Lifetime Taps CW Exec to Lead Scripted Development

LOS ANGELES: Joanna Klein, formerly of The CW, has been named senior VP of scripted development for Lifetime.

In her new role, Klein will be charged with developing and overseeing production of scripted series for Lifetime. She will report to Liz Gateley, Lifetime’s executive VP and head of programming. Klein will be based in L.A.

Klein joins Lifetime from The CW Network, where she served as senior VP of development since 2010. During her tenure, Klein developed the award-winning series Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, as well as pop-culture hits such as Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and Arrow, among others. Prior to joining The CW, Klein was VP of programming at Regency Television, where she developed the FX series Thief and NBC’s Windfall. She has also worked at Lionsgate, Imagine Television, Walt Disney Television and Goldman Sachs.

“Joanna is talented and well-respected with a long history of developing some of television’s biggest hits,” said Gateley. “I am absolutely thrilled that she is joining the Lifetime team to lead our scripted series efforts and I know she will attract the very best creative talent to our Fempire.”