Meet the Founders

  • Jeanell English is a seasoned entertainment executive with over a decade of experience in diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI), learning and development, and production management. She's dedicated to continuous learning and growth through cultural immersion having spent seven years living and working across Europe and Asia.

    As the former EVP, Impact and Inclusion at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Jeanell led global initiatives designed to address underrepresentation across the industry and to discover, empower, and advance the work of emerging and diverse film artists. Prior to her role at the Academy, she worked for Warner Bros Discovery for eight years where her contributions included the successful delivery of the broadcaster’s first coverage of the Olympic Games to European markets in 2018.

    Driven by her belief in the power of storytelling, Jeanell co-founded Elizabeth & Minnie to foster a more accessible and inclusive entertainment industry, recognizing books as the foundation. A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Maryland, she was recognized as a 'New Leader in Hollywood' by Variety in 2022.

  • Tanya Sam, a renowned entrepreneur and advocate, founded the Tanya Time Book Club, embodying the power of community and shared joy of reading. With more than 10k Instagram followers and a thousand active members, the club fosters vibrant literary discussions. She embarks on captivating literary journeys, exploring the worlds created by talented authors.

    She has broken down barriers for women and minority entrepreneurs with her initiative, The Ambition Fund. Her dedication to inclusive opportunities fosters a thriving environment for diverse business owners. Tanya's expertise in Web3 and NFTs shines through platforms like the Money Moves podcast and Making of a Mogul TV series, promoting financial literacy in marginalized communities. As Director of Partnerships at TechSquare Labs, she mentors over 60 companies, empowering female entrepreneurs.

    Based in Atlanta, Georgia, she engages in community initiatives and serves as a board member of Kate's Club, supporting children dealing with loss. Tanya Sam continues to inspire inclusivity and empowerment, leaving an enduring legacy of positive change.

Once upon a time…

…there were two women living different, yet beautifully similar lives. They filled their days with work that spoke to them, and their evenings with books that inspired them. One night, both women began to have a recurring dream. The dream saw each of them surrounded by a mountain of books which they handed out to a never ending line of women. After receiving a book, each woman would join a neighboring circle of readers who were laughing, smiling, and sharing pages with one another. This was a good dream, that has now become a reality.

Jeanell English and Tanya Sam were introduced by a mutual friend, who saw commonality in what the two women were building independently. This friend offered the thoughtful reminder, that in building together we can go so much further. When Jeanell and Tanya met - it all made sense. Their values, passions, interests, and concerns were beautifully in sync. As was their unrelenting optimism and vision for creating an alternative to ‘industry standards.’ Elizabeth and Minnie Publishing is their commitment to breaking the mold and enabling greater access to the communities whose stories are not championed enough.

The name is inspired by both women’s family histories - and their desire to honor their ancestors in their entrepreneurial journey. Elizabeth was Jeanell’s Great Grandmother whose found letters reminded Jeanell of the incredible words and stories of Black women that went untold. Minnie was Tanya’s Grandmother who, after immigrating to Canada with her young children, found her first job opportunity in publishing.

It was community that brought these two women together, and it is through community that they will thrive.