Troy Osborne Pryor is a media producer and host with the superpower of connecting with wide audiences. Pryor’s directorial debut was on TV One’s Change Agents and his collaborations have led to award-winning content on multiple platforms. Pryor is the founder of Creative Cypher, a portfolio of media brands & investments. He is the founder of the XL Film Festival, Vice President of SAG-AFTRA Chicago, & an advisor to an array of organizations.

A Chicago native, Troy prides himself in being an affluent connector, working with and for the BIPOC creators to amplify their voices. With his extensive experience in theater and film, he quickly discovered the need to connect undiscovered diverse talent to mainstream media platforms. Troy began to create an ecosystem of talent through his entertainment brand Creative Cypher.

A proud alumni and linebacker of University of Illinois (2007), Troy was the youngest person ever to be elected to SAG-AFTRA Chicago’s Board of Directors and was a mentor for President Barack Obama’s White House project, A Call to Arts.

As a Chicago Scholars 35 Under 35, Ariel Investments/WVON 40 Game Changer, Black Enterprise TCX Fellow, and ADColor nominated Innovator of the Year, Pryor has a tenacity for innovation and big-picture, strategic thinking. Still very much grounded in the values of his church family, he continues to spend his time ministering, mentoring, and coaching as he strives daily to reach his full potential.