Jyllian Gunther is an Emmy Award–winning multimedia storyteller known for her ability to craft intimate, character-driven narratives across film, television, and audio. Her work blends heart, humor, and insight, often exploring the nuanced experiences of people both young and old.

She is currently in production on an unannounced feature documentary for HBO about Robin Byrd, which she is co-directing and producing with longtime collaborator Stephanie Schwam. Her last feature documentary, The New Public, premiered on PBS, is distributed by Kino Lorber, and continues to be used in classrooms and institutions across the country.

Jyllian recently served as Director, Writer, and Co-Executive Producer on the HBO Max rom-doc series Swiping America, and has directed multiple episodes of NBC’s Emmy Award–winning genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are, featuring guests such as Allison Janney, Billy Porter, and Nick Offerman.

Other credits include The Last Defense (ABC), The New Yorker Presents (Amazon), and several acclaimed PBS projects. She received a Christopher Award for her work as executive producer and director of Black Patriots: Heroes of the American Revolution, a History Channel documentary featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Her first film, the critically acclaimed Pull Out, was selected for numerous national and international film festivals, and is currently in development as a scripted television series.

Jyllian is the recipient of a national Emmy Award for writing and directing a PBS public service campaign promoting youth empowerment.