Meet Lisa Pellegrene

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Pellegrene.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Today, I work as a TV/Film professional running a publicity company, utilizing my background and experience in journalism, and I work as a producer, soon to be director of a forthcoming music and dance troupe production titled Peace, Love, Unity Dance Troupe TV – Strive for Greatness. The dance troupe production is to bring people together through music and dance and to give many people an opportunity to showcase their gifts and talents in this capacity. I think the world needs a project based on love and hope for all – inspiring music has the ability to bring a lot of joy. It will definitely be a joyful production. I am resuming my work as an actress too. It has been a while since I did a TV show; the one segment we did aired for close to ten years on the Travel Channel. I swam, snorkeled, even dove off of a boat out in the ocean so that they could get some underwater swimming footage off of the shores of Catalina Island, specifically Avalon Beach. I also kayaked and snorkeled and provided narration on camera and off for the Top 10 Southern California Beaches segment of World’s Best Beaches. It was a lot of fun. I remember going out around Santa Monica after it aired (and they kept airing it, year after year which was awesome), where people would stop me and say, “Hey, you are that girl from the Travel Channel show.”

A funny story from that time frame – one of my closest friends named Julie from high school and college called me to say she was taking a nap on her couch with the Travel Channel on in the background (didn’t know I did the show until this moment) and she said she heard my voice and was like “what is going on, is Lisa in my living room?!! haha,” she told me she then opened her eyes and saw me on her TV. We got a good laugh out of that! Anyway, My business took off at this time, so even though I loved being on camera my other professional work was doing so well, I just kept going with that, and I started rescuing animals at this time thanks to a 12-year-old named Bandit who I rescued from Santa Monica shelter – he inspired so much and for many lives to be saved. I always say the only thing he “stole” was my heart, in the best of ways. I still help rescue and rehabilitate many animals to this day. They need our love, compassion and protection. They are pure love!

I hadn’t pursued more acting jobs for a while, quite frankly until recently. I portray a doctor on a forthcoming Canadian-based feature film titled, Remember When, written by Carrol Seguin, who is an amazing person and screenwriter. She runs a production company with her husband, Justin called Mad Makery Productions. I am also producing for that film. Their daughter Kamryn is an amazing, inspiring actress who is getting her start in the entertainment industry, and she is doing amazing!

I ran a strategic consulting firm in LA for many years, helping entrepreneurs to filmmakers, and artists to help them reach their goals – anything from business plan development for entrepreneurs, pitch decks for films, press for clients…I just kept learning and working. It was a rewarding experience. I had utilized my 2+ years of PR background at the time to begin to write and distribute press through various media sources to help increase the reach of people and their inspiring projects.

It was in 2016 I started working as a press agent and publicist for artists, entrepreneurs, filmmakers, authors and non-profits too. I remember thinking at the time (as I was wearing a lot of hats, so to speak), what is the one thing I can do business-wise that can help literally everyone in all of the aforementioned areas, and that was PR! I am a writer in so many capacities, and know how to write AP style for press articles, and I know how to publish inspiring and engaging articles with the press; so, I thought why not focus on doing that for people as an area of focus, so they can do more of the work that they love, just by translating the value of their work through published media stories. I call it “publicity with purpose” as it helps people gain more work and opportunity in the areas of work that they love to do just by telling their story in the press. We also discuss their goals, and that has a way of helping what one hopes to achieve to become a reality. One client wrote that he hoped to book a Marvel production, and a few months later, he called me to tell me he had a role on Black Panther in stunts. Yes, more went into it than a story, but it certainly was part of what helped to bring it to fruition!!

In 2019, I wrote and published my first book, “Be Epic, Choose Love.” I didn’t know that I was writing a book at the time. I woke up one morning with immense gratitude and true appreciation for overcoming – learning to look at any struggle as an opportunity to rise up, overcome and thrive by choosing love, using one’s talents in a beneficial way and seeking a hopeful path – keeping the faith for sure. What was in my heart that day was a desire to help others to persevere always, with love and faith as the foundation. So I wrote, old school style starting that morning, picking up a paper and pen (later typing it up). The only person I felt inclined to share my writing with was my mom. And she said, “Honey, this is so beautiful,” “Keep writing,” and so I did. I have God to thank; I feel there was a lot of divine intervention in being led to write it, and my mom, too as she encouraged me to keep writing. When my book was at a length of about 60 pages, I realized that I had a book in the works. It’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Waterstones in the UK, and other places too in various formats. The most recent version is “Be Epic, Choose Love: The Inspiration Continues,” as I extended it a bit. That version is on Amazon. It’s all just a message of love, empathy, compassion and the power of standing strong with love and a whole lot of faith. It’s all lyrical and in spoken word. When people read it, they tell me they feel a lot of hope, and one person even told me that it made her feel more self-worth and confident; another told me he reads a bit each day to ease his anxiety.

I also published “A Glimpse Into the Sunshine,” which is available on Amazon in all formats, and a children’s book titled, “Alex and Me, and Maggie Makes Three.” It is a book about reminding children to keep their empathy and love for animals all the days of their lives, featuring my dog Alex and my rescued pet pig Maggie!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Goodness, where do I start?! This is life and life is a blessing in and of itself. There will always be struggles and by overcoming those struggles, it’s how we grow and evolve into who we were created to be. For me, in terms of challenges or heartbreaks in life, keeping the love and kindness starting with ourselves and for all others is key, throughout everything, every day and every minute of the day. Also, using one’s God-given gifts and talents in the way that each of us can (everyone has gifts and talents to use to make a better more love-based world), this can help one feel a lot of purpose and it can also be a foundation on which one can stay grounded, and encouraged. There has been heartbreak that I have experienced in life, and there has been pain, yet there are so many blessings and so much good – it’s where I put my focus on the good. When we take our pain and turn it into purpose, by “being the change one wants to see in the world” and I want to see more love and kindness, and encouragement – all seeing the value and good in one another.; well, this is very powerful. You can overcome a lot by standing strong with love and faith and always feeling hope because it’s always there.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a TV/film and media professional – publicity, journalism (utilizing my journalism background to help others inspire too by telling their inspirational stories and bringing more reach to their work) and as a producer and actress too. I am also an author and writer in so many capacities. I also dedicate most of my free time to helping animals – to saving lives and rehabilitate. I would say I am known for my heart, my perseverance, my dedication to not just using my talents to rise up but to encourage others to do the same. All of our career choices and I have several, are ways to use our talents and heart to thrive and to encourage and help others along the way to do the same – for me, it’s being an encouragement to both humans and animals. We all matter; everyone needs love and to feel joy and hope. Life is a true gift. So I make sure to make it count!

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I would say make sure you “see yourself “for all of the good that you can bring forth for yourself and see the good in others. I eventually learned that obstacles meant “opportunities to overcome, and rise up and thrive,” it became an autopilot type of thing for me. Our challenges in life are meant to strengthen us, and we are never alone. God has our back. I think in this world so many want to find fault with others at times and then they miss out on a lot of blessings – one thing about me is that I was never one to even think of tearing another down. This world needs more encouraging love-based people so I would say my best advice is treat yourself and others with kindness, work hard using your talents and seek a good, hopeful path where you do work that makes your heart sing. Put love first. Always put love first and stay humble. We go through things often in life so that we can be an encouragement to others and a source of strength for others; we all need each other to truly soar and proceeding with love helps us achieve more and to experience more joy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.officiallisapellegrene.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisapellegrene
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lpellegrene
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisapellegrene/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/lisapellegrene
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/lisapellegrene
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2505762

Image Credits
The Joshua Tree photos were taken by Monica Obczernitzki. The photo that has my name on it was taken by Schwartz Studios Melissa Schwartz.

Suggest a Story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.