Short Bio
A TV veteran with 20+ years of experience in the business, Van Ackeren began her career as the phenomenon of Unscripted Television emerged in 1999. As a freelance Casting Director for a decade, she crisscrossed the globe discovering authentic characters for over 30 unscripted shows in a variety of genres. In 2008, she joined Shed Media as Head of Casting for series and development, overseeing their hit shows on ABC, CBS, Lifetime, and USA. In 2013, she joined the Viacom-owned CMT as VP, Talent Development where she was the first to launch the internal casting division. Mrs. Van Ackeren then joined NBCU International Studios in 2015 where she was heading the US division of Monkey Kingdom, bringing to life UK formats and concepts for the US market, while also generating a flow of new ideas. In 2019, Van Ackeren oversaw MGM Studios' Talent and Casting division for the unscripted unit where she tapped new talent and developed a wide range of projects.
Van Aceren took the next step in her career and launched Violet Crown Media, Inc, in Austin, TX, a full-service casting company specializing in Talent Development, Unscripted Casting, and Branded Storytelling where she continues to discover great characters, fascinating subcultures, and emerging talents to bring content to life! She is an Academy member and Realscreen contributor.
