ATTENTION HUB: SHONDA INBOUND
TV titan to speak at conference
Newsflash from Shondaland: Television screenwriting queen, the one and only Shonda Rhimes, is slated to speak in Boston this fall.
Rhimes — a celebrated writer, executive producer and practically the mother of the most boss ladies gracing TV — was just added to the schedule for this year’s INBOUND, the annual conference hosted by local giant HubSpot. From the preliminary announcement, we know she’ll be stepping on stage on Sept. 6 to deliver the day’s keynote speech and, based on her budding relationship with Netflix, we have a hunch she’ll have the event’s tech-savvy audience in a trance.
In showbiz, Rhimes is most known for creating a slew of ABC’s mega-hits, such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” now heading into its 15th season, its spin-off series “Private Practice,” which went six seasons strong, and “Scandal,” the final episode of which aired in April after the show’s sixyear run. And let’s not forget that she’s also the executive producer behind “How to Get Away with Murder.” So when you’re staring at the screen awestruck from the greatness that is Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington), Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) and Annalise Keating (Viola Davis), know that you have Rhimes to thank.
On a super recent note, Rhimes has been starting a new chapter in her career, thanks to a deal she inked with Netflix last year. The four-year agreement, reportedly worth an estimated $100 million, recently prompted her and her staff to move to the streaming site’s office, where they’ll supposedly kick off development on new shows soon.
In addition to Ms. Shonda, the upcoming INBOUND conference promises to attract a host of notable speakers when it runs from Sept. 4 through 7 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Also lined up to speak in the Seaport: alternative health guru Deepak Chopra; former vice chairwoman of GE, Beth Comstock; author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; charity:water founder Scott Harrison; and Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, co-founders of HubSpot.