Courtney Balaker Appointed Chair of Film Department

John Paul the Great Catholic University is pleased to announce two significant additions to our Film Department leadership team.

Professor Courtney Balaker has been appointed Chair of Film, effective Summer Quarter 2026. Since joining JPCatholic's teaching faculty in 2023, Balaker has brought extensive industry experience as an award-winning filmmaker, writer, producer, and theater director.

Balaker earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado Denver and a master's degree in theater directing from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Alongside her husband, filmmaker Ted Balaker, she co-founded Korchula Productions, a feature film production company dedicated to making important ideas entertaining.

Among her most notable works is Little Pink House, starring two-time Oscar nominee Catherine Keener, which she wrote and directed. The film tells the story of Susette Kelo, whose fight to save her home and neighborhood led to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case. The film received ten awards on the festival circuit, including six Best Picture and Audience Choice honors, and was recognized with a bipartisan congressional screening on Capitol Hill.

Balaker has produced narrative features starring actors such as Kristen Bell and Eugen Levy. Her documentary producing credits include Can We Take a Joke?, The Coddling of the American Mind, and America in Primetime, a four-hour PBS documentary series featuring Jon Hamm and Vince Gilligan. Earlier in her career, she served as Producer in Charge of Talent for the Oprah Winfrey Network and as Vice President of Development for Neo Art & Logic, a production company that developed feature films for major studios including Universal Pictures and Dimension Films. She also spent five years directing Off-Broadway theater productions in New York City including Uncle Bob, starring two-time Emmy winner Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

“I’ve spent my whole career in film, television and theater engaging mainstream audiences, but have long hoped that a university would embrace the mission of teaching new generations how to bring excellent Christ-centered art to a culture in desperate need of it. So I was thrilled to encounter JPCatholic and am honored to assume this new role as department chair. I look forward to helping young artists live out the university’s mission: Impact culture for Christ,” said Courtney Balaker.

The university is also pleased to welcome Professor Ted Balaker, who will join the faculty in Fall Quarter 2026 and oversee JPCatholic's film senior projects, guiding students through the development and completion of their capstone productions.

An award-winning filmmaker, film consultant, former network news producer, and public policy scholar, Balaker began his career at ABC Network News, producing primetime specials for the John Stossel Unit on topics ranging from free speech to addiction. He later served as a policy analyst at Reason Foundation before co-founding Reason TV and the The Drew Carey Project, a series of documentary shorts hosted by actor and comedian Drew Carey. While at Reason, Balaker produced and executive produced hundreds of scripted and documentary projects. Under his leadership, Reason TV received the Templeton Foundation's Innovative Media Award and today, with 1.4 million subscribers, it has become one of the most-viewed nonprofit video platforms on YouTube.

Balaker produced Little Pink House starring Catherine Keener and directed both The Coddling of the American Mind and Can We Take a Joke? He also served as executive producer of Honor Flight, a documentary that set a Guinness World Record for the largest film screening when more than 28,000 people attended its premiere at Milwaukee's Miller Park. Through their Free Minds Film program of workshops, seminars, and project-specific consultations, Ted and Courtney Balaker have mentored hundreds of established and aspiring narrative and documentary filmmakers, including Emmy and BAFTA winners.

The appointments reflect JPCatholic's continued commitment to providing students with direct mentorship from accomplished industry professionals who bring extensive real-world experience into the classroom.

“We are excited for Courtney and Ted’s leadership within the Film Department,” said President Derry Connolly. “Their commitment to storytelling, artistic excellence, and mentorship will be an invaluable asset as we continue preparing students for meaningful careers in the entertainment industry. Their company’s philosophy of Making Important Ideas Entertaining aligns well with JPCatholic’s mission to Impact Culture for Christ.”

Learn more about JPCatholic’s Film Program here.

In this faculty spotlight video produced last year, Prof. Courtney Balaker shares about her career journey and conversion experience.