Exploring Life & Business with Jamee of WorldRide Impact

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamee.

Hi Jamee, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into this business truly began back in my hometown of Chicago, where my passion for the arts led me to attend the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Fascinated by storytelling and its unique ability to connect people across cultures, I knew early on that I wanted a career in media and production. To make that a reality, I packed up and moved to Los Angeles to break into the film industry.

I was fortunate to find early success in the field, gaining invaluable major studio experience working with 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, and Touchstone Pictures. Those early years really allowed me to hone my skills in creating content that resonates emotionally and inspires action. A major turning point came in 1995, when I served as a producer on a short film that became an official selection at the Venice Film Festival. That incredible milestone gave me the industry recognition I needed as a producer.

Shortly after, I was offered an incredible opportunity to produce a morning talk show in Tokyo called “Tokyo Tea Time” for the Tokyo Broadcasting System. Working internationally opened my eyes to the massive demand and market in the global media space. Inspired by that experience, I launched Blueyed Pictures Inc., a women-owned international service production and media company focusing on films, commercials, and live events with my first major client being Richard Bransons Virgin Cinema in Tokyo Japan (now called Toho Cinemas.)

I most recently produced and wrapped the latest films for SP Media and Paramount Global titled “The Last Firefighter,” and “Christmas Family Feud.” We are currently in production for the latest film “Nixon” directed by Sean McNamara. I also have an upcoming psychological thriller, Brad Anderson’s “Moral Capacity” in which I am partnered with Sobini Films, Highland Film Group, and CAA Media Finance set to go into production at the end of this year.

As grateful as I am for the films I get to bring to life, one of my latest ventures and passions comes from my travels with my son which ultimately led to the creation of my brand WorldRide Adventures and my organization at WorldRide Impact.

My debut children’s book series, Sam in London, introduces young readers to different cultures, languages, and historical perspectives through friendship, family, and adventure. What started as a mother simply answering her child’s questions has grown into a powerful platform dedicated to educating and inspiring kids through books, immersive experiences, and charitable initiatives.

Ultimately, I feel incredibly fortunate to utilize the power of narrative across both areas of my life. Whether I am orchestrating feature films for the screen or crafting heartwarming pages for a children’s book, storytelling remains the universal thread that ties my work together.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road, but the challenges are what forced me to adapt and sharpen how I work.

The biggest shift has been navigating how fast media production is changing with AI, new technology, and tighter budgets. The reality now is that production schedules are compressed. We have to film on a tighter calendar schedule, which means pre-production has to be incredibly precise, even when prep time itself is cut down.

To stay ahead of that, I had to teach myself the landscape of global and regional film tax incentives, allowing us to rethink where we shoot. Rather than limiting our productions to local shoots in Los Angeles, we are exploring beyond home-state locations to strategically maximize budgets and the overall production value internationally. I do hope that the new tax incentives in Los Angeles will eventually allow us to bring back local film productions in the future. The work Steven Paul and his team are doing to help bring film and television production back to Los Angeles and strengthen California’s tax incentive program will be even more impactful for our industry, creating more local jobs and encouraging productions to stay and shoot here in LA.

It’s an unpredictable landscape, but that constant shift is what keeps the work compelling. Thriving in this industry comes down to embracing change, staying adaptable, and being proactive about where media is heading next while using every new tool and platform to bring stories to life more effectively.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’ve previously spoken with LA Voyage about my brand, WorldRide Adventures, but an important extension of that work is WorldRide Impact, our nonprofit initiative dedicated to helping shape the next generation of empathetic, curious and culturally aware global citizens.

Our focus is on creating opportunities for underserved children who may not otherwise have access to international travel or meaningful cultural experiences. We bring the world to them through global enrichment programs in schools, educational books, cultural experiences and travel scholarships that give students the opportunity to experience another country firsthand.

We’ve been fortunate to work alongside organizations including WorldStrides, Virgin Atlantic, Paul Revere Charter Middle School and The American School in Japan. At Paul Revere, we also created a cultural library that serves as another cornerstone of the program, giving students continued access to books, learning and cultural discovery.

Our enrichment programs are designed to make learning immersive. We introduce students to another culture through three areas—art, cooking and sports. For example, while exploring British culture, students might learn cricket, discover the work and cultural significance of street artist Banksy, and experience the traditions surrounding British teatime. The idea is to transport them to another country for a day without ever having to leave Los Angeles.

World ride impact also has two major fundraising and community events each year: an annual gala, typically in November, and a new cultural day launching in April at Paul Revere Charter Middle School. Together, the library, enrichment classes, books, immersive technology cultural days and travel scholarships create different pathways for children to experience the world.

Most recently, Nick Melvoin and Brett Marz helped introduce WorldRide Impact to Camp Harmony, where we were able to bring this cultural education experience to an even larger group of children.

What makes WorldRide Impact unique is that we don’t treat cultural education as an abstract concept, we make it tactile and accessible on every level. We connect physical books, digital interactivity, virtual reality, and real-world travel into one unified ecosystem. Whether a child is putting on a VR headset in an underserved community, meeting an author in their renovated library, or boarding a plane for the first time, we meet students wherever they are and open their world.

I’m most proud when I see children discover that their horizons extend far beyond their immediate neighborhoods. Whether it’s holding their first passport, exchanging perspectives with peers across the globe, or experiencing another country and culture firsthand, they return home with a broader understanding of the world. They begin to realize that while we may live differently, speak differently, and come from different traditions, we often share many of the same fundamental values. Ultimately, that is how I measure impact: creating greater cultural understanding in the next generation and, hopefully, shaping how young people think about other cultures, conflict, and the world around them while sharing a little bit of American culture and values along the way.

Ultimately, WorldRide Impact is about more than teaching children about another country. It’s about giving them the curiosity and understanding to look beyond their own borders, appreciate people who may live differently from them, and grow into thoughtful global citizens.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice for those starting out is stay deeply curious and relentlessly adaptable. There’s no fixed playbook, and waiting for the “perfect time” will only stall you. Start exactly where you are with whatever you have in front of you. Rejection and roadblocks aren’t final verdicts; they’re just practical feedback to help you pivot and sharpen your vision. Surround yourself with collaborators who genuinely believe in what you’re building and remember that success isn’t one-size-fits-all. Define what it looks like on your own terms.
Pricing:

• $19.99 for my book Sam in London

Contact Info:

• Website: www.worldrideimpact.org / www.worldrideadventures.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameenatella/?hl=en

Image Credits
Jamee Photos Photographer
Library Photographer