The Talent Managers Association held the 2022 Heller Awards at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles on Nov. 10.
Joining a legacy of celebrity hosts including Betty White and Michael Rooker, Amanda Fuller (“Last Man Standing,” “Orange Is the New Black”) hosted the ceremony. The event was produced by Victoria Mojica Monroe, Lori Kay, and Tammy Wallace, with direction by Ryan Guess.
The managers, talent agents, and casting directors honored with lifetime achievement awards embody this year’s theme, “Resilience,” in their work and contributions to the industry.
Next year, the Heller Awards will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, at the Taglyan Complex.
Read on for a list of this year’s honorees, winners, and nominees.
Lifetime Achievement: Talent Agent
Jody Alexander (Clear Talent Group)
Lifetime Achievement: Casting Director
Judy Taylor (“The Goonies,” “Sister Act,” “Free Willy”)
Lifetime Achievement: Management
Shep Gordon (Alive Enterprises)
Impact Award
Entertainment Community Fund
TMA Manager of the Year
Myrna Lieberman (Myrna Lieberman Management)
How to Become a Casting Director 
Amy Lord attends 2022 Heller Awards Credit: Eugene Powers/Shutterstock
Video Game Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Ivy Isenberg (Ivy Isenberg Casting)
Nominees: Jamie Bafus (Sony Playstation Studios); Julia Bianco Schoeffling (The Halp Network); Emily Schweber (Emily Schweber Casting); Lisa Zambetti (Lisa Zambetti Casting)
Animation Voiceover Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Julie Ashton (Julie Ashton Casting)
Nominees: Ruth Lambert and Robert McGee (Lambert/McGee Casting); Linda Lamontagne (Linda Lamontagne Casting)
Northeast Commercial or Voiceover Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Rachel Reiss (Liz Lewis Casting Partners)
Nominees: Angela Mickey (Liz Lewis Casting Partners); Rebecca Yarsin (House Casting)
Northeast Commercial or Voiceover Agent of the Year
Winner: Tracey Goldblum (Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates)
Nominees: Mike Lyons (BMG); Gina Manfredi (DDO Artists Agency); Morgan Peterson (Take 3 Talent Agency); Mickey Shera (Innovative Artists)
Commercial Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Dan Bell (Dan Bell Casting)
Nominees: Ryan Bernstein (RMB Casting); Edward Flores (Elevator Casting); Karmen Leech (Cast Station); Karen Ryan (Canvas Casting)
Youth Commercial Agent of the Year
Winner: Bri Curtis (DDO Artists Agency)
Nominees: Haydn Jones (The Osbrink Agency); Sydel Lisi (Coast to Coast Talent Group); Michelle J. Henderson (Henderson Represents); Carol Lynn Sher (CESD Talent Agency)
Adult Commercial Agent of the Year
Winner: Nancy Luciano (Luciano Reeves Talent)
Nominees: Doug Ely (AKA Talent Agency); Garrett Hershey (Daniel Hoff Agency); Jason Hilton (Luxe Talent Agency); Mark Park (Stewart Talent)
Voiceover Agent of the Year
Winner: Alicia Beekman (DDO Artists Agency)
Nominees: Melissa Berger-Brennan (CESD Talent Agency); Julie Gudz (DDO Artists Agency); Kevin Motley (Tisherman, Gilbert, Motley, Drozdoski Talent Agency); Portia Scott (Coast to Coast Talent Group)
Casting Associate of the Year
Winner: Chris Gehrt (Wendy O’Brien Casting)
Nominees: Rachel Imbriglio (Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting); Gregory Kulhanjian (LDB Casting); Anna McCarthy (Kim Coleman Casting); Brian Sutow (The Telsey Office)
Youth Episodic Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Howard Meltzer (Casting by Howard Meltzer)
Nominees: Krisha Bullock and Jamie Snow (Bullock & Snow Casting); Melissa Delizia (Melissa Delizia Casting); Suzanne Goddard-Smythe (Suzanne Goddard-Smythe Casting); Sheryl Levine (Sheryl Levine Casting)
Southeast Casting Director of the Year
Winner: George Pierre (Pierre Casting)
Nominees: Erica Bream (Erica Bream Casting); Elizabeth Coulon (Coulon Casting); Rhavynn Drummer (Tyler Perry Studios); Ryan Glorioso (Glorioso Casting)
Northeast Episodic Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Avy Kaufman (Avy Kaufman Casting)
Nominees: Rob Decina (CBS Television Studios); Erica Hart (Hart Casting); John Ort (Kathleen Chopin Casting); Jonathan Strauss (Jonathan Strauss Casting)
Episodic Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Kim Coleman (Kim Coleman Casting)
Nominees: Blyth Nailling (Blyth Nailling Casting); John Papsidera (Automatic Sweat); Vickie Thomas (Vickie Thomas Casting); Robert J. Ulrich (Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting)
Northeast Feature Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Ally Beans (Eisenberg/Beans Casting)
Nominees: Douglas Aibel (Douglas Aibel Casting); Ellen Chenoweth (Ellen Chenoweth Casting); Sig De Miguel and Stephen Vincent (S2 Entertainment); Susan Shopmaker (Susan Shopmaker Casting)
Feature Casting Director of the Year
Winner: Carla Hool (Carla Hool Casting)
Nominees: Leah Daniels-Butler (LDB Casting Rich Delia); Rich Delia Casting Sarah Finn (Sarah Finn Co.); Randi Hiller (Walt Disney Studios); Mary Vernieu (Betty Mae Casting)
Northeast Youth Theatrical Agent of the Year
Winner: David Doan (CESD Talent Agency)
Nominees: Mallory Levy (DDO Artists Agency); Natasha Matallana (Take 3 Talent Agency)
Youth Theatrical Agent of the Year
Winner: Milton Perea (Amsel, Eisenstadt, Frazier & Hinojosa Talent Agency)
Nominees: Rebecca Ek (Eris Talent Agency); Domina Holbeck (A3 Artists Agency); Philip Marcus (Clear Talent Group); Laura Wood (DDO Artists Agency)
Southeast Agent of the Year
Winner: Joy Pervis (J Pervis Talent Agency)
Nominees: Cindy Hill (Gravity Hill Agency); Christy Clark (Stewart Talent); Angie Moncrief (Action Talent Agency); Thompson Milam (People Store)
Northeast Adult Theatrical Agent of the Year
Winner: Amy Lord (Eris Talent Agency)
Nominees: Ben Jordan (Headline Talent Agency); Jonathan Mason (Buchwald); Eddie Rabon (Take 3 Talent Agency); Jay Schachter (Stewart Talent)
Adult Theatrical Agent of the Year
Winner: Michael Eisenstadt (Amsel, Eisenstadt, Frazier & Hinojosa Talent Agency)
Nominees: Mike Baldridge (Momentum Talent and Literary Agency); Amy Luker (Jana Luker Agency); Greg Scuderi (Master Talent Agency); Rachel Tolliver (FireStarter Entertainment)