Perla Farías ’80
Originally from Venezuela, Farías Lombardini was the epitome of telenovela royalty. Her mother was the Italian actress Gioia Lombardini, and her father was the Cuban director Daniel Farías. After college, Farías was cast in her first telenovela, a well-known show called Cristal. Unfulfilled in front of the camera, she asked to be killed off so she could pursue other creative ventures.
Farías began writing with José Ignacio Cabrujas, who was working on a new show, La Dama de Rosa. After two months, she knew there was nothing else in the world that she wanted to do. She worked on many projects, including Juana la Virgen (Jane the Virgin), before immigrating to the United States.
When Farías arrived in the US, Telemundo was taking off. She met the network's CEO at an awards ceremony, where Juana la Virgen was receiving an award. She hit it off, and she was offered the job as vice president of development. Throughout the decades she has spent working at Telemundo, she has had numerous opportunities to write and serve in executive roles.