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. She now leads her own consulting practice, bringing deep expertise in creative operations, workflow modernization, and AI-driven solutions to organizations looking to scale their visual content systems.
Across her career, Wajmah has led enterprise-level teams across photography, video, live events, and digital content. She has overseen visual coverage for major cultural and broadcast moments — including the Super Bowl, Grammys, Golden Globes, Tony Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and network Upfronts — consistently delivering work that blends creative vision with operational rigor and strategic storytelling.
Her work spans major media and digital organizations including Getty Images, U.S. News & World Report, AOL, ABC News, BuzzFeed, CBS, and Paramount, where she modernized infrastructures, unified workflows, and expanded revenue through licensing, partnerships, and emerging technologies such as AI. A graduate of George Mason University with a Bachelor’s degree in Global Affairs: Diplomacy & Governance, she is also a sought-after speaker and mentor on creative leadership, operational excellence, and the evolving landscape of visual storytelling.
• George Mason University - BA, Global Affairs: Diplomacy & Governance
• Panelist: Creative Leadership Uncovered
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.