Before he was leading production teams for major media companies, Gabriel Rojas ’15 was making short films in the hallways of Carrollwood Day School, capturing classmates and teachers in moments both hilarious and heartfelt. From small classroom projects to the bright lights of ESPN and Hulu, Gabriel’s journey has been defined by creativity, dedication, and a love for storytelling that began long before his first professional camera rolled.
From a young age, Gabriel Rojas had a passion for storytelling through film. That spark was nurtured at Carrollwood Day School, where he spent more than a decade surrounded by teachers and classmates who believed in him.
After graduating in 2015, Gabriel attended the University of Florida, where he pursued a double major, earning a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications (Production) and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing. While at UF, he immersed himself in opportunities that allowed him to grow both as a leader and a creative. He joined Dance Marathon, a student-run philanthropy event supporting the Children’s Miracle Network. Starting as a crew member, Gabriel quickly rose through the ranks, eventually serving as Multimedia Overall Director, helping to raise more than $3.2 million for children’s hospitals.
His time at UF also included being a part of the Chi Phi Fraternity, where he served as historian, and working as Director of Film for both Homecoming and Gator Growl. In 2019, Gabriel landed an internship at ESPN as a production operations intern, a highlight being his chance to work on UF’s College GameDay.
By 2020, Gabriel was balancing graduate-level opportunities in production and post-production, securing an internship at ABC Signature. There, he covered for coordinators on shows such as Black-ish, The Rookie, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! He even had the surreal experience of being on a video call with Jimmy Kimmel himself. His success led him to Hulu, where he worked as an executive assistant and later as a coordinator before the media landscape shifted during COVID and the industry strikes.
Through it all, Gabriel kept creating. He launched Gabriel Rojas Film, a business dedicated to capturing stories through video, while continuing to look for opportunities that aligned with his vision. In June 2023, he joined Ra Media as Head of the Production Department, where he now leads large-scale creative projects while still running his own business on the side.
Looking back, Gabriel credits CDS with giving him a foundation that carried him through every step.
Some of his fondest memories trace back to the moments of joy and connection that defined life at CDS.
Traditions like Fantastic Friday and the school spirit song remain close to his heart as well. “It was always fun doing these to finish up our announcements or whenever a major CDS event occurred,” he said.
From filming student skits on campus to producing content for major networks, Gabriel’s journey shows what can happen when passion is matched with opportunity and persistence. His story is a reminder to current CDS students that the creative spark they discover here can grow into a career that reaches far beyond the classroom.
We love sharing our CDS alumni achievements and are delighted to share Gabriel's updates with the alumni community. If you are a CDS Alumni and would like to share your accomplishments, please contact our Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Carli Gauthier Mianne '16 at cmianne@cdspatriots.org and let us know what you have been up to since leaving CDS. We look forward to hearing from you!