BIO

Kristina Budelis is a filmmaker, founder, and product leader working at the intersection of media, technology, and AI.

She co-founded KitSplit, a venture-backed startup dubbed "the Airbnb of cameras" by Forbes and Fast Company; helped build the now Oscar-winning video department at The New Yorker; and led product for a new app within the New Ventures team at The New York Times. As an Executive Producer, she's led award-winning film, multimedia, and audio slates as well as large-scale programs for brands including Delta, Jaguar, and PBS.

As a director, her films have premiered at Tribeca and other Oscar-qualifying festivals, been viewed millions of times, and published by outlets including The New Yorker, NBC, Vogue, and PBS.

Named a Forbes "30 Under 30" in Media, Budelis has been interviewed on NPR's Marketplace and in Forbes about emerging trends in storytelling. She has taught at Rutgers University (their first-ever AI & Film course) and given talks and workshops at Columbia, NYU Tisch, and NAB.

Currently, she is consulting with startups and media companies and developing new documentary films. She (very occasionally) writes about AI and film at FilmRobots.com. She lives in LA with her partner, their dog-like cat, and two cat-like children. In her free time, she enjoys paddleboarding, gardening, and speaking in the first person.

KIND WORDS

"Kristina is quite innovative and enthusiastic [even when] she's put in a tough spot. She works tirelessly. Everyone likes her; she's consistently friendly, supportive, and kind. She's constantly trying to figure out what’s next; one of her great assets is that she's full of ideas and keeps driving to do new things." — Nick Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic (previously EIC of WIRED and editor, newyorker.com)

"Kristina Budelis is the absolute best at what she does. Whether it's working with Ben Stiller or James Franco or Rashida Jones, or even an impossible space cadet like me, Kristina [works] super smoothly and professionally." — Gary Shteyngart, NYT bestselling author

"Kris is empathetic, creative, and collaborative — all qualities that help her shine as a product leader. She pushed us to take risks within reason, champion our end users, and consider both short- and long-term implications without sacrificing product quality. Building a brand new product at a large, complex organization can get stressful, but no matter what was thrown at her, Kris remained calm and resilient, ready to take on the challenge with a smile. I really enjoyed working with Kris & would very happily work with her again!" — Ashka Gami VP, CNN (prev NYT New Ventures)

Honors & Recognition

  • Open AI Alpha Artist, Sora; Leonardo Artist

  • Forbes “30 Under 30” in Media

  • Featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Forbes, New York Magazine, No Film School, and on NPR’s Marketplace as an expert on entrepreneurship, AI, and emerging trends in media production. However, the press mention she is MOST proud of is getting her cat Oliver’s cat mitzvah mentioned in Forbes

  • Films selected by Tribeca, AFI, DOC NYC, and multiple Oscar-qualifying festivals

  • Webby Award & 3x nominee; POYi Multimedia Award

  • ONA/Poynter Digital Women Leadership Academy Fellow

  • In elementary school, she won a competition at my local library for reading the most books in a year. She was devastated to learn that the prize was two tickets to a football game.