events / past

Alex Alonso

VP, Marketing, mun2

Alex Alonso is VP of Marketing for the bicultural cable network. In his role he oversees consumer and Affiliate marketing initiatives and brand development for mun2 and works closely with both on-air and digital teams to capitalize on strategic opportunities. 

Prior to joining mun2, Alonso oversaw strategic planning for Carat’s accounts active in the U.S. multicultural space. During his time at Carat, Alonso worked with Hyundai/Kia, Adidas, RE/Max, RadioShack, and new business development. He also spent several years at Anheuser-Busch's Busch Media Group, where he worked on media planning and buying for the company on the West Coast.

Starting his media career at Starcom’s Hispanic group, Tapestry, immediately after college, he worked with such clients as Showtime, Toys "R" Us, and Philip Morris Youth Smoking Prevention. Alex is a graduate of Northwestern University (Evantson, IL).

Oren Aviv

President, Domestic Theatrical Marketin; CMO, Twentieth Century Fox

Oren Aviv was named president of domestic theatrical marketing and CMO for Twentieth Century Fox (TCF) in February 2011, responsible for overseeing all marketing efforts for TCF, Fox 2000 and Fox Animation films, including media, digital, advertising, publicity and promotions. Films under Aviv’s leadership so far include “Rise of the Apes;” “X-Men: First Class;” the animated hit “Rio;” Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus;” plus “A Good Day to Die Hard” and “The Wolverine.”

Prior to Fox, Aviv served as president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Production, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of live-action development and film production for the motion picture division of The Walt Disney Studios. Under Aviv’s direction, Disney had major box office successes with Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” which recently became the fifth highest-grossing film in history earning over $1 billion in worldwide box office; “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” which earned over $960 million worldwide; the “National Treasure” films; “Wild Hogs;” “Enchanted;” the Sandra Bullock hit “The Proposal;” and the “Hannah Montana” and “High School Musical” feature films. Before heading production, Aviv was Disney’s president of marketing (2000-2006.) He was also named chief creative officer for The Walt Disney Studios in 2004. Aviv launched the Pirates of the Caribbean, Narnia, National Treasure and Step Up franchises. Aviv designed the marketing and creative campaigns for hits such as “The Sixth Sense;” “Finding Nemo;” “Pearl Harbor;” “The Incredibles;” “Ransom;” “The Rock;” “Signs;” “Monsters, Inc.;” “Armageddon;” “Sister Act;” “Remember the Titans;” “Unbreakable;” “101 Dalmatians;” as well as hundreds of other films. Aviv was executive producer on Walt Disney Pictures’ National Treasure series, which was based on his idea. He received the same executive producer and “story by” credits on Disney’s 1994 film “Rocket Man.”

In 2005, Aviv created, and is listed as an inventor on a patented technology device called the D-Coder. He was also named Marketer of the Year three times by “Advertising Age” for “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “The Incredibles” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,” along with many other prestigious advertising awards.

Andy Baker

SVP/Group Creative Director, National Geographic Channels

As SVP/group creative director for the National Geographic Channels, Andy Baker is responsible for the creative for all on- and off-air tune-in and brand campaigns for the National Geographic Channel (NGC) and Nat Geo WILD. Baker supervises an in-house creative team that creates tune-in and brand promos, graphics packages, print ads, outdoor campaigns, digital marketing campaigns and public relations and ad sales materials. He also oversees external agency productions, and works to develop strategic positioning strategies for key marketing priorities, as well as the overall channels’ brand positioning and design. Baker joined NGC prior to its launch in 2000, and helped to make it one of the fastest-growing cable channels in history. In April 2010, he helped launch the new Nat Geo WILD channel in the United States.

Before joining NGC, Baker was a freelance editor and a producer at Georgetown Post in Washington, D.C., where he edited and produced commercials for political candidates and advertisements for a variety of local clients. From 1998 to 2000, he was a senior writer/producer at WTTG-TV (FOX) in Washington, D.C., where he oversaw the production of news spots and promotion. Baker has won numerous PromaxBDA Awards and CTAM Mark Awards, as well as a National Emmy in 2012. 

Maryam Banikarim

SVP & CMO, Gannett Co., Inc.

Maryam Banikarim is the SVP and CMO of Gannett Co., Inc., where she is responsible for all company-wide marketing, communications and research efforts. She also oversees national sales for Gannett's publishing and digital businesses including “USA TODAY.” A leading strategic marketing and communications expert, Banikarim has more than 15 years of broadcast, publishing, multimedia and advertising agency experience. Prior to joining Gannett, she served as SVP for integrated sales marketing at NBC Universal and as the CMO at Univision Communications, Inc.

Aporva Baxi

Co-Founder, DixonBaxi

Aporva Baxi co-founded the international brand agency DixonBaxi with Simon Dixon in 2001. He has a global reputation as a leading creative in branding and design, and is sought out by some of the world’s most prestigious clients to help them connect with and inspire their audiences. Through DixonBaxi, he has helped clients including MTV, News International, Star Networks, Intel, T-Mobile, and Motorola to find powerful and innovative ways to engage their audiences.

Baxi has also been a key partner, both creatively and as a business advisor, in the development of highly successful startups including Last.fm, who he advised from inception through bringing the product to market and sale of the company for the sum of $240 million.

Prior to founding DixonBaxi, Aporva was USA creative director at the international brand agency ATTIK, having opened their Sydney studio before taking control of their East Coast operations through their New York studio.

Aporva has won numerous international awards for his work, including from the prestigious British Design and Art Director’s Association (D&AD).

Mike Beaumont

Creative Director, Spacejunk

Mike Beaumont began his career as a sound designer, then editor, before becoming an award-winning director. Today, as creative director at Spacejunk, Beaumont applies this comprehensive skill-set and creative vision to bringing ideas to life from concept to completion.

During his career, Beaumont has worked with a diverse group of clients and brands including, Time Warner, Nationwide, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Isotoner, Merrell, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, LaSenza, Herbal Essences, The Memorial Tournament, LensCrafters and Vitamix.

Spacejunk is a full-service live action and motion design studio. More than a creative studio with powerhouse talent, Spacejunk is built on an ethos that blends innovation, style, camaraderie, production acumen and trust. The culture and creativity at Spacejunk springs from a staff-based model with experienced producers, creative directors, animators, designers and editors comprising the Spacejunk team.

Joel Beckerman

Founder and Lead Composer, Man Made Music

Joel Beckerman is the founder and lead composer of Man Made Music, a bi-coastal music company with offices in New York City and Burbank, CA. A 20-year veteran of music for media, Beckerman is a gifted composer, producer and arranger who has created a unique and distinctive sound for hundreds of television shows and brands. He has received the prestigious ASCAP Most Performed Themes Award seven years in a row, while his team has grabbed twelve PromaxBDA Gold Muses and the Broadcast Design Association’s Pinnacle award. In 2010, Fast Company named Man Made Music the #3 Most Innovative Music Company in the world. 

Beckerman has produced acclaimed television soundtracks with legendary Hollywood composers such as John Williams (“Star Wars”), James Horner (“Titanic”) and Don Davis (“The Matrix”), and formed lasting partnerships in collaboration with distinguished performing artists such as John Legend, Ice-T, will.i.am, Moby, John Rzeznik, Neon Trees, OK Go and actor Morgan Freeman. 

Founded in 1998, Beckerman’s Man Made Music has worked with global giants (Disney, Mercedes, Virgin), consumer brands (Lipton Brisk, Moet & Chandon), and television networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, Showtime, HBO, FOX, Discovery, FX, History Channel, A&E, HGTV, Cooking Channel, ESPN), and has been the sonic branding agency of record for AT&T for the last two years,

Bill Bergofin

SVP, Marketing, NBC Sports/NBC Sports Network

Throughout his 20-year career in the sports marketing industry, Bill Bergofin has been blazing his own path by combining creativity and unconventional thinking with the power of sport and passion of fans into every campaign he implements. His philosophy didn’t change when he jumped on the opportunity to join OLN in 2006 as SVP of marketing and promotions to rebrand the network to Versus, and then again in January of 2012 to the NBC Sports Network where Bergofin now oversees marketing for both NBC Sports broadcast and cable properties.

Seth Berkowitz

Executive Producer, Workshop Creative

Seth Berkowitz heads up television marketing at Workshop Creative, where he helped launch ABC's “Modern Family,” “Body of Proof,” “Happy Endings” and “Suburgatory,” as well as TV Land's “Hot in Cleveland.” Previously, Berkowitz played key roles in the launches and promotion of “Ugly Betty,” “Numbers,” “CSI: New York,” “CSI: Miami” and “Change of Heart.” Berkowitz also worked on the theatrical campaigns for such films as “Shrek,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “An Inconvenient Truth,” “Knocked Up” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” An active member of PromaxBDA for many years, Berkowitz has hosted sessions on movie marketing and career development and created the student competition Making the Cut.

Cynthia Biamon

Partner & GM, Los Angeles, Digital Kitchen

Cynthia Biamon is a partner at Digital Kitchen and GM of the Los Angeles office. Biamon currently oversees all operations and P&L for the office and serves as the account lead on the agency’s largest client relationship with AT&T’s U-verse entertainment business.

Biamon led Digital Kitchen's collaboration with AT&T to launch U-verse in 2006, one of the most ambitious multi-platform entertainment experiences in existence, providing content and interactivity across multiple screens. Today, the brand has grown as a premier entertainment destination with more than 4 million subscribers. Biamon and her team leverage Digital Kitchen’s unique strategic and creative offering that bridges the gap between content and marketing to drive subscriber engagement through award winning member channel programming and cutting-edge technology convergence.

Biamon arrived at Digital Kitchen in 2005 after more than a decade working in Hollywood. She served as president of Appian Way, a company she co-founded with actor Leonardo DiCaprio. There, she worked with numerous filmmakers in virtually every aspect of development, including contract negotiation with writers, directors and producers.

Prior to starting Appian Way, Biamon spent nearly five years at The Firm and its forerunner, Artists Management Group. During her talent management career she worked with clients such as Cameron Diaz, Benicio Del Toro, Martin Scorsese as well as DiCaprio. She also served as story editor at Jersey Films developing film projects with talent such as Steven Soderbergh and Andrew Niccol.

Biamon also spent time working with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in artist relations where she met composer John Williams and went on to work with him and his management.

Pedro Blanco

CCO, Blanco-Lorenz

Pedro Blanco is CCO of the specialized creative agency, Blanco-Lorenz. He is considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on cross-cultural media branding. Blanco is regularly called upon by America’s top media executives to solve strategic challenges of networks, stations, digital media, cable and satellite providers, and program distributors. His Miami-based studio has led major launch and relaunch initiatives, serving clients as diverse as Discovery Communications, Disney, Telemundo, Fox, Univision, Showtime, HBO, History, Syfy and others. He created original brands such as mun2 for NBCUniversal, “People+Arts” for the BBC and many more. An avid percussionist, Blanco is also involved in music, serving as producer of the critically-acclaimed album “Boomerang” for Calle 54 Records. He is a voting member of The Recording Academy and serves on the President's Advisory Council of The Latin Recording Academy.

Jeff Boddy

Creative Director, Spacejunk

Spacejunk creative director Jeff Boddy is a multi-talented director, designer and animator with more than a decade of experience in the motion design field. After freelancing with numerous Los Angeles-based studios including Imaginary Forces, Digital Kitchen, Stardust, Motion Theory, Royale, A52/Elastic, Roger, and Nylon, Boddy returned to Columbus to join Spacejunk as creative director. In addition to project leadership at Spacejunk, he serves as co-president of the Columbus Society of Communicating Arts, one of the oldest and largest independent design organizations in the country.

During his career, Boddy has contributed to compelling projects for Apple, Microsoft, HP, EA Sports, Sony PlayStation, Nike Golf, Nickelodeon, Syfy, Discovery Channel, NBC, Animal Planet, MLB, Time Warner, Toyota, Nissan, Dodge, NASCAR, Gillette, Wizards of the Coast and Nationwide. He has also lent his talent to film titles and trailers for the leading major motion picture studios. With each execution, Boddy considers strategy and creative approaches that serve clients’ end needs in form and function. In other words: "Chart the seas, craft the vessel, enchant the armada."

Ryan Bosworth

Creative Director, Pistolera

Ryan Bosworth began his career in advertising at Euro RSCG/DSW, gaining essential experience with brand and visual communication. Bosworth left agency life to start a motion design shop based in the heart of Santa Monica, CA. With his company, he creative directed and VFX directed for brands like L'Oreal, Nestle, Leapfrog and Gateway.

During the years at his post company, he broadened his skill set to all aspects of post production and visual effects, gaining him a unique balance of creative and technical execution. Bosworth's innovative visual style led to a career in directing. Bosworth's VFX directorial debut was first seen on MTV's “Making the Video” for Hawthorne Heights’ “Niki FM.” The video made the top 10 on “TRL.”

Bosworth's directorial debut brought forth Asobi Seksu "Goodbye" featured in “Digital Arts” magazine and Stash. Since then, he has directed music videos for Canadian artist Faunts and Island/Def Jam Records new artist The Urgency. Both videos can be seen on-air and online at MTV University. Bosworth has been featured online at industry standard sites such as Videostatic.com and Stash's FEED.

Recently, he completed a brand film for McCann Erickson's client Sungard. The piece was so well received that it was translated in multiple languages and seen around the world. His commercial directing has a unique blend of visual elegance and visual effects as seen on this year’s “Dancing With the Stars” TV promos. In his career he has worked with many top agencies and brands like Mercedes, Lexus, Dell, Samsung, Jeep, Spike TV and ABC, to name a few. Bosworth continues to expand his career in directing, and creative directing at Pistolera.

Jeffrey Bowman

Cross-Cultural Practice Lead, Ogilvy & Mather

Jeffrey Bowman leads the North American Cross-Cultural Practice at one of the largest advertising and communications agencies in the world, Ogilvy & Mather. Ogilvy’s cross-cultural approach is viewed as industry breakthrough because of their inside-outside strategy, “The New General Market” approach and client service model. Since launching the Cross-Cultural Practice in July 2011, they’ve nabbed client engagements with IKEA, British Airways, MetLife, Kodak, British Petroleum and SC Johnson. Bowman has partnered with John Seifert, president of Ogilvy North America and Donna Pedro, chief diversity officer of Ogilvy North America and created a new communications model that serves as a bridge for “general market” and “multicultural” marketing communications model into a “Total Market” communications model. The model has been celebrated in “The New York Times,” “Advertising Age,” “The Economist” and other industry publications and conferences.

Bowman brings more than 15 years of experience within marketing strategy, brand management, experience planning, channel strategy and marketing effectiveness with global brands within beverages [Pepsi-Cola, MillerCoors], consumer packaged goods [P&G, Whirlpool, Tabasco, Sara Lee, Kraft], retail [Sears, Gap] and technology [Dell, Lenovo, Time Warner Cable]. Still in its infancy, OgilvyCULTURE is recognized as a very promising practice for the agency. Ogilvy & Mather’s depth and diversity of talent has allowed Bowman to bring his experience to a space thirsty for innovation.

Dan Bragg

SVP, Marketing, science

Dan Bragg is VP of marketing for science and points up the strategic, brand and campaign development for series like “An Idiot Abroad” with Ricky Gervais, “Through the Wormhole” with Morgan Freeman and “Dark Matters” with John Noble. Prior to moving to science, he was VP creative director at Discovery Channel where he spearheaded all campaign and brand creative.

Matt Bunting

SVP Creative, The Sponsor Shop, Turner Entertainment Networks

Matt Bunting is SVP creative of The Sponsor Shop. In this role, Bunting supervises all custom sponsorship solutions for TNT and TBS.

Veva Burns

Designer, Framework LA

Veva Burns is a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico. As a child she was passionate about visual arts including drawing, painting, photography, media experimentation and even scripted home videos with her siblings that were completed with in-camera visual effects. Burns started on the path to becoming a motion graphics Jedi at Savannah College of Art and Design, where she was able to hone these passions into a craft.

Burns dove into the world of marketing, working on trailers for films such as “War of The Worlds” and “The Devil Wears Prada” as well as branding for the Discovery HD Theater channel. Since then Burns has worked as an art director at Framework LA, focusing her love of design and animation on creating title sequences and branding for projects such as “New Girl,” “Breakout Kings,” “Tenth Planet” and “Nitro Circus.”

Damon Burrell

VP, Consumer Marketing, MTV

Damon Burrell joined MTV in 2005, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and experience within the areas of marketing strategy, agency relationship management, business development, research, digital and traditional media integration, and content syndication. Over the last seven years Burrell has been focused on redefining MTV marketing strategy, helping build a social media ecosystem nearing 100 million engaged users, securing key strategic partnerships and executing integrated campaigns that resonate with the 18-34 audience. While working on everything from “Jersey Shore” to “Teen Wolf,” “Real World,” “16 & Pregnant,” “Teen Mom,” “Awkward,” “Movie Awards” and the “MTV Video Music Awards,” his efforts have resulted in some of the most valued rating successes on MTV, award-winning social media case studies and record breaking traffic on MTV.com.

Prior to joining MTV, Burrell served as group director at agency.com, where he led media, creative, campaign analytics, website development and account teams for the seven major network brands within Discovery Networks. While responsible for all interactive campaigns for the Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery Kids, Discovery Health, Science Channel and the Military Channel, his efforts helped clients reach increased viewership, brand association and industry recognition.

Burrell started his career in marketing more than 14 years ago at DDB Chicago. Moving from assistant account executive to account executive to account supervisor, Burrell helped multiple clients shape and execute their traditional communication plans. Burrell later moved to Ogilvy Chicago as an account director where he led integrated marketing campaigns for clients within the field of financial services, energy and telecommunications.

Billy Bush

Anchor, "Access Hollywood" & Co-Host, "Access Hollywood Live"

Named one of “Esquire” magazine's “10 Men," Billy Bush is anchor of the nationally syndicated daily entertainment newsmagazine, "Access Hollywood," which is now in its 16th season and provides the most fun, smart and comprehensive coverage of entertainment news and personalities on television. Bush is also co-host of the new daytime entertainment news talk show "Access Hollywood Live," now in its second season. The syndicated daily live show provides viewers with the latest celebrity dish, pop culture, Hollywood happenings and daily news.

Bush joined "Access Hollywood" as east coast correspondent in December 2001, was promoted as co-anchor in June 2004 and became anchor in 2009.

Through his role at "Access Hollywood," Bush has covered countless high-profile red carpet events including the Golden Globes, Grammys and Academy Awards as well as hosted ABC's live pre-show for the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Academy Awards and NBC’s live pre-show for the 2010 Emmy Awards. He has also reported the Olympic games for NBC since 2004.

Bush began in radio and returned to his roots in April 2008 with the launch of "The Billy Bush Show," a nationally syndicated talk and music radio show with Dial Global. The show, which airs evenings Monday-Friday, focuses on the top entertainment stories and personalities in the news and features celebrity guests and listener calls and has a weekly audience of 11 million listeners. The show can be heard in 128 markets across America including New York City and Los Angeles.

“Billy Bush's Weekend Countdown” is also on the airwaves, counting down the week's top 30 songs in a four-hour segment. In addition to radio, Dial Global is home to Bush's official website, BillyBushShow.com, an archival website where you can hear old interviews and see videos of interviews with celebrities.

Bush is also involved in philanthropic endeavors as he has served on Operation Smile's Board of Governors for more than six years, a nonprofit organization whose mission it is to repair childhood facial deformities, while building public and private partnerships that advocate for sustainable healthcare systems for children and families. In addition, Bush proudly serves on the Board of Directors for the Lollipop Theater Network, a nonprofit organization that arranges private screenings of newly released movies for children suffering from debilitating illnesses. These children are usually confined to hospitals or other secluded environments, preventing them from going to movie theaters.

Linda Button

Brand Personality Expert, Tooth+Nail

Linda Button is co-founder of Tooth+Nail, a boutique agency known for its unique approach to brand personality, inspiration and creativity. 

Button creates positions, taglines and campaigns for the biggest brands in entertainment. Her goal: to help clients, viewers and creative departments see themselves in a new light. 

A writer, speaker, and martial artist, Button says she always strives to kick butt.

Mark Caballero

Co-Founder, Screen Novelties

Mark Caballero and Seamus Walsh make up two-thirds of Screen Novelties, a collective of filmmakers specializing in stop-motion animation. Their early collaboration yielded cult favorites like “The Old Man & the Goblins” and “Graveyard Jamboree with Mysterious Mose.” A highlight in their career was collaborating with animation legend Ray Harryhausen to complete “The Tortoise & the Hare,” a film that Harryhausen had begun 50 years earlier. Along with producing partner Christopher Finnegan, Screen Novelties has directed commercials for clients such as Nike, McDonald’s and many other big shots. Screen Novelties was instrumental in setting up “Robot Chicken” for Adult Swim.

Caballero and Walsh recently directed a Christmas Special for Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants.” 

Mauricio Carrandi

General Director of Image and Advertising, Televisa

A marketing and corporate image specialist, Mauricio Carrandi develops brands from the ground up: from concept and design all the way to positioning the brand in the market through various strategies including advertising, BTL and brand stories.

In 1996 Carrandi founded Grao Comunicación, a company that created and developed brands using “The Compass,” a diagnosis and image strategy methodology that enriches marketing with basic semiotics and strategic business planning to increase the value of brands. In 2002 Televisa, the world’s foremost Spanish language media corporation, engaged the services of Grao and in 2005 Carrandi was hired as Televisa’s Deputy VP of image and advertising. Since June 2011 Carrandi has served as Televisa’s general director of image and advertising.

Carrandi heads a team dedicated to increasing the value of the company’s corporate brand in all its applications, on-air promotion, content launches, corporate campaigns, media central coordination, the image of the company’s four broadcast TV networks, photography and design department as well as offering creative, strategic, image and advertising services to Televisa’s subsidiary companies.

He complements his professional endeavors by working as an adviser to several NGOs such as Fundación Televisa, Fundación Teletón, Sexión Adolecente and Endeavor. He’s also a guest speaker at diverse forums and universities.

Chiqui Cartagena

VP, Corporate Marketing, Univision Communications, Inc.

Chiqui Cartagena is VP of corporate marketing for Univision Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America. She is responsible for developing and implementing corporate marketing strategies, positioning Univision’s broad portfolio of brands and creating proprietary consumer research for the company.

Cartagena is a Hispanic media and marketing pioneer with 25 years of experience developing, launching, and leading some of America’s most successful Spanish-language consumer magazines, including “People en Español.” Before Univision, she served as SVP of business development for story worldwide, a digital content marketing agency. Prior to that role, Cartagena was the managing director of Hispanic Ventures at Meredith where she developed integrated marketing programs for leading consumer brands, insurance companies and retail chains.

Cartagena’s career also includes previous roles as senior director of Columbia House’s Club Música Latina and GM of Hispanic at TV Guide. She also has more than 10 years of experience as a broadcast journalist, having previously worked in the news divisions of Univision and Telemundo.

In 2007, Cartagena was named the Hispanic Direct Marketing Professional of the Year by the Direct Marketing Association. She is the author of “Latino Boom! Everything You Need to Know to Grow Your Business in the U.S. Hispanic Market” and is working on a new book about Hispanics and the new American reality. She also serves on the board of the National Awards Committee of NATAS.

Albert Cheng

EVP & Chief Product Officer, Digital Media, Disney/ABC Television Group

As EVP and chief product officer of digital media for the Disney/ABC Television Group, Albert Cheng is charged with general management and strategic oversight of digital media, as well as development of ancillary revenue streams for Disney/ABC Television Group’s diverse portfolio of broadcast and cable networks, including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Daytime, ABC Family, Disney Channel and SOAPnet.

To that end, Cheng leads a team that oversees product development, marketing and operations for the Group’s digital media content platforms, including video-on-demand, broadband, Web-based and mobile platforms, as well as interactive television technologies.

With the release of the ABC Player in 2010, Cheng and the Disney/ABC Television Group added an important first to their array of technical innovations, becoming the first network to offer ad-supported full episodes on the iPad. The player was recently named the sixth most downloaded free iPad app of all time, and has now expanded to iPhone and iPod Touch. Other DATG firsts include being the first to offer full episodes on iTunes (October 2005); first to stream ad-supported full episodes online (May 2006); first to offer full episodes on demand on a mobile platform (with Sprint, May 2007); the first to stream episodes online in true 720p HD (Fall 2007); and the first to offer expert and user commentary with full episodes online (Fall 2009). Most recently, Cheng’s team was nominated for two 2011 Creative Arts Emmys, which they won for the Oscar Digital Experience.

Frank Chiocchi

EVP, Marketing, Walt Disney Company

For the past two decades, Frank Chiocchi has demonstrated a track record of success in his professional endeavors and has earned the well-deserved respect of his colleagues and co-workers.

Chiocchi began his career with a short stint in radio, both on-air and in ad sales, and then owned an advertising agency in Phoenix. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 1990, he went to work at CBS as an on-air writer-producer before moving to the ABC network in the same capacity.

Three years later Chiocchi segued into the world of feature film marketing by moving to Craig Murray Productions as a creative director, and in 1996 he opened up the westside branch of CMP now called mOcean, where he served as president and executive creative director.

Ten years ago, Chiocchi began a new and important chapter when he was named SVP of creative advertising for Universal Pictures, where he oversaw creative campaigns including both print and audio-visual efforts, for a wide variety of the studio's releases. In 2007 he was elevated to EVP of creative advertising at Universal, a position he held until March of 2011 when he left to take on an even greater strategic role as EVP of marketing at the Walt Disney Company, where Chiocchi is in charge of creative marketing for all live-action films.

Most recently he, along with SVP of creative advertising, John “Ibby” Ibsen, and the rest of the Disney marketing team, helped market and open “The Avengers” to a record shattering global opening.

Justin Cone

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Motionographer.com; Director of Special Operations, Psyop

Justin Cone is the founder and editor-in-chief of Motionographer.com, a leading blog sharing the best in motion design, animation, visual effects and digital storytelling. Founded in 2006, Motionographer.com garners more than 1 million visits per month and is run by a collective of more than 30 professionals working around the world.

Cone is also the director of special operations for Psyop, overseeing various initiatives that fall outside the normal scope of commercial production. Prior to joining Psyop, Cone worked in various capacities at NBCUniversal, Adobe, Apple and SCAD. Cone is also the co-founder of the biennial F5 creativity festival in NYC.

Jeff Conrad

Managing Director, The Council

Jeff Conrad can see inside the mind of the consumer – and he knows exactly how to give them what they want. 

Conrad’s reputation as a media-branding expert is so broad that everyone wants a piece of him: he appears frequently on TV and radio and is a seasoned speaker on the global conference circuit. So, really, it was only a matter of time before he realized he needed to strike out on his own – and so The Council was born. 

Previously business director at Red Bee Media and head of design at the BBC’s in-house creative division, Conrad has a long and successful track record of leading effective, award winning work. His foresight and unique knowledge of media brands, digital innovation and consumer insight has led to some pretty flashy success stories. 

In the UK, Conrad led the teams that delivered the ITV network rebrand, the multi-platform re-launch of BBC Three, the launch of Dave, which preceded the entire UKTV network rebrand, and the rebrand of Virgin1. 

In Europe Conrad has worked with brands big and small, public and commercial, including Canal+, Telecom Italia, Discovery EMEA, Red Bull, VRT, NPO, Sky Italia, Belgacom, ERT and Disney EMEA. His global reach has extended to clients such as CCTV in China, NineX News in India, and ADMC in Abu Dhabi. 

Recent projects at The Council include a new digital strategy for BAFTA, the rebrand of Finnish Public Service News, Current Affairs and Sport (Yle), a raft of channels for Star India (including Life OK), the launch film for the BBC’s global iPlayer as well as branding a few restaurants and banks and creating some campaigns for high profile charities along the way. 

Kyle Cooper

Director Designer, Prologue

Kyle Cooper has directed and produced hundreds of film titles and VFX sequences. “Details” magazine credits Cooper with "almost single-handedly revitalizing the main title sequence as an art form." Cooper founded Prologue Films in 2003, a finalist in the 2008 National Design Awards, and named and co-founded Imaginary Forces in 1996.

From 1988 to 1996 he was creative director at R/Greenberg Associates in New York and Los Angeles. Cooper has five Emmy Award nominations and one win for his work on the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

Terry Curtin

President, Theatrical Marketing, Relativity Media

Terry Curtin is Relativity Media’s president of theatrical marketing where she oversees the planning, strategy and execution of marketing campaigns for all theatrical releases.

Since joining Relativity, Curtin has shepherded the marketing campaigns for such films as the visually-stunning 3D epic adventure “Immortals” as well as the adrenaline-fueled Navy SEAL box office hit “Act of Valor,” which both took the No. 1 spots when they debuted in theatres. Curtin also led the marketing campaign for the family comedy “Mirror Mirror.” Curtin is currently working on the upcoming chilling thriller “House At The End of the Street,” as well as the comedy “21 and Over,” the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling novel “Safe Haven,” the high-stakes thriller “Paranoia” and the gritty dramatic thriller currently-titled “Out of the Furnace.”

A seasoned marketing veteran, Curtin has contributed to some of the motion picture industry’s most successful film marketing campaigns. She came to Relativity from the Cimarron Group, where she served as co-president of entertainment at the full service marketing agency. Curtin produced creative advertising elements for feature film and television campaigns, business development, corporate branding, and client relations, in addition to the oversight of more than 150 employees. In addition to launching a strategy arm of the agency, Cimarron Strategic Solutions, Curtin contributed to the successful campaigns such as “X-Men,” “Monsters vs. Aliens,” “Gran Torino,” “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Invictus,” “The Fourth Kind,” “GI Joe” and The Twilight Saga (“Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse”) as well as numerous others.

Curtin's diverse experience has given her hands on expertise in many aspects of feature film marketing, including print and audio visual creative advertising, publicity, digital and social media, creative content, research, media, in-home entertainment, corporate partnerships, and corporate branding. Throughout her career she has contributed to campaigns ranging from such blockbuster hits as “The Rock,” “101 Dalmatians,” “Ransom,” “The Mummy,” “Die Hard,” “American Pie,” “Meet the Parents” and “Goldeneye,” to critically acclaimed Oscar-winning films like “A Beautiful Mind,” “Erin Brockovich” and “Leaving Las Vegas.”

In addition, Curtin’s entertainment marketing experience has included prominent roles in the marketing departments for Universal, Disney and 20th Century Fox. In 2002, she was named president of marketing and distribution for Revolution Studios, where she oversaw marketing campaigns for such critical and box office successes as “XXX,” “13 Going on 30,” “Punch-Drunk Love,” “Maid in Manhattan” and “Anger Management.”

In 2004, she moved to Intralink Film Graphic Design where, as CEO/creative director, she contributed to such well-respected creative campaigns as “American Gangster,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “Iron Man” and the CW's “Gossip Girl,” as well as campaigns for such critical acclaimed films as “The Namesake,” “Young at Heart” and “The Kite Runner.” Curtin left Intralink to join the Cimarron Group in September of 2008.

As a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Publicists Guild and the AEMA (Association of Entertainment Marketing Agencies), Curtin also serves on the board of the John Wayne Cancer Society Auxiliary.

Rick Dascher

Executive Director, The Sponsor Shop, Turner Entertainment Networks

The Sponsor Shop is Turner Entertainment’s full-service internal creative agency that produces industry-leading sponsorships and promotions for its advertisers in partnership with its ad sales colleagues. The Sponsor Shop is dedicated to creating best-in-class custom content that connects clients’ brands with those of TBS and TNT. For Rick Dascher, this means ensuring his team’s work leaves a lasting impression on every viewer.

Outside of work, Dascher is equally committed to volunteering with Camp Sunshine, an organization that offers year-round programs for children with cancer. Aside from spending a week there every June for summer camp, Dascher also helps them with video projects throughout the year.

He is also a member of the Ambassador team for PromaxBDA. In this capacity he’s proud to share the wonderful work of PromaxBDA with its Atlanta members.

Allen DeBevoise

Chairman & CEO, Machinima, Inc.

Allen DeBevoise is the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Machinima, Inc., the dominant video entertainment network for serious gamers around the world. Machinima’s global content network features official content from game publishers, television networks and film studios, fan-created gameplay videos and original content, including more than 20 original weekly shows and “prime time” live-action episodic series, all aimed at the coveted 18–34 year-old male demographic. The No. 1 entertainment channel on YouTube, Machinima reaches more than 168 million viewers monthly, and delivers 1.6 billion video views per month, and growing.

Under DeBevoise’s guidance, Machinima has become a major force in reaching core video gamers and young entertainment consumers, because the company is at the cutting edge of online video entertainment and the changing experience of gaming. It also enjoys a massive, global and highly engaged audience.

DeBevoise served on the board of directors of LowerMyBills.com and True/Slant through their respective acquisitions, and currently serves on the board of Dealer.com. He is also an active angel investor in several early stage technology and consumer Internet companies.

Before Machinima, DeBevoise was president and CEO of TCI Interactive and co-founded Creative Planet, an online resource for film and television production professionals. DeBevoise was featured on “The Hollywood Reporter’s” Digital Power List and was recognized as one of “Digital Media Wire’s” 25 Executives to Watch.

Simon Dixon

Co-Founder, DixonBaxi

Simon Dixon is a co-founding Partner of DixonBaxi, an independent creative agency working with some of the world’s most-interesting companies across TV, advertising, print, digital and the ways they overlap.

Through DixonBaxi Dixon has forged a reputation as one of the leading creative practitioners of branding, design and their roles across all platforms. His work for brands including Formula 1, Sony, Viacom, NBC Universal, Last.fm, COI, Fremantle and Nokia currently reach more than 1 billion people across Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and Australia.

As well as being a regular international speaker on creativity Dixon is frequently asked to judge international design awards. He is also highly awarded for his work including D&AD, Design Week Awards and five Broadcast Design Association Gold medals.

Prior to founding DixonBaxi Dixon worked as group creative director for the brand agency ATTIK. From their beginnings in Huddersfiled, Dixon opened studios in London, New York and San Francisco. He built their US operation from startup to a business turning over $40m a year. In the process he won major clients including Microsoft, Ford, MTV, Nike, Levis and Adidas.

Tripp Dixon

VP, Creative Services, NBC Sports

Tripp Dixon came to Versus as VP of creative services in December 2009, following nearly two decades as a creative leader in front of and behind the camera for some of the biggest names and brands in the media industry. Most recently, as creative director of HBO Sports, Dixon oversaw redesigns of the award-winning programs “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” and “World Championship Boxing,” and supervised the opens, specialty shoots, and looks for several of the network’s acclaimed documentaries. Dixon has expanded his role, taking on rebranding of the NBC Sports Network and NBC Sports on-air look, and most recently directed the open with Faith Hill for Super Bowl XLVI on NBC.

Brian Dollenmayer

EVP, On-Air Promotion and Marketing Operations, Fox Broadcasting Company

Brian Dollenmayer was named EVP, on-air promotion and marketing operations in September 2011. His responsibilities include oversight of all creative and operations for on-air promotion and radio. Dollenmayer began his career in production at WTTE, the FOX affiliate in Columbus, OH, in the fall of 1986, and was promoted to writer/producer two years later. From 1991-1994, he worked in Indianapolis, IN, as a writer/producer/director. Leaving the Midwest, Dollenmayer moved to California and came to FOX and was hired in April 1994 as a writer/producer. Over the past 19 years, he has worked his way through the ranks from manager to his current position and has guided the launches for such hit shows as “Ally McBeal,” “American Idol,” “24,” “House,” “Glee,” “New Girl” and “The Following.” 

Chris Donovan

SVP, Creative On-Air & Online, The CW

Chris Donovan is the award-winning SVP for the creative and special projects department at The CW Television Network, where he oversees the network's on-air creative team and overall on-air environment and direction. He was instrumental in the initial launch of The CW as well as on-going episodic promotion for series such as "Gossip Girl," "90210," "America's Next Top Model," "Smallville" and "Supernatural."

Ryan Donovan

VP, Marketing & Operations, NBC Sports/NBC Sports Network

Ryan Donovan is VP of marketing and operations for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus). In this position, Donovan is responsible for network brand strategy, consumer marketing, advertising and on-air strategic planning. Donovan oversees the development of campaigns for the National Hockey League, the Tour de France, Major League Soccer, Indycar and NBC Sports Originals. During his tenure, Donovan has been credited with an Emmy Award, 48 PromaxBDA Awards including 2011 Agency of the Year, and four PromaxBDA Sports Media Marketing Awards including a Titanium Award in 2011.

Prior to NBC Sports, Donovan was VP of marketing at SS+K, a Manhattan-based advertising agency. At SS+K, Donovan led marketing consulting for various clients including Anheuser-Busch, Citibank, Time Warner Cable and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He was integral to the development of the yellow Livestrong wristband that generated $70+ million for cancer survivors during the summer of 2005.

Previously, as marketing and communications manager at Fox Sports Net, Donovan oversaw advertising, media and public relations for the Boston Celtics, New England Revolution and Hockey East. Donovan began his career at Streetball Partners International (NBC Sports) and the National Football League. Donovan is a 2009 graduate of Comcast’s Executive Leadership Forum, is co-founder of the Ivy League Sports Business Network and spent three years on the board of the Sports Business Club at Wharton.

Michelle Dougherty

Director, Imaginary Forces

Michelle Dougherty is a director, creative director and designer based out of Imaginary Forces' LA office. Dougherty's body of work in main title design includes such sequences as those for HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” and “Band of Brothers” – both of which earned her an Emmy nomination – the new Starz show “Magic City,” “The Legend of Zorro,” “K-Pax,” “The Number 23” and “Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.”

In the world of advertising, she has directed spots and campaigns for such major brands as United Healthcare, Infiniti, Pontiac, Lexus, Dove, Microsoft, Nike, and Nokia.

Recognized by the AIGA and Art Directors Club; featured in numerous publications including Communication Arts, Step Inside Design, Creativity, and IdN Magazine; and acknowledged in the websites Art of the Title and Forget the Film: Watch the Titles, Dougherty continues to push herself and seek new opportunities for beautiful storytelling.

As such, Dougherty’s work was recently featured in the Graphic Design: Now in Production show at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York.

Joe Earley

COO, Fox Broadcasting Company
PromaxBDA Co-Chair & PR Committee Chair

Joe Earley is responsible for all Fox marketing functions, including on-air and off-air promotion and advertising, national media, national promotions, content production and affiliate marketing. He also oversees all aspects of entertainment publicity, corporate communications and talent relations, as well as creative services, the company’s internal corporate marketing, promotion and special projects arm.

Earley was formerly the EVP of marketing and communications and has also held roles at Fox as EVP of publicity, corporate communications and creative services; SVP, publicity and corporate communications; and VP, entertainment publicity. He also spent several years as director of publicity after joining the network in 1994 as a senior publicist.
 
Before joining Fox, Earley spent several years in media relations at HBO. He began his entertainment career in production and development with producer Gale Anne Hurd. 
 
In 2008, Broadcasting & Cable magazine honored Earley with the prestigious Brand Builders Award, and he was named to the PromaxBDA Board of Directors.

Sam Ewen

Co-Founder/President, The Supertouch Group

For the last 20 years Sam Travis Ewen has been actively involved in the experiential marketing world, conceiving alternative word-of-mouth and buzz-building campaigns for a diverse roster of brands, movements and services. In February 2001 he started his own agency, Interference Inc., focused on creating high-impact, results driven campaigns for traditional brands.

For years Ewen was unable to execute his creative ideas for clients based on the restrictions of commercial technology, in 2007 he partnered with Alpay Kasal to form The Supertouch Group. A collective of programmers, designers, fabricators and creative thinkers, Supertouch focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the study, planning and design of the interaction points between people and technology.

Supertouch has been an early entrant into the growing area of experiential technology, and primarily focuses on how best to execute those tactics for communication, connection and unique branded experience.

Scott Falzone

Head of Industry, Media & Entertainment, Google

Scott Falzone is head of industry for media and entertainment at Google, focused on marketing and media solutions for advertisers in the television and e-media categories. Prior to joining Google six years ago, Falzone was a VP at Reed Business Information, the leading US business-to-business publisher and a division of Reed Elsevier. While at Reed, Falzone was responsible for online/search business development and strategy, working with a host of global digital businesses including “Variety,” MarketCast, “LA411” and “Broadcasting & Cable,” and served as GM of two startup search engines.  

Joe Flint

Staff Writer, “Los Angeles Times”

“Los Angeles Times” staff writer Joe Flint is a veteran entertainment industry reporter who has covered all aspects of the media landscape over the course of his more than two decades on the beat. Prior to joining the “Los Angeles Times” in 2009, Flint spent seven years as a staff reporter at “The Wall Street Journal.” Before that he was a senior editor at “Entertainment Weekly” and television editor of “Daily Variety.” Flint has covered the business from Capitol Hill, Wall Street and Hollywood.

Scott Friedman

Creative Director, Wildlife

Scott Friedman is creative director at Wildlife, a digital creative agency based in Los Angeles, CA. Its job titles say designer, animator and developer, but they prefer the names dreamers, thinkers and innovators. Wildlife creates the experiences, products and platforms that help forward-thinking brands build meaningful connections with consumers.

Alan Friel

Partner, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP

Alan L. Friel is a partner in the intellectual property department of Edwards Wildman and chair of its media and technology practice group. Friel is a thought leader regarding convergence legal issues – the property, liability and regulatory implications at the evolving intersections between media, marketing, technology, distribution, commerce, privacy and communication brought about by the ongoing digital revolution. He also regularly addresses complex intellectual property and business issues for a broad range of traditional industries, including research and development, licensing, financing, acquisitions, distribution, sales representative relationships, manufacturing, outsourcing, labeling, warranty matters and joint ventures. 

A sought-after speaker and counselor regarding practical application of substantive legal issues, Friel is most proud of his long affiliation as an assistant professor in a multi-disciplinary project at the Graduate School of TV, Film and Digital Media at UCLA where he helps groom the next generation of new media lawyers, executives and creatives. Friel has been contributing to the development of the legal and business paradigms of cyberspace since the days of CD-Rom and bulletin board services. He negotiated the first experimental Internet production agreements with traditional Hollywood talent unions – SAG, DGA and WGA – in the 1990s. 

Friel continues to be on the cutting edge of emerging media, crafting alliances between TV producers and distributors and online services, and between big brands and social game publishers and app developers. From major acquisitions to specific campaigns and basic online or mobile presence, Friel brings the experience and foresight necessary to help companies and entrepreneurs navigate the compelling, but complex, opportunities disruptive technology creates.

Manny Gonzalez

Creative Director, Thirdeye Design Group

Manny Gonzalez began his career as a motion animator for CPN Design Studios in Clearwater, Florida where he helped create its new broadcast animation division. Two years later Gonzalez moved back to Miami and developed his reputation as a leader in the motion graphics industry as the design director for USA Broadcasting Networks. There he was responsible for the on-air look of five affiliate stations in Miami, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas and New York.

After USA Broadcasting sold its stations, Gonzalez decided to head out on his own and founded Thirdeye Design Group in 1999. Together with his team, Manny has created brands for the NFL Network, ABC, DIY Network, TLC, The Independent Film Channel, NBC and the Miami Heat, to name a few. Thirdeye has received many creative industry awards including Emmys, Broadcast Design Awards, PromaxBDA Awards, AIGA and Tellys for their creative work.

Sarah Goodnow

VP, Civic Entertainment Group

Sarah Goodnow is a VP at Civic Entertainment Group in New York City, responsible for managing the agency’s HBO, NBC and TNT accounts. Throughout her seven-year tenure at CEG, Goodnow has overseen notable and award-winning partnership campaigns with blue chip brands such as W Hotels, Virgin America, Barnes & Noble, Bloomingdale’s, Canadian Club, Harrah’s Entertainment, LivingSocial and Whole Foods. Most recently, she has collaborated with clients to create an experiential stunt with JetBlue, and launched digital campaigns with Seamless, Marmot and Rue La La.

Goodnow previously worked on the History Channel team responsible for the network’s landmark partnerships with the White House and the City of New York. Prior to CEG, she learned the nuances of traditional advertising working on the AT&T Wireless and Time Warner Cable accounts at Ogilvy & Mather, where she began her career.

Ann Marie Granite

Senior Director of Consumer Marketing, Lifetime Networks

Ann Marie Granite is the senior director of consumer marketing for Lifetime Networks. She leads her team in developing off-air consumer marketing campaigns and strategy including social media, as well as print, outdoor and digital creative development for all of the network’s programming. Prior to Lifetime, Granite worked at History in a similar role which included the network's rebrand phase in 2008. Granite also has previous experience on the agency-side with accounts such as HBO, Gillette, Masterfoods and MTV Networks.   

Melissa Grego

Executive Editor, “Broadcasting & Cable”

Melissa Grego is an L.A.-based journalist with expertise in the entertainment business. Grego is executive editor of “Broadcasting & Cable,” providing day-to-day leadership of the publication’s print, digital and live events initiatives while writing trend-setting news and analysis. Grego launched “Broadcasting & Cable” events Keynotes & Cocktails: Women of Hollywood in 2010 and Women of New York in 2011. The annual, off-the-record gatherings feature rare access to some of the biggest names in TV, media and entertainment.

Grego previously held positions at ‘The Hollywood Reporter,” “TelevisionWeek” and “Variety.” A frequent public speaker, she has provided commentary on CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, among others, and hosted live industry events around the world.

Mike Hais

Partner, Mike & Morley, LLC

With his partner Morley Winograd, Mike Hais, Ph.D., is a consultant, author, speaker and on-air pundit delivering candid, informed insights on engaging Millennials.

Co-author of two highly acclaimed books, “Millennial Momentum” (2011) and “Millennial Makeover” (2008), Hais spent much of his career with Frank N. Magid Associates. As VP of entertainment research, he conducted audience research for hundreds of television stations, cable channels, and program producers in the US and abroad.

Based in Los Angeles, Hais is a regular contributor to publications as varied as “The Christian Science Monitor,” Huffington Post and “Politico.”

Rick Haskins

EVP, Marketing & Digital Programs, The CW

Rick Haskins was named EVP, marketing and brand strategy, The CW, on February 21, 2006. Haskins reports directly to Mark Pedowitz, president of The CW.

Haskins has enjoyed a 27-year career in marketing to both consumer and trade on No. 1 brands across a diverse field of industries. At The CW, he is responsible for the ongoing support and management of the network’s brand identity across all media platforms, extending from on-air to online to mobile. Supervising The CW’s entire marketing department, Haskins oversees all phases of marketing for the network, including on-air promotion, off-net media buying, creative advertising and new media initiatives. In addition, he’s been integral in establishing and expanding The CW’s online presence, building traffic to the network website (cwtv.com) from scratch at its launch in 2006 to 5.4 million unique monthly visitors just three years later.

Upon joining The CW prior to its debut, Haskins’s top priority was the formulation of the network’s launch campaign and initial brand image. As the network’s identity has evolved over the years, he has overseen the development and execution of various innovative network image campaigns, including “Free 2 B” and the current “TV to Talk/Text/Blog/IM About,” as well as the highly successful campaigns for individual series, including “Gossip Girl,” “90210” and “The Vampire Diaries.”

Prior to The CW, Haskins had served as EVP/GM for Lifetime Television. During his tenure at Lifetime, Haskins was an instrumental part of the team that helped the network become the highest-rated basic cable entity on television. Haskins elevated the network’s "Television for Women" slogan to new heights after joining the company in 1999, making it one of the best-known brands in cable.

Previously, Haskins helmed his own marketing consulting company, The Haskins Group, from 1996-99. He held a variety of positions for The Walt Disney Company from 1988-96, including VP, marketing, Buena Vista Television and director of development, reality programming, Buena Vista Television. During his eight-year stint there, he helped market such hits as "Regis and Kathy Lee," "Golden Girls" and "Home Improvement." From 1982-88, Haskins was a brand manager with Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, overseeing premium packaged good brands like Crest and Vidal Sassoon hair care products. 

Blake Hazard

Artist, The Submarines

Blake Hazard is part of the band The Submarines, whose song “Fire” is now featured on an Amazon Kindle ad. Hazard released a solo album titled "Little Airplane" in 2002 The album can still be obtained on Kimchee's website or through The Submarines Web store. Hazard is also the great-granddaughter of American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald

Kevin Hill

Creative Director, The Council

Kevin Hill believes good brands make life better. Throughout his career, he has been able to work on brands across multiple sectors, both in-house and out-of-house, domestic and international. From being part of the team that brought the Dave channel to life, to directing a series of international brand films for Discovery Networks and more recently working on Life OK, one of Star India's most ambitious channel launches, Hill has designed, directed and written with some amazing talents across the globe. 

Gordon Ho

CEO, GKH Media; President, MyMovieDeals.com
Chair, PromaxBDA Research & Insights Committee

Gordon Ho is the current CEO of GKH Media, an entertainment and media consultancy, and president of MyMovieDeals.com, a platform providing moviegoers with valuable savings. He serves as chair of the PromaxBDA Research & Insights Committee and is the former EVP and head of worldwide content, marketing and business development at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. 

Ho is on the advisory board of several new media startups including i.TV, the No. 1 second screen TV guide application; Rixty, an online game currency platform; and Simulmedia, a targeted TV advertising solution.

Lee Hunt

Principal, Lee Hunt LLC

Lee Hunt is founder of Lee Hunt LLC, a New York-based consultancy focusing on brand strategy, on-air architecture/audience retention, competitive analysis and personnel training for television networks and media companies. 

Hunt is a strategist, trainer and curator of best practices. His success in launching and positioning channel brands, as well as his pioneering work in audience management, has set many of the standards for our industry. 

Hunt began his career on the client side in the 1980s, launching and branding Lifetime, VH1 and TNT. In the ‘90s he founded one of TV’s most successful creative services agencies, Lee Hunt Associates. In 1999, he sold LHA to the digital services company Razorfish. In 2001 Hunt launched the strategic consultancy, Lee Hunt LLC.

Hunt holds the distinction of working with more television brands around the world than any other strategist. Consequently, his annual round up of New Best Practices at PromaxBDA is considered the “must attend” session of the conference. Hunt is also the author of “Fundamentals of Television Advertising & Promotion” and “Break|Throughs,” the quarterly anthology of innovative advertising and promotion.

Liz Huszarik

SVP, Warner Bros. Media Research and Insights

Liz Huszarik serves as EVP of media research. In this post she serves as the No. 1 executive at one of the industry’s premier media research operations. Huszarik oversees the daily operation and supervision of Warner Bros.’ 31-member research staff. Her areas of responsibility include domestic TV and cable distribution, digital business development and sales research, insight and trend research as well media sales. She co-chairs oversight of Warner Bros. Studios’ state-of-the-art, in-house Media Lab, an emerging technology consumer testing center. Huszarik also has “hands on” responsibility in key financial and revenue analysis.

For the past 15 years, Huszarik has taught a course on research and programming at California State University, Northridge and has also taught courses on the same subject matter for the acclaimed UCLA Extension Program. In addition, Huszarik is involved in many industry and TW corporate activities. Huszarik is a member of CTAM, IAB and Nielsen’s A2M2 Portable Device committee. Huszarik is also an active member of the Time Warner Research Council and its conference organizing committee. Huszarik is a 21-year veteran of the company, joining in April 1990.

Andrew Jarosz

Co-Author, “Uncorking the Muse: Alcohol Intoxication Facilitates Creative Problem Solving”

Andrew Jarosz is a co-author of “Uncorking the Muse: Alcohol Intoxication Facilitates Creative Problem Solving.” Jarosz is a graduate student in cognitive psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, studying attention, creativity and problem solving. Recently, his work has focused on the effects of alcohol on creativity and cognition.

Atiba Jefferson

Photographer, Musician, Skateboarder

Atiba Jefferson picked up his first camera in high school. With a passion for skateboarding and photography, he combined the two and started submitting photos to “Transworld Skateboarding” Magazine, which led to him moving out west in 1995 to pursue the California Dream. Within six months Jefferson was able to obtain a job assisting one of skateboarding's pioneer photographers, Grant Britain, who taught him everything he needed to know about light and dodging flying skateboards. This led to a staff position at “Transworld,” giving him the chance to travel the world skateboarding and taking pictures.

A big basketball fan, Jefferson was able to score a great opportunity assisting Andrew D. Bernstein, one of the NBA's greatest photographers and Los Angeles Lakers team photographer. Bernstein taught Jefferson a whole new world of lighting and capturing action, at the same time gave him valuable experience in portraiture and taught him how to be a professional. Jefferson now shoots freelance for the NBA, Slam, XXL, Nike and éS. In 2003 Jefferson resigned from “Transworld,” and with a group of friends started a magazine called “The Skateboard Mag,” which just celebrated its 100th issue.

Susan Johnson

Entertainment Marketing Lead, TV Vertical, Facebook

Susan Johnson is the Entertainment Marketing Lead for the TV vertical at Facebook. Susan has focused on entertainment marketing for 3 years, creating effective, long-term strategies that position Facebook as a critical and foundational to TV and film marketing. With a focus on providing relevant insights, strategies, partnerships, and compelling solutions, Susan is charged with strategically growing and building Facebook’s footprint and relationships in the entertainment space. 

Ellen Kahn

Co-Founder & Partner, TWINART, Inc.

Ellen Kahn is an Emmy Award-winning creative director and co-founding partner of the bicoastal TWINART, Inc. Her design innovation has shaped, launched and refreshed entertainment brands including “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “The Talk,” “Rachael Ray,” The CW, Lifetime, WE tv, Momlogic.com and Tyrashow.com. Kahn has executive produced and directed documentaries, commercials, marketing campaigns and webisodes featuring celebrities and real people. Susan Sarandon, Rosie O’Donnell, Vanessa Williams and Pee-wee Herman are amongst the A-list talent she has directed. An artist as well, Kahn’s work has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Currently, Kahn is a Governor for the Emmys, representing the Title Design Peer Group.

Lynda Kahn

Co-Founder & Partner, TWINART, Inc.

Lynda Kahn is an Emmy Award-winning designer, director, artist and co-founding partner at bicoastal TWINART, Inc. As a team leader, she has built and refreshed entertainment brands for CBS, AOL, ABC, FOX, Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount, Disney and Condé Nast. Kahn has received an Emmy for the Ellen DeGeneres Show and BDA Gold Awards for Arrested Development, Polaroid Shoot and Full Frontal Fashion. Kahn is a member of the Director’s Guild of America and The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, where she served as Governor representing the Title Design Peer Group 2008-2011. Kahn is also adjunct faculty at Otis College of Art and Design 2007-2012.

Susan Kantor

EVP, Marketing, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

Susan Kantor serves as EVP of marketing for Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution (WBDTD), one of the industry’s leading distributors of entertainment programming to the domestic television marketplace.

An award-winning and highly-respected marketer, Kantor joined the Studio in 2006 as SVP of marketing, for WBDTD and Telepictures. In October 2008, following the integration of the former Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution division and its sales and marketing operations into WBDTD to form a single domestic television distribution organization, Kantor was promoted to her current position.

WBDTD licenses first-run and off-network series from the Studio’s vast collection, and theatrical motion pictures to all television outlets in the US, including local broadcast stations and broadcast networks, basic and pay cable and satellite services, as well as digital platforms.

In her role, Kantor is responsible for all trade and consumer marketing and advertising campaigns for WBDTD’s programming. In addition, she supports pre-sales efforts for WBDTD and Warner Bros. Brand Networks, which handles media sales for WBDTD’s series. She also oversees affiliate marketing, working closely with local broadcast groups and stations on all shows.

During her tenure at the Studio, Kantor has been responsible for the syndicated launch of “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men,” the two highest-rated off-net comedies on television. Kantor also created the launch campaign for “TMZ,” which was the number one new strip of its freshman season and remains the number one entertainment magazine in syndication among key young adult demos.

Prior to joining Warner Bros, Kantor was SVP of marketing and creative, at Twentieth Television, where she oversaw the marketing of an extensive list of off-net and first-run programming and several series launches, including "24" “Malcolm in the Middle,” “The Bernie Mac Show” and “Judge Alex.” Before that, she was creative director at MTV Networks’ VH1 cable network, where she was responsible for channel branding, program promotion and campaigns for several high-profile special events, including “The Concert for New York City,” “Divas Las Vegas” and “The VH1 Video Awards.”

Previously, Kantor held senior marketing posts at USA Networks/Studios USA, Universal Television and Paramount Television.

Alpay Kasal

Co-Founder/Chief Technologist, The Supertouch Group

Alpay Kasal, a visual artist, engineer and hacker, co-founded The Supertouch Group as a way to create and develop unique projects and solutions to a broad audience. Kasal’s passion is to find the perfect hybrid point between art, technology and user experience in uniquely personal ways.

Beyond the client projects that he has spearheaded, his personal creative work has been featured as part of the Conflux festival, the Engage conference and the A.R.E conference and he has also created visual experiences for the David Bowie curated Highline Festival, musical group CocoRosie and a variety of immersive art experiences.

Marilyn Kass

Brand Personality Expert, Tooth+Nail

Marilyn Kass is a brand personality expert at Tooth+Nail, a creative agency known for award-winning campaigns, branding and kick-ass workshops. If it involves marketing or entertainment, Kass has been there and done it well. Her clients? Take a look at a channel lineup. That’s pretty much it. Writer, speaker and former performance artist, Kass produces campaigns, workshops and happiness. 

Pamela Kaufman

CMO, Nickelodeon Networks

Pamela Kaufman is the CMO for Nickelodeon Networks. A pioneer in the ever-changing kids marketing space, she has created new and innovative marketing programs that have helped position Nickelodeon as the No. 1 entertainment network for kids for 16 consecutive years. Kaufman is responsible for all marketing efforts for the many businesses of Nickelodeon, including television, digital, consumer products, as well as the Nickelodeon Networks brands TeenNick, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr. and Nicktoons, and works closely with Nickelodeon International to bring the best marketing practices to the rest of the company on a global basis.

As Nickelodeon’s strategic liaison to all of its marketing partners, Kaufman is constantly finding new ways to bring the Nickelodeon brand to life. Her marketing programs have helped extend Nickelodeon’s relationship and brand awareness to both kids and parents. She has been instrumental in growing Nickelodeon’s music brand, helping to broker a partnership with Sony Music Label Group, in which the two companies have co-developed and co-produced television projects such as live-action hits “Big Time Rush” and “Victorious,” and CD releases including “Elevate,” the recently released sophomore effort from international music sensation “Big Time Rush,” and the “Victorious” series soundtrack.

Kaufman keeps her finger on the pulse of what kids and families want with her top-notch consumer insights group and ratings research teams. She also oversees integrated marketing for TeenNick, Nick Jr., Nicktoons and Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group’s digital brands such as Nick.com and TeenNick.com, among others, as well as their advertising and multicultural marketing efforts. Kaufman is responsible for the property planning for the networks’ show launches and existing hit shows, including: “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “iCarly,” “Big Time Rush,” “Victorious,” “The Penguins of Madagascar,” “Dora the Explorer” and the newest addition to Nickelodeon’s hit animation roster, “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.” Partnering with the Nickelodeon’s Recreation and Events teams, she spearheads the marketing behind brand extensions into the family market with projects like Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America and Nickelodeon at Sea and Nickelodeon All Access Cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line.

In celebration of “Dora the Explorer’s” 10th Anniversary, Kaufman and her team developed partnerships with NYC & Company to have Dora featured as New York City’s “family ambassador” with the character included on kid-friendly itineraries inspired by the pint-sized explorer. “Designing Spaces” also threw the Ultimate Dora Birthday Party, and Food Network’s “Cake Challenge” aired a special episode where chefs competed to create the best “Dora”-themed cake.

Her team spearheaded the marketing campaign behind Nickelodeon’s preschool pro-social campaign, “Beyond the Backpack,” which champions overall school readiness. In support of this initiative, she secured a partnership with Macy’s Herald Square in New York City to display 12 celebrity-designed, “Dora”-inspired backpacks in one of the store windows. Celebrities who designed the backpacks included Shakira, LeBron James, Salma Hayek-Pinault, Matthew McConaughey and more, and were auctioned off on CharityBuzz.com. Proceeds from the auction benefited the Children's Defense Fund (CDF), one of “Beyond the Backpack’s” Advisory Committee members, which funded school readiness programs. In addition, Kaufman’s team has also secured Dora’s participation in various multicultural events including: National Council of La Raza Family Expo; Junta Hispana Festivals in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami and New York; and the Mexican Independence Day Festival.

Kaufman has been recognized by the marketing community as a true innovator in her field and has received several awards including “Advertising Age’s” Entertainment Marketer of the Year in 2002, “Brandweek’s” 1999 Grand Marketer of the Year, and the Marketer of the Year in 1998 and 1995 from “Promo Magazine.” Additionally, under her leadership the Nickelodeon Brand Marketing team was awarded the 2007 NAMIC Excellence in Multicultural Marketing.

Before joining MTV Networks, Kaufman honed her marketing skills at Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., as VP of promotions. During her time with the company she established the Promotions Group within TBS’s Licensing and Merchandising division, led the promotional efforts for corporate initiatives like “The Flintstones” and “Johnny Quest,” and established the first global Burger King Kids Meal Promotion with “Scooby Doo.” Kaufman was also responsible for developing a sponsorship deal for the Cartoon Network Wacky Racing NASCAR Team.

Kaufman serves as a diversity leader at Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group, and is a board member of the Bottomless Closet organization. She began her career as senior director, account services at Equity Marketing, Inc., where she created, developed and sold comprehensive premium programs to domestic fast food, packaged goods and beverage companies

Christie Kawada

SVP, Client Services & Strategic Marketing Science, Nielsen Entertainment

Christie Kawada, Ph.D., leads the client service and strategic marketing science team of Nielsen’s Custom Television business unit. Her team works with television and cable networks and new technology/media companies to offer management consulting services that focus on providing customized strategic analytical insights from a multi-angle approach integrating industry expertise, marketplace research, academic theories, advanced research design and statistical procedures and Nielsen’s measurement databases.

Kawada’s expertise is in developing innovative methodologies and solutions that combine segmentation analysis, marketplace trends forecasting, cross-platform adoption trends, advertising effectiveness models, price analysis, brand strategy and positioning and programming strategy. Before joining Nielsen Entertainment, Kawada worked as a research consultant within the entertainment industry (at MarketCast and OTX) specializing in marketing analytics for theatrical new releases, home entertainment, television, video games and website development. She also has a background in providing business solutions for clients in the consumer goods industry.

Kawada also holds an extensive academic research background. As an academic research scientist, Kawada’s expertise was in the area of non-conscious process mechanisms and their effects on perception, motivation, emotion, and behavior. She has taught classes at the university level, and has also published her work in journals and presented at conferences and universities.

Tom Kenny

Actor, Comedian & Voice of SpongeBob SquarePants

In addition to voicing the lead role of SpongeBob in the Nickelodeon hit animated series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” Tom Kenny is also familiar to Nick viewers as the voices of Dog on “CatDog” and Heffer on “Rocko’s Modern Life.” Kenny’s additional television voice work includes Lumpus the Moose on “Camp Lazlow” and Eduardo on “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.” He is a regular cast member on the animated series “Super Robot Monkey Team,” “My Gym Partner is a Monkey,” “Handy Manny,” “Futurama,” “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Johnny Bravo,” “Powerpuff Girls,” “Sit Down, Shut Up,” “Ultimate Spiderman,” “Hugglemosters,” “Brickelberry” and on the educational series “Wordgirl” for PBS. He also voices the villain Zilius Zoxx in “Green Lantern.” Kenny’s feature film credits include “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” as various robots and “Winnie the Pooh” as Rabbit.

In addition to his voice work, Kenny also appears at comedy clubs across the country and has appeared on such television shows as “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “Late Night with Conan O'Brian,” “Premiere Blend” and “Comic Strip Live.”

Kenny was a regular cast member of HBO’s critically acclaimed sketch program “Mr. Show with Bob and David” and appeared as the office loser Persky on “Just Shoot Me.” He has also guest-starred on “The Drew Carey Show,” “Brotherly Love” and “Unhappily Ever After.” Kenny creeped out audiences as the evil Binky the Clown in the cult film “Shakes the Clown,” and starred with his wife (Jill Talley) in the Smashing Pumpkins’ award-winning video for their song “Tonight, Tonight.”

An aficionado of old blues, jazz, country and rockabilly music, Kenny occasionally moonlights with his band, performing songs from his extremely obscure record collection.

Paula Kerger

President & CEO, PBS

Paula Kerger is president and CEO of PBS, the United States’ largest non-commercial media organization with more than 350 member stations. Since her arrival at PBS in 2006, Kerger has made particularly strong commitments to the arts, news and public affairs, education, diversity and the use of new technology to expand access to public media. Prior to PBS, Kerger served for more than a decade at Educational Broadcasting Corporation, the parent company of Thirteen/WNET. Kerger currently serves on the boards of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business.

Kerger’s initiatives have been recognized by groups ranging from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to the Parents Choice Foundation. The rapid growth and critical acclaim for PBS’ digital offerings help ensure that PBS programming is accessible across multiple platforms to families in every part of the US and, increasingly, to a global audience.

Janet Kestin

Co-Founder, Swim

Janet Kestin was co-chief creative officer, with Nancy Vonk, of Ogilvy Toronto from 1998 to 2011. With Vonk, she has won Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils, Clios and many other awards. The duo served as creative directors for Dove “Evolution,” which won two Grand Prix at Cannes, and “Diamond Shreddies,” which won a Grand Clio.

They founded Swim, a creative leadership lab, in October 2011. They have empowered groups from lawyers to architects with insights and tools to take their careers to the next level using unconventional practices.

Kestin and Vonk have judged many of the world’s top advertising awards shows including Cannes, the Clios, One Show, D&AD and the Effies. They were included in Creativity’s Top 50 creative people of 2008 and were advertising Women of the Year at both the WIN Awards in LA and the AWNY Awards in NY in 2007. In 2011 they were inducted into the “Marketing Hall of Legends” and won the Speiss Award for their contribution to Canada’s advertising industry.

They have a widely read advice column, “Ask Jancy,” on ad site, IHAVEANIDEA. They penned a critically acclaimed Adweek book, “Pick Me,” in 2005. It has become a staple in advertising schools from Texas to Turkey. HarperCollins commissioned them to write a career guide for women, due on shelves in 2013.

Kestin and Vonk are mentors and frequent lecturers at schools including world-renowned VCU Brandcenter.

Jonathan Kim

Art Director, Royale

Trained in digital media and motion graphics, art director Jonathan Kim has worked with some of the top studios including Laundry, The Famous Group and Little Red Robot. In 2009 he had the honor of art directing a campaign for the Korean National Pavilion showcased at the Shanghai World Expo. Most recently at Royale, he has art directed projects for Nike, Toyota, Hyundai and MTV. His past credits include work for HP, adidas, Cartoon Network, National Geographic, Prince(the artist), Suzuki and Kawasaki.

Matt Knudsen

Actor, Writer, Comedian

Matt Knudsen is an actor/writer/comedian who can be seen in the upcoming NBC series “Go On” with Matthew Perry as well as the upcoming feature film “Gangster Squad” with Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling. As a comic he’s appeared on “Conan,” “The Late Late Show” and was named a “Best of the fest” at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. You would think that this bio would end in a funny way but you’d be wrong.

Suzanne Kolb

President, E! Entertainment

Suzanne Kolb was named president of E! Entertainment in July 2011. Kolb leads the executive team that oversees E!’s ongoing growth and success and directs all activities on behalf of the brand, including programming, development, production, marketing, digital media, business development, research and communications. Kolb previously served as president of marketing, news and online for E! and The Style Network and played a key leadership role in driving the networks’ record-breaking growth over the past six years.

In her previous role, Kolb led all marketing, communications and brand alliances for both networks, and oversaw the popular, non-linear destinations E! Online and mystyle.com. Most recently, Kolb successfully unified and expanded E!'s news entities, including E! News, E! Online and E! News Now, and has helped to establish E! News as the top global entertainment news brand.

Kolb joined E! in 2005 as SVP of marketing for E! Networks, and was subsequently elevated to CMO for E! and Style, and general manager of E! Online. She has overseen the marketing strategies and creative behind the networks' most successful and popular franchises, including E!'s mega-successful Kardashians franchise, "Chelsea Lately," "The Soup" and "Fashion Police," as well as Style series "Ruby," "Giuliana & Bill," "Jerseylicious" and "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane," among others.

Kolb is a strong advocate of pro-social causes and has led E!’s ongoing partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation, which included the 20 Years, 20 Wishes campaign to mark the network’s 20th birthday in 2010. She also previously spearheaded Style’s multi-faceted partnership with the international non-profit organization Dress for Success, which promotes economic independence for disadvantaged women.

Prior to joining E!, Kolb served as EVP of marketing at The WB Television Network, where she oversaw advertising, media planning, integrated marketing, affiliate marketing and Kids' WB! marketing. Kolb was instrumental in developing marketing campaigns for The WB, including those for such signature series as “Dawson's Creek,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Smallville,” “Gilmore Girls” and “Pokemon.”

Leon Krauze

Mexican Writer, Journalist and Radio and Television Host

Leon Krauze is a Mexican writer, journalist and radio and television host. As a journalist he has written about Mexico, Latin America, migration and US politics for such publications as “Newsweek,” “El Diario,” “Letras Libres,” “The New Republic” and “El Pais.” Krauze is a weekly columnist for Mexican newspaper “Milenio.” In 2005 he published “La Casa Dividida,” a book on the first six years of the presidency of George W. Bush. He hosted “Segunda Emisión,” a widely heard radio magazine on W Radio. He was the main news anchor for Televisa’s Foro TV, where he hosted the nightly newscast “Hora 21.” He is now the anchor of Noticias Univision 34, for Univision's KMEX, the nation's largest local TV station. He is also an author of children’s books and an avid football fan and writer.

Julianne LaMarche

President, Digital, Social & Mobile, Trailer Park

Julianne LaMarche is president of digital, social and mobile for Trailer Park. LaMarche oversees design, development, user experience and account management, encompassing websites, advertising campaigns, social media campaigns, apps, games and online strategy. This year Trailer Park was named Social Media Agency of Record for AMC, which includes the network’s top-rated zombie drama and social media phenomenon “The Walking Dead,” and multiple Emmy and Golden Globe-winner “Mad Men.” Other recent projects include a Facebook app for Warner Bros.’ “Dark Shadows” with Johnny Depp, online advertising for CNN’s coverage of election season, the online campaign for WB Games’ “Batman: Arkham City,” and several apps for Fox Home Entertainment releases “Glee” and “Rise of Planet of the Apes.” 

LaMarche’s key client experience spans Warner Bros., TNT, Summit Entertainment, CNN/Headline News, HBO, ABC, Sony Pictures, Universal, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox and AMC, among others. Prior to joining Trailer Park in 2009, LaMarche was president of Crew Creative’s interactive department. There she helped grow the department from four to more than 50 designers, developers and account executives. Many years of Internet marketing experience, exceptional client relationships and a keen eye for talent factored into her success.

LaMarche also worked as VP of content and programming at iFILM.com, handling programming, editorial, marketing, production and design at this top entertainment website. In addition to managing studio relations, she launched both the Video Game and Music Videos channels. She also worked closely with ad sales to create custom content and programs for the site’s advertisers. 

Early in her career, LaMarche worked in New York with Studios USA, where she was associate producer on “Maury” then show manager and manager of affiliate relations and promotions for “Xena Warrior Princess,” “Back 2 Back Action” (comprised of “Cleopatra 2525” and “Jack of All Trades”) and “The Invisible Man.” She began her career as executive assistant to media mogul Barry Diller, with whom she worked for four years.

Ken Lambert

Founding Partner/Creative Director, Ink Project

Ken Lambert has built a career specializing in delivering on- and off-air brand communications for a diverse range of international clients. While refining his broadcast branding skills, Lambert developed a passion for live-action direction, and he is now sought after by brands like Sony, Volkswagen and Coca-Cola for commercial direction.

As Ink Project’s creative director, Lambert has built an international reputation for innovation with his dedication to creative excellence. This has been supported by the numerous international awards and accolades achieved by Ink Project since its inception.

John Landgraf

President & GM, FX Networks

John Landgraf is president and GM of FX Networks in charge of all aspects of entertainment and business operations of FX, FX Productions and Fox Movie Channel.

Under his guidance, FX has become home to what is arguably the finest roster of original programming in advertiser supported cable television. FX is the first and only basic cable channel to boast award-winning hit scripted series in both drama and comedy. In addition, FX has garnered more Emmy and Golden Globe award nominations and wins in acting categories than any other basic cable network. In 2011, FX earned nine Television Critics Association Awards nominations, equaling the highest total of any cable network (tied with HBO) and the most ever for FX.

Landgraf joined FX as president of entertainment in January 2004 and was elevated to the position of president and GM of FX Networks in May 2005. Prior to arrival at FX, the network had only two original drama series, the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama series “The Shield” and “Nip/Tuck.” The first series launched on his watch was the Emmy and Golden Globe award-nominated drama series “Rescue Me,” and since then, he has expanded FX’s original offerings to eventually become the first cable network with 11 scripted original series on its schedule.

The increase of original programming is due in large part to Landgraf creating FX Productions, which produces the comedy series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “The League,” “Archer,” “Louie,” “Wilfred,” “Unsupervised” and “Strangely Uplifting with Russell Brand.” FXP also co-produces the drama series “Sons of Anarchy” and “Justified.”

He has been responsible for a new generation of acclaimed, award-winning hit drama series including “Sons of Anarchy,” “Justified” and the network’s most recent breakout success, “American Horror Story.” Launched in October of 2011, “American Horror Story,” from producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, became the highest-rated first season of any series in FX history and earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Television Series, Drama. Series star Jessica Lange won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.

Launched in 2008, “Sons of Anarchy” has become the highest-rated program in FX history, and its fourth season enjoyed its best ratings ever. From creator Kurt Sutter, the series stars Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman and Katey Sagal, who won the 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama.

In 2010, the network launched the critically-acclaimed hit drama “Justified,” which was the most-watched series premiere telecast in FX’s history. In its second season, “Justified” received a total of four Emmy nominations including star Timothy Olyphant for Lead Actor, Margo Martindale for Supporting Actress, Walton Goggins for Supporting Actor and Jeremy Davies for Guest Actor, with Martindale winning the award. The series was also honored with an AFI Award as One of the Ten Most Outstanding Programs of 2011.

In 2007, Landgraf persuaded Glenn Close, who had a one-season guest arc on “The Shield,” to return to FX and take on her first-ever regular series starring role on the critically acclaimed legal thriller “Damages.” The series earned 19 Emmy Award nominations over its three-season run on the network, including a total of 12 nominations in acting categories. In 2007, “Damages” earned the most Golden Globe Award nominations of any show on television. For her work on the show’s first two seasons, Close won back-to-back Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in TV Series, Drama.

Prior to his arrival at FX, the network had never had much success in the comedy arena. That changed in 2005 with the launch of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” which grew from a cult hit, to a bona fide hit, becoming one of the most successful comedies in basic cable history. “Sunny” ranks among the top-10 scripted series in basic cable in delivery of adults 18-49 and adults 18-34. It is the first basic cable comedy series ever to gain syndication on another basic cable network (Comedy Central), and it is one the highest-selling DVD titles in the Fox Home Entertainment library. “Sunny” recently completed its seventh season with the highest ratings in its history. FX has ordered through season 10 which will make it the longest running live-action primetime comedy in basic cable history.

In 2010, FX launched the animated series “Archer” as well as “Louie,” starring comedian Louis C.K. In his first season of the show, C.K. earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy (an FX first) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Last season, “TIME” magazine named “Louie” the Best Television Show of 2011, and the series was honored with an AFI Award as One of the Ten Most Outstanding Programs of 2011. Last year, the new comedy series “Wilfred, starring Elijah Wood and Jason Gann, posted the highest ratings ever for a comedy series premiere on the network, and it ranked as the highest rated first season of any FX original comedy series.

Other critically acclaimed and award-winning originals launched by Landgraf include “Terriers,” “Lights Out,” “The Riches,” “Over There” and “Thief.”

In addition to the success of FX and FX Productions, Landgraf has transformed Fox Movie Channel. This year the channel debuted FX Movie Channel block, to go along with the FMC’s Emmy Award winning shoulder programming.

Terence Lee

Creative Director, Roger

Terence Lee is a founder, principal and creative director of Roger. His work has earned Roger multiple broadcast and design awards, including PromaxBDA Gold for Best Overall Network Package for the Nicktoons rebrand in 2010. After graduating from film school, Lee set out to find the most creative avenues with which to express himself. His continuing search for creative outlets led him to co-found Roger, where he loves developing projects, exploring innovative design techniques and nurturing new talent.

Jonah Lehrer

Contributing Editor, "Wired"

Jonah Lehrer is a contributing editor at “Wired” and the author of “How We Decide,” “Proust Was a Neuroscientist” and “Imagine.” He is also a frequent contributor to “The New Yorker” and “Radiolab,” and he writes the “Head Case” column for “The Wall Street Journal.”

Rick Lewchuk

SVP, Creative Services, CNN Worldwide

Rick Lewchuk is SVP, creative services for CNN Worldwide where he reports directly to Janet Rollé, EVP and CMO for CNN Worldwide. In this newly-created role, Lewchuk oversees on-air and off-channel brand and marketing creative for all CNN Worldwide businesses. His responsibilities include brand messaging, on-air promotion, print, out-of-home, radio, television and digital advertising campaigns.

Lewchuk joined CNN after serving for nearly 20 years in senior-level executive positions at CTV, a division of Bell Media and Canada’s premier multimedia company. Most recently, he was SVP of CTV Creative Agency and brand strategy, based in Toronto, since 2007 and led a team of 190 designers, writers, producers and media planners who were responsible for all aspects of marketing two broadcast networks, 28 television stations, 34 cable networks.

Earlier, he was SVP program planning and promotion at CTVglobemedia from 1998. In this position he oversaw the on-air and off-channel creative for the CTV Television Network, its affiliates and all of its cable channels. He created original brands including The Comedy Network, CTV News Channel and BNN and launched Canadian versions of brands that include MTV and E! 

Peter Liguori

Former Chair, Fox Broadcasting; Former COO, Discovery Communications

Peter Liguori is the Jury Chair for the 2012 PromaxBDA Promotion, Marketing and Design Awards. Formerly the COO of Discovery Communications, Liguori served as a key member of Discovery Communications' senior executive team, providing leadership and vision for the company's operational organizations, including marketing, Discovery Studios, corporate communications and corporate affairs, business affairs, and media technology, production and operations, as well as playing a key role in corporate budget and business decisions.

In addition to his operational role, Liguori also chaired Discovery's content committee, comprised of U.S. Networks general managers with a focus on maximizing the value of the company's marketing resources, network portfolio and overall corporate assets. He also serves as the lead executive representing Discovery Communications in its joint ventures with Hasbro, Inc., OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, and the Discovery-Sony-IMAX 3D channel.

Before joining Discovery in 2009, Liguori served as president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company, where he was responsible for all Fox program development and marketing. Prior to assuming that position in 2005, Liguori was president and CEO of News Corp.'s FX Networks since 1998, overseeing business and programming operations for FX and Fox Movie Channel. Under his leadership, over a five-year period, FX grew from an emerging network reaching 39 million homes to a top-five basic cable network reaching more than 84 million homes and recording all-time highs in ratings and revenue.

Claudine Lilien

SVP, FOX ONE

Claudine Lilien is SVP of FOX ONE, a Fox Entertainment Group Sales unit that was created in 2007 and is responsible for cultivating marketing partnerships and developing customized, multiplatform campaigns that integrate the full range of News Corp.’s global assets and deliver company-wide marketing solutions.

Lilien joined FOX ONE after a stint at The CW as VP of Sales. She was brought over to The CW from The WB, where she served most recently as VP, Eastern and Western Sales since September 2003, and before that as VP, Western Sales since October 2001. Prior to working at The WB, Lilien was part of the Fox family. She started at Fox Broadcasting Company as a sales assistant in June 1993, and was promoted to account service representative in April 1994 and then to account executive in December 1995, working first in New York and later in Los Angeles.

Lilien started her career as a Network Specialist/National Buyer at Young & Rubicam in 1990.

Andy Lyon

3D Lead/3G Supervisor, Royale

3D lead/CG supervisor Andy Lyon is well versed in merging 3D production techniques with traditional animated filmmaking. After graduating in 2007, he freelanced as a character animator and 3D generalist at various motion studios including Logan, National Television, Hornet, Paranoid US and Royale. While at USC, his hand-drawn short film, “Bare,” traveled the festival circuit worldwide and won the Student Award at the Nicktoons Network Animation Festival.

Kay Madati

Head of Entertainment & Media, Facebook, Inc.

Kay M. Madati is the Head of Entertainment & Media at Facebook, Inc. As a member of the Global Marketing Solutions team, Madati is responsible for leading the team that oversees creating effective, long-term strategies and scalable solutions for television, theatrical and media partners. Tasked with extending and evolving relationships and partnerships in the entertainment space, he is also ultimately responsible for positioning Facebook as a critical and foundational element of the marketing matrix for all entertainment content publishers and distributors. 

Prior to this role, Madati was the VP of Audience Experience at CNN Worldwide, overseeing the development and execution of a successful social media and consumer engagement + experience strategy across all of CNN’s distribution platforms, including television, digital, mobile, the social web and offline events. Madati began his career with BMW of North America, where he held a variety of leadership roles in sales, operations and marketing; working on projects that highlighted innovation and creativity with leveraging technology and media to engage consumers such as BMW Films & James Bond. 

Tara Maitra

SVP & GM, Content and Media Sales, TiVo Inc.

Tara Maitra is SVP and GM of content and media sales, responsible for developing TiVo’s broadband content strategy and the company’s interactive advertising and audience research sales efforts. Maitra works with networks, studios and Web video providers to build TiVo’s content offerings into a complete service of infinite programming that combines linear TV with video on demand and broadband video through one user interface and search. 

Donny Makower

President, RED Interactive Agency

Donny Makower is the President of RED Interactive Agency. With more than 12 years of digital experience, Makower has cultivated long-term partnerships with a wide variety of global brands. He oversees the success of client services, directs digital strategy for clients, manages company operations and leads new business efforts. 

Cristina Mancini

SVP, Worldwide Marketing, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution

In her capacity as SVP of worldwide marketing, Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, Cristina Mancini oversees all global marketing and publicity activities for one of the world’s largest distributors of motion picture and television programming.

In a major redesign of the department, Mancini has consolidated all publicity, creative services, corporate communications, and online Web presence into one streamlined department. Her department is charged with providing marketing and publicity to support the Television Distribution initiatives for Twentieth Century Fox TV, Fox 21, FtvS, and FX Productions, Twentieth Century Fox, Searchlight, Fox Animation, and Fox 2000 Feature productions in Network and Pay TV, including Subscription Video on Demand.

Under Mancini’s leadership, the marketing department has experienced a rapid expansion over the past nine years in the number, scope and complexity of initiatives and events developed and implemented in support of the division’s international broadcast partners.

As the primary architect of marketing strategy for all international TV sales markets, and key publicity events, Mancini has been instrumental in developing the worldwide perspective through her work with festivals, international broadcasters, domestic television production groups, and the division’s own international sales offices across the globe.

Mancini has most notably overseen the development of many groundbreaking, award-winning promotional and advertising campaigns -- for international hits such as “Glee,” “Modern Family,” “Simpsons,” “24” and “Family Guy.”

Before joining Fox, Mancini held management positions at several other studios including Universal Studios, New Line and Warner Brothers.

Alexandra Marinescu

VP, Entertainment Marketing, Fox International Channels

Alexandra Marinescu serves as VP of entertainment marketing for Fox International Channels (FIC), NewsCorp's international channels group operating more than 350 channels worldwide. In her role, Marinescu oversees the planning, development and execution of global and multi-territory consumer campaigns for FIC entertainment tentpole programming. Marinescu is also responsible for trade marketing and corporate communication at FIC. Most recently based in Los Angeles, Marinescu has been working with FIC for more than eight years and has been based in the group’s Washington DC, Rome and London offices. Prior to joining FIC, Marienscu worked in marketing for nonprofit and education for several years.

Denise Martin

Senior Editor, Vulture, “New York Magazine”

Denise Martin is a senior editor for “New York Magazine’s” Vulture, where she writes about all things television. Before that, Martin was executive editor at TVGuide.com. Her work has appeared in the “Los Angeles Times,” “The Daily Beast,” “The Hollywood Reporter,” “Variety,” “Premiere” and “The Advocate.”

Bruce Mau

Co-Founder, Massive Change Network

World-leading visionary, innovator, designer and author Bruce Mau is the co-founder of the Massive Change Network. His 25 years of experience in design innovation has included collaborations with many of the world’s leading institutions, corporations, heads of state, entrepreneurs and artists. For Mau, design is leadership that provides the power to imagine the vision of a future working systematically to achieve that vision. While most designers use design to produce things, Mau uses design as a method to produce the future and develop purposeful projects to create positive change in business, education, health, leadership and security.

Bruce Mau is the chairman emeritus and founder of Bruce Mau Design, with studios in Toronto and New York. He has used design to lead innovation projects with Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, MTV, Herman Miller, MoMA, Seattle Public Library, Panama Museum of Biodiversity, New Meadowlands Stadium, Miami’s American Airlines Arena, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Arizona State University; the countries of Saudi Arabia, Guatemala, United Kingdom, Denmark; Frank Gehry, Claes Oldenberg, Larry Gagosian and Rem Koolhaus, among others.

Motivated by the certainty that the future demands a new breed of designer, Mau founded the Institute Without Boundaries – an innovative, studio-based postgraduate program in collaboration with George Brown College, Toronto. Mau and his students created the groundbreaking exhibition and best-selling book, “Massive Change,” a project that declared, “Massive Change is not about the world of design; it’s about the design of the world.”

Mau has served as author and designer for several award-winning books, including “LifeStyle,” “S,M,L,XL” in collaboration with Rem Koolhaas and the iconic and celebrated “ZONE BOOKS” series. Translated into several languages, Mau’s “Incomplete Manifesto for Growth” has been an inspiration with his aphoristic articulation of his personal philosophy and design strategies for unleashing creativity.

Mau’s most recent book, “The Third Teacher,” which he and his studio coauthored with OWP/P Architects and VS Furniture, presents a compendium of ways that design can transform teaching and learning for students, families and teachers to thrive in tomorrow’s world.

His design philosophies and practical applications are featured in the book, “GLIMMER: How Design Can Transform Your Life and Maybe the World” by Warren Berger. According to Berger, “Bruce Mau seeks to prove that the power of design is boundless, and has the capacity to bring positive change on a global scale.” Mau is also featured in the feature length documentary, “The 11th Hour,” produced and hosted by Leonardo DiCaprio and the Swedish documentary film, “The Plan,” directed by award-winning producer/director David Österberg.

Distinguished award highlights from Mau’s career include the William and Stephanie Sick Distinguished Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Distinguished Fellow at the Segal Design Institute of the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University; Louise Blouin Foundation’s Global Creative Leadership Award; AIGA Gold Medal for Communication Design; Chicago Global Visionaries Award; UCDA Design Competition Award and the Toronto Arts Award. Mau continues to serve as a design teacher and design critic, and lectures on design innovation worldwide.

Chris McCumber

Co-President, USA Network

Chris McCumber serves as co-president of USA Network where he jointly oversees strategic direction, programming and operations across all platforms for USA. He previously held the position of EVP of marketing, digital and brand strategy for four years, after serving as SVP, where he was responsible for the overall strategic and creative vision for USA marketing, as well as overseeing all expressions of the network brand, including consumer marketing and media planning, on-air and off-air creative advertising, interstitial programming and all digital efforts. He will also continue to serve as executive in charge of all WWE programming and integrated sales. McCumber reports to Bonnie Hammer, chairman, NBC Universal Cable Entertainment and Cable Studios. He is based in New York.

Leading the charge of unprecedented brand transformation at USA, McCumber was responsible for the conception, development and execution of “Characters Welcome,” the first comprehensive multiplatform brand identity for USA in its 30-year history, which has won multiple accolades, including Addys for the multi-tiered campaign and a Clio for design. McCumber also led his group in the creative launch and implementation of USA’s successful brand extensions, including Characters Unite, the network’s ambitious multiplatform pro-social initiative designed to combat prejudice and intolerance in America, as well as the Character Approved Awards, the Character Approved Blog and Character Project.

Over the last 10 years, McCumber and his team have created and executed highly successful campaigns for the debuts of the last five of USA’s newest original series, each the No. 1 shows of the year: “Psych” in 2006, “Burn Notice” in 2007, “In Plain Sight” in 2008, the No. 1 and No. 2 shows of the year in 2009, “Royal Pains” and “White Collar,” and “Covert Affairs” in 2010, the most-watched first season show in USA history in P18-49 and the most watched new scripted series of the year in P18-49. USA successfully rolled out a campaign for “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and its unprecedented move from NBC to USA, and produced a campaign for the eighth and final season of the critically acclaimed series “Monk,” the show that was at the forefront of award-winning original programming on cable.

Under McCumber’s direction, his team has won numerous marketing and promotional awards for the launches and on-going momentum of USA’s record-breaking series, garnering Addys and PromaxBDA awards. McCumber was responsible for one of USA’s biggest and most innovative marketing efforts to date for the Emmy award-winning original television event “The Starter Wife,” consisting of a multi-layered 360° branding campaign that included a massive marketing blitz, grassroots/guerrilla outreach, promotional partnerships with brands including POND’S as the exclusive presenting sponsor, and Simon & Schuster, a huge digital initiative and extensive product integration. McCumber also led the marketing effort behind “WWE Monday Night Raw’s” triumphant return to USA, its original home, and soon after was made executive in charge of production for all WWE programming. Additionally, McCumber sits on the NBC Universal marketing council, where he is responsible for leveraging USA’s brand across all the company’s platforms. When he first joined USA, McCumber served as SVP of on-air promotion, where he oversaw the TV campaigns for the launches of “Monk,” “The 4400” and “The Dead Zone.”

Prior to joining USA, McCumber was creative director for the media and entertainment practice at Razorfish, where he led a 65-member team of strategists, creatives and technologists on brand strategy and creative solutions for television networks and broadband entertainment services. McCumber has worked with more than 100 media brands including NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox/Newscorp, Disney, HBO, Turner Networks and MTV Networks. Additionally, he was responsible for new business pitches and revenue growth and functioned as an executive consultant to major clients. He also served as associate creative director at Lee Hunt Associates, a television branding and design agency. While at Lee Hunt, he focused on launching and redesigning such networks as MSNBC, ESPN2, Odyssey, Disney Channel and Game Show Network. McCumber began his career at MTV Networks as associate producer and shortly thereafter joined the on-air promotion team that launched Comedy Central.

An accomplished commercial film director, McCumber helmed 14 short films for “Saturday Night Live” entitled “Fuzzy Memories by Jack Handy.” He also serves on the board for PromaxBDA, the nonprofit association for entertainment and content marketing, promotion and design.

Jeffrey Mirman

VP, Marketing, Turner Sports

Jeffrey Mirman currently serves as VP of marketing for Turner Sports. In this role, Mirman is charged with strategic marketing and planning for Turner Sports’ television sports properties, which includes the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NBA, MLB, NASCAR and professional golf, as well as developing the brand vision for the division’s online and mobile destinations, which include NCAA.com, March Madness Live, PGA.com and PGATOUR.com. In addition, Mirman oversees marketing of the NBA Digital portfolio featuring NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA League Pass, NBA League Pass Broadband, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com. Mirman is based in Atlanta and reports to Christina Miller, SVP of Turner Sports strategy, marketing and programming and GM of NBA Digital (NBAD).

Mirman comes to Turner Sports from Starwood Hotels and Resorts as director of brand integration and mobile strategy as well as director of interactive marketing, overseeing brand marketing and interactive media. Mirman led Starwood’s global strategy for mobile applications, as well as the strategy for Sheraton.com which created a unique, branded consumer experience and created a global merchandizing program.

Mirman has significant marketing experience serving in various capacities such as VP of the Beyond Interactive Advertising Agency, where he was a part of the senior leadership team responsible for defining overall company strategy and direction. Mirman was also an online marketing director for Leading Hotels of the World, establishing and executing a formal online marketing strategy. His earlier marketing experience includes VP of marketing for Spa Finder, Inc, a global spa resource site.

NBA Digital is a landmark partnership between the NBA and Turner Sports in which Turner manages the NBA digital assets including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA League Pass, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com. Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship-level sporting events on TBS, TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular sports sites on the Internet. Turner Sports’ television line-up includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company’s digital portfolio includes NASCAR.COM, NCAA.com, PGATOUR.COM, GOLF.com and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time app, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

Courteney Monroe

CMO, National Geographic Channels US

Courteney Monroe is CMO for National Geographic Channels US, including National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD. Monroe manages the channel’s brand and all aspects of marketing, including brand strategy, creative, consumer marketing, digital platforms, social media, partnership marketing and ad sales marketing.

Prior to this, she was EVP of consumer marketing and digital platforms for Home Box Office, responsible for the marketing of the HBO and Cinemax brands and their programming across all platforms.

Monroe began her career at HBO as manager of advertising, in 1998, overseeing the campaigns for all HBO series and sports programming, and was named director of advertising in 2000. One year later she was promoted to VP of advertising, and in 2002 expanded her responsibilities to include overseeing all HBO advertising campaigns. In 2004, she became SVP of advertising, and two years later, she was named SVP of consumer marketing, assuming a broader role with the addition of digital and licensing and retail. From 2008-2011, she served as EVP, adding home entertainment marketing to her responsibilities.

During her tenure at HBO, Monroe oversaw award-winning marketing campaigns for many of HBO’s highest profile properties such as “Sex and the City,” “The Sopranos,” “Entourage,” “True Blood,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Game of Thrones,” the HBO miniseries “The Pacific” and many more. She also led the development, deployment and marketing of HBOGO and MAXGO, the company’s digital streaming services.

Before coming to HBO, Monroe held marketing positions at American Express and Salomon Brothers and also worked in account management at BBDO.

Monroe was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s “Advertising Hall of Achievement” in 2006 and was named Media Industry News’ “21 Most Intriguing People of 2007.” Also in 2007, Monroe was named “Marketer of the year” by “Brandweek” for the series launch of “True Blood.” In 2009 she was recognized by “Broadcasting & Cable” magazine as one of television’s “Next Wave of Leaders.” In 2010 she was recognized as a leading marketing executive with the Brand Builders’ Award presented to her by PromaxBDA, “Broadcasting & Cable” and “Multichannel News.”

Ryan Murphy

Writer, Director

Ryan Murphy is the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning creator, writer and director of such smash hit television shows as “Glee,” “American Horror Story,” “Nip/Tuck” and “Popular.”

“Glee,” which won two successive Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series, Comedy/Musical and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble Cast in a Comedy Series, also nabbed Murphy an Emmy Award for Outstanding Direction of a series as well as multiple awards and nominations for its cast and writers. The show is one of the most popular television series in the world and has also spawned the wildly successful Glee Live Tours, which Murphy produces.

Murphy created, writes for and directs the FX hit series “American Horror Story,” which premiered in 2011 to the highest-ever ratings for an FX freshman series. The show grew in the ratings during its freshman run and was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for Best TV Series, Drama.

Murphy also created, wrote and directed the FX series “Nip/Tuck,” which was the first freshman drama series to earn a Golden Globe Award as Best TV Series, Drama. He also created the cult hit “Popular” for the WB.

Murphy began his career as a journalist writing for publications such as “The Miami Herald,” “Los Angeles Times,” “The New York Daily News” and “Entertainment Weekly.” His screenwriting career began in the late 1990s when Steven Spielberg purchased his romantic comedy “Why Can’t I Be Audrey Hepburn?”

In 2006 Murphy expanded to the big screen by writing, directing and producing his adaptation of the best-selling book “Running with Scissors” starring Annette Bening and Gwyneth Paltrow. The film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for Bening.

In 2010 Murphy directed Julia Roberts in an acclaimed adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir, “Eat Pray Love.” Murphy also co-wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Salt.

His next film will be the screen adaptation of Larry Kramer’s award-winning “The Normal Heart” starring Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo and Matt Bomer. Production begins summer 2012.

Graeme Newell

President, 602 Communications

Graeme Newell is a customer loyalty researcher who shows TV companies how to get viewers watching longer and more often. He turns casual viewers into passionate groupies who watch lots of TV. Newell is a world-renowned speaker, consultant and thought leader on emotional marketing. Newell’s company, 602 Communications, has consulted all the major broadcast groups, and global media companies such CNN, Sony, Time-Warner, News Corp, and Disney.

Drawing from a library of 50,000 of the world’s most powerful TV promos and commercials, Newell’s presentations are packed full of the very best advertising in the world. He reveals the hidden strategies that build strong customer loyalty and increase repeat viewing.

Newell spent most of his career as a manager in LA, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Columbus, OH. After years as a both a frontline producer and manager, he started 602 Communications in 1997. 

Tim Nolan

SVP, Marketing Creative & Brand Strategy, Lifetime Networks

Tim Nolan was named SVP of marketing creative and brand strategy for Lifetime Networks in 2010. Based in New York, he is responsible for overseeing all on-air, print, online and out-of-home marketing efforts for Lifetime’s scripted and reality series, and original movies, as well as LMN and Lifetime Real Women. In 2012, Nolan oversaw the development, creation and launch of Lifetime’s major rebrand featuring an iconic new look and tagline: “Your life. Your time.” 

Hiram Norman

VP, Digital Media, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing; GM, CWTV.com

Hiram Norman serves as VP of digital media at Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing and GM of CWTV.com.

Norman oversees the long-term development and daily execution of consumer-facing digital properties for the Warner Bros. Television Group, overseeing a team to execute design, editorial, technical development, promotional, financial and marketing efforts.

While at Warner Bros., he has been responsible for the launch and ongoing development of CWTV.com, the innovative, content-rich official website of The CW Television Network. In addition, he has overseen the network’s social media and video strategies that have allowed it to reach a large audience in the digital space.

Norman joined the digital media unit at Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing in 2006 as director of network websites, overseeing the official website for The WB Network, as well as the KidsWB.com site for The WB’s Saturday morning programming block.

Before coming to Warner Bros., Norman held a number of digital programming and production positions at leading entertainment companies. His career experience includes stints as senior programming manager/director of programming at AOL, producer of Oscar.com for The Walt Disney Company, special projects producer at ABC.com, content editor at ESPN.com, and both video distribution manager and associate editor at “Film Threat” magazine, among others.

Lori O’Connor

Publisher, “TV Guide Magazine”

Lori O’Connor has been the Publisher of “TV Guide Magazine” since 2010, where she oversees advertising sales and marketing. A lifelong “TV Guide Magazine” reader, O’Connor joined the magazine in 2001 and has been responsible for leading the charge to push “traditional” print advertising boundaries, creating engaging, organic experiences for advertisers and readers alike. She began her career on the agency side working on P&G and PepsiCo before transitioning to marketing and sales. She has more than 15 years of media experience including stints at Grey Advertising, Draft FCB and Meredith.

Reeps One

Beatboxer and Performer, Organic Electronics

Starting a professional career in 2008, Reeps One is now an internationally known beatboxer and performer. Reeps One was the first to have a solo vocal show that was driven by bass culture and naturally the global scene was soon to follow.

By the end of 2010 Reeps One was playing alongside Foreign Beggars, finished a UK tour with Prodigy and matched Beardyman’s record by winning the UK Beatbox Championships twice in a row.

Reeps One has gained much respect off the stage for his lectures on his approach at the ICA and in Tokyo, for his work composing with an orchestra, and for an interview he gave to BBC News after UCL scanned his brain to see how his mind works. It’s this exploring that keeps his presence fresh and exciting.
br>Now with YouTube views in the millions, and a 2012 UK and Australian tour in the works, this unique vocalist commands a show like no other.

Michael Ouweleen

SVP Group Creative Director, Cartoon Network

Michael Ouweleen is SVP and creative director for Turner Broadcasting Animation. In this capacity, he oversees all on-air promotions, program franchise packaging and sponsored promotions for the network. He also serves as the primary writer/producer of material aimed at establishing Cartoon Network’s distinctive brand identity. Based in Atlanta, Ouweleen reports to Brenda Freeman, CMO for Turner’s Animation Young Adults & Kids Media.

Prior to this position, Ouweleen was SVP of development and programming for Cartoon Network, overseeing the development of current Cartoon Network shows “Ben 10,” “Chowder,” “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack” and the highest-rated program in network history, the live action movie-of-the-week “Ben 10: Race Against Time.” He also is the co-creator and co-executive producer of one of the first original Adult Swim shows, “Harvey Birdman, Attorney-at-Law.”

Ouweleen joined Cartoon Network in March of 1996 as associate creative director of the on-air department and was promoted to VP and creative director within six months. He and his department wrote and produced animated and live-action short-form material and specials that brought the network significant industry and pop culture buzz, and got Ouweleen named on “Entertainment Weekly’s” “It List” for 2000.

Prior to joining Cartoon Network, Ouweleen worked in advertising in New York and worked on several animated projects.

Sean Owolo

Executive Producer, Big Machine

Sean Owolo is an executive producer at Big Machine, a content provider that specializes in bringing new, and unique visual styles to traditional storytelling.

Owolo has been in the field of entertainment for more than 18 years. He spent the early part of his career as a New York music executive working for various record labels including BMG, Priority and Polygram. Owolo later moved to Los Angeles where he transitioned from music to the television industry as an executive producer working on projects for ABC, AMC, MTV, NBC and Showtime. Owolo is currently combining his love for pop culture, animation, video games and comics to develop some exciting and unique content for Big Machine.

Steve Petersen

Creative Director, Big Machine

Steve Petersen is co-founder and creative director of Big Machine Design, a leading design and animation studio in Hollywood, California. He is also a principal partner in Robot Field & Post, a content provider that specializes in bringing new, fresh and unique visual style to traditional storytelling. For the past 11 years, Petersen has worked in Los Angeles as a creative director, executive producer, broadcast designer and editor. He has worked extensively with all of the major networks and many advertising agencies. He has recently directed commercial campaigns for several major national brands as well as two live-action original series for the Discovery Network rich with a new style of visual effects.

Before coming to Los Angeles, he worked as a producer/editor of on-air promotions for USA Broadcasting in Miami. He has also won numerous PromaxBDA Gold Awards for his work in the broadcast promotion industry. Petersen enjoys combining his unique experience as an expert storyteller, editor and creative director to create visually stunning content.

John Piccone

SVP, Sales, Simulmedia

John Piccone is the SVP of Sales at Simulmedia. Piccone has been at the forefront in introducing new digital advertising technologies to media owners, agencies and advertisers through media representation, search engine marketing, ad serving, analytics and video management services in Europe and the United States since 1995. Piccone was SVP of business development and sales at HealthiNation a producer and distributor of multiplatform video solutions for the health industry.

Prior to joining HealthiNation, was VP of sales at Blackarrow, a pioneering advanced TV ad targeting company. For ten years prior, Piccone was a founding member of 24/7 Real Media, where he served in a range of roles, including business development, sales management and product management. Before Real Media, Piccone was a founding member of Publicitas advertising services, an early digital one-order-one-bill ad placement service for national print advertisers.

Warren Powell

Creative Services Manager, SBS Subscription TV

Hailing originally from the UK, Warren Powell’s career has spanned print, radio and television. He has made a living from branding, TVCs, theatrical trailers and on-air promotions for more than a decade, having worked across an array of renowned brands at BSkyB’s creative agency in London. Powell moved to Sydney, Australia eight years ago, working with FOXTEL across their suite of subscription television channels. He currently heads the creative team at Australia’s SBS Subscription TV, broadcasters of World Movies and STUDIO channels. He’s been awarded numerous accolades including several PromaxBDA Awards, and has enjoyed viewing the amazing creative coming out of the industry over several years as a judge for PromaxBDA Awards around the world.

John Priday

Creative Director, Framework LA

John Priday started drawing at an early age. Pulling inspiration from skateboarding and music, he found himself in art school and later, a career in motion graphics. With an intense passion for typography and design, Priday began his award-winning career as a designer and art director for the UPN Network before launching Framework Studio in 2004. As well as building the Frameworks brand, Priday has more than a decade of experience designing opening title sequences and graphic packages for feature film and broadcast television. Current packages include Planet Green’s “The Fabulous Beekman Boys,” MTV’s “Nitro Circus,” “Americas Best Dance Crew,” ESPN2 “Street League,” NBC’s “The Sing Off” and HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher.” Film titles include Rob Dyrdeks “Street Dreams,” “X-Men 3” and “Anti-Trust.”

Mike Quigley

Director of Consumer Marketing, YouTube/Google

Mike Quigley is the director of consumer marketing for YouTube at Google. In this role, Quigley leads a cross-functional team responsible for driving audience and user engagement to YouTube partner channels using a mix of paid, owned and earned media.

Prior to Google, he was CMO for Social Gold at Jambool (acquired by Google in August 2010) where he lead developer and consumer marketing strategy and operations. Quigley was previously group VP of Marketing for the EA Games label at Electronic Arts, where he spent 10 years in various global product marketing roles driving key franchises including The Sims, Need for Speed, Battlefield, Warhammer Online and Dragon Age.

Prior to EA, Quigley served as VP of marketing for Go2Net/Info Space where he led user acquisition for the company’s web properties, including metasearch engines Dogpile and Metacrawler. He began his career in brand management at The Walt Disney Company’s home entertainment division, driving launch campaigns for films including “Aladdin,” “Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs” and “The Lion King.”

Giuliana Rancic

"E! News" Managing Editor, Anchor

Giuliana Rancic is an entertainment journalist, fashion and beauty expert, and television personality with just under 3 million followers on Twitter. Rancic is the anchor of “E! News,” co-star of E!’s hugely popular “Fashion Police” team and has been on the red carpet for every mega-event in the entertainment industry (like the Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes) interviewing the stars and getting breaking Hollywood scoop as well as fashion tips, diet and fitness advice, travel tips and all things pop culture. Rancic and her husband, Bill Rancic, are currently in production as the hosts for the new NBC dating series called “Ready for Love,” produced by Eva Longoria. The series is set to premiere in December 2012.

In 2011, she launched FabFitFun, a daily newsletter focused on beauty, health and wellness that reaches tens of thousands of readers.

Rancic is watched by millions each week on the Style Network on her hit reality show, “Giuliana & Bill,” which is currently in its fifth season – the highest-rated season to date. She is also a weekly fashion contributor for “OK!” Magazine where she offers commentary on some of the best looks of the week.

Her book “I Do, Now What?” was recently released by Random House Publishing Group. Rancic co-authored the book with her husband, Bill Rancic.

Rancic recently created Fab-U-Wish, a program to grant fashion, beauty and celebrity-themed wishes to women battling breast cancer. This program is just one aspect of her ongoing mission to help those going through hardships to find happiness and a positive outlook on life. Others include Bright Pink, Operation Smile, Dress for Success, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls in Chicago, and the Children’s Miracle Network.

In 2002, she joined “E! News” as a correspondent and in 2005 became solo anchor and managing editor for the show, taking it from the lowest-rated show on the network to No. 1... incredibly within one year. In 2006, she was joined by co-anchor Ryan Seacrest and currently “E! News” is the most popular entertainment news program among young adults.

In 2006, Rancic released her highly praised debut book, “Think Like A Guy: How to Get a Guy By Thinking Like One.” It is a practical and funny handbook of rules on landing the man of your dreams. She also adapted the book to both film and television and has sold the book rights to Touchstone Television.

Rancic is a force both on-camera and off, but her remarkable success didn’t come easily. She is a true result of The American Dream and an inspiration to people, both young and old. She was born in Naples, Italy, in an impoverished neighborhood, and moved to the United States when she was a little girl. Her love affair with television journalism began before she could even speak English – her parents couldn’t afford a tutor, so she learned the language by watching TV. While in attendance at American University, Rancic worked for a Capitol Hill news bureau covering a number of stories related to the Pentagon, Supreme Court, White House and State Department.

Kendrick Reid

SVP & Executive Creative Director, Brand Strategy, BET Networks

Kendrick Reid is the SVP and executive creative director of brand strategy for BET Networks. Based in New York, Reid is responsible for developing breakthrough, brand-building creative marketing strategies and executions for all BET branded businesses, both on-air and off-channel. Over the last three years, he’s lead the creative team through the implementation of a new brand strategy, which resulted in an eye-popping redesign, award winning promo and marketing campaigns that have yielded record-breaking results.

Prior to joining BET Networks, Reid was the VP and creative director of on-air brand for Comedy Central. During his tenure he lead the network through two successful redesigns and oversaw the branding for the networks multi-platform initiatives garnishing numerous international PromaxBDA awards.

Between stints with Viacom, Reid was the founder and creative director of Branded for Life, Inc. In that role, he was the creative brand consultant on projects for several television networks, including FUSE, Disney XD, Bravo, Syfy, VH1 and the launch of Comedy Central International in Poland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Before that, Reid served as the founder and creative director of graphic design agency, Reidesign, from 1999 to 2002. 

Before his time at Comedy Central and Branded for Life, Reid worked on the launch of ABC/Disney’s 24-hour soap opera channel, Soapnet, as a brand consultant and, before that, was the creative director for Lifetime Television. He also served as an associate director for CNN Headline News. In addition, Reid has conducted several PromaxBDA international lectures on network branding in countries including India, China, South Africa, Dubai and Australia and has won numerous PromaxBDA and TELLY Awards. 

Michael Riley

Creative Director, Shine

Michael Riley is the creative director of Shine in Los Angeles. Riley has been directing and designing film and television main title sequences, theatrical trailers, television commercials and corporate identity packages for more than 20 years. His career in film title design began with an internship under Tibor Kalman at M&Co. in New York. In 1991 he began working at R/GA, designing for film and television, and five years later, he assumed the role of creative director and partner at Imaginary Forces in Hollywood. In 2005 he opened Shine, where he leads a team designing film and television title sequences, commercials, content for film and branding packages.

Riley has received numerous design honors, including a Gold Medal from the D&AD, five Primetime Emmy nominations, and an Art Directors Club Silver Medal for the design of the Marvel Pictures theatrical logo. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Television Academy. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Diane Robina

President, Robina Consulting

Television veteran and programming chief Diane Robina has led some of the industry’s most prominent networks during their transformative, brand-defining eras. With nearly two decades in management, Robina has held senior executive roles for world-leading media companies including Comcast Corporation, Viacom Media Networks, Sony Pictures Television and Lionsgate. She has been the architect of multi-platform content and programming strategies, which have delivered profitable TV hits and network cachet.

Most recently, Robina served as EVP of programming and marketing for TV Guide Network, where she was responsible for the iconic TV Guide brand and repositioning it for TV audiences, as the network eliminated its listings scroll and began introducing entertainment programming. During her tenure at TV Guide, Robina earned the highest ratings in network history. She created the network’s highest rated original series premiere “Nail Files” in partnership with juggernaut reality producer SallyAnn Salsano. She also teamed-up with industry legend Larry David to create new original content for “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which aired as part of TV Guide Network’s syndication run of the critically acclaimed series. Robina also acquired several breakout specials, including one with pop culture music sensation Susan Boyle, which drew in millions of viewers and became the network’s No.1 TV special in its history.

Prior to TV Guide, Robina served as president of emerging networks at Comcast, where she was responsible for cultivating new networks, including their conception, start-up and operations. The first of those networks was FEARnet, a joint venture of Comcast, Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Television and a multi-platform network focused on horror and thriller films.

In addition to her executive roles, Robina is an active board member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. She also has served on the boards of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) and New York Women in Film and Television.

Tony Rogers

SVP, Brand Marketing & Advertising, Walmart

Tony Rogers, SVP of marketing, joined Walmart in 2005. Guiding a creative and award-winning team, Rogers is responsible for driving the Walmart brand into both general and multicultural markets. Through traditional advertising, customer-facing PR, and digital and social media, Rogers and his team are charged with communicating Walmart’s purpose to shoppers everywhere: to save people money so they can live better.

Before joining Walmart, Rogers served as VP of marketing for the Doritos brand at Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo. During his six years at Frito-Lay, Rogers drove marketing efforts as director of marketing for the Tostitos brand, and found a passion for Walmart while serving as director of marketing for the company’s customer team. Rogers’s experience also includes positions in brand marketing with Pillsbury and Gateway Computer.

Before joining the ranks of Fortune 500 marketers, Rogers was a CPA at the accounting firm KPMG. He is active in the Bentonville, Arkansas community, serving as a board member for Downtown Bentonville, Inc. Rogers also stays involved at his alma mater serving on the Alumni Advisory Board for the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas.

Zach Rosenberg

EVP, Chief Growth Officer, Horizon Media

Zach Rosenberg began his career 30 years ago in account management on the full-service agency side, working at JWT, DDB and Chiat\Day. Rosenberg handled a wide array of clients in a variety of categories including retail, travel, entertainment and healthcare. Effective 2012, Rosenberg is EVP, chief growth officer for Horizon Media, responsible for business development not only for Horizon Media’s core business but also its direct marketing unit, Scout, Horizon’s Sports and Event Marketing unit, Eden Road Trading and Columbus Media International, Horizon’s international media agency network.

While at Chiat\Day in the early '90s, Rosenberg was hand-selected by Jay Chiat to be an integral member of the prestigious “Agency of the Future” task force, which helped to create the “virtual office” concept. After a decade on the creative side and foretelling a wave of media specialization, Rosenberg left in 1995 to join Initiative Media (formerly Western International Media) in Los Angeles as SVP, group account director to manage Walt Disney business spanning 30 divisions of the company.

Rosenberg has been leading the West Coast operation of Horizon for the past 11 years and has spearheaded the rapid growth of the Los Angeles office, managing a diverse client base including Jack in the Box, The Sports Authority, Crown Imports, Constellation Brands, Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk Event, So. Cal. Honda Dealers, IHOP, Telemundo, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Clearwire, to name a few.

As of late, Horizon Media has been recognized and acknowledged for its strategic planning and buying prowess as well as driving strong results for clients and has received various industry awards including “Mediaweek’s” Media Plan of the Year award two years running for NBC Universal Television; Effie Awards for Jack in the Box and So. Cal. Honda Dealers and Creative Media Awards for NBC Universal and Vivendi Games (best use of radio and brand integration). Rosenberg was the recipient of thinkLA’s prestigious 2008 Leader of the Year award acknowledging creative media leadership, an award typically handed out to agency creative directors.

In December, 2010, Adweek/Mediaweek/Brandweek selected Horizon Media as the 2010 Media Agency of the Year. In January 2011, “Advertising Age” also selected Horizon Media as the Media Agency of the Year, a rare accomplishment never achieved by an independent agency. In the March 2011 issue of “Fast Company,” Horizon Media was named one of the world’s most innovative companies. In early 2011, “MediaPost” selected Horizon Media as Independent Media Agency of the Year.

Kim Rosenblum

EVP, Marketing & Creative, TV Land

Kim Rosenblum is responsible for all TV Land off-channel marketing, including consumer and trade advertising, media planning, consumer products, consumer promotions and ad sales marketing. Rosenblum is also the network’s creative director and oversees TV Land’s on-air and off-air creative as well as sponsor integrations. Most recently, she spearheaded the “Hot in Cleveland” and “Happily Divorced” double marketing campaign, one of the largest marketing campaigns in TV Land’s history.

Rosenblum joined MTVN in 1993 and has served as a creative executive on a number of brands, including TV Land, Nick At Nite and Nickelodeon. Rosenblum has won numerous awards during her tenure at MTVN, including the prestigious EFFIE award, multiple CTAM Awards and PromaxBDA Gold. Prior to joining MTVN, Rosenblum was a producer at ad agencies Y&R and DMB&B. She began her career at MCA-TV on a college fellowship granted by the International Radio and Television Society.

Andrew Rosenman

President, Arise Communications

Interactive media and advertising veteran Andrew Rosenman is the president of Arise Communications, a specialized consulting practice in the areas of advanced advertising and emerging media channels. After nearly two decades of developing groundbreaking solutions for premier consumer brands Arise was created in 2005 to deliver insight and management of transformative change programs for media clients in the broadcasting, distribution and advertising arenas.
,br>Arise was selected by Comcast Corporation to manage the development of its first broadband video advertising platform in 2006 and subsequently retained to define and develop the Comcast Cable VOD dynamic advertising insertion platform currently in deployment to more than 19 million homes. Arise also worked closely with the Comcast Engineering and Product Development teams tasked with delivering the EBIF interactive television platforms which have become industry standards. Rosenman is currently leading similar engagements for Canadian cable company Rogers Communications to deploy advanced media products and business platforms. Multiple cable networks are now working with the company to identify opportunities and build businesses around the TV Everywhere experience.

Prior to founding Arise, Rosenman led the interactive AOR assignment for Mercedes-Benz USA, culminating in the highly visible launch of the M-Class vehicle through one of the very first nationwide interactive television campaigns. In his tenure at interactive agencies Rosenman managed large-scale client engagements and national business-development efforts for global agency networks. Advertising clients include Visa, Hyundai, Motorola, Ford Motor Company, Expedia, and TD Securities.

Deb Roy

Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, Bluefin Labs

Deb Roy has more than 20 years of research experience in machine intelligence, cognitive science and media convergence combined with a long history of transitioning research concepts into commercial use. Roy is a tenured member of the MIT faculty where he pioneered research on understanding and modeling human behavior using big data. A frequent speaker at industry and academic events, Roy's TED talk was the most viewed full-length TED talk of 2011.

Haley Rushing

Co-Founder/Chief Purposologist, The Purpose Institute; SVP, Chief Planning Officer, GSD&M

Haley Rushing co-founded The Purpose Institute along with Roy Spence. The Purpose Institute is an organization dedicated exclusively to helping clients discover and bring to life their Core Purpose. With a purpose in place, decision making becomes easier, alignment happens naturally and performance soars.

She recently co-authored a “Wall Street Journal” bestselling book entitled “It's Not What You Sell, It's What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business Is Driven by Purpose.” This book guides leaders through their own journey of understanding the genuine purpose at the heart of the organization and teaches them how to harness that purpose in order to make a real difference in the world. Over the past 16 years as a marketing research and advertising professional, Rushing has helped a number of the country’s most visionary organizations develop business strategies that are founded on a strong core purpose and authentic core values, including Fortune 500 companies like Southwest Airlines, Walmart, Charles Schwab, Whole Foods Market, Univision; nonprofits like The American Council on Education, the Legacy Foundation and the American Red Cross; institutions of higher learning like Texas A&M; and more recently, she has applied the principles of purpose to galvanize the leadership of Louisiana through a purpose-driven approach to economic development for the state.

Rushing is a skilled researcher, a dynamic facilitator and inspired speaker dedicated to catalyzing purpose-driven organizations that are designed to make a difference and destined to make history.

Shannon Ryan

EVP, Marketing & Communications, Fox Broadcasting Company

Shannon Ryan was named EVP of marketing and communications for Fox Broadcasting Company in October 2011. In this role, Ryan drives the network’s earned media strategy and grassroots marketing efforts, and oversees Fox’s publicity and corporate communications and creative services teams. Ryan previously served as SVP of publicity and corporate communications for Fox Broadcasting Company, overseeing the network’s publicity campaigns and corporate communications strategies.

Ryan is a long-time member of Fox’s publicity staff, having originally joined the company as a coordinator. While a publicist at the network, she developed and executed launch campaigns for such hit series as “Family Guy,” “That ’70s Show,” “King of the Hill,” “The Simple Life,” “Undeclared” and “Arrested Development.” In 2006, Ryan was promoted to VP of entertainment publicity overseeing PR and awards campaigns for such seminal series as “American Idol,” “House,” “The Simpsons” and “24.” Following her promotion to SVP in 2007, Ryan has supervised recent launch campaigns for Fox hits “Glee,” “Terra Nova,” “New Girl” and “The X Factor.”

She also has overseen internal and external executive communications strategy for Fox, including executive positioning, crisis communications and the network’s annual upfront presentation and Television Critics Association media relations.

Scot Safon

EVP, CNN Worldwide; GM, HLN

Scot Safon has been an EVP of CNN Worldwide since 2002. He was CNN's CMO until 2010, when he became GM of HLN, the former CNN Headline News. Prior to joining CNN, Safon headed up marketing for TNT. He has been with Turner since 1991, and has had the opportunity to supervise marketing and promotion campaigns for a wide range of news, entertainment and sports programming.

Steph Sebbag

President & Chief Creative Officer, bpg

Steph Sebbag is the founder, president and chief creative officer of bpg, a leading, fully integrated advertising agency for the entertainment business. Through its three main divisions, print, broadcast and interactive, Sebbag has led his agency to double-digit growth year over year. Today, with a staff of more than 40 dedicated and talented executives and designers, bpg has won hundreds of industry awards including PromaxBDA Awards, Graphis Awards, Mobius Awards, Golden Trailer Awards and Key Art Awards.

Sebbag founded bpg in 2005 with a handful of clients and employees. Today, bpg is a thriving agency that boasts top entertainment brands as clients, including History, Lifetime, Bravo, Oxygen, Food Network, Warner Bros., Fox, Disney, Sony, HGTV, GSN, Showtime, HBO, NBC, USA, Syfy, TVLand, E!, Univision, NFL Network and Tennis Channel.

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen, who has starred in more than 40 feature films, catapulted to fame in such critical and commercial hits as Platoon and Wall Street. His other feature film credits include “Red Dawn,” “Lucas,” “Ferris Bueller's Day Off,” “Eight Men Out,” “Young Guns,” “Major League,” “Hot Shots!,” “Hot Shots! Part Deux,” “The Three Musketeers,” “The Chase,” “Money Talks,” “Being John Malkovich,” “Scary Movie 3,” “Scary Movie 4” and “The Big Bounce.” He also appeared in the television movies “Rated X” and “Good Advice.”

Sheen became known to television audiences through his Golden Globe Award-winning lead role in Spin City. In 2003, Sheen was cast as Charlie Harper in the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” which was loosely based on Sheen's bad boy image. The role garnered him an ALMA Award and four Emmy Award nominations, as well as two Golden Globe Award nominations for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series.

In 2011, Sheen set a new Guinness World Record for Twitter as the "Fastest Time to Reach 1 Million Followers," adding an average of 129,000 new followers per day. Later in the year, Charlie kicked off his North American My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not An Option tour, which sold out in 18 minutes to set a Ticketmaster record. In September of 2011, Comedy Central’s “Roast of Charlie Sheen” was watched by 6.4 million people, making it the highest-rated roast in the history of the network. Sheen finished the year starring in the upcoming Roman Coppola movie, “A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charlie Swan III.”

In June 2012, Sheen will debut his new TV series on FX, “Anger Management.”

Howard Shimmel

EVP, Chief Revenue Officer – Media & Advertising Analytics, Nielsen

Howard Shimmel is EVP, chief revenue officer for media and advertising analytics at Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and what they watch. In his role, Shimmel is primarily responsible for building out Nielsen’s analytic services to media companies and ad agencies. This includes analytics around program promotion, optimization and measurement, and cross-platform usage behaviors. Prior to joining Nielsen, Shimmel was VP, Market Research at AOL.

Richard Shirley

VP, Distribution Business Development, A+E Networks

As Vice President of Distribution Business Development for A+E Networks, Richard Shirley oversees strategic direction, product development and operations for the deployment of advanced media products through cable, satellite and Telco affiliates. His areas of responsibility include TV Everywhere, VOD and interactive television. Under Shirley’s leadership, A+E brands including A&E, History and Lifetime have become leading sources of views in their respective VOD categories and have established VOD as a cornerstone for critical marketing and ad sales campaigns. Shirley also played a primary role in the development of iTV initiatives that led to A+E Networks’ recognition in 2010 for “Best iTV Program” by DISH Network and “Most Significant Newcomer” at the TV of Tomorrow show. Shirley joined A+E Networks in August, 2005 serving as manager of VOD marketing.

Prior to joining A+E Networks, Shirley worked for Fujisankei Communications International, a subsidiary of FUJI Television, Japan’s highest-grossing and top-rated broadcast network, where he served as manager of business development.

Guy Slattery

EVP of Marketing, A&E Network, Bio Channel and Crime & Investigation Network

Guy Slattery joined A&E Network in December in 2006 as SVP of marketing and now serves as EVP of marketing. Slattery oversees the network’s consumer marketing team, where he is responsible for the creation and implementation of the network’s brand and marketing strategy. He oversees all marketing initiatives, including brand strategy, on-air promotion, off-net media buying, creative advertising, social media, strategic partnerships and consumer public relations efforts. Additionally, Slattery oversees all marketing and brand strategy for BIO Channel and the Crime & Investigation Network.

In the spring of 2008, Slattery spearheaded the development and implementation of a comprehensive multi-platform positioning of the A&E brand, which included a new logo, new look and feel and the tagline ‘Real Life. Drama.’ This brand update resulted in record ratings for the network every year since and industry recognition for the strength of the A&E brand. In 2012, A&E was named Brand of the Year - the highest ranked network for variety TV programming according to the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study.

An award-winning marketer, Slattery’s work has been honored with numerous PromaxBDA and CTAM awards and two Cannes Lions. In 2009, CableFAX honored Slattery as the cable industry’s “Marketer of the Year.”

Slattery previously was SVP creative and marketing at National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) where he was responsible for global on-air and off-air creative, communications and strategic brand marketing for all of NGCI’s channels operating across 163 international territories.

Prior to joining National Geographic International, Slattery was at National Geographic Europe where he had an integral role in expanding the network's marketing initiatives that helped launch the channel in markets all across Europe. Slattery’s extensive marketing experience has been honed from marketing/promotions positions held at British Sky Broadcasting (London), MGM Television Networks (Hong Kong), and Star Television Networks (Hong Kong).

Chris Sloan

President & Executive Creative Director, 2C Media

The expression “art imitates life” is especially true for Chris Sloan, a creative visionary who has woven his passion for living into every facet of his career. From adventure and travel to food and aviation, Sloan’s projects reflect his ardent pursuit of personal enrichment, a trait that has given him an edge as a storyteller.

Since co-founding the award-winning production company and creative hot shop 2C Media in 2005, Sloan and his team have incorporated this passion into the creation and production of several successful cable TV series, including “Airport 24/7: Miami” (Travel Channel), “Swamp Wars” (Animal Planet), “Danger Coast” (CMT), “A Stand Up Mother” (WE tv), “Future Food” (Discovery: Planet Green) and “10 Things You Didn’t Know” (Travel Channel), among others.

And while original series production is a staple of 2C Media, Sloan has prided himself in building the company into a truly diversified venture that also includes live-action directing, branded entertainment and broadcast promotion and design. As a result, his clients represent a who’s who of broadcast and cable networks that actively seek out his creative vision and hands-on production expertise. 

With 2C Media, Sloan has been instrumental in successful series launches for, among others, Fox, National Geographic, The Weather Channel, Investigation Discovery, USA Network, SyFy and truTV, as well as the syndicated launches of NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution’s “30 Rock” and “Law & Order” and 20th Television’s “Burn Notice.” 

Prior to launching 2C Media, Sloan held a number of executive creative, programming and production posts, including creative director for NBC Entertainment; VP of reality programming for USA Networks; VP production for TLC Network; and editor at Limelight Video, among other roles.

A multiple Emmy® Award winning producer, Sloan is a member of the PromaxBDA Board of Directors and the Miami-Dade Film Commission.

Michael Smith

GM, Cooking Channel

Michael Smith was named GM of Scripps Networks’ new Cooking Channel in October 2009. He oversees the creation, integration, programming and marketing of the new brand, which launched May 2010 to 58 million homes, one of the largest new channel launches in history.

Smith joined Cooking Channel from Scripps-owned Food Network where, as SVP of marketing, creative and brand strategy, he led the network’s consumer marketing, advertising, media planning, creative services, on-air promotion and public relations activities.

He arrived at Food Network in 1998 and previously served as VP of creative services, VP of on-air strategy and creative services, and SVP of marketing and creative services.

The work produced by the Food Network brand marketing and creative team won several industry awards, and in 2003, Smith received a Brand Builder Award from PromaxBDA, “Broadcasting & Cable” and “Multichannel News.” Each year since 2007, he has been named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Minorities in Cable by “CableFAX” magazine. In 2010, he was named on the 100 most influential Blacks in Corporate America by “Savoy” Magazine.

Before Food Network, Smith worked for Disney/ABC Cable Networks from 1990 to 1998 in a variety of sales, marketing and programming roles, both domestically and in Asia, eventually rising to executive director of on-air promotion for Disney Channel.

From 1988 to 1990 Smith worked for the CBS Television Network in affiliate relations. He began his media career in 1986 as an account executive at Young & Rubicam Advertising.

Susan Solano Vila

EVP, Marketing, Telemundo Media

Susan Solano Vila is the EVP of marketing for Telemundo Media. In this role, she is responsible for the full scope of on-air and off-air creative and marketing activities across the company, overseeing strategy that drives consumer awareness, audience engagement and ratings. 

For more than 20 years, Solano Vila has been a key player in the growth and evolution of the Telemundo and mun2 brands. Most recently, she successfully spearheaded a rebranding of Telemundo – the first in 12 years – with a complete overhaul of the look, positioning and logo across all divisions, including network, stations, digital, international and studios. Solano Vila has developed and strengthened Telemundo’s brand identity by building brand awareness and interest in its original content. Her efforts have garnered the network recognition as a trendsetter with innovative marketing, promotion and branding concepts and campaigns. 

Solano Vila joined Telemundo in 1991 as media manager, responsible for establishing an in-house advertising department. During her tenure, she has created innovative marketing efforts consisting of multi-layered 360-degree branding campaigns that include mass marketing, grassroots outreach, licensing, merchandising and promotional partnerships. She has paved the way for Telemundo’s extensive implementation of emerging media vehicles and experiential marketing to strengthen and leverage assets for consumers, clients and partners. Additionally, she developed the award-winning Club de Noveleras consumer loyalty program, a first in the industry, featuring an online destination and series of events that connect consumers to the stars they love.  

She began her career as a media planner for Campbell Ewald, and later served as account supervisor for Nestle and Eastern Airlines in the Caribbean and Latin American markets and Coca-Cola Foods and GM/Chevrolet in the US Hispanic markets.

Solano Vila currently serves on the Board of Directors of PromaxBDA. 

Roy Spence

Chairman & Co-Founder, GSD&M; CEO & Co-Founder, The Purpose Institute

Roy Spence is co-founder and chairman of GSD&M, a national and leading marketing communications and advertising company.

He is also now co-founder and CEO of The Purpose Institute, a consulting firm whose purpose is to help people and organizations discover and live their purpose. Along with Haley Rushing, Spence coauthored the “Wall Street Journal” bestselling book, “It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business is Driven by Purpose.”

Under Spence’s leadership, his agency has helped grow some of the world’s most successful brands like “Don’t Mess with Texas,” Southwest Airlines, Wal-Mart, DreamWorks, the PGA TOUR, BMW, the US Air Force, LLBean and the Clinton Global Initiative. Spence has been a trusted adviser to legendary leaders including Sam Walton and Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher. His council has also been sought by US presidents and leaders in the State Department and Department of Defense.

Spence has been named Ad Man of the Year and Idea Man of the Century.

He is a member of the board of directors of the Conscious Capitalism Institute, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation and is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas.

And finally, Roy’s passion is entrepreneurship. He deeply believes that entrepreneurship is the Miracle of America. His mantra is “Don’t Do Mild” in work or life; follow your dreams, follow your passion and follow your purpose.

Kurt Spenser

Creative Director, RADLEY

Kurt Spenser co-founded Radley in 2010 with the best in the business so they could chase their dreams, and now acts as creative director. Storytelling, music, photography and chlorine are cooked in his blood.

Adam Stewart

Industry Director, Media & Entertainment, Google

As industry director of media and entertainment for Google, Adam Stewart leads the company's national advertising business in the film, television, gaming and publishing categories. In this role, Stewart oversees all advertising partnerships and integrated solutions across the company's platforms, including Google.com, YouTube and mobile. Since joining Google in 2006, Stewart has played an integral role in bringing major entertainment marketers to YouTube as well as increasing the industry's use of search marketing.

Prior to joining Google, Stewart was SVP at Discovery Communications, where he oversaw a team of national sales managers and developed and executed sales strategies for Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health and BBC America. Stewart also previously served as VP of national sales for Screenvision, where he led in-theater advertising and content deals across multiple industries.

Ellen Stone

SVP, Marketing, Bravo Media

As Bravo Media's SVP of marketing, Ellen Stone oversees the development of all brand strategy, creative, consumer advertising, ad sales, and digital marketing as well as licensing/merchandising and talent relations for the network. She also serves as a member of Bravo's senior management team shaping the network's overall strategy.

Under Stone's leadership, Bravo has enjoyed great success, with multi-million dollar campaigns for franchises such as The Real Housewives and Top Chef. She has also spearheaded the network's innovative digital marketing partnerships with sites including Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Groupon. Stone is the mastermind behind some of Bravo Media's most successful ventures, including the recent release of “The Real Housewives Get Personal” book, the best-selling Top Chef Cookbook series which has reached the NY Times bestsellers list two years in a row, Top Chef: The Tour, the nationwide promotional tour that features a customized traveling "Top Chef" 18-wheeler semi-truck, currently in its third cycle, as well as numerous other “Top Chef” brand extensions including wine, knives, board games and flowers.

Additionally, under Stone’s watch, her team has earned the 2010 Digital Publishing & Advertising Award for Best Social Engagement Campaign for “Top Chef Just Desserts,” an IMA Outstanding Achievement Award for “The Fashion Show” marketing campaign, a Cablefaxie as well as three CTAM Mark Awards.

Stone joined Bravo in 2006 as VP of consumer marketing. Previously, she served as director of consumer marketing at Lifetime Entertainment Services, where she was responsible for managing all off-air consumer marketing efforts for Lifetime Television.

Additionally, Stone worked at Bozell Worldwide, where she served as partner and management supervisor of the National Fluid Milk Program, overseeing strategic and creative operations of the Dairy Management Milk Board. Earlier, Stone worked at J. Walter Thompson, first as senior account executive for the Bell Atlantic Corporation and then, as partner, account supervisor on Unilever Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership, Lipton, Lever 2000 and Wisk.

Stone joined Bozell Worldwide from Wells Rich Greene BDDP, where she served as senior account executive for International Business Machines. She began her career at Margeotes Fertitta & Partners where she served as sr. media planner, before being made an account executive.

Craig Stout

Senior Creative Director, Interbrand

Craig Stout is a senior creative director in the Interbrand New York visual identity department, leading our design teams in the creation of branding programs. 

Stout brings great passion to his creative work, striving to find the “most advanced, yet acceptable” solution to every business or brand challenge. He is constantly searching for the best creative, pragmatic solution that best answers any strategic challenge. 

Stout brings more than 15 years of experience working in leading design firms on both coasts. Stout began his career in San Francisco working on a diverse range of design disciplines. In 1995 he came to New York where he worked on corporate branding programs for Landor and Siegel & Gale. Stout has led branding programs for America Online, Travelocity, Coca-Cola and was involved in the creation of communications system for Morgan Stanley and UBS.

Stout’s client experience includes: AT&T, John Deere, Yellow Roadway, Covidien, NYSE Euronext, Mellon Financial, NBC Universal, CNN, SAP, MWV, Wachovia, Enterprise, Guidant, Penske, and Agro Group.

Dave Taylor

Brand Strategist & Managing Director, Ink Project

From 1993 to 2003 Dave Taylor represented the UK- and US-based agency Attik as group production director and later as UK managing director. Taylor worked his way around the globe, landing in Sydney in 2000.

In 2003 he took the role of national ideation manager for Universal McCann and maintained that position for three years whilst he also worked with Ken Lambert, creative director and co-founder of Ink Project, developing brand communication strategies. The experience was great, professional and fun, producing some of the most effective branding these clients have ever seen. In 2005 Lambert and co-founder Samantha Bleuel invited Taylor to join Ink Project as managing director and brand strategist. He jumped in headfirst and has never looked back.

Ink Project has gained an award-winning reputation both locally and internationally, having completed 70 branding projects across 10 countries and four continents, winning more than 100 international awards in the process.

Paul Tibbitt

Executive Producer, “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Paul Tibbitt was born in Los Angeles across the street from a hockey rink. While animating stick figures in the corners of textbooks didn’t endear him to his teachers, it did help him make his way through the California education system. When the call of Cal Arts’ animation school became too strong to ignore, he went. Upon graduating, he found himself working on animated cartoons that no one heard of… until “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Tibbitt has been one of the main writers on the show since it went into production in 1998. He served as a director and writer on “SpongeBob SquarePants” for its first three seasons, and he wrote some of the show’s most memorable episodes, such as “Ripped Pants” and “Mermaidman & Barnacleboy.” He is now the executive producer and has been supervising the day-to-day production on the last five seasons. In addition, Tibbitt was one of the co-writers and storyboard artists on “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.”

Patrick Trettenero

VP Creative, Branded Content, Character Brandworks, USA Network

Patrick Trettenero (VP creative, branded content) created and oversees Character Brandworks, USA Network’s in-house creative agency, where he has spearheaded the development and execution of an innovative, industry-leading portfolio of co-branded initiatives in service of USA’s advertising clients.

In addition to his duties running Character Brandworks, Trettenero serves as creative director over USA’s annual upfront events and presentations. He also helms creative for all on-air promotion of USA’s digital platforms including usanetwork.com and USA Social TV.

Previous to his work in television, Trettenero’s career highlights include a long run as a successful stage director and theater producer. 

Amy Troiano

VP, On-Air Promotion, Bravo

Amy Troiano is VP of on-air promotion for Bravo. She is in charge of all creative, graphic design, strategic planning, operations and post-production for the network’s on-air promotion department. She developed and continues to oversee Bravo’s integrated promotion team, committed to creating special on-air opportunities for advertisers.
 
Since 2003, Troiano has launched numerous award-winning campaigns for the network’s highly successful programming, and has helped Bravo attract the most affluent and educated viewers in cable entertainment. She leads the on-air promotion efforts behind the network’s many hits, including “Top Chef” and the hugely popular Real Housewives franchise, and is also instrumental in developing the brand’s annual “Summer by Bravo” campaign.

Before joining Bravo, Troiano served as creative director at the Travel Channel. She began her career in Miami, working for NBC’s owned-and-operated television station WTVJ-TV. During her time at WTVJ, she held positions in both the on-air promotion and news departments.

Dounia Turrill

SVP, Client Insights, The Nielsen Company

Dounia Turrill is SVP of client insights for The Nielsen Company. In this role, Turrill helps drive thought leadership for Nielsen, serving as a lead voice from the television perspective as Nielsen grows and evolves its initiatives related to cross-platform audience measurement. 

Turrill leads Nielsen’s global cross-platform audience measurement practice defining and managing the collective knowledge of the Watch team across Nielsen, leading thought leadership efforts designed to encourage and facilitate client discussions in this area. The practice allows media clients to optimize programming and increase advertising yields, while ensuring marketers take advantage of deep insights into the cross media behavior of the hardest to reach and most valuable audiences. The practice draws upon Nielsen’s leading media measurement assets across TV, online and mobile platforms in 35 countries.

Turrill serves on the board of PromaxBDA.

Prior to re-joining Nielsen, Turrill was VP of research, at the CW Television Network, and formerly was VP of research, at the WB Television Network. In those capacities, she was an active member of the TV Committee of the Media Research Council. She began her career at Nielsen, where she worked extensively with both Local and National clients. 

Mark Valentine

Co-Founder & Creative Director, ANATOMY

Mark Valentine is co-founder and creative director of ANATOMY, a New York City-based creative services agency specializing in entertainment marketing and promotion. 

Since 2000, ANATOMY has produced numerous image campaigns, commercials, brand films, packaging and trailers for a range of media brands including Avon, Bravo, The Daily Beast, Discovery, FX, Fuse, G4, Lifetime, Nat Geo WILD, NBC Universal, New York Rangers, Nickelodeon, Oxygen, Reuters, RHI Entertainment and USA Network. In 2010, he received an Emmy for his work with MSG Network.

Valentine’s career began at CNBC as one of the network’s first employees. During his three years at the network, he held several positions including news editor and promo producer. He went on to launch the CNBC’s on-air promotions department. 

In 1992, he joined Lee Hunt Associates, a highly successful branding and strategic marketing agency. During his eight years with LHA, he worked on many network launches and rebrands. 

Nancy Vonk

Co-Founder, Swim

Nancy Vonk was co-chief creative officer, with Janet Kestin, of Ogilvy Toronto from 1998 to 2011. With Kestin, she has won Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils, Clios and many other awards. The duo served as creative directors for Dove “Evolution,” which won two Grand Prix at Cannes, and “Diamond Shreddies,” which won a Grand Clio.

They founded Swim, a creative leadership lab, in October 2011. They have empowered groups from lawyers to architects with insights and tools to take their careers to the next level using unconventional practices.

Vonk and Kestin have judged many of the world’s top advertising awards shows including Cannes, the Clios, One Show, D&AD and the Effies. In 2008, Vonk was the first female chair in the history of the Art Director’s Club of New York.

Vonk and Kestin were included in Creativity’s Top 50 creative people of 2008. They were advertising Women of the Year at both the WIN Awards in LA and the AWNY Awards in NY in 2007. In 2011 they were inducted into the “Marketing Hall of Legends” and won the Speiss Award for their contribution to Canada’s advertising industry.

They have a widely read advice column, “Ask Jancy,” on ad site, IHAVEANIDEA. They penned a critically acclaimed Adweek book, “Pick Me,” in 2005. It has become a staple in advertising schools from Texas to Turkey. HarperCollins commissioned them to write a career guide for women, due on shelves in 2013.

Vonk and Kestin are mentors and frequent lecturers at schools including world-renowned VCU Brandcenter. Vonk has been on the board of the One Club since ’09.

Angus Wall

Creative Director, Elastic

Angus Wall is the founder of Rock Paper Scissors (a commercial editorial company), a52 (a VFX boutique), Elastic (a design studio) and Datalab (a data management company for digital film production).

Wall recently won an Academy Award for editing “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” In 2011, he won an Academy Award, an Eddie Award and a BAFTA for editing “The Social Network,” and received nominations for an Academy Award, Eddie and BAFTA for his work on “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” He previously edited David Fincher‘s crime drama about the infamous serial killer, “Zodiac,” and the thriller “Panic Room.” He was an editorial consultant on the film “Fight Club” and main title editor on Fincher‘s thriller “Se7en.” He also edited John Woo‘s “Hostage” and did the trailer and ads for George Lucas’s “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in 1999. 

In 2011, Wall won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design for his work designing and directing the main title sequence for HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” He previously won a BAFTA for Best Main Title for HBO's “Rome” and an Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Design for HBO's “Carnivale.”

Wall has worked on hundreds of ads for various international brands. Some of his commercial work includes: Heineken "Brad Pitt" by David Fincher, Miller High Life “Alternative Fuels” by Errol Morris, Nike‘s “Y2K” by Spike Jonze, Timex‘s “Kung Fu” by Tim Burton and Levi’s “Second Day” by Gus Van Sant.

Wall is a pioneer in the development of digital motion picture workflows, and applied for a patent for his work in 2006, creating the first all-digital pipeline for a studio motion picture.

Seamus Walsh

Co-Founder, Screen Novelties

Seamus Walsh and Mark Caballero make up two-thirds of Screen Novelties, a collective of filmmakers specializing in stop-motion animation. Their early collaboration yielded cult favorites like “The Old Man & the Goblins” and “Graveyard Jamboree with Mysterious Mose.” A highlight in their career was collaborating with animation legend Ray Harryhausen to complete “The Tortoise & the Hare,” a film that Harryhausen had begun 50 years earlier. Along with producing partner Christopher Finnegan, Screen Novelties has directed commercials for clients such as Nike, McDonald’s and many other big shots. Screen Novelties was instrumental in setting up “Robot Chicken” for Adult Swim.

Walsh and Caballero recently directed a Christmas Special for Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Betty White

Actress, Comedienne, Author & Advocate for the Welfare of Animals

Although she turned 90 in January 2012, it won’t slow down comedy legend Betty White, one of the funniest and busiest actresses in Hollywood. With a career that has spanned more than 60 years, the seven-time Emmy Award winner has created unforgettable roles in television and film, authored seven books and won numerous awards, including those for her lifelong work for animal welfare.

White’s first comedy series, “Life with Elizabeth,” brought her first Emmy Award in 1952, followed by a daily NBC talk/variety show called “The Betty White Show.” She was a recurring regular with more than 70 appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jack Paar,” and appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” and “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” She also subbed as host on all three talk shows. White was a regular with Vicki Lawrence on “Mama’s Family” as sister Ellen, a role she created with the rest of the company on “The Carol Burnett Show.”

Her recurring role as “Happy Homemaker” Sue Ann Nivens in the classic series “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” brought two Emmys for Best Supporting Actress in 1974-75 and 1975-76. She received her fourth Emmy for Best Daytime Game Show Host for “Just Men.” Nominated seven times for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Rose Nylund in “The Golden Girls,” White won the Emmy the first season in 1985, and later appeared in the spin-off “The Golden Palace” for one season. She earned her next Emmy Award as Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series on “The John Larroquette Show.”

White was nominated for an Emmy in 2011 for her portrayal of “Elka,” the snarky but lovable caretaker on the TV Land series “Hot in Cleveland,” in which she stars alongside Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick. White also won back-to-back Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Comedy Series in 2011 and 2012.

When she hosted NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in 2010, it was one of the highest-rated episodes in the show’s history, and earned her an Emmy Award for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, bringing White’s Emmy total to seven awards. White is also executive producer and host of the new NBC series “Off Their Rockers.”

In addition to charming sports fans with her role in the popular Snickers commercial shown during the 2010 Super Bowl, White has guest-starred on “Ally McBeal,” “That ‘70s Show,” “Boston Legal,” and received Emmy nominations for guesting on both NBC’s “Community” and “The Middle.” She was also nominated for an Emmy as a guest actress on “Suddenly Susan.”

Her numerous television movies include “Chance of a Lifetime,” “Stealing Christmas,” “Annie’s Point” and “The Lost Valentine,” for which she received yet another Emmy nomination. White also hosted the New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade for 20 years, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for 10 years. Her big-screen credits include the Warner Brothers hit “The Proposal,” with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, as well as “You Again,” “Bringing Down the House,” “The Story of Us,” “Lake Placid” and “Hard Rain.”

The most recent of her seven books include “If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t”), released in May, 2011 which earned White a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for the audio edition. “Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo” was released in November, 2011. White has also been named the world’s Most Trusted Celebrity according to a recent Reuters poll for back to back years.

White’s awards are numerous, and include the Career Achievement Award in 2009 from the Television Critics Association, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jane Goodall Institute in 2009, the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in Acting in 2010 from the American Women in Radio and Television. She was voted AP Entertainer of the Year in 2010, and was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in addition to being inducted into the “Broadcasting and Cable” Hall of Fame in 2011.

A passionate supporter of animal welfare, White was recently named chairman of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, and has served on the board since 1974 and as a zoo commissioner for eight years. In 2006, White was honored by the City of Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Zoo as “Ambassador to the Animals” for her lifelong work for animal welfare. White also serves as president emeritus of Morris Animal Foundation and has been a trustee since 1971.

Morley Winograd

Partner, Mike & Morley, LLC

With his partner Mike Hais, Morley Winograd is a consultant, author, speaker and on-air pundit delivering candid, informed insights on engaging Millennials.

Co-author of two highly acclaimed books, “Millennial Momentum” and “Millennial Makeover”, Morley is a senior fellow at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School’s Center on Communication Leadership and Policy. He served as senior policy adviser to Vice President Al Gore and was a regional VP of Ssales for AT&T. In his early career, he was the Michigan State Democratic Party Chairman.

Based in Los Angeles, Morley is a regular contributor to publications as varied as “The Christian Science Monitor,” Huffington Post and “Politico.”

Amy Winter

GM, TLC

As general manager, Amy Winter oversees all aspects of programming, production, development, new media and marketing for TLC. Under her leadership, the network continues to be known for its own brand of buzz-worthy programming, including the hit series “Say Yes To The Dress,” “Extreme Couponing,” “Sister Wives” and “Toddlers & Tiaras.”

Since assuming this position in February 2011, TLC has premiered high-profile new series including “All-American Muslim,” “Long Island Medium,” “New York Ink” and “Say Yes To The Dress: Bridesmaids,” and has brought back fan favorites including “Next Great Baker,” “Hoarding: Buried Alive” and “My Strange Addiction.” Upcoming projects that she has spearheaded include “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding,” “Leave It To Niecy” and “On The Fly,” a series with Southwest Airlines.

Winter’s passion for television stems from her childhood watching “Little House on the Prairie,” where she developed a love for characters and storytelling. She began her career as a freelance promotion producer at TBS in 1994, where she stayed until 2005, becoming creative director/VP of on-air promotion. While at TBS, Winter led creative direction over all marketing and brand initiatives, was instrumental in the network’s “Very Funny” rebranding and created the successful “Movie and a Makeover” franchise.

Winter left Turner in 2005, joining the Discovery family as TLC’s VP of Creative. Under her creative and brand leadership, TLC saw an unprecedented growth in ratings. Her ability to think logically and execute artistically were quickly noted, and co-workers affectionately referred to her as “Nights and Weekends” because of her hard work and dedication. In 2008 Winter took on the marketing creative lead on the brand launch of Discovery’s new network Planet Green, which “The New York Times” called “the highest-profile cable channel introduction of the year.” After that successful launch, Winter returned to TLC as SVP of marketing, helping the network firmly cement hits like “Jon & Kate Plus 8” and “19 Kids And Counting” while launching new successful series such as “Cake Boss,” “Four Weddings” and “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.”

CableFAX named Winter one of the Most Powerful Women in Cable in 2011, and Cable Marketer of the Year in 2010.

Michael Wolfson

Co-Founder & President, Rocket Fuel Studios

Michael Wolfson has been a creative leader in digital media for more than 16 years. He served as chief creative officer of AOL where he was responsible for the consumer experience and creative development of 18 websites. During Wolfson’s tenure, many of those sites were No.1 in their category and all were in the top three. Among them were AOL.com, AOL Music, TMZ, Moviefone and AOL News and Sports. Prior to AOL, Wolfson co-founded TheKnot.com, leading the creative development and distribution efforts to turn an initial concept into the world’s leading wedding media and services company. In addition, Wolfson serves as a board member, advisor and investor for several digital and media companies, including S-Curve Records, Sandow Media (“New Beauty Magazine”), Nabbr and Townsquare Media.

Michael Wright

President, Head of Programming, TBS, TNT & Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

Michael Wright is president, head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). In this role, Wright is responsible for all programming and scheduling for TBS and TNT, including original series, limited series and specials, as well as for original programming ventures on TCM and original content for all three networks’ digital extensions. Wright is based in Los Angeles and reports to Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks.

During Wright’s 10 years at Turner, he’s been responsible for multiple programming successes across the networks. For TNT, his notable achievements include The Closer, basic cable's No. 1 series for five consecutive years; “Rizzoli & Isles,” which took over the top spot when it premiered in 2010; and last year's No. 1 new series on basic cable, “Falling Skies.”

For TBS, Wright was instrumental in the acquisition of “The Big Bang Theory.” He was also part of the team that recruited Conan O’Brien and brought his critically acclaimed late-night hit to TBS. By crafting a successful lineup that includes “The Big Bang Theory,” “CONAN” and “Family Guy,” Wright and his department have helped elevate TBS to rank as basic cable's No. 1 network among young adults in 2012.

For TCM, Wright has led development on several acclaimed documentary series and specials that have served to expand the network's already stellar reputation as an authority on the art and history of cinema. Projects include the Emmy-nominated Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood, the TCM Night at the Movies franchise and TCM Presents AFI’s Master Class – The Art of Collaboration.

Wright has also forged strong creative partnerships with some of the industry's most revered talents, including Steven Spielberg, David E. Kelley, Frank Darabont, Dean Devlin, John Wells, Jamie Tarses, Vince Vaughn and Bill Haber, to name a few.

Wright joined TNT in 2002 and was named SVP of original programming for the network in 2004. Wright’s duties expanded to include TBS in 2005 and TCM in 2007, leading to his being named EVP of head of programming of TNT, TBS and TCM in 2008. He was named to his current position in May 2012.

Prior to joining Turner, Wright served as VP of movies and miniseries for CBS Productions and CBS Entertainment. He supervised production of some of CBS’ highest-rated and acclaimed television movies.

Wright is currently a board member for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the American Film Institute. He also serves as secretary for the Hollywood Radio & Television Society Board of Trustees. Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in theater arts from the UCLA College of Fine Arts.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Katerina Zacharia

VP, Industry Development & Diversity, PromaxBDA
PromaxBDA Representative

A media executive who combines a deep knowledge of education design, development and training, and diversity with marketing and partnership strategy, Katerina Zacharia brings 15 years of experience working across industries to design and implement education and leadership training programs globally. Using diversity as the strategic lens, she effectively works with multiple stakeholders across business functions and competing organizational priorities to design and implement rigorous and relevant education programs for professionals and executives at all career stages that build stronger, more collaborative networks of creative talent into and through the media marketing industry.

Zacharia came to PromaxBDA in 2010 to launch the department of industry development and diversity after a long career in international development. Since she took the helm, Zacharia has designed and implemented a suite of professional development and training programs that effectively serve the media marketing industry. 

Zacharia also leads the PromaxBDA Diversity Council, an industry-wide collaborative of top marketing, creative services and human resources executives representing 10 broadcast and cable networks. She works closely with her council members to design and execute an industry-wide diversity initiative that is anchored in an integrated program of education, training, partnership and recruitment. The mandate of her position is to build and grow a sustainable pipeline of diverse talent for the entertainment marketing industry.