J.D. SHIELDS is an award-winning writer and director from Atlanta, Georgia whose television credits include EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK (MGM+) and THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (ABC). She has developed projects with Emmy-nominated showrunner Leslye Headland and Marsai Martin's Genius Entertainment as well as written for DreamWorks TV Animation, Wondery and Sony Pictures Entertainment. J.D. was recipient of the 2019 HUMANITAS Carol Mendelsohn Prize College Drama Award and has participated in the Disney Writing Program, the HBOAccess Writing Program, Film Independent’s Project Involve and the AFI Directing Workshop for Women (DWW+).
Her award-winning short film BLUE HOUR had its premiere at the 2023 Brooklyn Film Festival and has screened at Cleveland International Film Festival, HollyShorts, Miami Film Festival, SCAD and over 60 other festivals. Generously supported by Women in Film and produced through AFI DWW, it is the first collaboration between the two organizations.
She penned the award-winning short film WEDNESDAY, which screened at the LA Film Festival, Palm Springs Shortfest, and the American Black Film Festival where it was an HBO Shorts Finalist, later streaming on HBO.
J.D. began her career as a theater artist working in dramaturgy, literary management and arts education at prominent regional theaters including the Nashville Repertory Theatre, 7 Stages Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre and the Tony-Award winning Alliance Theatre.
She earned her MFA in Screenwriting & Directing from Columbia University, having previously studied at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore. She holds a BA in English & Theater from Vanderbilt University.