Jessica Rhoades Pacesetter Productions Hires Rachel Polan, Sets Two Projects at NBC

Rachel Polan has joined Jessica Rhoades Pacesetter Productions as senior vice president. In her new role, Polan will help identify and foster development for the company and add support to the current productions. In addition, Dana Echt has been named manager at Pacesetter. Echt started as Rhoades assistant, and was previously at WME.

Rachel Polan has joined Jessica Rhoades’ Pacesetter Productions as senior vice president.

In her new role, Polan will help identify and foster development for the company and add support to the current productions. In addition, Dana Echt has been named manager at Pacesetter. Echt started as Rhoades’ assistant, and was previously at WME.

“I’ve been a fan of Rachel’s for some time. She’s got fantastic taste and is a champion of creators,” said Rhoades. “I know how supported and connected the writers who work with her feel. Nothing matters more to me. As we continue to build Pacesetter, finding team members who share my commitment to writers and their vision is paramount, and I look forward to expanding with Rachel on board.”

Prior to joining Pacesetter, Polan served as vice president of scripted development for Chelsea Handler Productions. Before that, she was an executive at Lionsgate, where she was creatively involved in some of the Television Group’s biggest accomplishments, including securing “Nashville” a fifth season at CMT; shepherding the first season of “Casual;” selling Epix one of its first scripted shows, “Graves;” and developing “Dear White People” for Netflix.

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Polan’s other credits include “Nurse Jackie,” “Weeds,” “Manhattan,” and “The Royals.”

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Pacesetter has also set up two projects at NBC for development, with both projects being produced by Universal Television. The first is “Matched” from Rohit Kumar. The series follows two millennial Indian-American singles who decide to go on the ultimate journey together: an arranged marriage.

Kumar previously wrote for shows like “13 Reasons Why,” “The Walking Dead: World Beyond,” and “Wheel of Time” Mike Daniels also serves as an executive producer on “Matched” through his 6107 Productions via Universal Television.

Kumar is repped by Verve, Good Fear Content, and Miloknay Weiner.

The second project is titled “Sidekicks” from Jordana Lewis Jaffe, who previously worked on “NCIS: Los Angeles.” The show follows a disgraced Taekwondo Olympian who upends her life when she discovers her fiancé is having an affair, moves back home, and joins her former teammate and rival at her flailing PI firm in Orange County

Jaffe is represented by UTA and Hansen Jacobson.

Pacesetter Productions is repped by UTA and Jackoway Tyerman.

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