A veteran storyteller with a background as a published poet and award-winning public speaker, Alyssa has long been recognized for bringing unparalleled rhythm and heart to the screen. As a screenwriter and creative producer, she develops gripping comedy and drama for film and television that resonates across generations. Known for crafting deeply resonant narratives, her work has consistently earned prestigious accolades. Most recently, her feature-length screenplay Finding Me: Noir of Chaotic Purity, an adaptation of her novel Finding Me, received top-tier placement at the 2026 Atlanta Film Festival (Academy Award ®-qualifying).
Her transition from the page to the screen began in her pre-teen years. While most her age were starting middle school, Alyssa co-wrote an original animated script with her brother that aired as a series on Nickelodeon. She soon followed that writing success by stepping in front of the camera for the feature film Akeelah and the Bee, sharing the screen with Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, and Angela Bassett. These formative years on major sets provided an essential education in dialogue and pacing, ensuring she was a seasoned professional long before reaching college.
At Wildwood School, where she graduated as an honors student, Alyssa’s sensibilities continued to sharpen through performance and direction. She earned first place for acting at the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California [DTASC] festival and a series of trophies as director of middle school students through middle school DTASC regional wins.
Following industry experience at DiNovi Pictures, she graduated cum laude from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. During her time there, she refined her craft as a creative producer and screenwriter, finding inspiration to create the Ollie & Joey series. This unique collection includes titles like Ollie & Joey Go to a Café and Ollie & Joey Go Left or Right. She has since expanded this creative universe with spin-off books like Sapphire and Jasper Plan a Lunch Party, Finding Me, and Gumbo. Set within the same beloved world, her work seamlessly blends adapted and original screenplays for film and television to form a comprehensive multimedia experience.
Alyssa continues to excel as a versatile multihyphenate, driven by a relentless work ethic that touches every stage of the storytelling process. As she puts it: “I don't take days off. I just have a day ‘on’ somewhere else, and I love it.” #dralyssawrites
