The television industry is changing into something nobody could have recognized even five years ago. OTT, crossplatform, new metrics, big data, digital disruption and economic challenges are the buzzwords as industry visionaries remake the way content is developed and delivered.
Who’s driving the change? A special group of creative, imaginative, tech-savvy, visionaries with new perspectives who see endless opportunity in the industry and its future.
These are the people who help create, market and sell what viewers are watching on screens big and small. These are the people who hear “it hasn’t been done before” and can’t resist the challenge.
On Tuesday, Oct. 30, the diverse group of executives profiled on the following pages — who share the fact that they are younger than 40 years old and that they are making an impact on the multichannel TV industry — will be celebrated at an early evening event in midtown Manhattan as part of the fourth annual NYC Television Week. For more about the event and the honorees.
SARAH BABINEAU
EVP, Co-Head of Talent & Development, Comedy Central
Sarah Babineau, based in New York, was a key player in the launch and evolution of Comedy Central’s flagship late-night series The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, on which she remains the network’s executive in charge of production. Babineau oversees all East Coast-based franchises, including Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer and The President Show, as well as newer shows The Other Two, Alternatino and Klepper. She has a keen eye for identifying, developing and nurturing talent, and is skilled at helping them find the most effective means to express their vision. Credited as a driving force for merging Comedy Central’s Talent and Development departments, leading to a more cohesive and strategic approach to talent and development. Previously worked for Amazon Studios.
STEVEN BAKER
Executive Producer, ‘Nightline’, ABC News
Steven Baker was named executive producer of Nightline in October 2017, the youngest ever to be in this position, overseeing the production and all daily operations of the program on broadcast, digital and social media. Baker joined Nightline in 2005 as a production assistant and has been promoted regularly to higher-level positions on the show since then. Baker’s work has garnered the program multiple Emmy Awards and helped grow its social media footprint, particularly a 260% uptick in monthly video views on Facebook. Previously a director and producer at Entertainment Tonight.
CHRISTINA BEAUMIER
VP, Advertising Technology, Xandr
Christina Beaumier joined AT&T Advertising & Analytics (now Xandr) as chief of staff in 2017 and then was promoted to VP of advertising technology, a position that gives her unique insight into the company’s advertising opportunities and goals. She brings a wide range of experiences from a variety of companies and organizations, ranging from the Peace Corps in West Africa to managing the emerging media business at Xaxis. Her longtime professional passions include cracking the code on television advertising in the new world of over-the-top and omnichannel advertising. And she can order street food in Spanish and handle tribal negotiations in Burkina Faso in French.
ANKIT BISHNOI
VP, Content Acquisition & Strategy, Sling TV
Ankit Bishnoi has influenced Sling TV’s crucial programming deals since before the service launched in 2015. He negotiated innovative terms with leading content providers to ultimately change the way consumers personalize their television experience with the introduction of an “a la carte-like” packaging model, blazing a new trail in the pay TV industry. Overseeing efforts for Englishand Spanish-language programming, he leads negotiations with new and established networks, consistently introducing more choice, including a variety of individual channels and add-on options to Sling TV customers. Previously negotiated TV everywhere deals for Dish Network content after working in digital media at HBO.
KAREN BONCK
SVP, Branded Partnerships Debmar-Mercury
At Lionsgate’s Debmar- Mercury, Karen Bonck collaborates with top advertisers, showrunners and talent to lead the company’s branded content creative and monetization, across all platforms. In addition to innovating new in-program, social and digital ad products, she is moving the business forward with partnerships to increase the distribution and ad-supported video-on-demand capabilities of branded content across social and OTT platforms, all of which has resulted in Debmar- Mercury’s largest branded partnerships to date. Earlier worked in client solutions at NBCUniversal and in multiple roles at The Walt Disney Co., including ABC Television and Disney ABC Unlimited.
JOANNA BRAHIM
VP, Communications Smithsonian Channel
Joanna Brahim serves as Smithsonian Channel’s head of publicity and is responsible for the network’s strategic planning and execution of all public-relations initiatives supporting the channel’s award-winning programming, and the company’s marketing, distribution, streaming, digital media and sales teams. She also works closely with the communications leaders at Showtime, the Smithsonian Institution and CBS. Prior to joining Smithsonian Channel in 2016, she worked in publicity at TLC, WCBS New York and MSNBC. A Rutgers University graduate based in New York, she serves as a mentor to many junior candidates who are trying to break through in PR.
BRENDAN COUNTEE
VP, Original Programming Showtime Networks
Brendan Countee is the head of original series at Showtime and during his tenure has developed hit series including Our Cartoon President from Stephen Colbert and Just Another Immigrant. He was previously the head of comedy at Hulu, where he oversaw the development and production of the streaming service’s comedy series, including Casual, The Mindy Project and Difficult People. Prior to joining Hulu, Countee worked as a writer and producer, developing half-hour comedy pilots for ABC Studios and 20th Century Fox, as well a feature-length high-school comedy for Chernin Entertainment. He also served as a writer and producer for Alleyoop Media and began his career at Fox Searchlight Pictures.
MARCUS ELLINGTON
Head of Industry, Media and Entertainment Google
Marcus Ellington leads Google’s cable television advertising practice from New York. In five years with the company, he has quickly distinguished himself as a rising star and trusted partner in the C-suite of many of television’s top cable networks, assisting to craft strategies that are transforming cable networks into omnichannel powerhouses.
He started out at CBS, developing integrated marketing campaigns for CBS on-air franchises such as NCAA March Madness, the Grammy Awards and the U.S. Open tennis tournament. After CBS, Marcus worked at Radio One as director of ad sales, where he focused on helping brands reach multicultural consumers online, on mobile and at live events.
HYLAN FENSTER
Senior Legal Counsel Adobe
Hylan Fenster has negotiated and driven numerous multimilliondollar strategic transactions for Adobe Primetime, a multiscreen TV platform, within media and entertainment. He has helped license Adobe’s cloud-based service to broadcasters, networks, programmers, media companies and service providers to capitalize on their data and technology and increase their advertising revenue with engaging, personalized viewing experiences. He also helps the sales team provide Adobe’s customers with improved ad targeting and deliver optimal TV everywhere and high-quality video experiences while reducing waste on advertising campaigns. Previously an associate attorney at law firms in Manhattan and Long Island, N.Y., in corporate, health care and life science practice groups.
ANTHONY FILIACI
Producer, CBS News
Anthony Filiaci’s love for television started well before he joined CBS News as a page in 2010. He was a self-proclaimed “TV nerd” in high school and spent much of his college career working in the campus broadcast studio. He felt right at home from the moment he first set foot inside the CBS Broadcast Center. Whether it’s the control room, the field, the edit suite or the newsroom, he has experience in every corner of the news industry. Currently, he serves as a writer/producer/editor for CBS News Marketing, where he develops promotional and branding campaigns, sizzle reels and social media elements for all CBS News network broadcasts and for streaming service CBSN. Previously worked as a special projects and field producer for CBS Newspath.
GREGORY FRIEND
Senior Director of Measurement Solutions Comcast Spotlight
Greg Friend is an industry expert in identifying and measuring audiences. After several years successfully launching and supporting digital solutions, he has spent the last two as a leader at Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable. He plays an integral role in designing, building and launching innovative audience-focused solutions for TV, allowing clients to plan, execute and measure crossplatform video advertising campaigns. With 10 years of experience in digital and crossplatform data and research, he previously served in leadership at companies including Collective (now Visto) and Nielsen, where he was responsible for the global launch of Nielsen’s groundbreaking OCR (online campaign ratings) and online brand effect products.
FIELD GARTHWAITE
CEO and Co-Founder, IRIS.TV
Since inventing the core technology behind personalization and video programming platform IRIS.TV in 2010, Field Garthwaite has led the company in providing video publishers with software and lightweight application program interfaces (APIs) that enable them to personalize the streaming video experience based on user preferences and behavior across all platforms and devices. Prior to IRIS.TV, he worked with Rubicon Project to develop tools to handle massive volumes of ad tagging, metadata and solutions and workflows to move operations from manual to automated processes. He spent a year as an assistant editor for the Emmy-winning PBS documentary Girls on the Wall and, before that, was a research assistant at Universal Pictures.
LIBBY GEIST
VP, Executive Producer, ESPN Films & Original Content, ESPN
Libby Geist has played a crucial role in the growth and success of ESPN Films since its inception in 2008 and her role continues to expand as one of the company’s leading creative storytellers. She led the group through its most successful year ever last year, including winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary for O.J.: Made in America — the first Oscar for the company. Geist is currently focused on keeping ESPN as a whole in a leading position in the storytelling space, with new additions on her plate: SC Featured and The Walt Disney Co. content partnerships. She is a three-time Peabody Award winner and has spent her career in documentary film, from production to development and now as an executive producer.
LORI HALL
SVP, Consumer Marketing and Creative Services TV One
As TV One’s senior VP of marketing, Lori Hall strategically develops and executes the network’s marketing initiatives across all platforms. Most recently, she spearheaded the programmer’s new brand look and promise, with a comprehensive creative overhaul of TV One’s on-air and off-air brand elements, including the new tagline “REPRESENT.” Hall was previously VP of consumer marketing at UP, where she launched the network’s first-ever viral video, reaching 43 million views across social media in less than a week, and negotiated an exclusive media partnership with Steve Harvey resulting in UP’s inaugural sponsorship of The Neighborhood Awards. Before joining UP, Hall oversaw numerous successful marketing campaigns at Turner Entertainment Networks, including TBS’s Cougar Town and Men at Work, as well as Tyler Perry’s hit sitcoms For Better or Worse, House of Payne and Meet the Browns.
CHRISTINA HARTMAN
VP, News and Programming Newsy
Christina Hartman oversees a staff of nearly 100 award-winning journalists across several cities at a millennial focused news brand rapidly growing across platforms. Since she was named VP of news for the E.W. Scripps-owned news service Newsy in 2014, she’s piloted the editorial team through a corporate acquisition and during a pivot from mobile- and social-first content to publishing focused on over-the-top platforms and TV. Prior to taking the helm of Newsy’s editorial department, she supervised its content partnerships and oversaw the brand’s transition from business-to-business production to business-to-consumer and original production. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Hartman and her husband Daniel live in Columbia, Mo., with their son Peter.
LAURA HELLER
Senior Director, Advertising Sales Research Crown Media Family Networks
Laura Heller is senior director of ad sales research at Crown Media Family Networks, home of three linear networks, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama; subscription video-on-demand streaming service Hallmark Movies Now; and e-book publishing division Hallmark Publishing. B ased in New York and reporting to executive VP Kristen Roberts, Heller is responsible for supporting the ad sales department by supplying research materials such as ratings estimates, ratings tracks and competitive spending. Overall, Heller continues to drive results and demonstrate creative and meaningful strategies to amplify the Crown Media brand’s on-air presence. She joined Crown Media in 2013 after holding research analyst and consumer insights roles at both AMC Networks and Viacom.
ELIZABETH HENDRICKS NORTH
President, Curiosity Studios CuriosityStream
Elizabeth Hendricks North focuses her passion for developing quality original documentaries as President of Curiosity Studios, CuriosityStream’s in-house production company. Notable Curiosity Studios original series include the Emmy award-winning Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places as well as Deep Time History, Digits, Bronze Age, Prescription: Nutrition and Space Probes. Formerly president and CEO of CuriosityStream, she built the company with the guidance of its founder, John Hendricks, and with the digital expertise of her husband, Peter North. She led all strategy and operations for CuriosityStream as well as its companion businesses. CuriosityStream continues to establish itself as a destination for world-class, nonfiction science, technology, history and nature media. Prior to launching CuriosityStream, she led various ownership and marketing initiatives as VP of Hendricks Investment Holdings LLC. Earlier she held positions at the Cato Institute and ABC News.
LISA HOLME
VP of Content Acquisition Hulu
Over the past year alone, Hulu has grown to house a library of 75,000 television episodes across 1,700 titles — more than twice as many as any other SVOD service. This record-breaking growth can be attributed to the content acquisition team, led by Lisa Holme. Since joining Hulu, Holme has been instrumental in bringing exclusive programming to Hulu from top studios and network brands including FX Networks and Twentieth Century Fox Studios, AMC Networks, ABC/Disney, NBCUniversal, Turner, Viacom, CBS, Sony, Lionsgate and many others. Before joining Hulu’s acquisitions team in 2010, she worked in creative at Illumination Entertainment and in McKinsey & Co.’s New York office, where she worked in the Media & Entertainment, Technology, and Telecom practices.
PETER HOPKINS
Executive Director, Business Development Spectrum Reach
Peter Hopkins has been instrumental in developing the advanced TV practice at Charter Communications’ ad-sales division, Spectrum Reach. He began with the launch of Ads Everywhere, one of the leaders in bringing to market live-streaming, digitally inserted ads across the Spectrum footprint; he is now leading efforts for Spectrum’s linear addressable product. Hopkins joined what was then Time Warner Cable in 2003 and has served in multiple leadership roles, including as head of the Response Media Division for several years. He is active in industry activities, including serving on the IAB Advanced TV Committee.
CHRIS LAHAISE
Director, TV Solutions dataxu
Chris LaHaise of dataxu precisely fits the bill of an up-and-coming executive making waves in the evolving TV space. As director of TV solutions, he is responsible for providing the technical expertise, market knowledge and deep understanding of the TV industry to dataxu’s agency and brand customers as they wade into advanced (addressable, connected, linear) television. He works closely with all of dataxu’s inventory partners, from OTT streaming services to network broadcasters, to ensure alignment between customer goals and technology capabilities. He has built himself up as a key go-to resource for all things advanced TV. He’s also building a global team to support this growing business for dataxu, and is helping to shape the next generation of TV leaders as well.
BELSASAR LEPE
Founder, CTO Ooyala
As co-founder and chief technology officer, Belsasar Lepe oversees Ooyala’s technology and product strategy. Lepe is also responsible for technology partnerships around the world, with a focus on building close and collaborative relationships with partners critical to customer success. Born in Oxnard, Calif., he is the son of migrant farm workers and spent his childhood following the growing seasons along the West Coast. He studied computer science at an early age, worked his way into Stanford University and eventually earned an engineering role at Google. He and Ooyala’s two other co-founders realized the major potential of delivering premium video content online and left Google in 2007 to found Ooyala. They saw the need for technology that allowed major broadcasters, publishers and media companies to own their video experience, understand audiences via analytics and deliver content to the host of devices available on the market.
ALANA MAYO
Head of Production and Development Outlier Society
Formerly VP of production at Paramount Pictures — where she worked on films including The Big Short, Annihilation and the Denzel Washington-directed Fences — Alana Mayo is now leading Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, helping to develop film and TV productions and digital content. She came to Outlier Society from Vimeo, which she had joined as VP and head of originals. Before Paramount, she was a creative executive at Twentieth Century Fox and before that was an executive at Warner Bros.
KEVIN McCARTHY
Entertainment Reporter, WTTG Washington Fox Television Stations
Although under 40, Kevin McCarthy’s credentials are that of someone who has spent a lifetime in the entertainment industry. He flies around the world for press junkets and movie premieres so he is prepared for his role as movie critic for WTTG, WTXF Philadelphia and Fox News Channel’s Fox and Friends. McCarthy proposed to his wife, also a film critic, using only movie quotes, which you can read about in The Washington Post. McCarthy, who started as a critic for WTTG in 2007, said his all-time favorite film is True Romance. “If you ever have any movie questions, please tweet me @KevinMcCarthyTV! I look forward to geeking out with you!”
ROSS McCRAY
Co-Founder & CEO Videoamp
Ross McCray is the co-founder and CEO of VideoAmp, the software and data solutions company powering the convergence of linear TV and digital advertising. In this role, Ross leads the strategic direction for the company, ensures a superior platform for clients and partners and instills a thriving, competitive and healthy work environment for employees. Prior to co-founding VideoAmp, he was head of product and technology at Channel Factory, an online video distribution and data platform that provides advertisers with a single solution for brand safety and improved performance through contextual video targeting. As one of the first YouTube seeding experts, he helped bootstrap and grow the business to a client base of more than 350 of the Fortune 500 brands. In his spare time, he enjoys being active and works out seven days a week, thinks about different ways to lifehack and invests and advises startups.
KATE MONAGHAN
SVP, Video Investment Horizon Media
Kate Monaghan is a homegrown talent and longtime leader at Horizon Media, having risen through the ranks from assistant buyer to senior VP of video investment. She has overseen the linear buying for GEICO, a longstanding agency client, for 15-plus years, seeing it grow from the No. 7 to the No. 2 auto insurer during her tenure. That type of longevity has enabled her to build trust with clients and within the industry, empowering her to become a change agent and respected industry leader. Her depth of understanding of the marketplace and its players puts her in a unique position to push innovation forward in creative ways. Her industry reputation and expertise has led her to great success in leading Horizon’s first holistic video investment team, responsible for linear and digital video investment for GEICO, Weight Watchers and Kind Snacks.
ZEEV NEUMEIER
Co-Founder and SVP of Product, Inscape
Zeev Neumeier, cofounder and senior VP, product for Inscape, is the kind of guy who won’t back away from a challenge. He found his way into the TV measurement space almost a decade ago, long before metrics were a hot topic. Vizio-owned Inscape is a TV intelligence company that captures highly accurate, up-to-date viewing data from millions of smart TVs. The company is a leading provider of Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technologies and comprehensive cross-screen metrics. Inscape’s TV audience viewing data is leveraged by original equipment manufacturers, brands, agencies, networks, measurement companies, data management platforms and marketing technology platforms to power massive transformations in the industry. Its glass-level insights bring a new level of speed, transparency and actionability to the global TV marketplace. Inscape has 40 employees and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vizio, based in San Francisco, Calif.
ADAM OSTROW
Chief Digital Officer, Tegna
Adam Ostrow is the chief digital officer at Tegna, which operates a portfolio of broadcast television stations and websites across 39 markets. The former chief strategy officer at Mashable, Ostrow joined Tegna last summer and has led the development and creation of its central content team, covering breaking national stories around-the-clock across platforms. He’s worked to expand Tegna stations’ products to new platforms. In April, Tegna partnered with Snap to bring public Snapchat stories to broadcasts. Soon after, WUSA Washington used public Snapchat content created inside the administration building at Howard University during a nine-day sit-in, providing access when no media outlets were allowed in.
LINDA PAN
SVP, New Digital Business AMC Networks
Linda Pan oversees the development and growth of new direct-to-consumer subscription streaming video services at AMC Networks. These curated SVOD services include Sundance Now and Shudder. Her oversight includes programming, marketing, partnerships and distribution. Under her leadership, Sundance Now and Shudder services have each more than doubled their membership, driven by focused investment in film and TV programming and expanding distribution and marketing partners. Pan joined AMC Networks in 2013 from Hallmark Movies Now, having previously worked at Netflix and MRC Studios. She began her career at LEK Consulting. Pan also has a strong focus on mentoring and has mentored many interns as part of AMC’s participation in the T. Howard Foundation.
TIM PERZYK
VP, Market Research, Twitter
Tim Perzyk joined Twitter as the company’s first researcher in early 2011 and now reports to chief marketing officer Leslie Berland. He oversees all of Twitter’s ad effectiveness relationships for clients globally, as well as the company’s advertising thought leadership, which has focused heavily on the symbiotic relationship between Twitter and television. Perzyk also leads Twitter’s internal consumer insights practice, which optimizes the company’s own marketing efforts as a brand. He joined from MTV Networks, where he served as director of consumer insights and digital research. Before MTV, he worked in television and digital media research at NBCUniversal and video ad platform Tremor Video. A love for television started early; Tim began reading B&C nearly 30 years ago, when he began memorizing Nielsen ratings as a child — he still enjoys a pop quiz. He is @tperzyk on Twitter.
JOHN POVEY
SVP, Marketing & Analytics a4 Media
John Povey is a young executive on the rise at Altice USA. As a4 Media’s senior VP of marketing and data analytics, he is responsible for the organization’s brand management, integrated planning services and advanced analytics. Previously at Altice USA/a4 Media, he was VP of marketing, where he managed strategic media planning and analytics for the consumer brands Optimum and Suddenlink. Prior to that role, he was VP of database marketing at Cablevision Systems (which was acquired by Altice USA in 2016), where he led the data-driven decision process in marketing more than four years. Before joining Cablevision in 2009, he was vice president of data strategy for Intellidyn.
DAN ROBBINS
Head of Ad Research Roku
Dan Robbins oversees measurement and insights for Roku’s media business as head of ad research. Since joining Roku in February 2017, he has spearheaded building and growing the advertising research and measurement capability offering for the industry’s largest streaming platform. Roku has 20.8 million active accounts, which streamed more than 5.1 billion hours through the first quarter. Roku’s platform revenue, which includes advertising, was $75.1 million in Q1. Among other accomplishments, he was responsible for Roku’s deal with Nielsen to guarantee age and gender metrics on the platform, a first for the OTT industry. Prior to this role, Robbins helped lead several product rollouts and strategic partnerships at Nielsen. He currently sits on the IAB’s Research Council and the MRC Cross-Platform Working Group.
JOE SABIA
VP, Development, Condé Nast Entertainment Condé Nast Entertainment
Joe Sabia works on video development for the various digital channels at Condé Nast Entertainment, helping create franchises across the portfolio, as well as being the architect and behind-the-camera interview voice of Vogue’s “73 Questions,” a digital series with more than 287 million global views. He started his career as one of the founders of a digital lab at HBO, where his independent directing and remixing career took off with a viral recap of every season of The Sopranos. He also has given a TED Talk on storytelling and co-hosted Boing Boing TV on Virgin America airlines. He is on the programming board of The Moth, a media company where people share stories live.
STUART SCHWARTZAPFEL
Chief Strategy Officer Canvs AI
Stuart Schwartzapfel is the chief strategy officer at Canvs AI, which does emotion measurement in the media and entertainment space. Its current client roster includes the likes of Fox Networks Group, Turner, Viacom, Sony, NBCUniversal and Netflix. Prior to joining Canvs AI as one of its first employees, he spent 12 years on the agency side, working as one part account planner, one part market analyst. Schwartzapfel also was VP of strategy and analytics at Big Fuel Communications, a social marketing agency that was acquired in 2011 by Publicis as the holding company’s social center of excellence.
WARED SEGER
CEO Parrot Analytics
Wared Seger is the cofounder and CEO of New Zealand-based Parrot Analytics, a data science company that measures crossplatform demand for content. Parrot Analytics captures a spectrum of actual audience behavior including video streaming consumption, social media, blogging platforms, file sharing and peer-to-peer consumption spanning 249 countries, using it to measure how engaged viewers are with shows. A technology entrepreneur and leader at heart, Seger has led Parrot Analytics’ vision and strategy since founding. He is responsible for all strategic facets of the company and has led its growth from inception to global expansion. Seger was named one of Hollywood’s New Leaders in Digital by Variety in 2016 and he was named New Zealand’s Rising Star by Deloitte in 2017.
GAURAV SHIROLE
Group VP, Product & Client Solutions 605
As a 21-year-old data analyst, Gaurav Shirole was a part of the groundbreaking and unprecedented team that used analytics and behavioral science data to ensure President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election. After the election, he was one of the founding members of Analytics Media Group (AMG), a tech startup and media analytics firm. In 2016, AMG was acquired by Dolan Family Ventures which then launched 605, an advanced data and analytics company focused on the media and entertainment industries. Shirole was appointed group VP, product and client solutions and has been furthering his change of the television industry ever since. At 605, he manages product development and client engagements to optimize programming and audience-based advertising.
BOBBY SINGH
SVP, Head of Digital BET Networks
Bobby Singh oversees the teams responsible for all aspects of BET Networks digital and social strategy, overseeing content development, social programming, business development/partnerships and digital business operations. In addition to his BET-specific duties, he is a core member of the Viacom Digital Studio and sits on Viacom’s Product Council. Prior to joining BET, he was senior director of strategic initiatives at iHeart Media, where he led profit growth initiatives for iHeart Media’s broadcast, digital and live events businesses. Singh was also founder and CEO of KashPile, an online money management and shopping site for kids; management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group; and held various positions within financial planning and analysis and supply chain and logistics at Limited Brands, Kmart and Marshall Field’s.
NEIL SMITH
GM, FreeWheel Markets FreeWheel
As general manager of FreeWheel Markets at Comcast-owned tech company Freewheel, Neil Smith has helped advance the way marketers and publishers engage with premium digital and linear video. He joined FreeWheel in 2012 to establish the company’s sales operations function. He was a member of the 2013 launch team for FreeWheel’s FourFronts Premium Marketplace, a business line he helped scale and later led globally. Most recently, Smith led FreeWheel Markets’ digital video business in North America. Prior to FreeWheel, he held several roles at the New York City Department of Small Business Services in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration.
EDEN SUTLEY
Director, Development and Original Programming truTV
At truTV, Eden Sutley has worked on a variety of series, including the game show Comedy Knockout, the documentary series truInside and the sketch show Friends of the People. She is founder and co-president of the New York chapter of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society Associate Membership level, where she helps further the organization’s mission to lead executives and companies throughout the industry to network, debate and discuss issues relevant to the ongoing success of the television business. She is also currently a member of The George Washington University’s Media & Communications Industry Leadership Council. For the past two years she has served as a mentor for the T. Howard Foundation, and she spent two years on the New York Television Festival’s Next Generation Committee. Prior to truTV, Sutley worked in entertainment product licensing and multiplatform marketing.
BRIAN TANNENBAUM
SVP, Creative & Business Affairs, Alternative Programming Lionsgate
Brian Tannenbaum is an up-and-coming executive and one of the key architects of Lionsgate’s growing unscripted television business. Known for his astute instincts, business savvy and passion for the creative side, Tannenbaum simultaneously handles creative development and oversees the business affairs for the entire unscripted slate. Said slate includes Kevin Hart: What the Fit (YouTube), The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (Netflix), and Music City (CMT), as well as the upcoming You Kiddin’ Me (Facebook Watch), which he executive produces alongside Kim Kardashian West. He started at Lionsgate in 2011 as an intern in business affairs, working for his mentor, Lionsgate Television Group president Sandra Stern, during summers off from the University of Pennsylvania. He reports to Stern and executive VP of alternative programming Jennifer O’Connell.
AMANDA TARPEY
SVP, Product Leadership, Digital Audience Measurement Nielsen
Amanda Tarpey is responsible for Nielsen’s digital measurement product suite globally, including oversight of the digital product team, roadmap strategy and technical development. An integral player in the evolution of the company’s shift to capture digital audiences, her portfolio includes Digital Ad Ratings, the market-leading measurement used by all top 25 global advertisers. Previously, she led the syndication of Digital Content Ratings and the expansion of the product to include measurement of digital content distributed on Facebook, Hulu and YouTube. With her expertise in the digital ecosystem, Tarpey’s experience spans working across both digital and TV publishers as well as platforms, agencies and advertisers. As the lead for the Nielsen Client Advisory Board, she has helped facilitate client discussions around driving forward Nielsen’s Total Audience framework and evolving digital audience measurement for the broader industry at large. Previously was a management consultant and media expert at The Cambridge Group.
