Ripley Barnes is a born and raised California kid of African American and Osage-Kiowa descent on her mother’s side and Choctaw on her father’s. She comes from a family of movie buffs, as her parents named her after the incredible heroine, Ellen Ripley, from the ALIEN franchise. She enjoys balancing multiple genres in storytelling. More than a form of escapism, she believes character-driven genres influence people to challenge social norms, analyze complex issues, and explore intersectionality. After graduating from Emerson College, she has worked on and developed projects with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Netflix, and Walt Disney Studios. Ripley is currently a co-creator of a story podcast series being produced at QCODE. She was a recent alum of the Tin House Fall Writers Workshop and a finalist for the 2025 Native Voices Short Play Festival, of which she won the Audience Award. Ripley has extensive experience in writers’ rooms for both television and film. Handling multiple roles as writer’s assistant, script coordinator, and showrunner assistant, as well as supporting mini rooms for feature projects. Currently, she works and develops film projects within AFI’s Innovative Programs department, developing and producing workshops and seminars such as the DWW+ Program for emerging filmmakers.