Wajmah Yaqubi Strange
Wajmah Yaqubi Strange is an Emmy-nominated creative operations and production executive, and the former Senior Vice President and Head of Photography at Paramount Global. Most recently at Paramount, she transitioned from her executive role through a strategic buyout while preparing for maternity leave, and she is now channeling her expertise into independent consulting and advisory work. Over the course of her career, Wajmah has led enterprise-scale teams across photo, video, live, and digital content, delivering some of the most high-profile cultural and broadcast moments in media, including the Super Bowl, Grammys, Golden Globes, Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and network Upfronts. Her work consistently blends creative vision, operational rigor, and strategic storytelling to achieve both artistic excellence and measurable business impact.
Wajmah operates at the intersection of photography and creative operations, overseeing the complete lifecycle of visual content from assignment and capture through editing, rights management, asset governance, and monetization. She is known for building holistic systems that enable scalable storytelling, fostering operational efficiency, and supporting enterprise-wide creative consistency. Her professional philosophy emphasizes integrity, empathy, kindness, and promoting diversity, while her approach to leadership highlights resilience, adaptability, and the ability to guide teams through complex, high-pressure, and evolving production environments.
With a career spanning major media and corporate organizations including Getty Images, U.S. News & World Report, AOL, ABC News, BuzzFeed, CVS, and Paramount, Wajmah brings a wealth of expertise in global creative operations, photo licensing, newsroom integration, and content monetization. She has designed and implemented innovative workflows, led cross-functional teams, and executed photography for large-scale live and digital events while leveraging emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance creative throughput. A graduate of George Mason University with a Bachelor’s degree in Global Affairs: Diplomacy & Governance, Wajmah is also a sought-after speaker and mentor, sharing insights on creative leadership, operational excellence, and the evolving landscape of media production.
• George Mason University - BA, Global Affairs: Diplomacy & Governance
• Panelist: Creative Leadership Uncovered
• Speaker: The Art and Practice of Managing Digital Media
• Spearker: Monetizing the Archive - How Leading Brands Are Using DAM to Revitalize Their Businesses
• Panelist - The Best Strategies for Combating Copyright and Other High-Volume Claimants
• Judge - Norther Short Course Contest
• Panelist - When Your Photos Become The News
• EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD 2014
• EDWARD R. MURROW AWARD 2013
• EMMY NOMINATION 2012
• GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY AWARD 2012
• Emmy 2006
• NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARD 2001
• Peabody Award – Superstorm Sandy (2012)
• EMMY NOMINATION 2011
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience the ability to stay persistent, adapt to challenges, and keep moving forward even in the face of setbacks. This mindset has allowed me to overcome obstacles and continue growing personally and professionally.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to ‘be like water’—to adapt to change with flexibility and flow, rather than resisting it. This mindset has helped me navigate challenges, embrace new opportunities, and grow continuously in my career.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Encourages a broad, holistic skill set: understand creative, legal, technical and business aspects of the photography ecosystem; be a generalist rather than narrowly specialized; learn to communicate value in dollars and analytics to gain influence and a seat at the table.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is navigating the workplace as a woman of color. At the same time, this also presents opportunities to lead by example, advocate for diversity and inclusion, and create spaces where underrepresented voices are empowered and recognized.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are integrity, kindness, and empathy. I strive to act with honesty and accountability, treat others with respect and consideration, and approach every situation with compassion and understanding.