Lori Briller

Co-FOUNDER

Born and raised in New York City, Lori earned her BA in Radio, TV, and Film from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and now resides in Sherman Oaks with her husband and two daughters.

Fun Facts and Interests

Lori is passionate about cooking, music, fitness, interior design, and hosting friends and family. She’s often found creating warm, welcoming spaces filled with connection and care.

A longtime advocate for women and families, Lori is a founding member of Step Up, a nonprofit helping girls from under-resourced communities become confident and career-ready, and an advisor to AdoptTogether, a platform that supports families navigating the path to adoption. Having adopted her daughter, Lori is personally committed to making the process more accessible for others.

Biography

Lori Zuker Briller is the co-founder of Grapevine, one of the most respected staffing firms in the country, trusted by top-tier individuals and companies across a range of industries including entertainment, tech, finance, fashion, beauty, media, and lifestyle.

Lori began her career at CNN before transitioning into feature film development at Turner Pictures during the Amy Pascal era. She went on to become a development executive in the motion picture industry, holding leadership roles at Alec Baldwin’s El Dorado Pictures and Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment, where she served as Vice President of Development.

After years in entertainment, Lori shifted into recruiting, leveraging her deep network, industry fluency, and instinct for talent to build a modern, people-first approach to hiring. Over the past two decades, she has expanded her reach well beyond entertainment, placing talent across diverse sectors and levels, from executive and personal support to senior leadership roles, Chiefs of Staff, and executive team placements for startups and legacy brands alike.

Earlier in her recruiting career, Lori worked at The Robinson Company, a premier executive search firm, where she launched and led the assistant division. She successfully placed talent at companies such as MGM, Paramount Pictures, FOX, Nielsen, CAA, and Bruckheimer Films, as well as with private clients seeking estate staff and high-level executive support. Her experience gave her a deep understanding of both corporate and personal staffing needs, and how to match candidates with roles where they can truly thrive.

In recent years, Lori also launched Grapevine Prepped, a coaching and career development arm of the agency supporting professionals at every stage of their journey. With a keen eye for how résumés land, and what makes candidates stand out-she helps individuals present their experience clearly and authentically.

Through small, strategic adjustments, Lori has helped countless job seekers dramatically improve their visibility, traction, and confidence in the job market.

She is also the co-author of Straight From the Grapevine: How to Crush Your Job Search, a practical guide born out of many years of watching candidates make avoidable mistakes and wanting to create an easy, go-to resource that empowers job seekers with the tools they need to succeed.

Known for her discernment, integrity, and long-view approach, Lori prioritizes lasting matches that support long-term growth on both sides. She is deeply invested in making sure candidates are placed in roles that align with their goals and talents, and that clients are matched with professionals who elevate their lives and businesses.