production firm, collaborating with major clients such as Apple and Hewlett-Packard.

Throughout her career, Hand has produced numerous events, radio programs, and television projects. She served as executive producer for a multi-part cable TV series on healthcare that won the 2009 GRACIE Award for Best Public Affairs Programming. In 2004, she executive-produced a television adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time for ABC, which earned the Best Feature award at the Toronto Children’s Festival. She also served as executive producer for the Discovery Channel Health Awards and associate-produced the Emmy-nominated ABC television special I Love Liberty. Her contributions extend beyond film and television—she played a role in mounting the televised 1984 Democratic National Convention and served as Vice President of Embassy Pictures.

In the public sector, Hand was a political appointee in the Obama Administration, serving as Deputy Director of Communications and Public Liaison at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). As part of the agency’s core leadership team, she helped shape communications and policy decisions impacting 1.8 million federal workers. During her tenure, she oversaw events, managed OPM’s intranet, and produced over 75 videos and webcasts.

Currently, Hand serves as a consultant for Ann Hand LLC, a premier jewelry design firms. She is a member of the Cosmos Club in Washington DC and continues to inspire others, coaching individuals to become warriors in their own lives.

To learn more about Catherine Hand and her work, please visit: catherinehand.com