We are always proud of the experiences of our pterodactyls. Our Community Spotlight features the stories of alumni and community members after their time at Marvelwood. To submit your story or nominate a Marvelwood graduate, email alumni@marvelwood.org.
Fresh off the set from filming Season Two of Miss Pat Settles It, Marvelwood alum Toni Bullock ‘04 shares her incredible true story of Brooklyn to big screen – her journey to becoming an Emmy® Award-winning producer and unscripted development executive. Since her early days as a Marvelwood student, and throughout her career-building work on shows like Red Table Talk, Top Chef and The Amazing Race, Toni has always loved both travel and television. Read on to see how she uses her education and life experiences to provide support, create opportunities, and drive change through her dedication to the media industry. Read on to discover Toni's success story, written by Advancement Associate for Alumni Engagement, Abbey Gelineau.
Tell me about your Marvelwood experience.
Absolutely. It was a fantastic experience! In fact, I might have enjoyed it more than college. I say this because Marvelwood helped me prepare for college in many ways.
I’m from Brooklyn, so it was definitely a culture shock for me when I first got there. This remote school on the top of a mountain…
When I was in school in New York, I got the basics. And even though it was a great public school, what I love about Marvelwood is that it opened my mind to other options and other opportunities that I had never thought I would experience, like living in a dorm. I grew up with my grandmother and my mom and I had my own bedroom that I never had to share. So, learning to live with a roommate gave me other life skills that I never really thought I needed.
When I went to Hamilton College, I could sense that there were other students feeling kind of shell-shocked. But because Hamilton was similar to Marvelwood in terms of small class sizes and being in a remote area on top of a mountain, it was something I could help people with. Many of my college classmates were also coming from inner-city schools, so I shared how I adjusted, and I think it helped them. I truly enjoyed Marvelwood because it not only prepared me for college and adulthood but also for life in general.
Could you elaborate on the specific skills you learned here at Marvelwood that helped you feel successful at Hamilton and beyond?
Marvelwood helped me learn how to be flexible and adaptable. It taught me organizational skills and how to be resourceful and think outside of the box. I feel like as I get older and observe a lot of the world, I now understand why parents want us to go to certain schools or do certain things based on the neighborhood where you grew up or the state that you’re in. Marvelwood was very
open-minded and they taught us to appreciate all sides of both issues and people. Being at a school with students from all different cultures and countries, you got to learn their experiences, their politics, how they grew up. And being there at such a young age, you’re a little bit more open-minded to learn, so you become more empathetic and understanding of other people and their cultures.
Marvelwood taught me public speaking because we did a lot of presentations. We were also taught leadership skills. And I feel like I benefited more from Marvelwood than I did at my public school in New York because I learned leadership skills through student government and sports.
Interestingly, I wasn’t originally supposed to attend Marvelwood. I was set to go to Choate. My English teacher in New York told me about Choate. She had attended there, and she saw something in me and told my parents “I feel like Toni would do really well in a private school.” So, we went to Choate, and actually did a tour of many private schools in New England. I’m not sure how my aunt learned of Marvelwood, but when we got there, it was just so warm and welcoming, and the smallness of it made it feel more like a family so it was easier to adapt and transition into. And especially for me coming from Brooklyn, I was initially thinking, “This is a lot of change.” But it helped me to start doing things I never thought I would do, like playing sports and joining student government. I just started getting involved in all the things Marvelwood had available.
And actually, after my first semester at Marvelwood, my parents asked me if I wanted to transfer to Choate and I said, “No, I don’t. I think I like it here.” I enjoyed my teachers and the community I had built there.
Yes. Marvelwood is truly a special place.
What are some of your favorite Marvelwood memories?
It’s funny because I was recently at my grandmother’s house and I was looking through what I guess maybe everyone has – a box of memories. And I came upon old photos of my trip to Belize with Ms. Doss. I remember it was a bird-watching trip. And Ms. Doss actually called my family to convince them to let me go. We couldn’t afford the trip, but Ms. Doss helped me raise funds so I could go. And it was my first trip outside of the country, my first time on a plane – I remember I got my flight wings! It was something that really sparked my interest and love for travel.
Going to Belize was another culture shock. People often say that going out of the country can be scary, but I really believe that travel is your first educator. It gives you what textbooks can’t, because it’s happening in real time. And if I remember correctly, Ms. Doss curated the trip starting at a one-star hotel, a place with generator power and no hot water. By the end of the trip, we made our way to a five-star hotel that felt “normal.” That journey really opened my eyes to how other people live.
As soon as my goddaughter was born, I got her a passport because traveling is such a valuable experience for shaping you and teaching you about the world. I never would have had that experience without Marvelwood.
Since your Marvelwood graduation in 2004, what have you accomplished?
After Marvelwood I went to Hamilton College. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have even known about Hamilton without Mr. Kollath, who unfortunately passed away a few years ago. He was a Calculus teacher, and I really disliked Calculus, but I’m so grateful that he told me about Hamilton. And honestly, I didn’t think that I could get into a school like Hamilton. But he told me to go visit and then connected me with another Marvelwood student who went there. This made the transition smoother for me. Hamilton prepared me to then go on to Syracuse, and from there I dove straight into the television industry, which was something I always dabbled in, first working in radio and then magazines.
I love storytelling and seeing things visually, and that’s what television is. When I was exploring places like Belize and Guatemala with Ms. Doss, that sparked my interest in learning about people from different countries and different worlds. And television is also a great educator, because you learn what you see on TV. This can be especially true for people who maybe can’t travel like I’ve been able to. So I almost feel like it’s my social responsibility to teach people about these other worlds through television.
One of my greatest accomplishments is winning an Emmy® for the show called Black Women OWN the Conversation. It was a panel discussion featuring celebrities, with 100 black women in the audience discussing topics like love, beauty standards, and motherhood. This type of show had never been done on television before. And although it was challenging to produce, women approached me afterward saying things like, "I really needed this." They felt seen, heard, and safe to share their experiences, perhaps for the first time. I found myself in tears backstage because, as a black woman, I felt I was doing something meaningful for others.
I’m also proud that I launched Callsheets 2 Cocktails, which is my women-in-entertainment group where we help women network. I feel like compared to our male counterparts, who move and network and help each other out, women more often stay loyal to one company or organization. But if that company is sold or closes – where do you go? And how do you move to your next place? So, I think it's important for us to learn how to network with others, ensuring we can transition smoothly if needed.
You’ve shared so many wonderful accomplishments. Could you elaborate on some of the moments that have made you the most proud?
Winning the Emmy® was never anything I thought about or aspired to. And to be honest, I didn’t think it was something that could be accomplished, because when I started in the entertainment world, reality TV was really just beginning. So winning an Emmy® in that field wasn’t even on my radar. I remember getting the phone call from my boss, telling me we had won, and I didn’t even know we’d been nominated. So I was feeling like “OMG, this is huge!” And I just remember crying and feeling so proud, not just because of the award, but because a show that I did had changed people’s lives.
And Callsheets 2 Cocktails is my baby! It was something that I started in 2017 because I felt like the industry was at a standstill at the time. People were trying to network but not really coming together, so I said, “Let’s start throwing mixers” and at the first one we threw, we had over 300 women show up. And so from there, we started throwing them in different cities because I was driven by the thought that no one finds success without some type of help along the way. And this was how I could give back and pay it forward, because someone had always done that for me. So I saw it as my way of helping not only the next generation, but also people who were on the same level as me but wanted to network with others across boundaries. We’ve now organized these events in New York, LA and Atlanta, and hopefully we’ll add more cities to the list.
I'm particularly excited about our first Bali retreat this fall. As women, we often don’t understand what “burnt out” means. We are the masters of all things and want to help everybody – but we’re tired. And as I talk to more women, I can see that they need a break. But sometimes you can’t wait for your friends to make plans because everyone can’t be there at the same time. So we wanted this trip to feel like even if you’re going “alone,” you’re also part of a larger group.
I know you’re wearing many hats in this profession. But are you able to give a summary of what things look like day-to-day? A bit more information on some of the concrete tasks you are responsible for?
When I started in the industry, you typically chose between production or corporate paths. I decided to do both, which has greatly benefited me.
My day-to-day tasks are based on whether or not I’m working on a show. For example, on my last show, I was the Celebrity Senior Producer overseeing the talent. At that time, we worked 10- to 12-hour days. So I’d wake up around 7am, go and get breakfast and then check in with
my talent to make sure they got to the set on time and went through hair and make-up. I would meet with the showrunner (the Executive Producer) to make sure the schedule hadn’t changed, and then it was running back to update the talent on what they were shooting that day and what
the storyline would be. And then just being on set and running the floor with the Assistant Director and being hands-on and helping to run cameras and things like that.
That covers the production side of my role.
On the corporate side, when I’m not shooting a show, I focus on development, working in-house at a production company, which comes up with the ideas for a show, packages it, and puts it together for a network. Generally, what I do is act as Director of Development, coming up with show ideas all day long. People will come to me and pitch me ideas and I review them. Or sometimes I’ll come up with my own show ideas, going through articles, looking for trends or for who’s the next hot talent that’s coming up. And then I’ll be doing a Zoom call to interview them and get them on tape. Then we make a trailer of what the show would look like, share what the show idea is, and finally we make calls with the networks or go to meetings with them to try to pitch them the show idea.
So, being able to do both sides of this work has helped me to look for the shows that are easier to produce or maybe just seem more feasible.
Do you wake up every morning excited to do this work? Do you love what you do?
I do. Because I feel like what I do is just so different. And while sometimes I do get jealous of those people who can just clock in/clock out, and know what to expect each day, I like the excitement of not knowing what each day is going to bring. And some days can be monotonous, of course, but on other days anything can be thrown at you. For example, you could have a whole shoot day prepared and then it starts to rain. So you always have to be thinking about how to problem-solve situations, how to adjust and be flexible, which makes the days exciting. And I get to travel and see new places and learn different things. So it’s definitely a fun world but I would also say it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a lot of grinding. A lot of sleepless nights that
people don’t see. And right now, things are a little slow. So I’m thinking, “How do I fill my time?” And that’s when I can focus on projects like Callsheets 2 Cocktails.
Do you wake up every morning excited to do this work? Do you love what you do?
I do. Because I feel like what I do is just so different. And while sometimes I do get jealous of those people who can just clock in/clock out, and know what to expect each day, I like the excitement of not knowing what each day is going to bring. And some days can be monotonous, of course, but on other days anything can be thrown at you. For example, you could have a whole shoot day prepared and then it starts to rain. So you always have to be thinking about how to problem-solve situations, how to adjust and be flexible, which makes the days exciting. And I get to travel and see new places and learn different things. So it’s definitely a fun world but I would also say it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a lot of grinding. A lot of sleepless nights that
people don’t see. And right now, things are a little slow. So I’m thinking, “How do I fill my time?” And that’s when I can focus on projects like Callsheets 2 Cocktails.
Where do you see this work taking you – 5 to 10 years down the line?
Gosh, I think I’m still figuring that out because I truly never thought I would be here today. And when I have a goal, and I accomplish it, I say, “What’s next?” And I would love to keep making television, but I’d also love to branch out and do film. It’s ever-evolving because television is always changing. When I started, it was just scripted and reality TV. And now it’s scripted shows, reality TV, digital content, and streaming platforms. So every 5-7 years, things are changing, and it’s all about keeping yourself educated and trying to stay one step ahead. For example, with AI coming – how can I use AI to help me advance?
But as long as I’m creating, I feel like I’m happy.
And I think one of the most important things that people need to know, especially students, is that it’s easy to network with the SVP or the President of a company because we think we need to start with the top. But it’s also important to network with the people next to you, because those are the people you’re going to be grinding with and eating ramen with when money is tight. And then when you make your way to the top, you both have a circle and a community and you understand the grind and the grit it took to get you there. And especially in a place like television. Because television reflects society today.
Any last words to share with our community?
I just want to say thank you. I was telling Mrs. Everett when I saw her at the last alumni event, that coming to these meet-ups feels like coming home. And anytime I’m in New York City and Marvelwood is there, I want to come, just to make sure I show my face and stay connected. This is especially important to me as a black woman. Because I feel like other students like me don’t have the option to go to a boarding school like Marvelwood, and I want them to know that there are people who went there and became successful even though it was a bit of a culture shock at first, like it was for me.
But if I can make it, they can too.
