WHO WE ARE
WHO WE ARE
About Junk Drawer
Junk Drawer began in 2008, when Mary Beth Anderson produced a branded short-form series for National Geographic and Ameriprise Financial — a forward-thinking collaboration with Mindshare and Saatchi & Saatchi that blended advertising and entertainment before it was the norm.
That early partnership with iconic brands proved there was a smarter way to tell brand stories: with editorial standards, premium production values, and a sharp point of view.
Today, Junk Drawer is a nimble creative studio that builds culturally resonant content across platforms, where story and strategy work together and every piece is designed to connect, perform, and convert.
How Junk Drawer Creative Studio Came to Be
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meet your secret weapons
Meet your secret weapons
Our hand-selected teams scale to fit the needs of any production size. Our award-winning global roster includes top directors, creatives, writers, producers, cinematographers, production designers, and editors, collaborating to bring to life memorable and impactful stories that truly engage the audience.
founder + CEO
Mary Beth Anderson
Line Producer
Margaret Russo
Executive Producer & Dir. of Business Development
Steve Kantor
Accounting
Natalie McMichael
Influencer Partnerships + Strategy
Elle
Rieger
Director, Writer & Creative Director, Scripted
Sam Jones
Talent & Trend Forecasting + Creative Development & Strategy
Lindsey Weidhorn
Executive Creative Director & Producer
Andi
Walker Ochoa
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Known for her sharp storytelling instincts and production savvy, she moves seamlessly between vérité, celebrity formats, commercial campaigns, and original series, capturing vibrant, culturally resonant stories across platforms.
She is the founder of Junk Drawer Creative Studio, a hybrid content studio and production company that specializes in turning brand messages into watchable, culturally relevant entertainment. Unlike traditional agencies or production houses, Junk Drawer develops, writes, directs, and produces original content with storytelling, commerce, and platform strategy built in from the start. The team is behind campaigns and series for brands like Walmart, QVC/HSN+, StarKist, Hart Tools, Post Cereals, Ballard Designs, and more. Most recently, the studio produced "Wrapped!" for QVC+, a fast-paced, high-gloss gift-wrapping competition series that redefines what shoppable storytelling can look like.
As a television producer, director, and showrunner, Anderson is best known for Zillow Gone Wild (HBO Max/HGTV), Giada in My Kitchen (Amazon Prime Video), Brother vs. Brother, Restored by the Fords, My Lottery Dream Home, Design Star, and Good Bones. Her career began in 2001 on TLC’s breakout hit Trading Spaces and has since spanned platforms including HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Food Network, Travel Channel, National Geographic, Discovery, NBC, and more.
Mary Beth Anderson is a seasoned producer, director, and branded content creator with over two decades of experience in the unscripted and lifestyle television space.
Let's Work Together
founder + CEO
Mary Beth Anderson
She’s a card-carrying member of Gen Z and brings an innate understanding of how audiences engage in the modern media landscape.
Elle deeply understands creator culture and how influencers and celebrities move the needle when it comes to branding and marketing.
Let's Work Together
influencer partnerships + strategy
Elle Rieger
IT
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After a dynamic, decade-long tenure at HGTV Lindsey struck out on her own—focusing on casting charming, loveable talent and producing and developing feel-good content that uplifts. Heralded as one of the top trend forecasters in entertainment, she uses her talent to guide brands, productions, and networks towards “what’s next.”
Lindsey Weidhorn is the powerhouse Executive behind hit unscripted TV shows like Fixer Upper, Home Town, Property Brothers, Love It or List It, Income Property, Good Bones, Help! I Wrecked My House, and many more.
Let's Work Together
Talent & Trend Forecasting + Creative Development & Strategy
Lindsey Weidhorn
IT
IT
With a decade of shaping narratives, Sam elevates brands with humor and heart, making every product a protagonist in its own right. Rejecting the mundane, Sam's craft transcends traditional marketing, turning everyday items into cultural icons, wrapped in a narrative that captivates and entertains. In the realm where art meets commerce, Sam Jones is the alchemist, transcending ads into entertainment.
Meet writer & director Sam Jones: not your ordinary creative, but a mastermind who turns branded content into unforgettable stories.
Let's Work Together
Director, Writer & Creative Director, Scripted
Sam Jones
IT
IT
After building her career in non-scripted television, where she's led everything from scrappy, roll-up-her-sleeves projects to large-scale, multi-platform campaigns with celebrity talent, she's channeling all that experience into the branded content and digital marketing space. Thriving in fast-paced, creative environments where storytelling meets strategy, she's excited to partner with brands who want to make something meaningful, with a little touch of sparkle.
She has produced hundreds of hours of content for top networks, streamers and digital platforms including HBOMax, HGTV, NBCUniversal, Peacock, TLC, and iHeart Podcasts, most recently serving as Executive Producer of Zillow Gone Wild where she merged two distinct brands (Zillow and Zillow Gone Wild) into a cohesive, wildly fun and culturally resonant content franchise.
Andi is a creative leader, storyteller and unapologetic production workaholic with 15+ years of experience turning bold ideas into content people actually want to watch.
Executive Creative Director & Producer
Andi Walker Ochoa
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Known for keeping creative and crew members aligned and delivering projects safely, on budget, and on time (while still having fun), she has led productions across the U.S. and internationally, including in Brazil. Her career includes branded shoots for Nike, and projects for networks including Netflix, Amazon, Bravo, Peacock, Food Network, HBO, and CBS. Whether managing a crew of 10 or 200, she brings calm leadership, creative fluency, and an eye for the details that keep everything moving.
Margaret is a Line Producer with 15+ years of experience in unscripted, branded and documentary content.
Line Producer
Margaret Russo
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A showrunner, writer, and director, he’s produced everywhere from Louisiana swamps to New York penthouses to globe-spanning travelogues — always with an eye toward creating content that connects.
Steve brings deep experience in branded integration, especially with Discovery networks, where he honed the art of folding partners naturally into story. At Junk Drawer, he channels that expertise into business development — helping brands, talent, and platforms align on projects that are as watchable as they are strategic.
His work has appeared on HGTV, A&E, Netflix, Discovery, and Magnolia.
With over 20 years in unscripted television, Steve Kantor has built a career at the intersection of entertainment and brand storytelling.
Executive Producer & Dir. of Business Development
Steve Kantor
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IT
At Junk Drawer, she’s the one who wrangles the number chaos — keeping the books organized, the details sharp, and the finances flowing smoothly behind the scenes.
With a love for problem-solving and a knack for untangling the trickiest spreadsheets, Natalie keeps the foundation steady so the rest of the team can dream big. She makes sure our creative ideas don’t just come to life, but that they stay on track, fiscally and flawlessly.
Natalie has been working with numbers for nearly 30 years, and she still lights up at the challenge of making everything add up just right.
Accounting
Natalie McMichael
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Junk Drawer's genesis is rooted in the idea that brands can connect directly with their consumers and unique brand- generated community. Today's marketplace expects more. Junk Drawer helps drive engagement by bringing products to life and strategically curating stories that drive a sense of enthusiasm, understanding, and trust.
At Our Core
