James J. Jones

Owner/Head of Theatrical Division   
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James Jones has a unique background for a talent agent.  His formative career was in national and regional politics.  Here Mr. Jones worked for 11 years as a political and legislative strategist and tactician in both Washington State and Washington D.C.  In addition to working on Senatorial, Congressional and Gubernatorial campaigns, Mr. Jones used his strategic and tactical abilities for three years as a senior staff member of a former Presidential campaign. After his stint in politics, he went to graduate school receiving an MA in Philosophical Theology and Narrative Criticism.  Through his years in the political world and as an executive in NPO development, he was connected to professional athletes and celebrities.  This led him in 2001, to form Premier Talent NW (Seattle) to guide those careers.  Shortly, thereafter, in 2002, PTNW became a SAG/AFTRA franchised agency.  In 2006, James decided to expand his operations and moved full-time to California where he opened and now operates a successful SAG Franchised Talent Agency – The Premier Talent Group.

Peter Giagni
Literary and Theatrical Agent
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With over 30 years working as a talent agent, development executive, manager and film and television producer, Mr. Giagni has been involved in all facets of the creative and business sides of the entertainment industry. Beginning his career as an agent for industry giant The William Morris Agency, he represented and worked with such talent as Farrah Fawcett.  Several years later, he made the transitioned to manager for Marty Litke Management, where he represented such talents as Linda Lavin the star of the hit Television show Alice, Writer/Producer Norman Steinberg who wrote the screenplay, along with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor for the film Blazing Saddles ('74), actor Richard Mulligan the star of the hit Television show Soap ('77 - '81), and actor/writer Jerry Stiller of Seinfeld and The King of Queens.  Opting to return to the role of agent, he joined the Agency for the Performing Arts talent department as a Vice President and went on to represent Mary Tyler Moore, Martin Mull, Blythe Danner and Steve Martin, with whom he helped establish the star's television production company 40 Share Productions.  Mr. Giagni later transitioned to Sr. Vice President at David Shapira and Associates where his client list included legendary actors, Raymond Burr, Morgan Fairchild and William Conrad.  Once again opting to focus more attention on the careers of his clients, he made the switch back to manager, forming Peter Giagni Management, Inc. in the late 90s where he continued to help shepherd the careers of Hollywood's veteran talents and rising stars as well as serve as executive producer for a variety of independent feature films and television projects. Giagni has been a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for over 25 years. 

Erika Godwin

Theatrical Agent
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Ms. Godwin comes to The Premier Talent Group with a strong background in the business.  She has worked with PTG and its former sister company Premier Talent NW for over 8 years.  She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western Washington University.  During her time at WWU, Erika was a three-time nominee for the Irene Ryan award and won a Best Actress award for her performance in The House of Bernada Alba.

 

 Lauren Thompson

Administrative Assistant  ______________________________________
Lauren, a San Diego native, studied music and theatre at Cal State Fullerton and graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a BA in Theatre Arts in May of 2011. She has worked in regional theatre and is currently pursuing a career in writing, production, and performing in Los Angeles.   

 

D. Michal Ballard

Financial and Business Consultant
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Mr. Ballard is a native of Seattle, Washington and runs his various business enterprises from Edmonds, Washington.  In over 25 years of corporate life, he has purchased and/or founded several companies and successfully operated and sold them.  Currently he is CEO of Quantum Acquisitions where he purchases Multi-Family real estate projects nationwide and sydicates them to investor groups.  Mr. Ballard is also a highly sought-after speaker, instructor and coach in the world of real estate investment, and his deals have been featured in Forbes.com, The Seattle Times and the New York Times. 

Mr. Ballard is currently Chairman of the Board of the North Seattle Community College Education Fund, and serves on other boards around the country.  He consults directly with Mr. Jones regarding ongoing operational and strategic issues as well as serving as in-house financial counsel.   Mr. Ballard holds BS degrees in Finance, and in Communications, along with a BA degree in Economics from Central Washington University (’84).  Mr. Ballard earned an MBA degree from the prestigious University of Chicago with concentrations in Economics, Finance, and Statistics in 1986.  Mr. Ballard has been married for 18 years and has 3 children 12, 13, and 16. 


Holly Eastwood

Bookkeeper/Office Manager
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Ms. Eastwood earned her BS in Business Management from Central Washington University (1998) and currently holds an RPA designation from BOMA.  She has been a real-property asset manager for Monte Villa Farms, a commercial business campus, for the last 11 years.   Her experience in management, bookkeeping and her understanding of the entertainment business assists PTG in offering excellence in internal management for the company and for our clients.