Tamlin Hall
A CAES alumnus, Hall is founder of the Emmy® Award-winning PBS series Hope Givers, a teen mental wellness show, and writer and director at Azalea Drive Films
What can you tell us about your career path — how did you begin your documentary work in health education?
I grew up in LaGrange, Georgia, and received my agricultural and applied economics degree from UGA. Then I moved to Florida to sell accounting software to the produce industry.
After a year, I left that job to pursue my dream of being an actor. I began taking acting classes while I worked at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando. That decision set off almost a two-decade journey in the arts. I’ve studied acting at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago and received my MFA in screenwriting from UCLA.
I moved back to Georgia after writing, directing and producing my first feature film, “Holden On,” and formed the 501(c)3 nonprofit Hope Givers so we could continue to create and produce content while inspiring hope for others.
Last year, we released the first season of our PBS series, "Hope Givers." In its first year, we won a Southeast Emmy® Award for Outstanding Achievement in Children/Youth/Teen long form content.
We will release our second season of "Hope Givers" in 2023 and are hopefully going into production on a new series highlighting Georgia educators.
Tamlin Hall works with acclaimed Sierra Leonean filmmaker, Lansana ‘Barmmy Boy’ Mansaray, on location at the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital.
Tamlin Hall works with acclaimed Sierra Leonean filmmaker, Lansana ‘Barmmy Boy’ Mansaray, on location at the Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital.
I also have a documentary I'm working on in Sierra Leone, in West Africa, and a narrative feature that will film in Kentucky in 2023.
What brought you to UGA as a student?
My father, Charles Hall, is a big CAES alumnus.
My parents met on a blind date in Athens while they were at UGA, so I was predisposed to being a Dawg.
What did you take away from your time at CAES?
I worked in the CAES alumni relations office when I was in school. I was working in the office on September 11, 2001 — I will never forget that day.
There was so much chaos going on around the country that day — they wanted to shut down the office because it was so close to the Ramsey Student Center.
I'll always remember that there was a lot of camaraderie in that office: Louise Hill. Juli Fields. My fellow classmates who worked there like Beth Bland Oleson and Emily Howard Watson.
That would be my one-word take away from my time at CAES: camaraderie.
Why did you choose your field of work?
I root for the underdog.
What is your proudest recent accomplishment?
I'm part-time faculty at UGA in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. This will be my fourth year teaching in their low-residency MFA screenwriting program.
I went down to the student center and picked up my faculty card a few weeks ago. My photo beside the words "UGA faculty" sure made me proud to be a Dawg and I know it made my dad proud too.
What is something about mental wellness that you would most like the public to understand?
Mental wellness helps us build resilience, grow and flourish.
It is like playing in a football game at Sanford Stadium. If you're not well, you might be down by three touchdowns at halftime.
However, if you recognize that you're not well and tell someone (your coach who is a trusted adult/mentor), and then develop coping strategies/self-care to help build your resilience, you could come back in the second half and win.
What are you currently working on, and what is the end goal of that work?
We are working on season two of "Hope Givers." This season will be on the Georgia Public Broadcasting app so you can watch it at home.
Since the series is geared towards 12- to 18-year-olds, there will be more teen stories and young adult hosts/correspondents this year. We are continuously trying to give it an old-school MTV vibe.
Members of the Hope Givers team, including (L-R) Brand Ambassador Nosakhere Andrews (Mr. 2-17), Program Manager Elliott Tranter, Founder and CEO Tamlin Hall, Kori Barnes and Teen Content Team Lead Tobias Brown give their signature peace sign.
Members of the Hope Givers team, including (L-R) Brand Ambassador Nosakhere Andrews (Mr. 2-17), Program Manager Elliott Tranter, Founder and CEO Tamlin Hall, Kori Barnes and Teen Content Team Lead Tobias Brown give their signature peace sign.
Topics highlighted this year will be anxiety, eating disorders and body image, mental health in athletes, bullying, depression, substance misuse and recovery, plus grief and loss.
What is something your colleagues might not know about you — hobbies, interests, secret talents?
I have 3-year-old twin boys so I can probably cook, clean, bathe, buckle-in and change a diaper faster than most dads.
See season one of "Hope Givers" at gpb.org/education/hope-givers. Get involved with CAES alumni at caes.uga.edu/alumni.
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