From over-the-top and cross-platform video and new metrics — to big data, digital disruption and economic challenges — the business of developing and delivering content is transforming like never before.
Standing at the forefront of this industry revolution is a special group of creative, imaginative and tech-savvy visionaries offering new perspectives and game-changing ideas. They’re helping to create, market and sell what viewers are watching on both big and small screens. And they’re a diverse group of professionals with one thing in common: They’re all younger than 40 years old.
Meet the 40 individuals who’ll be celebrated on Oct. 30 during an early-evening event in the Empire Penthouse of Manhattan nightclub 230 Fifth as Multichannel News and B&C honor the 2019 group of 40 Under 40. Part of NYC Television Week, the event will feature red carpet arrivals, cocktails and a chance to network with other industry professionals. The evening will be co-hosted by WNYW New York entertainment reporter Ryan Kristafer and Kyle Cooke of Bravo’s Summer House, with special appearances by Summer House co-stars Amanda Batula and Carl Radke.
Daniel Alvarez
Vice President of Product and Design, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations
A product leader with more than 15 years of experience building mobile products, Daniel Alvarez helps teams at NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations navigate the intersection of media and technology. He leads a team of product managers and UX/UI designers that aim to create the best digital experiences for local NBC and Telemundo audiences. By instilling a culture of collaboration, creativity and healthy risk-taking, Alvarez and his team have pioneered new vertical storytelling products helping NBC/Telemundo stations attract and build new audiences in nonlinear platforms. Earlier, he had served as head of product and design at HuffPost. Previously, he held product and engineering roles at AOL, Nextel International, Motorola and Verizon International.
Samira Panah Bakhtiar
Senior Sales Leader, North East Media & Cable, Amazon Web Services
Samira Panah Bakhtiar’s work, leading a team of highly passionate engineers and sales team members at AWS and at Cisco Systems (where she served as managing director for their media operation), has led to strategic alignment and business transformation at some of the world’s largest media conglomerates — focused on introducing innovation and enhancing operational efficiency in the areas of production, contribution, post production and primary and secondary distribution. Her humanitarian work centers on the abolishment of human trafficking and, in 2015, she launched Bridge2Act, a venture aimed at transforming the charitable giving landscape through the use of technology.
Matt Barnes
Senior Director, Programmatic Sales and Strategy, Disney Advertising Sales
Matt Barnes’s job responsibilities include driving all advanced advertising revenue offerings and partnerships across The Walt Disney Co.’s entertainment, news, sports and kids linear and digital TV portfolio, including ABC, Disney Channels Worldwide, ESPN, Freeform, FX Networks and National Geographic Networks, as well as the Disney Digital Network, the company’s online, mobile and social offerings. In addition to his programmatic sales role, Barnes leads strategic audience-based sales initiatives across the company. Barnes and his team define Disney’s programmatic strategy around live events and premium longform video. Prior to Disney, Barnes spent six years at various media agencies focused around roles in strategic planning and digital investment.
Leonardo Bittan
Director of Digital Products, Sales and Distribution, HBO Latin America
Leonardo Bittan has been a key member during the launch and management of various consumer software products for HBO, notably including HBO Go, in Latin America. He builds strategic relationships with HBO partners such as Apple, Google, device manufacturers and pay TV operators in the region. Bittan has driven subscriber growth and revenue through new subscription models, as well as retention marketing, and has been a major contributor in HBO’s customer-focused strategy while leveraging data-driven decision-making. Before joining HBO in 2010, he was a digital marketing strategist for McCann Worldgroup.
Sebastian Burkhardt
Managing Director, Global Content, Keshet International
Sebastian Burkhardt oversees the creative development, production, funding and acquisition of premium high-end dramas aimed at the global market. Tasked with growing Keshet International’s scripted intellectual property catalog, Burkhardt is tapping into new financing models and revenue streams through creative and commercial partnerships. His division works with international and local creators and emerging platforms on a mix of original development, co-producing opportunities and deficit financing models. Burkhardt and his team also actively work with third-party producers on innovative funding models through investments drawn from Keshet’s $65 million Content Fund, which was launched in 2018 in partnership with several of Israel’s largest holding and asset-management companies.
Josh Clark
Senior Vice President of Distribution and Business Development, Viacom
Josh Clark is responsible for negotiating content agreements and managing partnerships across traditional and digital distributors spanning pay TV, subscription video-on-demand, TV everywhere, mobile and others. He was elevated to co-lead Viacom’s Deal Structuring and Planning team, which oversees the strategy and formulation of agreements across all major MVPD accounts. Prior to joining Viacom, he served as VP of programming at Dish Network, helping to launch Sling TV and obtain key distribution renewals for Dish’s satellite-TV service and TV everywhere products. He began his career in General Electric’s Financial Management Program at NBCUniversal, where he later moved to sales and digital distribution roles in the affiliate-sales organization.
Jessica Daigle
Vice President, Sales Intelligence, Tegna Media
Jessica Daigle is focused on using data to help broadcaster, programmer and publisher Tegna grow revenue. In this role, she is responsible for Tegna’s efforts around TV and OTT attribution, spot TV pricing, digital programmatic revenue and sales analytics. Before joining Tegna, she was senior VP of analytics and consumer marketing for Remedy Health Media, where she was responsible for the measurement and audience development strategy for the company’s network of health information websites. Prior to Remedy, Daigle ran an analytics team at Media Contacts, part of Havas Digital. She graduated from Tufts University with a bachelor of arts.
Yoel Flohr
Executive Vice President of Digital and Franchise Development, AMC Networks and Studios
Yoel Flohr is responsible for the strategy and planning related to maximizing the value of AMC-owned assets and intellectual property, overseeing franchises such as The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, Talking Dead, Into the Badlands and The Terror. He also is driving overall digital business for AMC Networks & Studios. Prior to joining AMCN, his background includes co-founding Thirty Labs Inc., a New York-based startup studio focused on the emerging digital video space. He also founded Ventuation, a strategic consulting and digital incubation firm, and was the VP for digital at Shine Group, among other digital media activities.
Abe Geiger
Chief Product Officer, Hudson MX
At Hudson MX, Abe Geiger is helping to level the playing field between media buyers and their digital media peers. He oversees product development and design at the firm. Drawing from his track record as the founder and CEO of Shake, a mobile-first legal tech company acquired by LegalShield in 2015, he is responsible for solving the manual headaches of buying and inspiring teams of engineers, product managers and agency partners to innovate. He also co-founded the NYC Turing Fellows program to bring more engineering talent to New York City startups and serves on the board of InSITE, a graduate student organization focused on entrepreneurship and technology.
Ryan Gould
Senior Vice President of Sales and Client Partnerships, Ad Sales WarnerMedia
Ryan Gould focuses on developing a cohesive sales strategy across CNN’s digital portfolio, which includes premium verticals, mobile products, programmatic and Great Big Story. Based in New York, he reports to Christine Cook, senior vice president and chief revenue officer of CNN Digital. Gould rose to this new leadership position in February 2018 and oversees a team of digital sellers focused on a solutions-led, consultative sales approach. Gould was one of the first sales employees at Bleacher Report, which WarnerMedia’s Turner Sports acquired in 2012. Prior to joining Bleacher Report, Gould spent over four years at Burst Media, where he formed the foundation of his sales experience.
Ross Habif
Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy A+E Networks
Ross Habif leads and was a founding member of the A+E Networks Corporate Development & Strategy team. In this role, he has successfully completed a variety of investments and divestments in many media verticals, served on multiple boards of directors and also managed A+E’s ongoing investment portfolio. His team is also tasked with generating responses to critical industry trends and cultivating internal opportunities to generate continued corporate growth. Prior to taking on his current responsibilities, Ross held positions with A+E Networks on both its distribution and analytics teams. He began his career in advertising sales with Comcast Spotlight.
Evan Hills
Senior Vice President of Development and Strategy, Dstillery
Evan Hills is passionate about bringing data-driven decisioning to brands and agencies to improve efficacy and minimize waste in marketing and advertising in an increasingly data-driven world. What excites him is increasing the adoption of data-driven methodology to all aspects of the marketing funnel (from market research to performance advertising) to make sure brands are finding and targeting the correct customers. He runs Dstillery’s business development team, focusing on corporate strategy and data partnerships with both data owners and activation platforms. He joined Dstillery in 2014 and has managed partnerships with social platforms LinkedIn, Twitter, TheTradeDesk and AppNexus, to name a few.
Keith P. Hopkins
Senior Vice President, Distribution, Nexstar Media Group
Keith P. Hopkins oversees strategic local content distribution initiatives and affiliate relations for Nexstar’s broadcast and digital operations in 100 markets across the United States. Prior to joining Nexstar, Hopkins served as VP of affiliate sales and marketing for Tribune Media, where he negotiated complex carriage agreements with MVPDs and new emerging platforms for all of Tribune Broadcasting’s owned or operated television stations, as well as WGN America. Before that, he served as senior director, affiliate sales and marketing for Pac-12 Networks. Earlier in his career, Hopkins was a national account sales manager at Comcast NBCUniversal.
Terry Hurlbutt
Vice President and General Manager of Digital, ABC’s Good Morning America
Terry Hurlbutt leads the top-rated (total viewers) morning show’s rapid news and lifestyle-focused digital expansion, including content creation, distribution, opening new revenue streams and identifying opportunities to expand audience reach. In 2018, she led the launch of Good Morning America’s new website, a newsletter and a robust, original slate of video franchises and features. Prior to this role, Hurlbutt was responsible for audience development strategies across the Disney/ABC Television Group brand portfolio, including ABC Entertainment, Freeform and Disney Channel, and led ABC News’s first audience development team. Hurlbutt joined ABC News from Google and YouTube, where she co-led North America partnerships for the launch of YouTube Kids.
Sarah Jensen
Director, Advertising Sales, Crown Media Family Networks
Sarah Jensen is director of ad sales at the home of Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama; streaming service Hallmark Movies Now; and e-book publisher Hallmark Publishing. She is charged with managing the Southeast advertising sales team, setting strategy and developing client relationships with established and prospective clients. Her oversight includes leading the team to achieve established annual sales goals and to capitalize on digital and added value opportunities. As the advertising industry continues to evolve, her commitment to prioritizing client relationships remains at the forefront. She began her advertising sales career at Crown Media as a sales assistant in 2010.
J-T Ladt
Chief Content Officer, Fuse Media
J-T Ladt oversees creative content development and current production of longform and shortform original programming for all of Fuse Media’s content platforms. He also leads the Fuse Digital Content Studio, a division that creates digital native content for all Fuse Media platforms, social channels and other distributors. Under his watch, Fuse was honored with NAMIC, Peabody and Telly awards while also receiving an Emmy nomination. He joined Fuse Media from Red Bull Media House’s Red Bull TV and created and served as executive producer for National Geographic Channel’s true crime series Missing Dial. Before that, he served as VP of programming and development at National Geographic Channel.
Alison Levin
Vice President, U.S. Sales & Strategy Roku
Alison Levin oversees all U.S. ad sales for Roku. As the first ever ad-sales hire, she has pioneered upfront deals with some of the largest ad agencies and holding groups and has been instrumental in growing Roku’s portfolio of clients. She and her team are responsible for driving new products and go-tomarket strategy for the overall advertising business. Prior to Roku, Levin was a senior account executive with YuMe, managing key accounts for its ad tech business. Previously, she held sales positions with IAC and BusinessWeek. She holds a bachelor of arts from Boston University.
Erin Lim
Host, E! News’s The Rundown on Snapchat; Correspondent, E! News E! Entertainment
Erin Lim is the host of E! News’s The Rundown, one of the first fully produced weekly shows for Snapchat. The show has expanded to three days a week after early success on the platform, averaging 13 million viewers. Lim is also a correspondent for E! News and serves as a regular panelist on Live from E!, a fast-paced and popular digital show that E! News developed for the Facebook Live platform. In 2017, Lim’s on-air work helped E! News earn a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Entertainment News Program. She was formerly the host for E! News Asia.
Andrea Lipstein
Senior Vice President of Product Marketing, Global Media, Nielsen
Andrea Lipstein is helping Nielsen to drive client adoption of the company’s planning, activation and audience measurement solutions across its National, Local and Digital businesses. In her role, Lipstein leads internal product education and training, external positioning and messaging, roadmap maintenance/communication and product-centric client forums, including the company’s National Client Meeting. She collaborates closely with Nielsen Commercial and Product leaders to drive sales enablement, go-to-market and lead-generation initiatives.
Lauren Lumsden
Vice President, Video Programming for the Beauty Collection, Head of Content and Creative for Iris Condé Nast Entertainment
Lauren Lumsden serves as executive producer of all digital videos produced for Condé Nast’s beauty collection, which includes Allure and Self. She is also the head of content and creative for Iris, a video- and social-led brand for socially conscious millennial women that was developed from the highly successful original programming on The Scene, Condé Nast’s video aggregation platform. Before joining CNE, Lumsden led Cosmopolitan.com’s video efforts and in less than a year, Lumsden and her team brought the publication’s video views from 9 million to more than 110 million per month. Prior to joining Cosmopolitan, Lumsden spent nearly eight years as an editor at DailyCandy.com.
Katie Maloney
Television Agent, Creative Artists Agency
CAA television agent Katie Maloney has sold every genre of unscripted series in the global television marketplace, from high-end documentaries like CNN Films’ Oscarnominated RBG, for which she represented directors Betsy West and Julie Cohen, to the fan-favorite reality series TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress from client Half Yard, in addition to Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta and Real Housewives of Potomac from client Truly Original; BSTV’s Trish’s Southern Kitchen and USA’s Chrisley Knows Best, produced by client Maverick. She began her career at N.S. Bienstock. She joined CAA in 2011 and is among the senior-most women in the Alternative Television department.
Joseph Markowski
Executive Vice President, DAZN
Joseph Markowski is responsible for DAZN’s North American business revenue, with direct oversight of partnerships, rightsholder activation, marketing, communications and overall market strategy. In 2018, he orchestrated the commercial and operational launch of DAZN in the United States. Helped by one of the biggest boxing upsets in recent history, Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr., DAZN has since become the exclusive home of boxing superstars Canelo Alvarez, Gennadiy Golovkin and Anthony Joshua, as well as Bellator MMA. DAZN has also expanded and diversified by launching ChangeUp, a nightly Major League Baseball whip-around show. Markowski also manages the DAZN Canada business and, earlier, he helped launch the DAZN Japan business.
Osvaldo “Ozzie” Martinez
Senior Vice President of News, Digital and Standards, Telemundo Station Group
Osvaldo “Ozzie” Martinez works with local Telemundo station news directors to enhance stations’ local multiplatform news operations, strategy and talent development. He also manages the station group’s news bureaus located in Miami, Washington and Mexico. The group, part of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, includes 30 local Telemundo stations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. He managed the launch of “Telemundo Responde” consumer investigative units in 20 newsrooms and Spanish-language investigative teams (I-Teams) in key markets. Earlier in his career he worked for WNBC New York and as an executive producer for WFOR and WSVN in Miami, Florida, where he lives.
Allison Martucci
Broadcast & Media Partnerships Lead, Google
Allison Martucci leads Google’s Global Partnerships with large broadcasters, helping them navigate the complex digital video ecosystem, monetize premium content across numerous platforms and enhance their relationship across various Google divisions. She oversees more than $250 million in revenue, and has driven several first-of-their-kind business development deals for Google across the TV ecosystem. She first joined Google in 2011, growing partnerships with digital pure plays such as Match Media and IAC. She also helped launch the Google Ad Exchange programmatic marketplace in Latin America. Prior to joining Google, Martucci spent five years at The New York Times, overseeing relationships with some of the largest fashion and pharmaceutical advertisers.
Benjamin Maughan
Vice President of New Ventures TiVo
Benjamin Maughan leads business development, product and client services within the data and advertising Viewership Data business group at TiVo. His responsibilities include all business and technology partnerships for TiVo’s advertising technology stack, as well as development and support of TiVo’s core data product, TiVo TV. He has partnered with media technology players across the ad-tech ecosystem, including Altice USA, Cox Communications, Nielsen, Kantar, Experian, Acxiom, LiveRamp, Amazon, Google, Oracle, Adobe, Viacom, Turner and Publicis. Previously, he was at Neustar in corporate strategy, and before that he was the head of business operations for Cisco’s Sports and Entertainment Solutions Group.
Andrew McCollum
CEO, Philo
In 2014, Andrew McCollum became CEO at Philo, an entertainment-focused OTT streaming service that launched nationwide in November 2017. Before assuming the role of CEO, Andrew served on Philo’s board, mentored its co-founders and was one of the company’s first investors. Prior to Philo, McCollum was on the founding team of Facebook, and the social design of products has been a persistent interest. After Facebook, McCollum was an entrepreneur in residence at two of Philo’s investors, New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Flybridge Partners. He continues to be an active early-stage angel investor and adviser.
Tom McLoughlin
Vice President, Regional Sales New York Interconnect
Tom McLoughlin is vice president of regional sales for the New York Interconnect, the joint venture among Altice USA, Charter Communications and Comcast selling ads that reach more than 6.4 million households in the largest U.S. advertising market. He leads the execution of highly successful media strategies, managing the assignments of accounts, agencies and prospects. He is also responsible for maximizing ad revenue across linear TV, addressable TV, VOD, OTT, digital through the execution of data-driven, cross-screen campaigns that consistently deliver results. Before joining the NYI, he held several positions at Cablevision Systems, including sales planner and national sales coordinator.
Roy Meyeringh
Vice President of Business Development and Affiliate Sales beIN Sports
Roy Meyeringh has achieved a deep understanding of the North American general market and Hispanic broadcast industry with extensive experience in multiplatform channel development and distribution. He supervises the digital, marketing and research divisions of beIN Sports and focuses on the identification and execution of strategic business solutions that further organizational performance in the U.S. and Canada. Under his watch, beIN successfully negotiated over 50 affiliate agreements, driving subscriber growth from 7 million to 44 million across all major MVPDs and vMVPDs. Earlier, he held senior roles within global media providers including the MundoFox affiliate WGEN Miami, MGM Networks Latin America, Imagina US, SomosTV and Venevision International.
Stefanie Meyers
Senior Vice President, Distribution Starz
New York-based Stefanie Meyers is responsible for Starz’s digital/OTT distribution business, drawing on her in-depth understanding of the media industry and competitive television landscape to build a strategic vision to maximize Starz’s subscriber and revenue growth. She negotiates and executes Starz’s digital distribution, platform and device deals and oversees Starz’s digital distribution partner marketing. She also supports Starz’s business development initiatives. She joined Starz in 2015 as senior counsel and previously served as VP of business and legal affairs, acquisition and affiliate distribution, where she was responsible for negotiating and drafting Starz’s video distribution, technology integration and marketing agreements. Prior to Starz, Meyers served as associate counsel, programming for Charter, previously Time Warner Cable.
Kimberli O’Meara
Director of Distribution and Consumer Marketing, INSP
Kimberli O’Meara builds and executes strategies on affiliate and consumer campaigns that maximize dollars while delivering value for general-entertainment network INSP and clients. She is the current Women in Cable Telecommunications Carolinas chapter secretary, and she formerly co-chaired the chapter’s “Giving Back” Committee, which raised more than $9,000 in the fight against domestic violence in the Carolinas and was instrumental in raising more than $15,000 for The Rosie Network. She is also a 2017 graduate of the WICT Rising Leaders Program. She is married to her high-school sweetheart, Ryan, and they are the parents of Emma, Jack, Griffin and Dylan and live in Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Kristi Salmon
Senior Director of Marketing, Business Services, Mediacom Communications
With more than 18 years of experience in sales and marketing, Kristi Salmon has served roles for media giants such as Condé Nast Publications, Hearst Publications and World Wrestling Entertainment. Now, as senior director of marketing for Mediacom Business, a division of Mediacom Communications, she is responsible for brand positioning, customer acquisition and retention campaigns, innovative employee sales programs and new product launches, including Gigabit+ Fiber Solutions. She was a Multichannel News “Woman to Watch” in 2016. A graduate of Fordham University’s College of Business Administration, she holds a bachelor’s in marketing along with certificates from Harvard Business School’s Executive Management Program. She currently resides in Monroe, New York, with her daughter, Lia.
Austin Scott
Senior Director, Demand Side Platforms Sales, Freewheel
At Freewheel, a Comcast-owned ad technology company, Austin Scott leads strategy in the integrated demand partnerships business segment and oversees the development of automated demand channels. She is a global strategic partnerships leader with a track record of scaling digital marketing and software-as-a-service businesses in the U.S. and internationally. Originally from Alabama, she moved to New York to attend the New School University and started working at one of the industry’s first demand-side platforms upon graduating. Scott has spent her career at the genesis of programmatic advertising technology and is inspired by the challenge of retrofitting traditional media models with today’s innovations.
Elisa Segovia
Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Brand Strategy, Univision Communications
Elisa Segovia serves as the chief of staff to Univision’s chief marketing officer and oversees the corporate marketing division. She is responsible for owning and managing Univision’s corporate marketing assets and for leading internal and external branding efforts across Univision’s networks as well as any brand extensions, all validated through data and consumer insights. She has helped to spearhead some of the company’s most high-profile, award-winning campaigns, including Univision’s first-ever brand campaign, “Todo Es Posible” (Everything Is Possible), a comprehensive, multiplatform initiative around Hispanic America’s core values, and the recently expanded “Se Habla USA,” an initiative for Latino youth that celebrates Latino culture and contributions in the U.S.
Sandra Smith
Co-Anchor, America’s Newsroom, Fox News Channel
Sandra Smith serves as co-anchor of Fox News Channel’s America’s Newsroom (9 a.m- Noon ET weekdays), alongside Bill Hemmer. She joined the company in October 2007 as a reporter for Fox Business Network. On America’s Newsroom, Smith and Hemmer are joined by newsmakers and experts to discuss the latest headlines. Smith previously was co-anchor of Outnumbered, alongside Harris Faulkner, a pair of rotating female panelists and “one lucky guy.” She has appeared on a range of FNC and FBN daytime and primetime programs, frequently filling in as guest anchor for The Story with Martha MacCallum. Prior to joining FBN, Smith was an on-air reporter for Bloomberg Television.
Andre Swanston
CEO and Co-Founder, Tru Optik
Andre Swanston is a proven leader and entrepreneur with a wide range of experience in marketing, finance, and starting and growing companies. As CEO and co-founder of Tru Optik, he has led the company’s business development, product innovation and go-to-market strategy. Under his leadership, Tru Optik has become an over-the-top data and technology partner for many of the world’s largest media companies, brands and agencies. Before founding Tru Optik, he served as a VP of investments at JP Morgan Chase and also led the Media and Entertainment division at a boutique investment bank in New York City.
Dana Ucciferri
Global Head of Video Product and Operations, Bloomberg Media
Throughout her 15-year tenure in cross-platform media operations, Dana Ucciferri has continued to push the envelope of video and content practices by balancing operational constraints and business needs to take advantage of technology evolution, delivering the best product possible. She leads Bloomberg’s 24-hour global video operations team servicing internal and external facing linear and digital distributions across platforms. She plays a crucial role within Bloomberg’s network of video products, advising and collaborating with global content creation teams spanning post-production, creative design, media asset management, digital publishing, syndication, distribution and software development.
Lindsay Van Kirk
Vice President of Product Management, Xandr
Lindsay Van Kirk is vice president of product management at Xandr, the advertising sales unit of AT&T. She is responsible for leading end-to-end product management and strategy for supply-side platforms, demand-side platforms and data partners to create a thriving marketplace within the AppNexus exchange. Previously, she was a senior director of product line management, overseeing a team that worked closely with digital publishers to maximize monetization through header bidding. She earlier held other strategy and operations roles, including building out the strategy and operations function for the AppNexus publisher business and the sales operations function. She is an active member of the Run for Autism team, which supports the Organization for Autism Research.
Shawn Witt
Co-President, Leftfield Pictures
Shawn Witt is co-president of ITV America unit Leftfield Pictures, responsible for all development, programming and production across broadcast, cable and digital platforms. In his tenure with the company, previously serving as senior VP of current series and executive producer, Witt developed, launched and oversaw daily production of the hit History series Alone. Witt has also developed, launched and overseen Forged in Fire, Counting Cars, American Restoration, Tiny House Nation, Tackle My Ride, The Adventures of Dr. Buckeye Bottoms and Pawnography. He also executive produced Brain Surgery Live, the first-ever live televised brain surgery, hosted by Bryant Gumbel and broadcast live to 171 countries in 45 languages worldwide, and Billy the Kid: New Evidence, both for Nat Geo Channel. Prior to joining Leftfield, Witt was an executive producer at MTV, specializing in the development and supervision of daily live studio productions, reality series, clip shows and live specials, including Total Request Live, Pranked and Parental Control.
Tristan Zimmerman
Vice President, Digital Marketing Debmar-Mercury
Tristan Zimmerman is vice president of digital marketing, for Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, the production and distribution company for The Wendy Williams Show, entering its 11th season this fall; Caught In Providence; and two Fox Television Stations tests, Jerry O (a co-production with Funny or Die) and the upcoming collaboration with producer Will Packer on entertainment news magazine Central Ave. He produces a monthly reality web series, The After Show, in which Wendy Williams takes viewers behind the scenes of her program and has integrated social media into the show in a way that adds to the overall experience. He also oversees digital and social media production for Caught in Providence, which now has 5.1 million Facebook followers.
Kate Zuckerman
Director of Special Events CBS News
Kate Zuckerman is responsible for organizing and communicating CBS News’s coverage of breaking news, as well as scheduled major events such as the funeral of Sen. John McCain, the Brett Kavanaugh Senate confirmation hearings, President George H.W. Bush’s funeral and the congressional testimony of special counsel Robert Mueller. Working closely with CBS Entertainment, CBS Sports, CBS Affiliate Relations, Broadcast Distribution and Air Control, she ensures Special Reports on the network are integrated seamlessly with local programming across all time zones. She joined CBS as a member of the page program. She was discovered by the news division and hired as an associate producer for broadcast marketing, beginning her career as a producer and marketer. She lives in New York.
