MEET OUR JUDGES

Gary Auerbach
Founder
Go Go Luckey Entertainment

Gary Auerbach flexed his wide-ranging creative talents on a string of successful television series, reality, scripted and feature films as a writer, director, show-runner, and producer long before forming Go Go Luckey in 2002. His independent credits include ground breaking programs for networks like MTV (Punk’d, Singled Out, The Jon Stewart Show, Laguna Beach) A&E (Paranormal State) AMC (Immortalized) Science Channel (Ridley Scott's Prophets of Sci Fi) Animal Planet (Jockey’s and Lost Tapes) and, as co-owner of Mindless Entertainment, for Fox Television Studios (The New Movie Show, 600 episodes of The X-Show).

Auerbach has produced thousands of hours of programming across the docusoap, game show, comedy, documentary, daily talk show, scripted TV, feature film, short film, and new media genres, and has been honored with many awards including the prestigious Peabody Award for his two-hour documentary Decade.

Auerbach's reality credits include Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (MTV), Paranormal State (A&E), Ghost Lab (Discovery Channel), Brad Meltzers’ Decoded (History Channel), Nashville (Fox), Ridley Scott's Prophets of Sci Fi (Science Channel), Immortalized (AMC) among many, many others.

Auerbach is a University of Delaware graduate (BA of Science and Economics), and an active member of the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild, and AFTRA.

Doug Bailey
Director Production & Development
Travel Channel

Doug Bailey is responsible for broadening and contemporizing Travel Channel programming while identifying key new shows to bring to the lifestyle network. Executing on the strategic vision that Bailey contributes to the development team, he produces and manages innovative television programs. Using his strong history of launching successful entertainment series,

Bailey is charged with finding new programs, new genres and new ways of talking to audiences across multiple platforms. He’s helped develop key Travel Channel series including Airport 24/7: Miami and Xtreme Waterparks.

In this role, his main priority was developing brand-defining specials for the network including Great White Invasion, Secret America, Finding Amelia and Two Weeks in Hell. Further, he oversaw the development of numerous series and contributed to other highly-rated shows during his tenure such as Surviving The Cut, Desert Car Kings, Dual Survival and Time Warp. Prior to that, he spent eight years in development and programming for various networks including Science Channel and Military Channel.

Bailey holds a master’s degree in media management

Kevin Bartel
VP, Development and Current Programming
All3Media America

Kevin Bartel is the Vice President of Development and Current Programming for All3Media America. He began his career in the agency world with experience at both CAA and Rebel Entertainment Partners. After learning about the deal making process he made the creative transition to producing working in the field on multiple projects for CW, SyFy, Lifetime and other various networks.

In January 2009, Bartel joined Eli Holzman as one of the first employees of the newly formed US arm of British production company, Studio Lambert and helped launch Undercover Boss, the #1 new show of the 2009-2010 season. Undercover Boss is the current Primetime Emmy winner for Outstanding Reality Program.

Working across All3media Americas diverse slate of projects, Bartel has helped develop and produce television for A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, Bravo, CBS, CMT, CW, Discovery, E!, Lifetime, Logo, MTV, Nat Geo, NBC, Oxygen, Spike, Style, SyFy, TLC, TNT, Travel, TruTV, Vh1 and USA. Kevin Bartel is a graduate of the University of Southern California and enjoys spending his free time playing sports and mentoring students and young graduates trying to break into the entertainment industry.

Mathew Baxt
Director of Development
truTV

Mathew Baxt serves as director of development for the rapidly growing cable network truTV. In this capacity, he is responsible for finding and developing new programming for the network. Baxt is based in New York and reports to Marissa Ronca, vice president of development for truTV.

Baxt joined truTV in January 2011 after serving as executive vice president in charge of development for Eyeboogie, Inc. While there, he oversaw all program development for the company and supervised the production staff. He also created such popular online series as Who Knew? for Yahoo! and the Effie Award-winning, James Beard-nominated series Appetite for Life with Andrew Zimmern for MSN.

Baxt previously served in a variety of production capacities on such programs as American Gladiators (consulting producer); Extra (supervising producer/ development) and Access Hollywood (head writer/senior field producer).

Chad Bennett
Managing Partner
Populus Brands

Chad Bennett is the founder and managing partner of Populus Brands, an innovative brand-building company that forms strategic partnerships between content creators, talent, sponsors, retailers and marketers to develop and grow lifestyle and entertainment brands. He has produced more than 650 hours of network and cable programming, developed and launched more than 1,000 product SKUs and brand extensions, and sold and executed hundreds of television and digital integrations and marketing extensions driving millions in revenue and billions of marketing impressions.

Prior to launching Populus Brands in February 2012, Bennett served as vice president of brand development at Reveille, where he managed the consumer products brand for reality hits The Biggest Loser and MasterChef.

He has worked on shows including Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, The Buried Life, One Born Every Minute and Nashville Star, and with blue-chip marketers, including Clorox, Wrigley, Kraft and SC Johnson.

Andy Berg
VP, Development
Animal Planet

Andy Berg serves as vice presi¬dent, development, at Animal Planet where he helps oversee development strategy, the con¬tent slate, and conceptualization and creation of series, specials, stunts and other programming initiatives.

He joined Animal Planet in March 2012, after spending the previous seven years as the senior director of non-fiction and alternative programming at A&E/BIO. During his tenure there, Berg developed and/or executive produced numerous series, specials and pilots, including the highly rated Hoarders, Billy the Exterminator, The First 48, The Peacemaker and Flip This House. Berg also developed the pilot for The Locator which became a hit series for WEtv, and the pilot for DUI which went to series on TLC.

Prior to moving into programming, Berg wrote and produced for more than a decade, working for A&E, History, BIO, ABC News Productions, WNBC New York, Towers Productions and WTTW/PBS in Chicago.

He is an Emmy Award-winner and five-time nominee and has a BS in Radio/TV/Film from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Vibika Bianchi
VP, Original Programming – Lifestyle, Reality & Factual Entertainment
Corus Entertainment

Vibika Bianchi was appointed vice president of original programming in 2010, guiding the unscripted programming strategy across all Corus networks including W Network, Cosmo TV, CMT (Canada), and OWN (Canada). Vibika’s mandate is to contribute to the growth of Corus Television through commissioned Canadian productions working closely with producers, talent, advertisers and international broadcasters alike.

Recent successes under Vibika’s leadership, reaching audiences in Canada, the U.S. and abroad include W Network’s two real estate and reno hybrid series The Property Brothers and Love It or List It (recently identified by Hillary Clinton as her favorite show); the ultimate consumer’s guide to cookbooks, Anna & Kristina’s Grocery Bag, featuring “Shopping Bags” Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic on OWN Canada; the innovative financial social experiment series Million Dollar Neighbourhood, also on OWN Canada; the Canadian format of the international dinner party sensation Come Dine with Me Canada; and Undercover Boss Canada which recently launched to unprecedented ratings success.

Marco Bresaz
VP, Original Programming and Development
Sundance Channel

As vice president of original programming and development at Sundance Channel, Marco Bresaz oversees development and original productions that establish the network as a destination for bold and daring television. Marco developed and oversees production on Sundance Channel’s hit series, Push Girls, which Newsweek/The Daily Beast heralded as “summer’s most surprising show.” In addition to Push Girls, Marco has overseen production on The Mortified Sessions (two seasons), Get to Work, Iconoclasts (season six), Quirky, and Unleashed by Garo at Sundance Channel. Before joining Sundance Channel, Marco developed and produced both broadcast and cable television for leading media and entertainment companies, including MTV Networks, ABC, and Lifetime. Most recently he was the VP of original programming and development for TV Land, where he was a key driver behind the channel’s push into original programming and helped launch many successful franchises for the network. He has also worked at ABC Daytime as a production executive for One Life to Live and All My Children, both of which won Emmy Awards during his tenure.

Sylvia Bugg
Director of Programming
PBS

Sylvia Bugg returned to PBS as director of programming in 2012 following a six-year stint with the organization in the 1990s in various roles, including associate director for news and public affairs. In her current position at PBS, she oversees arts, performance, drama, cultural and lifestyle programs from the development phase through broadcast.

From 2000 to 2012, Sylvia worked for Discovery Communications in programming and production for Discovery Fit & Health and TLC as a supervising producer and manager of editorial development. She led national productions for past series and specials like Super Surgery, Birth Day, Babies: Special Delivery, Top 10 Waterparks, and Vegas Dos and Don’ts. She also held the role of director of operations for Discovery Channel’s Continuing Medical Education series where she managed the division’s financial, administration and marketing efforts.

Sylvia is a recipient of a CINE Golden Eagle Award and an Emmy Award nomination. Sylvia holds an M.A. in journalism and public affairs and an MBA.

James Burstall
CEO
Argonon

James Burstall is CEO of Argonon, an independent production company based in London that creates and distributes creative content across multiple platforms for the global marketplace. Founded by Burstall in 2011, Argonon encompasses various companies and businesses throughout the UK, the U.S. and Canada. Under Burstall’s leadership, an uncompromising spirit of independence propels the Argonon group, allowing highly talented, and experienced executives and producers to create innovative product that reflects their unique visions and expertise. Currently under the Argonon umbrella is London-based Leopard Films, NY-based Leopard Films USA, London-based Remedy Productions, Vancouver-based Remedy Canada, London-based Leopardrama, and distribution and format sales arm Argonon International, also based in London. Argonon also has several strategic partnerships in place with outside sales and distribution, and production entities.

Together, the Argonon group produces and distributes content across documentary, unscripted factual, and reality and lifestyle programming, as well as arts programming, and scripted dramas.

Prior to forming Argonon, Burstall was CEO of Leopard Films.

Paul Cabana
Head of Programming and Development, H2, Senior Executive Producer, History
History

Paul Cabana oversees H2, the #1 emerging entertainment network in cable in its key demographic of Adults 25-54, growing 38% in 2012. As a companion network to History, H2 provides a deeper perspective on history, experienced in unexpected, entertaining ways.

Cabana has led the creative and strategic direction for the network since December 2011, managing a team of programmers that develop original series and specials for the network.

Cabana also serves as a senior executive producer for History. Previously he was an executive producer of development and programming for History since 2008. Projects he oversaw include the critically-acclaimed event series The Men Who Built America, and Mankind: The Story of All of Us, as well as Cajun Pawn Stars, How the States Got Their Shapes, Life After People: The Series, History of the World in 2 Hours and Top Shot, History’s first competition reality series.

Prior to joining History, Cabana was producer of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Jonathan Cane
VP Development
FremantleMedia North America

In short order, Jonathan Cane has enjoyed a great deal of success in creating, developing and pitching new concepts for FremantleMedia North America as its Vice President of Development, with specific focus on the domestic cable landscape for the television giant. In his current run, he has worked with his internal team and stable of executive producers to deliver the buyers a wide variety of content, resulting in 23 commissions ranging from full series orders to presentation and pilot orders. The array of those commissions is distinctive, with buyers including MTV, CW, Bravo, E!, Discovery, Oxygen, Style, VH1, TLC and A&E. Nurturing close relationships with the networks, producers, agencies and talent has been a core strategy for Jonathan – and it has proven to be successful.

Jonathan got his start working at MTV News in 1998, which provided an amazing opportunity to hone all of his production and development skills. As a true one-man-band, Jonathan was tasked to conceive, write, produce, shoot, edit and deliver content for the channel – invariably on a razor thin budget and tighter schedule. That high-paced all-encompassing experience led him to create and sell his first show as an EP, a 16 episode run of a show called Track 2 for MTV2, where he served as both showrunner and editor. From there, Jonathan moved on as supervising producer and co-executive producer for a wide range of shows on MTV, ranging from doc-reality, game shows, and dating shows, delivering a total over 200 hours of aired content. His experience bringing shows from concept to air landed him an overall executive producer deal with MTV. Most notably, Jonathan was integral in formatting and producing the hit comedy strip shows Yo Momma and Parental Control.

Above and beyond the technical skills he brings to the table, he is passionate about creating and delivering dynamic, innovative and loud new formats and personalities to the screen.

Jonathan attended The University of Chicago, and currently holds a BFA with honors from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He lives in Los Angeles with two daughters, Jack and Ellorie.

James Canniffe
Senior Vice President, U.S. Development, Alternative Programming
SONY Pictures Television

James Canniffe is senior vice president, U.S. development, alternative programming for Sony Pictures Television (SPT). In this role he develops reality network and cable series for the studio, as well as syndicated programming. He also oversees the current shows in production and works closely with the company’s international production teams to cross-pollinate SPT’s numerous formats.

Most recently, Canniffe had been integral in the development of the series; Shark Tank for ABC, Showville for AMC, Pyramid for GSN and syndicated series The Dr. Oz Show and The Queen Latifah Show.

An Emmy-nominated producer, Canniffe served as showrunner on a number of different network reality shows including The Apprentice for NBC. Prior to that, he produced Behind The Music for VH1.

Vanessa Case
EVP Programming & Marketing
Blue Ant Media

As EVP Programming and Marketing for Blue Ant Media, Television & Digital, Vanessa oversees the creation of original content and is responsible for the acquisition and scheduling strategy across Blue Ant Media’s 7, soon to be 8 specialty channels. Working with the Marketing, Communications and On-Air Promotional team, Vanessa directs the promotional and marketing strategies that drive the on-air needs of the services across multiple platforms.

With over 17 years experience and a solid strategic programming background most recently coming from Shaw Media where she oversaw the specialty channel programming and scheduling as both Senior Director and as Vice President of Content. She’s managed such specialty channels as HGTV, History, Slice, TVtropolis, National Geographic Channel, BBC as well as the conventional channel E! Overseeing original production for numerous specialty services and with a background in launching new services and rebranding existing ones, Vanessa has a proven track record of successfully growing specialty Television audiences and brings this to her role as EVP Programming & Marketing.

Christopher G. Cowen
VP Original Programming
Herzog & Company

Christopher Cowen is the Vice President of Original Programming at Herzog & Company, an award winning television and marketing content firm.

Cowen has produced numerous hours of television including Killing Lincoln for National Geographic Channel, the PGA Award nominated On Freddie Roach for HBO, the Oscar short-listed David McCullough: Painting With Words, and the History Channel special The Real Robin Hood. Most recently, he won an Emmy Award as the producer of the critically acclaimed History Channel special Gettysburg.

Before joining Herzog, Cowen worked at Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s Playtone Company as an Executive and developed a myriad of projects, including The Polar Express, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Band of Brothers and the IMAX feature presentation Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D which Cowen co-wrote with Tom Hanks.

He is a native Californian, and a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University.

Stuart Coxe
Executive Producer
Antica Productions

Stuart Coxe and his company Antica Productions are one of the most innovative non-fiction shops in Canada. Stuart launched the Sony format Dragons’ Den for CBC, a #1 domestic hit for 8 years and counting (you’ve seen some of the cast on Mark Burnett’s Shark Tank for ABC.) In addition to launching the Quebec version of Dragons’ Den Stuart has produced the Canadian version of the Endemol format Wipeout. Stuart created and executive produced a number of hit original formats including the youth political showNext Great Leader (CBC, ZDF Germany, France Television, and others), Make the Politician Work (CBC, TVNZ - 2010), What’s in a Name? (History Television - 2011) and the winner of last year’s MIP formats prize, Looking 4 Love. He has executive produced a number of feature length documentaries including the recent SXSW audience winner Love Shines (HBO Canada - 2011) and Shaun Majumder: Every Word is Absolutely True (HBO Canada - 2012) along with the comedic documentary series Majumder Manor (W Network - 2013). Currently Antica has projects in development with Mark Burnett, Warner Brothers, and NBC Studios as well as several Canadian networks. Prior to working in entertainment television Stuart was an Executive Producer for CBC News where his shows won more than 25 major journalistic prizes in Canada and around the world. Stuart’s work has helped re-open decades old civil rights cases in the US and changed government policies towards disadvantaged native groups in Canada’s north. He began his career in Iraq making a documentary on UN peacekeeping efforts in the immediate aftermath of the first Gulf War.

Jennifer Daly
President
T Group Productions

Since Jenny Daly established T Group in 2010, T Group has produced hits such as Storage Hunters for TruTV, Invention USA for History Channel, Mystery Diners for Food Network, and Popped for Fuse. In addition to these shows T Group has multiple series and pilots with such networks as Oxygen, H2, Spike, Bravo, Animal Planet and Lifetime. Before establishing T Group, Daly served as Executive Producer on Fashionista Diaries for Soapnet, Night Club Confessions for Fox Reality and Pageant Mom’s Unleashed for E! Entertainment. Daly also served as Vice President in Development at E! Entertainment, responsible for developing The Simple Life, #1 Single, Love is in the Heir, Fight For Fame, Last Bride Standing, Starveillance, and for Style Network Try My Life and Diary of an Affair just to name a few. Prior to E! Entertainment Daly served as Executive Producer and Creator of Ultimatum for Style, Fake-A-Date and Friend or Foe for GSN, Party Crashers for MTV, and scripted deals of Neapolitan for FX and Digital Diaries for Touchstone. Not limited to television Daly’s film credits as producer include A Shadow of Fear with New Millennium, Asylum Days with Fresh Produce and The Brutal Truth with Two Stick Productions.

Sarah T. Davies
Vice President of Development, Factual Programming
Discovery Networks International

Sarah Davies is Vice President, Factual Development, Discovery Networks International. In this role, she serves as the chief liaison between the development and production teams for Discovery Channel in the United States and their international counterparts. Davies works with the international production community to commission the very best factual programming for Discovery’s global audience.

Since joining Discovery, Davies has commissioned two groundbreaking series:How We Invented TheWorld with Nutopia and Breaking Magic with Objective.How We Invented TheWorld is a landmark development that explores the most iconic inventions and breakthroughs of the modern age using state-of-the-art filming techniques, cinematic CGI, and celebrity and expert interviews, involving ten bespoke spin off series for key DNI markets. Breaking Magic is Davies’ first foray into pop science with a brilliant cast of international magicians to blend theatrical exhibition and empirical principles and demystify core scientific principles.

Davies joined Discovery in March 2011 from the BBC, where she led the development of all factual genres in BBC Wales for network TV. In this role, Davies developed the award-winning commission Between Life and Death for BBC One, among many other commissions for all BBC channels. She has over 20 years of production experience and was trained at the BBC’s flagship current affairs series, Panorama. In her last year at the BBC, Davies was a part of the team that helped manage the extension of a joint programming venture with Discovery Communications.

Davies is currently based in Discovery’s global headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Mary Donahue
Vice President, Development and Programming
HISTORY

Mary Donahue has served as the VP of development and programming for History since September 2010.

A veteran cable television executive, Mary Donahue joined History in October 2008 and was part of the team that developed and launched mega hit series, Pawn Stars. She also developed and supervised Swamp People, American Restoration, Mudcats and Gettysburg.

Prior to joining History, Donahue worked from 2004-2008 at Discovery Channel, serving as executive producer, senior executive producer and vice president. There she developed and launched programs including Man Vs Wild, Storm Chasers, Cash Cab, Alaska Experiment, Future Weapons, and Expedition. Donahue also oversaw Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs, and several years of Shark Week.

Donahue has produced for a wide range of organizations and programs, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC News, NBC News, USA Today and CNN. She also served as a show runner on TLC’s A Wedding Story.

Kerry Doyle
SVP, Brand Content & Alliances
Team Detroit

Mary Donahue has served as the VP of development and programming for History since September 2010.

Managing the Ford BCA team, Kerry develops new, engaging ways to connect with customers through nontraditional methods including entertainment, partnerships and hyper-local marketing. She does everything from imagining and executing immersive experiences to working with networks and production companies to dream up meaningful integrations.

Kerry has contributed in creating network television shows (Escape Routes, Octane Academy) and brings Ford to life across a variety of partnership like Toby Keith, Komen and Roxy. She is also the recent recipient of two Gold Effies (Fiesta Movement, Drive 4 UR School).

Stephanie Drachkovitch
Co-Founder & Executive Vice President
44 Blue Productions

Stephanie Drachkovitch is the leading force behind 44 Blue's lifestyle reality programming. In addition to attracting talent like Rob Lowe, Randy Jackson and Donald Trump to 44 Blue's development slate, Drachkovitch has been responsible for Style's Emmy-nominated series Peter Perfect and Split Ends.

She is currently overseeing series or pilots for VH-1, OWN, CMT and Style, and is the first producer to gain access from The Pentagon to follow the lives of real-life Army Wives for a docuseries.

Previously, she was SVP of Development for Telepictures Productions, Warner Bros.' syndicated programming division, where she helped develop the long-running ABC series The Bachelor. Earlier in her career, Drachkovitch was SVP of Development and Programming for Disney's Buena Vista Television unit, where she helped launch Who Wants to be a Millionaire.; EVP for Pearson Television (now known as Fremantle Television); and VP of Programming for Group W Productions.

Tim Duffy
SVP, Original Series
Spike TV

Tim Duffy’s been a writer and storyteller his whole life. His earliest memories tell the tale of a boisterous, working-class Irish family from Philadelphia, relentlessly engaged in a battle to get the biggest laugh and tell the best story. In the late 1990s, drawn towards the sun and the faint hope of a life in show business, Tim and his twin brother Mike (executive VP, T Group Productions) headed west to Los Angeles.

Tim spent the early part of his career working as a freelance production manager but was inevitably drawn towards the creative side of the business in 1999 as a casting and story producer.

In 2004, he joined the then-fledgling network Spike TV and hasn’t looked back. From Auction Hunters to Bar Rescue, Ink Master to the upcoming Joe Schmo show, Duffy has served as a primary voice in buying, developing and producing most of the network’s biggest hits.

Charlie Ebersol
Co-founder
The Hochberg Ebersol Company

Charlie Ebersol is the Co-Founder of The Hochberg Ebersol Company (THE Company), a television production studio that specializes in unscripted, documentary and competition formats, as well as new media content and branded entertainment. Ebersol founded THE Company with Justin Hochberg in 2010.

Ebersol has executive produced both film and television projects across a variety of top-tier networks, including HBO, ESPN, NBC, USA, TNT and many others. He co-created and executive produced the television show The Wanted, which aired on NBC and followed a former Navy Seal, a former Green Beret and an investigative journalist as they tracked down internationally known terrorists (2009).

Prior to launching THE Company, Ebersol headed production on numerous successful documentary films. In 2007, he produced the documentary Don’t Look Down, which followed the life of Olympic snowboarder Shaun White following his Gold Medal win. He then produced Tradition Never Graduates, the story of the Notre Dame Football team and its fans, in 2008.

Ebersol’s first film was the 2006 documentary Ithuteng: Never Stop Learning. The film received wide acclaim including numerous humanitarian awards, such as the first ever OneXOne Award, at the Toronto Film Festival in 2005. Oprah Winfrey was so moved by Ithuteng, she immediately contributed $1.14 million to the Ithuteng Trust School, an organization dedicated to the positive development and education of at-risk children in South Africa.

Ebersol’s impressive career also includes forming, and later selling, Saint James Films, a company that oversaw the management and production facilities of Culver Studios, one of Hollywood’s most prestigious film and television lots.

Ebersol holds a B.A. in Film, Television and Theatre from The University of Notre Dame. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Alan Eyres
SVP, Development & Production, National Geographic Channel
National Geographic

Alan Eyres is an award winning producer and executive, currently SVP Programming and Development, National Geographic Channels.

As head of LA and NY offices of National Geographic Channel, Eyres’ oversees production and development across 200 hours of television, responsible for some of the most high profile series on the network including Ultimate Survival Alaska, Wicked Tuna, Life Below Zero, Brain Games and The 80s: The Decade that Made Us.

Eyres previously worked at Discovery, where he most recently served as acting VP with responsibilities across development and production on blue chip series including the Emmy Winning Human Planet and series Penn and Teller Tell a Lie and specials such as Your Body on Drugs, Why Is Sex Fun?, Hudson Plane Crash: What Really Happened and some of the top-rated Shark Week episodes.

Prior to coming to Discovery in 2007, Eyres worked for 10 years in production in the U.K., producing nonfiction television for both the U.S. and U.K. markets, including the Emmy and Bafta-nominated Krakatoa: The Last Days for the BBC.

Cynthia A. Fenneman
President & CEO
American Public Television

Cynthia A. Fenneman is president and CEO of American Public Television (APT), a prime distributor of award-winning programs to the more than 360 U.S. public television stations. Last year, APT presented nearly half of the top 100 highest rated public television titles in metered markets. APT distributes two of public television’s most widely carried multicast channels: Create TV, featuring popular hosts in cooking, travel, gardening, arts and crafts and home improvement; and WORLD, which focuses upon quality non-fiction content from established, diverse and emerging producers.

Fenneman is a broadcasting and production executive with 34 years of experience in commercial, public and network cable television. Fenneman has been awarded more than 30 international, national and regional awards, including 12 regional Emmys and a CableAce.

Prior to APT, she was president of Fenneman Productions, a television production and consulting company for six years. She was executive producer of programs for A&E Biography, PBS, Discovery and several American Public Television specials. From 1999 to 2001, Fenneman was major projects executive for the Discovery Health Channel and part of its launch team.

Jason Fox
Agent
Creative Artists Agency

Jason Fox is a Television Agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the world’s leading entertainment and sports agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, London, and Beijing. Fox is based in the New York office, where he represents such top alternative production companies as Eyeworks USA, Good Clean Fun, Ish Entertainment, Magilla Entertainment, Pink Sneakers Productions, Powderhouse Productions, Renegade 83, Stephen David Entertainment, and Zig Zag Productions, among others.

Fox began his career as a political reporter for New York 1 News before entering the mailroom at the William Morris Agency in 2002. He joined CAA in 2009.

Fox graduated with honors from Rutgers College of Rutgers University with a degree in both Journalism and Politics.

Bruce Gersh
President & CEO
FishBowl Worldwide Media

Bruce Gersh co-founded FishBowl Worldwide Media with Vin Di Bona in January 2010 and serves as president and CEO.

Prior to joining FishBowl, Gersh was senior vice president, strategy and operations, intellectual property at the William Morris Agency where he worked with clients to help develop new and innovative business opportunities.

Gersh also spent eight years at Disney/ABC, most recently as SVP business development, Disney-ABC Television Group. In this capacity, he was responsible for all traditional and digital media business development programs across ABC Daytime, ABC prime time, ABC Studios, ABC News, Soapnet and ABC Family. He was also instrumental in the development and launch of ABC Mobile, a new linear mobile channel on Sprint featuring a variety of popular full-length and short-form news and entertainment content.

Before joining ABC, Gersh was a business development consultant for NBC Enterprises, where he identified and created new revenue generating programs.

Katie Griffin
Vice President
Kinetic Content

Katie Griffin serves as Vice President at Kinetic Content. In her role, she is responsible for developing original programming for domestic cable and broadcast networks, as well as adapting international formats for the US market. She has helped develop a slate of shows including The Taste (ABC) and Betty White's Off Their Rockers (NBC).

Griffin was previously the Manager of Development at RDF USA (now Zodiak). During her time at RDF, she worked across a variety of shows including: Secret Millionaire (FOX & ABC) and Don't Forget the Lyrics (Fox).

Griffin started her career working at the Boston-based, award winning documentary film company, The Film Posse (American Experience: The Gold Rush, American Experience: Building the Alaska Highway).

Fred Grinstein
Senior Director, Non-Fiction & Alternative Programming
A&E Television Networks

Fred Grinstein is a Senior Director of Non-Fiction & Alternative Programming for A&E Network and BIO. Since 2010 he has been responsible for overseeing the development and production of A&E and BIO’s real life series, serving as executive producer on hit A&E series including Storage Wars, Storage Wars: Texas, Storage Wars: New York, American Haunting, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Psychic Kids, as well as I Survived… Beyond and Back and The Ghost Inside My Child for BIO. Grinstein also developed Amish Mafia, which became a hit series for Discovery.

Before joining A&E Networks, Grinstein served as Director of Development for Tiger Aspect Productions, credits include Extreme Trains for History, Make Me a Supermodel for Bravo, and Desert Car Kings on Discovery. Prior to working for Tiger Aspect, he produced and directed for Travel Channel, MTV, and PBS. Grinstein is also responsible for developing and producing TLC’s first docusoap, Sheer Dallas, as well developing and producing the first season of Emmy Award-winning Cash Cab on Discovery. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and lives in New York City.

Elli Hakami
SVP, Programming & Production
BBC Worldwide Productions

Elli Hakami oversees the factual development and production team at BBC Worldwide Productions as Senior Vice President. She and her team work with producers and rights holders at the BBC, the UK’s independent production community, and talent in the U.S. to develop BBC reformats and new programming for U.S. cable and broadcast networks.

Since joining BBC Worldwide Productions in August 2010, Elli has developed and produced various titles including The Week the Women Went (Lifetime), Hairy Bikers (HISTORY), What Not to Wear (TLC), Richard Hammond’s Crash Course (BBC America), Life Below Zero (Nat Geo) and The Americans in Bed (HBO).

Prior to BBC Worldwide Productions, Elli launched and was at the helm of Discovery’s New York and Los Angeles development offices. During this time, she oversaw the development for several hit series including: Gold Rush: Alaska, Dual Survivor, Auction Kings and Surviving the Cut. Elli also oversaw some of the network’s highest rated Shark Week Specials including: Shark Feeding Frenzy, Great White Appetite, Deadly Waters and Surviving Sharks. While in LA, she served as the liaison between Discovery and the major motion picture studios, creating original movie tie-in specials including the highly successful Man V. Wild Celebrity Specials and Apocalypse 2012.

Elli has also worked in HBO’s Original Programming, Documentaries unit on a wide variety of non-fiction programs including Academy Award nominated On Tip Toe: Gentle Steps to Freedom. Elli also served as an editor on TLC’s Trauma: Real Life in the ER series.

Elli holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from Tufts University.

Paul Hardy
VP, Reality Programming
Lifetime Networks

Paul Hardy is vice president, reality programming, for Lifetime Networks. Based in New York, he is responsible for developing and overseeing production of non-fiction projects for Lifetime.

Prior to joining Lifetime, Hardy was director of program development for truTV, where he developed such series as Swamp Hunters, The Weiner’s Circle, Possum Holler Garage, Killer Karaoke and Guinness Book of World Records. Before that, he was director of development for Embassy Row Productions. While there, Hardy was responsible for developing and producing a number of reality, entertainment and factual formats, including Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live and CBS’ The Pyramid Game.

Hardy also has served as an executive producer in development for Endemol USA and was creator and executive producer of the VH1 hidden camera series Motormouth. Other credits on Hardy’s resumé include, naming a few, supervising producer for Greg Behrendt’s Wake Up Call (ABC), and senior producer for Opportunity Knocks (ABC), Game Show in My Head (CBS), Amnesia (NBC), Wanna Bet? (ABC), and Do You Trust Me? (CBS).

Robert Hardy
Head of Development
Force Four Productions Ltd.

Robert Hardy spent nearly a decade as a broadcaster working at CBC and CTV, including four years heading CTV’s western development office in Vancouver, where he oversaw the development and production of dozens of shows including series, movies of the week, documentaries and alternative programming. His credits at CTV include Executive in Charge of Production of the 13 x one-hour series Defying Gravity (a co-venture with ABC, BBC and Fox TV Studios) and the Force Four television movie Playing for Keeps (for CTV and Lifetime).

Robert is also an experienced writer and producer of television and digital media, and got his start writing and directing award-winning commercials & developing consumer and business brands.

Samuel Harowitz
Manager Television Acquisitions & Development
Fremantlemedia

Samuel is the Manager of Television Acquisitions and Development at FremantleMedia. Among many things, he is responsible for sourcing and vetting third party acquisitions in both scripted and non-scripted genres.

Prior to Fremantle, Samuel was the Coordinator of U.S. Scripted Television at Entertainment One, where he worked on such shows as The Firm (NBC), Hell On Wheels (AMC), Saving Hope (NBC) Rookie Blue (ABC), Call Me Fitz (DirecTV), and Haven (Syfy).

Samuel has worked across many facets of the television industry including broadcast, cable, scripted, unscripted, digital and nonlinear television serving in prior roles such as Development Coordinator at EMJAG Productions, Casting Assistant at Disney Channel/Disney XD, Assistant to the Showrunner of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and as an assistant/agent trainee at UTA.

Samuel graduated from Pitzer College with a degree in English World Literature and Media Studies. He holds an MFA in Cinematography from the American Film Institute and sits on the board of the Junior Hollywood Radio and Television Society.

Bill Hayes
President & Executive Producer
Figure 8 Films

As president of Figure 8 Films, formerly known as Advanced Medical Productions, Bill Hayes has executive produced over 575 television programs, including TLC’s19 Kids and Counting andSister Wives, and co-produced the HGTV series Salvage Dawgs.

After starting Advanced Medical Productions in 1992, Hayes produced The Operation for Discovery Channel; a series of films documenting conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany Hensel, including Joined at Birth andJoined at Birth: Abby and Brittany Turn 16; and more.

In 1997, Bill started Figure 8 Films and his credits include the first season ofBreed All About It for Animal Planet,21^st Century Medicine for Discovery Health Channel, Jon and Kate Plus 8 andKate Plus 8 for TLC.

Figure 8 Films has also produced several one-hour specials including an Emmy award winning show on Autism.

Paul Heaney
Managing Director
TCB Media Rights

Heaney launched his own Distribution business, TCB Media Rights in September 2012. Putting the emphasis on the ability for strong pre sales and co creating shows with high revenue potential, he has initially started concentrating on the genres of factual, factual entertainment and formats. Heaney has already began working with some of the most highly regarded production companies in the business, eg Arrow Media, Icon Films, WAG tv, Channel 7 Productions, Storyhouse, Argonon and many others to be announced soon.

Strong co production and pre sales relationships in the US, UK, Germany, Italy and Aus has helped these producers realize their programme making plans at a much earlier stage. TCB’s first series is the Arrow/GroupM series for FIVE, World’s Busiest 4 x 60.

Heaney had previously been President and MD of Cineflix Rights which he started in 2002, building the business up year on year with double or treble digit growth each year. The industry regarded Cineflix Rights at that time as being able to ‘punch well above its weight’, its fellow distributors had consistently voted it amongst the top 5 Distributors in the business, ranking it in 2011’s Broadcast magazine as high as THIRD compared to its turnover ranking of TENTH.

Main achievements for Heaney over this ten year period were: building a team that has been recognized as one of the most stable,professional and motivated in the business; greenlighting shows AND co-creating IP that they were confident of funding through Heaney’s network and team, hugely successful series like Aircrash Investigation, Cold Blood and William Shatner’s Weird or What benefited from these skills.

TCB will be building on this success.

Lauren Horvath
Manager of Program Development
Investigation Discovery

Lauren Horvath is the Manager of Program Development for Investigation Discovery (ID), America's leading mystery-and-suspense network, where she is responsible for scouting, developing, and conceptualizing original series and specials. Horvath joined Discovery in 2007 to help set creative direction for ID and cultivate a launch programming slate for the then-new network. During her five plus years with ID, Horvath has overseen development of hit series including Homicide Hunter: LT. Joe Kenda; Blood, Lies & Alibis; Final Cut; and Desperate Measures. She also shepherds series and specials through the acquisition process, bringing new programs to the network like Cropsey, Twisted, and Very Bad Men. Prior to joining ID, Horvath was at Henninger Productions, where she assisted production on numerous documentaries, including A Year in the Life of Blue Angels for Discovery Channel and Navy Bomb Squad for Military Channel. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park.

Mary Ellen Iwata
Vice President, Original Content Development
The Weather Channel

As vice president, original content development, Mary Ellen Iwata is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of development and production of series and specials for The Weather Channel. She works closely with the international production community to develop long form original programming. Iwata is credited with finding a number of popular series for the network, including Iceberg Hunters, Reef Wranglers, Hacking The Planet, and Deadliest Space Weather. Iwata is based in TWC’s New York offices.

Before joining The Weather Channel, Iwata served as vice president of programming and development for Scripps Networks International, where she oversaw original program development and production, acquisitions, and program scheduling. She was a key player in launching Food Network in the UK, EMEA and Asia, and continued to oversee the networks’ content after launch.

Prior to working in Scripps’ International division, Iwata was vice president of program and talent development for HGTV, a Scripps-owned network. She developed numerous hit series and specials including HGTV’s first high definition special, Extreme Homes of Europe, and the long-running spinoff series World’s Most Extreme Homes. Iwata also created the popular series My First Place and What’s With That House?, and found new series such as the highly rated Property Virgins and The Stagers.

Iwata joined HGTV from TLC, where she was vice president of development and special projects. Previous roles at TLC included vice president of production and executive producer for multiple original productions, including the Emmy-winning special Killer Virus. Prior to working at TLC, Iwata was an executive producer for Discovery Communications’ Discovery Channel.

A Baltimore native, Iwata began her career at WJZ-TV (CBS) in Baltimore. She holds a degree in fine arts from Towson University.

Seth Jarrett
Owner & Executive Producer
Jarrett Creative Group

With a focus on series that feature a strong narrative drive – both reality and scripted – Seth Jarrett launched his production company, Jarrett Creative, in 2004.

His credits include Celebrity Ghost Stories, now in its sixth season on Bio, and two additional Bio series, I Killed My BFF and The Haunting Of… He also partnered with producer Mark Burnett on Syfy’s School Spirits, while The Houstons: On Our Own aired on Lifetime.

Jarrett has also co-produced TNT’s Boston’s Finest, and National Geographic’s Boston Metal with Donnie Wahlberg. Other projects on his slate include a reality sitcom with Jersey Shore star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino.

Jarrett began as a film & television producer and director at MTV, VH1 and Oxygen, and became a show-runner on A&E’s Growing Up Gotti and IFC’s Rocked with Gina Gershon.

Mark Kadin
Founder
MAK Pictures

Mark founded MAK Pictures in 2011 to begin production on A&E’s Cajun Justice. MAK delivered 21 episodes of the hit show, and they are now in production on two series and two pilots for the Discovery Networks, as well as developing projects for a variety of networks. Mark has worked in unscripted television for over 15 years, and prior to starting MAK, he was an executive producer on such shows as National Geographic’s Known Universe, FX’s 30 Days with Morgan Spurlock, Animal Planet’s IPredator, and Discovery’s Firehouse USA. In 2009, Mark won an Emmy for his work as executive producer and showrunner of Fox Sports’ Sport Science. Mark graduated with a degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.

Marc Kamler
VP Alternative and International Television
APA

Marc Kamler is Vice President of APA’s Alternative & International Television Department. Since first joining the firm in 2007, Kamler has become a favorite among producers and television executives alike, with a business style exemplified by his unique eye for material, and an entrepreneurial savvy that has made him one of the most respected and successful packaging agents in the industry. Most recently, he packaged the highly successful Lifetime franchise Dance Moms, which now includes Dance Moms: Miami and Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition.

Kamler’s roster of clients includes some of the most prolific and high profile alternative television companies and personalities in the business, including Kevin Burns and Prometheus Entertainment (H2’s Ancient Aliens), Colleen Needles Steward and Tremendous! Entertainment (Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern), Harry and Laura Marshall and Icon Films (Animal Planet’s River Monsters), Scott Hallock and LikeMineDid Media (Syfy’s Scare Tactics), and Mike Sinclair and M2 Pictures (ID’s Wicked Attraction). On-camera personalities include Tom Arnold (CMT’s My Big Redneck Wedding), Rutledge Wood (History’s Top Gear), Kelly Cutrone (CW’s America’s Next Top Model), Mark L. Walberg (PBS’ Antiques Roadshow), and Dr. Jan Pol (Nat Geo Wild’s The Incredible Dr. Pol).

Prior to joining APA, Kamler began his career as an agent at David Shapira and Associates before moving to the Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency. Later, as an agent at ICM, Kamler packaged the FOX hit series, Don’t Forget the Lyrics.

A native of Montville, New Jersey, Kamler received his B.T.A. in Performing Arts Administration from the University of Michigan. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Marla.

Hunter Kinsella
Manager of Brand and Digital
Trium Entertainment

Hunter is Manager of Brand and Digital at Trium Entertainment. His responsibilities range from linking large brands to digital portals to developing compelling digital, brand friendly content to looking for innovative ways of leveraging technologies and platforms to repackage and repurpose content.

Hunter graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Film Studies and a minor in Business Management: Corporate Strategy. He interned at companies including Reveille and Underground Films and Management, then served as an Assistant at Hypomania Content, a small production company. Hunter played an instrumental role in building the It Gets Better Project brand and headed a merchandising division that boasted – among other things – a New York Times bestselling book and has generated over $1,000,000 in revenue to date. The brand extensions include a “Best In Show” AICP award-winning national spot with Google Creative Labs and an MTV ‘Best Video with a Message” VMA nomination. It Gets Better spawned two MTV specials, one of which was nominated for an Emmy, and the campaign won the 2012 Governor’s Award from the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences.

Prior to joining Trium, Hunter spent a year at FremantleMedia Enterprises as an assistant in the Acquisitions and Development department. Currently, he sits on the board of the Junior Hollywood Radio and Television Society.

Sandra Kleinfeld
Director of Development, Studio & Unscripted Programming
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

As Director of Development in CBC’s Studio and Unscripted Content group, Sandra is responsible for finding new factual entertainment and sports formats, and overseeing development and production of both formats and original series, with independent and in-house producers.

Sandra joined CBC Factual Entertainment when it was created in 2006. There she helped the department establish a new programming presence in prime time, supervising the Canadian iterations of several international formats: the award-winning Dragons’ Den – Canada’s #1 unscripted entertainment show -- The Week the Women Went, and Test the Nation. She oversaw development of the first English language version of Village on a Diet, as well as other original formats with Canadian, international and CBC in-house production partners, including Make the Politician Work, Canada’s Smartest Person and Redemption Inc. In addition to overseeing Dragons’ Den, she is also part of the team looking after Hockey Night in Canada.

Her career as a broadcast executive encompasses three conventional, three analog and two digital specialty channels. She was hired to help launch Discovery Health Channel Canada and oversaw its first original series, The Surgeons and Med Students. She has also supervised countless hours of documentaries and series in reality, lifestyle, food, décor, science, medicine, business and talk. She was part of the launch team for Canada’s business channel, BNN, and produced its first live nightly talk show, The Bottom Line. Prior to that she worked as a producer/director in current affairs, including stints at the long-running investigative Canadian programs, the fifth estate and W-5, as well as other lifestyle and business programs.

Ra Kumar
Agent
N.S. Bienstock

Ra represents a variety of on-air talent and producers for network television, cable and syndication with a focus on reality programming. Prior to joining N.S. Bienstock, Ra spent the last decade working as a television packaging agent at APA, Paradigm and The Kaplan Stahler Agency in Los Angeles. He also held various production positions with Warner Brothers Television and Fox World. “My passion is working closely with our clients to best serve their interests and finding the next generation of content creators in reality television,” he says. Ra earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Film from Columbia College and currently lives in Manhattan.

Caroline Kusser
Senior Vice President North America
Red Arrow International

Alan LaGarde
Executive Producer
Paper Route Productions

Al is something of a nomad... He grew up in New York, went to school at Northwestern University in the Midwest, worked as a reporter and anchor in the Northeast and was a college professor in Pennsylvania. Then he started working in doc/reality TV. He lived and worked in LA as a producer for a few years, then started Paper Route Productions to produce his own projects. The company is currently based in Pearl River, NY, produces Yukon Men and Buying Alaska and has several other projects in various stages. Al has traveled extensively in the U.S. and internationally. His passport is well-worn and always ready for a shoot or another adventure.

Rebecca Lane-Block
Director, Development and Formats
NBC Peacock Productions

Rebecca Lane-Block is Director of Development and Formats for NBC’s Peacock Productions. Rebecca joined Peacock Productions in 2010 as part of the East Coast development team and is responsible for development of non-scripted series and specials in addition to sourcing third-party international formats for exploitation in the US market. Based in New York, Rebecca reports directly to Benjamin Ringe, Senior Vice President of Development at Peacock Productions.

Prior to Peacock, Rebecca was a freelance development producer working for companies such as Off The Fence America on Style Network’s Style Exposed: Sperm Donor. Before that Rebecca was Manager of Development and Acquisitions (US and International) at Endemol USA in Los Angeles. While at Endemol, Rebecca was part of the team responsible for the development of series such as ABC’s Wipeout and the adaptation of Endemol International’s formats for the US market including NBC’s 1 vs 100. In addition, she also ran casting sessions for network pilots and series including the ABC’s Set For Life and Show Me The Money. Previously, Rebecca was the Programming Coordinator at ABC Daytime working on her all-time favorite show General Hospital and spin-off Port Charles. She then went on to work in ABC’s Alternative Series and Specials group for Vicki Dummer on Supernanny, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and Dancing with the Stars.

Rebecca began her career as Emmy award winning Director David Nutter’s assistant on the NBC pilot Sleepwalkers, followed by a stint at Richard Dreyfuss’ production company Dreyfuss/James Productions.

Rebecca graduated from the George Washington University in Washington, DC and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Adam Block, an agent at N.S. Beinstock and their son Jeffrey.

Robyn Lattaker-Johnson
VP, Alternative Programming & Development
Syfy

Robyn Lattaker-Johnson has over 20 years of experience in entertainment spanning programming, development, and production. She currently holds the position of vice president of programming at the Syfy network, an NBC Universal Comcast company, where she covers multiple on-air series and several pilots in development. She reports to Mark Stern, president, original content, Syfy, and co-head, original content, Universal Cable Productions, and is based in Syfy’s Los Angeles office.

In her role, Lattaker-Johnson oversees the day-to-day creative and production aspects of top reality series such as Paranormal Witness, Face Off, Ghost Hunters, Hot Set, School Spirits and Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, among others.

Prior to joining Syfy, Lattaker- Johnson was an independent producer developing non-fiction/ reality projects. She also served as the showrunner of BET Network’s Comic View: One Mic Stand, hosted by actor/stand-up comedian Kevin Hart.

Before that, she was senior vice president, original programming, at BET Networks from 2005-2008, responsible for the development and oversight of all unscripted programming.

Megan Lawrence
Director, Development
WE tv

As Director of Development, Megan Lawrence vets all incoming submissions, generates internal concepts, and spearheads production of development presentations and pilots at WE tv. During her tenure she has been instrumental in developing a number of WE tv's popular series, including Braxton Family Values, Mary Mary, Kendra on Top, L.A. Hair, and Tamar & Vince as well as upcoming series Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas, Pregnant & Dating, Obsessed with the Dress, House of Curves, Sanya's Glam & Gold, The Ruckers: Southern Royals, and The LYLAS.

Prior to joining WE tv, Lawrence was a Creative Executive at The Weinstein Company managing their slate of television projects including the hit series Project Runway and critically-acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Lawrence began her career in casting working on Extreme Makeover, The Biggest Loser, Beauty and the Geek, and For Love or Money. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from USC's School of Cinematic Arts.

Tom Leach
Vice President, Development & Current Programming
One Three Media

Tom Leach currently serves as Vice President of Development & Current Programming at One Three Media (a Hearst | Mark Burnett Company), the force behind such hits as The Voice, Shark Tank, Survivor, The Apprentice, and The Bible TV series.

Tom was recently honored by FORBES magazine as a member of their esteemed 30 Under 30 List which exemplifies "the entrepreneurial, creative and intellectual best of their generation – FORBES."

Prior to joining Mark Burnett's team, Tom honed his craft at some of Hollywood's most successful networks and production companies including Discovery Communications, ABC, Playtone, Eyeworks, and Jerry Bruckheimer Films & TV.

Tom is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Loyola Marymount University and received his M.F.A. from UCLA's acclaimed Producers Program. Also, Tom has taught film & TV courses at Loyola Marymount since 2010 (making him one of the youngest part-time professors in the University's 100+ year history).

Steven Lerner
SVP, Programming & Production
HGTV and DIY Network

Steven Lerner is the vice president of programming for Scripps Networks Interactive’s Home Category brands, HGTV and DIY Network. In this role, Lerner oversees all aspects of the creative content for both brands, including 1,400 hours of original programming. He is responsible for facilitating original programming ideas, and managing several series, specials and pilots currently in production. Lerner is also charged with identifying new talent and collaborating with Canadian and other international coproductions and acquisitions.

As a programming executive, Lerner’s creativity and oversight has helped lead HGTV to record ratings with notable series and talent, including the successful launch of The Property Brothers and Buying & Selling. In addition, he is responsible for bringing primetime favorites – Blog Cabin, Renovation Realities, Rehab Addict and Million Dollar Contractor – to DIY Network.

Throughout his career, Lerner has received numerous awards including a 2010 realscreen Factual Entertainment Award for Best Home Programming (Disaster House); Parents’ Choice Award (2005, 2001-2003); Shine Award (2004); Cable Positive Pop Award (2004); The Peabody Award (2003); and the Beacon Award (2001 and 2004).

Gary Lico
President & CEO
CABLEready and CableU Networks

President & CEO Gary Lico, a 30-plus year veteran of the broadcasting industry, founded CABLEready in 1992 to represent existing program libraries and to develop original program ideas for the exploding number of cable networks in the United States.

Mr. Lico, prior to launching CABLEready, spent seven years at Columbia Pictures Television, rising to vice president, Eastern region. At Columbia, he was instrumental in orchestrating the industry’s first major off-network comedy sales to basic cable, My Two Dads (USA Network), and, at a then-record price for an animated series to cable, The Real Ghostbusters (USA Network). Mr. Lico also served in executive positions with Katz Communications, TVS Television and SFM Entertainment.

In addition to his corporate duties, he was recently elected to serve as a vice president on the CINE board of directors, serves on the Realscreen Summit advisory board, and is a past member of the NATPE board of directors.

Ari Mark
Director of Development, Non Scripted Original Programming
AMC

As AMC’s Director of Original Programming, Ari Mark oversees non-scripted series from concept to air. Recent and upcoming titles include The Pitch, Small Town Security, The Talking Dead, Comic Book Men, Freakshow, Immortalized, and Showville.

Prior to AMC, Mark worked at Embassy Row where he developed a wide range of series as director of development. Before that, Mark managed a full slate of non-scripted and scripted titles for The Sundance Channel.

Mark has also written and directed two award-winning films, The Gift and The Metamorphosis. Both continue to air on the Sundance Channel.

Oliver Marler
Founder & Executive Producer
Rescript Media

Oliver Marler is the Founder and CEO of Rescript Media, a creative consultancy based in Los Angeles focused on developing the next generation of scripted and factual content for digital distribution and multi-platform engagement. Rescript Media works with major broadcasters, cable networks, producers, and consumer brands to conceive and create engaging multi-platform experiences that may manifest on the web, within social media, upon mobile platforms and applications, broadcast, or other emerging mediums. Clients include Fox Broadcasting Co., Fremantle Enterprises, Brain Farm Digital Cinema, Red Bull and Hoodlum Entertainment.

Oliver is currently collaborating with content creators and digital agencies, including Infusion Development, on the next generation of entertainment experiences--productions that are a blend of real-time interactivity, audience participation, and viral media.

Leila Monks
VP Commercial and Current Production
Zig Zag Productions

Leila is charged with growing business across distribution, production, coproduction, brands and digital.

Previously she ran factual distributor TVF International for a number of years, where she was credited with transforming the business, improving both revenue and profit results by 40% year on year.

Leila also has experience across production with credits including William and Kate: A Royal Love Story for TLC and I Think I’m an Animal for Logo and TLC International. All of her shows have sold to numerous territories worldwide.

Leila has excellent skills in business development and new growth areas working across major pitches both in the Online and Advertising Funded Programming spaces.

She began her career working for the Trinity Mirror Group in the entertainment team of national newspaper titles The Daily Mirror and the Sunday Mirror and has experience across television, press, advertising and online.

Melanie Moreau
VP, Original Programming and Series Development
CMT

Melanie Moreau is a television veteran currently serving as vice president, original programming and series development at CMT. She is responsible for overseeing the creation and development of new content from concept to delivery for the network. Since joining CMT in 2003, Melanie has developed a string of hits for the channel including the long-running series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team as well as Gone Country, World’s Strictest Parents and CMT’s Next Superstar. Most recently, she helmed the highly rated series Redneck Island.

Prior to joining CMT, Melanie was vice president of television at Greystone TV where she produced over 500 hours of original programming for various cable networks including A&E, History and Lifetime. Before serving as development exec and producer at Greystone, Melanie began her career as a news writer and producer at KTTV in Los Angeles.

Eric Schotz
President & CEO
LMNO Productions

Eric Schotz, president and CEO of LMNO Productions, is a nine-time Emmy-award winner whose innovative style and creativity has established him as one of the television industry’s foremost producers/directors of non-fiction and reality-based programming.

His extensive credits include executive producing the highly successful hidden camera series of specials for CBS, I Get That A Lot; the Lifetime Television series, Seriously Funny Kids, hosted by Heidi Klum; The Little Couple for TLC, now in its fifth season; Unusual Suspects (season 3) for Investigation Discovery and the special, True Life: I’m The Big Girl for MTV. In addition, Schotz has also served as executive producer on Wickedly Perfect and Fire Me… Please! for CBS and the nationally syndicated daily talk show, The Dr. Keith Ablow Show. He is currently in production on season two of Lifeguard! for The Weather Channel; Hollywood & Crime/Final Cut for Investigation Discovery; Cheating Vegas for Destination America; three episodes of the Nat Geo Wild series, World’s Deadliest… and pilots for OWN, Lifetime Television and TLC.

Chachi Senior
CEO
Ardaban

Chachi Senior serves as CEO of Ardaban, a dedicated entertainment format creation company.

Ardaban’s output is exclusively produced by Shine America and distributed via Shine International.

Senior has sold and produced programming around the world to such networks and companies as: TV Asahi, BBC America, Bravo, Endemol, Fremantle, Fuji TV, Comedy Central, Planet Green, Oxygen, Food Network, Shine, Travel, and Tru TV, among others, and has launched successful formats including Chopped, Momentum, Randy Jackson Presents Lovesong, Winsanity and No Kitchen Required.

Prior to joining Ardaban, Senior served as co-president of IAC's Notional, and spent three years at City Lights Media. He began his career as a principal at First Motionless Pictures before moving on to Rainbow Media.

Rob Shaftel
SVP Development NY
ITV Studios

Rob Shaftel joined ITV Studios America in January 2013 as their Senior Vice President of Development East Coast for ITV.

Prior to his role at ITV Studios America, Shaftel was the Vice President of Development at Leftfield Pictures. While at Leftfield, Shaftel developed numerous series including Counting Cars and American Restoration on History, Ball Boys for ABC and Pawn Stars spinoff Cajun Pawn Stars for History. Other programs Shaftel developed while at Leftfield include Science Channel’s Oddities franchise, Food Network’s Health Inspectors, National Geographic Channel’s Bid & Destroy and Bravo’s Fashion Hunters amongst others. Additionally Shaftel developed recently announced series The Governor’s Wife for A&E and Guntucky for CMT.

Prior to Leftfield, Shaftel spent two years in Program Development at Discovery, developing a vast range of projects that ran as series, limited series and specials, including HowStuffWorks, the Drug Nation series of specials, When Animals Strike and many more. Additionally, he served as a producer on such Discovery shows as Destroyed in Seconds and Verminators.

Before Discovery, Shaftel worked in development at the Spike cable network.

Keren Shahar
Head of Distribution & Acquisitions
Keshet International

Keren is one of the leading pioneers of the Israeli formats sales market, exporting content of all genres to markets worldwide. Joining Keshet in October 2006, Shahar is in charge of the company's international sales, including marketing, business affairs, and overall strategy of the company's international activities.

During her tenure, Keshet has sold such formats as: Traffic Light, Prisoners of War, Deal With It and The Successor. In addition, Shahar is also in charge of Keshet Broadcasting's Acquisitions department and has licensed formats such as The Money Drop, MasterChef and Make Me A Baby.

Prior to joining Keshet, she worked for two years at Israeli publishing and entertainment company Head-Arzi as a Label Manager for international gaming company Electronic Arts. Shahar holds a dual Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and General Studies from the Tel-Aviv University.

Robert Smith
Executive Vice President
Endemol USA

Rob Smith is Executive Vice President, Programming for Endemol USA. Smith has been instrumental in building Endemol USA into one of the most successful producers of reality television. He oversees all of Endemol USA’s on-air series, creatively shepherding some of the most popular reality shows in recent television history. Notable achievements include the hit game show Deal or No Deal, which aired on NBC for four seasons and consistently ranked as one of the network’s highest rated series; the two-time Emmy award-winning series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which aired for nine seasons on ABC (over 200 episodes) and set a gold standard for unscripted entertainment, and Wipeout, the award-winning series on ABC, which was recently sold into syndication.

In cable, Smith launched Jerseylicious for the Style Network, now in its fifth season, and is currently overseeing Big Texas Heat (CMT), Freakshow (AMC), Find Me My Man (Oxygen) and Treasure Detectives (CNBC). He is also guiding Endemol USA’s first foray into syndicated daytime with Steve Harvey, which is being hailed as the standout among the crop of new daytime syndicated series. Smith joined Endemol USA in 2002. Prior to joining Endemol, he worked for Telepictures, serving as a supervising producer for the syndicated news magazine EXTRA.

Regina Thomas
Vice President, Original Programming
BET Networks

As Vice President of Original Programming at BET Networks, Regina “Genie” Thomas has played an integral role in BET’s historical expansion and re-branding. She develops, launches and supervises production of alternative series and specials for BET and sister network, CENTRIC. She was instrumental in developing and overseeing production of BET's all-time highest rated reality series, Tiny & Toya and spin-off Toya: A Family Affair. Other projects for BET include: Apollo Live, BET Takes Hollywood (Oscars Special), Keyshia Cole: Family First, The Mo'Nique Show, The Judge Mathis Project and Procter & Gamble branded talk series, My Black is Beautiful.

Prior to joining BET, Thomas was Vice President of Development and Production at NBC Universal Television Distribution for 5 years where she launched and oversaw production of the Emmy Award-winning and only daily reality series, Starting Over, as well as talker The Other Half, The Remarkable Journey, and Blind Date. Thomas also served as Executive Director of Development and Production at TLC where she developed and oversaw production of pilots and series including Emmy-winning A Baby Story, 10 Years Younger, and Procter & Gamble branded series, Home Made Simple.

Thomas began her career as a sales executive. She spent almost 10 years selling syndication programming and ad time with companies including Sony Pictures Television, Fox, and Discovery Communications before shifting over to the programming side.

Thomas is a cum laude graduate of Princeton University and UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management.

Donald Thoms
VP, Programming
PBS

Donald Thoms joined PBS in August 2011 as vice president, programming. Prior to his appointment at PBS, Thoms was president of ThomsMediaGroup (TMG) where he led the multimedia consulting organization, focusing on television production and development, as well as on-air talent development, coaching and casting.

In his role as vice president, program production at Discovery Health Channel, which he held from 1999 to 2007, Mr. Thoms oversaw the day-to-day operation of television production for the major cable network from its launch, managing over 400 hours of editorial content per year from production teams all over the world. Donald also served as vice president of talent development and casting for Discovery Communications.

Mr. Thoms previously served at PBS as vice president, program management from 1993 to 1999, where his accomplishments including the creation of the award-winning series Independent Lens, which is preparing for its 10th season year on the air, and The Red Book, the document that established the guidelines for program delivery, which PBS continues to use today.

Penni Thow
Managing Director & Producer
The Buried Life

Penni currently sits as the Managing Director and Producer for The Buried Life - a project spanning television, digital platforms, and interactive live shows that encourage people to go after their dreams. The Buried Life, best known as a show on MTV, most recently published their first book, reaching #1 on the New York Times best seller list. Penni joined TBL after spending several years working as a talent agent in one of Canada's most acclaimed agencies. Starting off as an assistant, she quickly progressed to an agent for actors working in both Canada and the US.

She is heavily involved in philanthropic projects and charitable events. Currently co-chairing fundraising efforts in Vancouver, including a Gala and brunch for 'Motionball' in support of the Special Olympics, co-founded a breast cancer fundraiser called PinUps for Pink and serves as a committee member for various other charities and organizations.

Daniel E. Tibbets
Senior Vice President of Digital Media
Bunim/Murray Productions

As SVP of digital media for Bunim/Murray Productions, Daniel Tibbets leads the company’s digital department and focuses on increasing the company’s digital productions, including developing short-form programming for the web, mobile devices and other online and connected device distribution platforms.

Tibbets has more than 20 years of entertainment programming and production experience. His credits include serving as SVP and studio chief at GoTV Networks; VP at Twentieth Television, where he ran FOXLAB and developed the first convergence program to air on TV; and VP, entertainment for Fireworks Television.

He also worked at Papazian-Hirsch/Rysher Entertainment, and produced or contributed to the production and development of series including Martha Stewart Living, Bob Vila, America’s Most Wanted, On-Air with Ryan Seacrest, and many others.

Tibbets is a member of the Emerging Media Task Force for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and on the Board of Directors for the CINE organization.

Shon Tomlin
EVP of Television & Digital
Brain Farm Digital Cinema

Shon Tomlin is a multi Emmy award-winning producer and development executive whose experience spans over 20 years of television, digital, film and commercial productions. Prior to serving as a founding executive and SVP of Programming and Marketing for Fox Cable Network’s FUEL TV channel, Shon served as CEO at Groove Inc., an independent production and creative agency that developed, sold and produced projects in both the scripted and unscripted realms. Today, Shon is EVP of Television & Digital for Brain Farm Digital Cinema, an award winning production group known for its sales record-breaking action film, The Art of Flight and a recent Emmy for its contributions on National Geographic Channel’s original series, Great Migrations.

Shawn Visco
Director of Original Programming
HGTV

Shawn Visco is a Director of Original Programming and Development at HGTV/DIY. She has developed and overseen multiple series and specials during her time there, most notably Kitchen Cousins and Cousins on Call, Elbow Room, Renovation Unscripted with soap opera star Heather Tom, and a new series with Genevieve Gorder, Genevieve's Renovation. Prior to joining Scripps, Shawn was a Director of Current Programming/Executive Producer at True Entertainment, an Endemol company.