SVP, Growth Networks Group
André is co-founder and CEO of Machina Sports. A computer scientist with extensive experience leading innovation and emerging technology from the Silicon Valley ecosystem, with numerous enterprise-level AI implementations. He co-founded Machina Sports to accelerate generative AI adoption across the sports industry through a specialized platform of vertical AI agents.
Bob Gold founded and leads Bob Gold & Associates, one of the premiere communications public relations agencies specializing in Technology, Media and Telecom. In 2025 PRSA named the agency Best In The West. 2019 Public Relations Society (PRSA) Los Angeles named him Communications Professional of the Year. And the agency was named by Forbes as one of the country’s best PR Agencies in 2021, with a 5-star rating.
The agency, founded 28 years ago, has helped launch more than a dozen companies, re-branded many others, and created successful campaigns for numerous start-ups and Fortune 500 brands. He has also helped raise millions of dollars for charities, taught hundreds of students and helped further strategic business plans for numerous businesses and associations.
Gold is the author of the popular children’s picture book, The Shiny Penny, and a collection of poems, Words to Lift By. Gold holds many honors including being inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers along with Comcast’s Brian Roberts, CNN’s Ted Turner and other notables, and is featured in an oral history in the Cable Center’s Barco Library.
He holds a Masters’ degree in Communications Management from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California, where he led the Alumni Board of Directors for a decade.
Backed by extensive experience in digital media and strategic partnerships, Brendan’s expertise lies in the development and implementation of strategies to monetize premium video content throughout the multichannel and digital ecosystems.
Brendan Canning is Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Triple B Media, LLC, a content creation, distribution and monetization platform specializing in the development of free, ad supported television networks. Today, Triple B owns, operates or manages a portfolio of networks that are distributed and monetized throughout the world.
Prior to Triple B, Brendan served as the Senior Vice President and Head of Distribution of Stadium, the 24/7 nationally distributed sports television network. At Stadium, Brendan served on the Company’s leadership team and developed its distribution network across linear and digital screens. He joined Stadium’s parent company, Silver Chalice Ventures, in 2012, after a 12 year tenure at ESPN, where he negotiated affiliation agreements for the distribution of ESPN, ABC and Disney networks with cable operators, DBS providers and emerging digital properties.
Brendan began his career in the media industry as both a journalist and public relations executive, working at various organizations for ten years. He resides in Connecticut with his wife and three children.
Corporate VP and Head of CTV, Programmatic and National Advertising Sales
Sinclair Broadcast Group, inc (Nasdaq: SBGI) media industry veteran Brian Hunt is Corporate Vice President and Head of CTV, Programmatic and National Advertising Sales based in New York City.
Hunt is responsible for the monetization of multiple premium ConnnectedTV and over-the-top digital video services. These services including the launch of the fastest growing digital product in Sinclair’s history – CompulseCTV which is a data driven ad platform. His responsibilities also include Sinclair’s rapidly growing local broadcast digital programmatic inventory and national FAST Channel platforms for local news featuring over 300 CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox Stations – NewsOn. In addition, the rapidly expanded CTV streaming offerings of The Tennis Channel. Hunt is an industry thought leader and contributor on numerous industry panels and advisory boards.
Prior to Sinclair Hunt was Corporate Vice President of TEGNA’s Premion OTT Division as its first employee. During Hunt’s tenure at Premion, he oversaw Sales, Publisher Relationships, Contracts, Operations and Strategy.
Prior to TEGNA, Hunt held a variety of leadership positions in the industry. He was the Senior Vice President of Viamedia , a cable ad sales representation firm where he established and renewed key partnerships including: Centurylink, Google Fiber, Verizon Fios, Time Warner and others. Hunt spent the majority of his career over 15 years at NBCUniversal as Senior Vice President of Affiliate Sales & Marketing in the Cable Distribution Group and other key NBCU positions.
Hunt has a BS in Finance from Southern Illinois University, M.B.A. from Fontbonne College in St. Louis, MO and an Executive Management Degree from Harvard Business School. Hunt lives in the New York City Suburbs with his wife and three children.
Cathy Rasenberger is President of Rasenberger Media LLC. (https://www.rasenbergermedia.com), a leading media industry consulting firm providing business development, outsourced management and strategic advisory services. Founded in 1998, Rasenberger Media has specialized in developing, launching and distributing television networks. To date, Rasenberger has successfully helped launch 28 leading Cable TV networks and 20+ FAST (Free Ad Supported Streaming TV) channels including AccuWeather, Newsmax, TV One, Al Jazeera, Outside TV, Outdoor Channel, MGMHD, Universal Sports, PBS Nature, RFD-TV, PFLMMA, Free Movies Plus, and many more. Rasenberger Media advises major media companies, including strategic partnerships, media investments and acquisitions, business development, market expansion, and distribution strategies. Clients have included WNET, Verizon Wireless, Al Jazeera, WWE, Condé Nast, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, MGM, Universal Music, TDAmeritrade, WURL, AIBUY, Rural Media Group, GluedIn among others.
Cathy Rasenberger is also a Founder/Partner and Co-President of Sports Studio, Inc., a global sports platform, distribution and monetization company dedicated to delivering and monetizing free, high quality sports programming across linear and on-demand platforms. Sports Studio, Inc., owns and operates FreeLiveSports.tv, which is among the world’s largest dedicated free sports platforms with 120+ sports channels, 1000s of hours of sports related VOD including 500 movies, and available in 75 countries. Sports Studio also operates a managed services and distribution business for O&O and third party sports channels.
Prior to founding Rasenberger Media, Rasenberger helped launch and build the Food Network from a concept thru eventual sale to E.W. Scripps as SVP Distribution and Affiliate Marketing. Previously, Rasenberger held senior management positions at ESPN, TV Guide, Warner Bros TV and Cablevision Magazine. In recognition for her industry contributions, Rasenberger has been included among CableFax’ “Top 100 Heavy Hitters”, “Most Powerful Women” and inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers. Rasenberger holds a BA from Harvard College in History and Literature.
Fred is CEO and co-founder of Origin; an award winning creative technology company which builds unique ad formats and dynamic creatives for brands who want to build stronger connections with audiences on Connected TV.
Prior to Origin, Fred was at E.W.Scripps where he helped navigate Newsy’s pivot to CTV, and before that he was at Tremor Video (now Magnite) where he was part of a 4 person team that brought their SSP to market.
The combination of a Masters Degree in Moral Philosophy, dyslexia and late onset ADHD affords Fred an unconventional view of how we think and over his career has allowed him to solve problems and spot gaps in the market that others don’t see.
Chris Hock is an accomplished, strategic and innovative leader with extensive experience driving business growth in companies of every size—from start-ups to established market leaders like Adobe—in the advertising and technology sector.
Hock is currently Vice President of Monetization for Whale TV, a leading independent TV operating system provider that makes TVs smart and simple to use. In this role he leads the efforts to connect advertisers with highly engaged TV audiences to drive ROI
Hock comes from Adobe where he was General Manager of the Primetime Advertising business. While at Adobe, Hock delivered solutions that drive revenue and profit growth by enabling Media and Entertainment companies to acquire, engage, and monetize high-value audiences with compelling streaming experiences.
Prior, Hock created the most widely deployed addressable TV advertising system in the world while at BlackArrow and then drove business and corporate strategy for the world’s largest unwired TV advertising network at Cadent. Before that while at Macromedia / Adobe, he led the Flash video business from inception to become the leading platform for over-the-top and IP video delivery.
He has served on the Streaming Video Technology Alliance Board of Directors and co-chaired the Advertising Working Group. He is a regular contributor to other industry standards bodies such as the IAB’s Digital Video Committee, CTAM, SCTE, NATAS, and ARF. He has received many accolades over his career such as being named a “Streaming Media All Star” by StreamingMedia.com, making DailyIPTV’s “Top 40 IPTV Movers and Shakers,” and has earned an Emmy Award for Streaming Media Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Hock holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Michigan State University and a master’s in business administration from the University of Michigan.
Chris is responsible for strategic direction and day-to-day operations at Leap Media Group LLC’s media division. Leap is an independent Television Producer, Distributor, and Advertising services company. Chris has over 35 years of experience in media strategy, marketing, and implementation, with a focus on traditional TV and digital media advertising. Prior to Leap, he spent 12 years at Canoe Ventures, an advertising technology services company, where he was most recently SVP, Global Sales & Marketing. As part of the Canoe team, he is an Emmy® Award recipient and is named on five patents. Before Canoe, Pizzurro spent 13 years at Turner Broadcasting advertising sales. Chris has also received an Emmy® nomination, a Webby® Award nomination, as well as being a CableFAX Innovation Award recipient, an iTVt Leadership Award beneficiary, and a TVOT All-Star Award winner.
Follow on LinkedIN @chris pizzurro
Dan Kelly is the Vice President of National Sales at BrightLine, the leading connected TV (CTV) standard for interactive, dynamic, and shoppable ad experiences. In this role, Dan and his team collaborate with top advertisers to align their brand KPIs with a broad and growing range of advanced CTV ad formats across major streaming platforms, including Hulu, Peacock, Max, and many more. By leveraging BrightLine’s technology, clients can engage consumers while gathering valuable insights into the effectiveness of their ads.
Before joining BrightLine, Dan spent a decade leading West Coast and Central Media Sales at Dish Media. At Dish, he played a key role in their Satellite TV and Sling offerings, working across Addressable TV, CTV/OTT, Programmatic, and Direct Response. Prior to his time at Dish, Dan held sales roles at the NFL, Reelz, Discovery, and Warner Media.
Dan holds a B.S. in Marketing from Pennsylvania State University and currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. In his spare time, he can often be found on the sidelines of soccer or lacrosse fields, cheering on his kids as they play sports.
Daniel Schnider has 25 years of experience in Media & Entertainment with a history of driving successful results through passion, curiosity, creativity, hard-work and dedication. With a career spanning positions in traditional Hollywood, start-ups, streaming and corporate, Schnider has made diversity a centerpiece and growth a mindset.
Schnider is currently Head of Business Development & Distribution Partnerships for Revry – a global LGBTQ streaming platform. He recently completed his Director of Distribution & Strategic Partnerships position with TelevisaUnivision handling high-level relationships for ViX–the world’s largest Spanish language streaming service. He owned partner management relationships with all App stores, CTV’s, and YouTube and shepherded the FAST channels business for the company. Daniel activated growth for all key KPI’s (subscribers / monthly active users / revenue) by 3x with app partnerships and 10x for FAST business – YoY.
Schnider was a key member of the team that built and sold ViX to Univision in 2021. At the original incarnation of ViX, Schnider worked on acquisitions, ran original productions, and steered content partnerships. Prior to ViX, he helped build, launch and sell the start-up, streaming service Pongalo, which was acquired by ViX 1.0 in 2019. As a film producer, he had the celebrated documentary film Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey released in theaters nationwide Veteran’s Day ‘24.
Previously, Schnider was the development executive on the Oscar nominated, smash hit Straight Outta Compton and spent half a decade partnered with Dr. Dre at Crucial Films. He also Executive Produced the original flagship comedy series BACKWASH for Sony’s Crackle, featuring countless celebrity performers including: Sarah Silverman, John Hamm, and John Cho.
In addition to his decades of experience as a producer and executive in film and television working across all genres, Schnider has also created short form content for theaters and digital platforms. He was the head of content for the cutting-edge film studio/internet company Blowtorch. At this start-up, he was the executive in charge of production for the Luke Wilson feature film TENURE and oversaw the creation and production of 7 theatrical shorts.
Schnider also has studio experience having developed films at New Line Cinema for 5 years and sold numerous TV pitches while partnered with Zoe Saldaña in a first look deal at Lionsgate TV.
Schnider got his start in the business at United Talent Agency, working directly with many world-renowned filmmakers such as David O. Russell, Paul Thomas Anderson, Judd Apatow, Ben Stiller, Wes Anderson, Adam McKay, Alejandro Iñárritu, and many others.
Daniel Schnider also sits on the Advisory board for the long running start-up Voyage Media which is a democratized content incubator for film and TV.
Daniel Spinosa is president of Premion, an award-winning local CTV/OTT advertising platform. He leads Premion’s strategic direction, operations, and financial performance, driving its rapid growth as a premium CTV advertising leader. With over 20 years of media and finance experience, he has advised media companies and worked with executives and boards on investments, content strategy, deal valuations, and equity financing. Spinosa joined Premion in 2021 as CFO, overseeing finance functions, including planning, accounting, analytics, and strategic partnerships. Previously, he held finance, product, and digital leadership roles at Comcast and spent 12 years at AOL as a senior finance executive. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Washington and Lee University.
David Baron is the Chief Operating Officer at Mindshow, an animation technology company in Los Angeles. He has over 30 years of creative, business development and operational experience at the intersection of entertainment and technology, with a speciality in creating and operationalizing new lines of business based on advances in technology.
Prior to Mindshow, he was the CEO of Scener, with the vision to take the social viewing behaviors of users and apply that to the broader vision of helping to solve for the complexity in the consumer streaming ecosystem. He sold the company in 2023.
Before that, he was Vice President of Content Business Operations and Digital Supply Chain at Hulu where he oversaw the delivery, processing and publishing of all content for Hulu’s Live and On-Demand services, including the content partnerships with Hulu’s hundreds of content providers and technology and infrastructure vendors. He was responsible for applying business rules and strategies to product and engineering development.
He came to Hulu from Fox, as Vice President of Digital Media, where he developed digital content distribution strategies based on new technologies, new partners and new business models including opening up the iTunes business and Fox’s first streaming service. He was then part of the team that partnered with NBCU to stand up what would become Hulu.
Prior to Fox, David was Vice President of Programming and Production at Paramount Digital Entertainment, and was Microsoft’s first Entertainment Industry Liaison and a Producer with the MSN group.
Eric has Executive Produced. Produced and/or directed over 2,000 hours of cable TV, streaming and internet shows including Scripted Movies, Documentaries, Reality TV and Talk Shows. Distribution has also included theatrical, airlines and other alternative and innovative forms of distribution.
Eric has worked with non-actors as well as celebrities including Mark Hamill, William Shatner, Jenny McCarthy, Jenna Jameson, Billy Dee Williams, Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, Ice-T and many others. Eric’s shows have appeared on Playboy TV, E!, HBO, Showtime, STARZ, Amazon, TUBI, PLEX, YouTube and many more.
Currently Eric and Fluffy White dog Media are in various stages of production on several scripted movies, podcasts, documentaries and internet shows.
In her current role, Helen Katz leads the global research unit within Publicis Media’s data sciences practice. She is a trusted industry expert on research, with a particular focus on data quality and reliable measurement. Her interest in innovation inspired her to play an instrumental role in developing best practices in the measurement of addressable TV and advanced video campaigns in the U.S. A 19-year Publicis Groupe veteran, Katz has served in various strategic research capacities for Publicis Media, Starcom, Zenith and GM Planworks – the holding company’s former division devoted to the General Motors business. In 2009, she was integral to the Publicis Groupe team that launched The Pool – a unique research consortium that aimed to identify the next new ad formats across various channels such as online video, mobile/tablets and more. Prior to joining Publicis Groupe, she was Vice President, Media Research Manager at DDB Needham. She began her career as an advertising professor at Michigan State University, and is currently an adjunct professor at DePaul University. She has published numerous articles in industry and academic journals, as well as three textbooks on advertising and media, the most recent of which is The Media Handbook (7th edition, 2019). She is the ex-officio Chair of the Executive Committee of the Media Rating Council, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Advertising Research Foundation. Katz is also the recipient of the Advertising Research Foundation’s “Great Minds” award for research innovation, Jay Chiat’s Strategic Excellence Silver Award for innovation, and Stars of Attribution leadership award. Katz has a master’s degree in advertising and a Ph.D. in communications from the University of Illinois, and was an undergraduate English major at the University of London.
Holly Leff-Pressman is the Chief Client Engagement Officer at Screen Engine/ASI (SEA), where she leads client service teams and has been instrumental in expanding the company’s business and client base across its offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, and London.She began her career as an entertainment attorney before transitioning into the OTT space, where she held key roles in distribution and acquisitions at NBCUniversal and In Demand. Prior to joining SEA, she also worked at The Nielsen Company in a similar client-focused capacity, bringing a wealth of experience in media, data, and strategic partnerships.
Howard Shimmel is a television research and insights veteran with over 30 years of change-making thought leadership under his belt. As the President of Janus Strategy & Insights, he is transforming how companies around the world strategize and position their television marketing offerings, from linear methods to addressable and connected TV. Howard also serves as a Board Member and Head of Strategy for datafuelX, an advanced analytics firm focused on developing best in class decision science models to fuel the next generation of media capabilities, specifically focused on forecasting and optimization.
From attribution to advertising, data to ROI, Howard is carving the path to address the changing trends in the audience landscape, as well as shape emerging platforms and industry innovations. He leverages this knowledge to lead organizations through strategy, planning, buying, measurement, and stewardship.
Beyond his role at Janus, Howard is co-founder of datafuelX, an advanced analytics firm focused on developing best in class decision science models to fuel the next generation of media capabilities.
Howard also serves as an advisor and investor in many emerging new age research companies, including Hyphametrics, Adelaide, WeAre8, and Humantel.
Prior to starting this company, Howard was Chief Research Officer Turner, where he oversaw all multi-screen entertainment, news, kids and sports research, as well as corporate analysis and insight-led efforts.
Shimmel played a critical role in driving the company’s efforts around the consumer journey and insights to better capture measurement for both Turner and its partners. In 2016, in partnership with Turner Ad Sales’ Turner Ignite team, Shimmel oversaw the launch of Turner Ad Lab, an initiative whose goal was to make recommendations about linear and digital video ad experience in light of the changing TV landscape.
Prior to be promoted to his role in 2014, Shimmel was senior vice president of ad sales and sports research for Turner, where he oversaw television and digital research analysis and strategy support for the company’s news, entertainment, animation, young adults & kids and sports advertising sales units. He joined Turner from Nielsen Media & Advertising Analytics where he served as executive vice president responsible for building out an advanced analytic business focused on issues like cross-platform analytics, advanced media targeting, promotion effectiveness and ROI measurement, for media companies, agencies and advertisers. Shimmel’s industry-rich experience includes other leadership roles at The Nielsen Company, America Online, WBIS and MTV Networks. He also served as president of Symmetric Resources, Inc. Over the span of his career, Shimmel has developed research expertise related to technology adoption, methodology and advertising’s impact on sales.
Global Head of CTV Partner Development and Growth
Jeff Blaszak serves as the SVP of Business Operations and Strategy at ShowSeeker. His role includes strengthening strategic partnerships with existing customers and creating new alliances with key platform providers in the advertising industry. Jeff’s purview also extends to overseeing contract negotiations and promoting the platform’s roadmap, demonstrating ShowSeeker’s commitment to continued innovation and growth.
Jeff’s journey in media began in 1992 with TCA Cable/CableTime, kickstarting an impressive career that saw him delve into every aspect of the media business. Jeff’s remarkable expertise and versatile experience have led him to serve some of the top operators in the United States through multiple acquisitions.
Prior to his time at ShowSeeker, Jeff played a pivotal role as Vice President of Sales Operations at a4 Media, part of Altice USA. There, he led the operations team and was responsible for the design and automation implementation of local linear TV advertising for a4’s multiscreen advertising products.
Before joining a4 Media, Jeff served as the Vice President of media operations for Altice USA’s AMS-South Local Advertising. His instrumental efforts merged the commercial insertion operations of Cablevision and Suddenlink into a unified team that provided technical services for all Altice Media entities.
Earlier in his career, Jeff served as Technical Operations Manager for Cox Media Central Group following Cox’s acquisition of Cequel III / Suddenlink in 2006. In 2003, he set up the College Station Technical Support Center (TSC), which monitored commercial playback in all Central Group zones and provided IT/MIS support for internal customers.
Before rising to Technical Operations Manager, Jeff served as a regional production manager for Cox Media Central Group. He oversaw 22 production facilities that served almost 500 small to medium-sized markets throughout the United States.
Jeff holds a bachelor’s degree in radio and television broadcasting from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville and a master’s degree in mass communication, focusing on electronic media management, from Stephen F. Austin State University.
As a Marketing Business Development Executive at Lilac Grove Entertainment, I am driving the expansion of The Last Lumenian franchise into comics, gaming, and animation.
With over two decades of expertise in digital marketing and audience development, I focus on fostering franchise partnerships and creating licensing and merchandising opportunities to establish Lilac Grove as a leader in genre entertainment. My work involves crafting and executing multi-channel marketing strategies to grow fan engagement and amplify the franchise’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy presence.
At Clio Digital Consulting, I have provided comprehensive digital and social marketing strategies for entertainment properties since 2004, specializing in sci-fi and geek franchises. My efforts prioritize audience acquisition and relationship building through targeted campaigns, event management, and social engagement initiatives. Collaborating with teams and partners, I help IP owners connect deeply with their fandoms, ensuring sustainable community growth and engagement.
Joanna Drews is the co-founder and CEO of HyphaMetrics, a company specializing in TV Omnichannel and Cross-Device Audience Measurement. With nearly two decades of experience in the media industry, she has worked across marketing, data analytics, product management, and corporate development at organizations like Comscore, GroupM, Axwave and iCrossing.
Drews founded HyphaMetrics to address gaps in cross-screen media data, utilizing a proprietary technology in a privacy-compliant panel environment to track viewing across devices. Hypha captures all forms of media consumption—from streaming and linear TV to gaming and digital content; providing a unified view of audience behavior across every screen and streaming platform. Hypha’s data is used by all sides of the media trading ecosystem to uniformly communicate using the precise, individual-level metrics needed for trading, yield optimization, and analytics.
In addition to her role at HyphaMetrics, Drews serves on the board of directors for DatafuelX, where she contributes her expertise in adtech and media measurement. Known for her innovative approach to audience measurement, Drews has played a key role in advancing data-driven solutions for the TV and advertising industries.
Jon Giegengack is the founder and principal at Hub Entertainment Research. He launched Hub in 2013, as the convergence of technology and entertainment began to gain speed. Jon recognized the need for real-time insight about the changing world of digital entertainment: from how people discover new content, to how they consume it, to how they pay for it (if they pay at all).
Jon works with leading entertainment brands including ABC, Comcast, Netflix, Sony, AMC and AT&T. Jon has more than 20 years of experience in research for the entertainment industry. He is a regular speaker at industry events organized by Streaming Media, NYC TV Week, TVOT, SubSummit, the Advertising Research Foundation, to name a few; and has been quoted in publications like Variety, TheWrap, Forbes, Bloomberg, and more. For the latest insights, subscribe at hubintel.substack.com.
Kym Frank serves as Senior Vice President, Ad Sales Research, FOX Corporation. In this capacity, she leads the centralized, cross-platform research and measurement team developing attribution models and analytics that inform and shape future ad innovation.
Before joining FOX, Frank served as Global Chief Experience Officer at Motionworks where she led customer-facing functions, including insights, enterprise and partnership sales, marketing, business development, product research, international, and thought-leadership for this mobile population intelligence provider to the media industry and other sectors.
Prior to that, she served as President of Geopath where she led all aspects of the non-profit audience measurement organization for the out-of-home (OOH) media industry serving nearly 400 members and thousands of users.
Earlier in her career Frank has held a number of senior-level leadership positions in the research industry including Senior Vice President, Client Solutions for Symphony Advanced Media, a cross-platform measurement start-up, and Senior Vice President, Strategic Insights, ZenithOptimedia.
Frank earned a Master of Arts degree in Speech and Communications from Montclair State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania.
Industry awards include Cynposis’ “Top Women in Media” and “Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs, Intrapreneurs, & Brand Builders.”
Frank’s volunteer work includes serving on the Media Ratings Council, Market Research Council, and the Digital Signage Federation.
As VP of Measurement for PMX Lift, Lara Stone is responsible for the reporting and measurement workstreams within Publicis Groupe’s Advanced and Addressable video practice. Stone supports all clients that run PMX Lift Addressable campaigns across the Groupe, leaning in both to individual campaign reporting tasks as well as larger research, process, and performance workstreams.
Stone brings 25 years of experience in media data and analytics expertise with extensive experience working at publishers and data providers. Since joining Publicis in January 2024, she has helped to build the PMX Lift Measurement practice, hiring a support team and leaning in with clients to support all measurement needs. Stone has enhanced reporting outputs, conducted thought leadership projects, and has become an expert in Addressable Measurement.
In her previous role, Stone was Nielsen’s Director of Analytics and Product Sales for four years where she received the esteemed opportunity to participate in the company’s Diverse Leadership Network program, which only a handful of candidates are selected for each year.
Prior to that, Stone held roles at UPtv, NBC Universal, Scripps Networks Interactive (now Warner Bros. Discovery), and Comedy Central.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Stone has lived in New York City since 2001 and is a self-described foodie whose husband went to culinary school. Outside of the office, she enjoys running and exploring all NYC has to offer.
Laura Frankel, Director of Platform Development and Distribution, is a 30-year digital entertainment executive versed in launching flagship channels and brands across multiple platforms from streaming TV and mobile to VOD and PPV. She is responsible for fostering and maintaining strong relationships with streaming platform partners, driving strategic conversations, and identifying opportunities for growth through technical and commercial initiatives. She currently leads QVC Group’s strategy for interactive distribution opportunities focusing on the QVC+ & HSN+ streaming service as well as search, navigation, and platform placement opportunities, with a focus to expand relevance on next generation television platforms.
Frankel’s career includes time with Discovery Communications where she was a key member of the teams who launched 17 networks, including Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Science, and People & Arts in Latin America. While at Discovery Communications, she excelled at the executive level, most notable, as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Discover Networks International.
After Discovery Communications, Laura spent time with Warner Bros. International Television where she launched Warner TV Asia and various Warner branded VOD offerings. She then embraced the Over the Top Media landscape and headed up Content Strategy and Services working on OTT content strategy with various clienteles around the world.
Also a seasoned programmer, Laura has written and produced multiple television series and was responsible for leading an extensive global programming acquisition department. She has also managed on-air promotions and international programming stunts for major cable networks.
Laura’s career in entertainment runs in the family. She cut her teeth as associate producer at the Gene Frankel Theatre in New York, working for her father Gene Frankel, the renowned actors’ coach and director. Laura holds a bachelor degree in business and communications from the University of Maryland. She lives in Downingtown, PA with her husband and their bulldogs, Benny and Nelly.
Mark Lee is Sr. Director of Content and Services for LG electronics. Based in the LG’s North American headquarters in the New York City Metro Area, he oversees LG’s content business development for the North American market. His team’s primary responsibilities include partner distribution negotiations for apps, LG Channels (FAST), gaming, and shopping. During the past 12 years at LG, he has help lead and launch hundreds of new content partnerships and services including LG Channels, Disney+, Max, Youtube TV, Paramount+, Peacock, ESPN, GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, and Shoptime. In that time, LG has distributed over 220 million LG TVs globally including webOS Smart TVs and has expanded webOS to projectors, monitors, hotels, and auto.
Matthew Durgin is Vice President of Content & Services for LG Electronics. Based in the LG’s North American headquarters in the New York City Metro Area, he oversees LG’s Smart TV Business team covering the North American market. Matt and his team’s primary responsibilities include partner negotiations, partner engagement, LG Channels, webOS licensing, and TV innovation partnerships. During the past 15 years at LG, he has led hundreds of new content partnerships including Netflix, Amazon, Max, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN. In that time, LG has distributed over 200 million LG TVs globally including webOS Smart TVs in the US and Canada markets. LG Channels, is a FAST service with more than 300 channels including the exclusive NCAA Championships channel. Matt also serves as Chairman of the Board of Alphonso Inc. operating LG Ad Solutions, as a Board Director of the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) and chair of their Connected Devices Committee. Additionally, he is a board member of the Consumer Technology Association’s (CTA) Content and Entertainment Council.
Michael Nagle has spent his entire career in media. In 2015, Michael established Ashling Digital where he assists FAST channels with distribution, marketing and partnerships. In 2016 and 2017, Home Media Magazine named him one of their “Digital Drivers”. He’s served in executive roles for Bloomberg, Playboy, NatureVision and Invincible. In 2023, Michael was honored as one of “Gannett’s Greatest” for Diversity & Inclusion. He was GM of Streaming for USA TODAY and USA TODAY Sports from 2022-24. He’s served as a judge for the Telly Awards in 2024-25 and recently served as a judge at the Made In Huntington Film & TV Festival. Michael also teaches Advertising, Marketing and Social Media Management at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York.
Michael Vinson, PhD brings a unique blend of expertise in mathematics, theoretical physics, and data science as applied to media measurement and advertising to his role as Chief Research Officer at Comscore.
Dr. Vinson has played a key role in developing and reinventing Comscore’s measurement solutions across TV, internet, computers, and mobile devices. Under his leadership, Comscore launched its groundbreaking TV measurement capabilities, and is now redesigning all its measurement systems to enable the privacy-focused methodologies demanded by consumers.
Dr. Vinson’s stewardship of Comscore’s analytics strategy builds on a strong, 25-year track record of achievement. Prior to joining Rentrak and Comscore, he served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Digital Insights and Analytics at Starcom MediaVest Group and, before that, as Chief Research Scientist at erinMedia, where he was granted multiple patents relating to mathematical methods for estimating demographics from privacy-safe digital return-path data.
Prior to joining the media measurement industry, Dr. Vinson – who holds a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Chicago – was an academic and educator. He completed his post-doctoral work at Syracuse University in Physics, won a Fulbright Scholarship to teach and do research in computational physics at Yarmouk University in Jordan, and served as Chairman of the Department of Physics at Shippensberg University in Pennsylvania. Dr. Vinson has lived and worked in four countries around the globe, and his family includes his wife, three adult children, two dogs, and three cats. He currently lives in Oakland, California.
Principal
Nick Colsey is vice president of Business Development at Sony Electronics. In this role, he works with multiple Sony product categories and divisions to bring the connected user experience to consumers worldwide.
A Sony veteran for over 30 years, Colsey was an integral member of the team responsible for Sony’s BRAVIA Internet Video, the world’s first smart TV platform. A pioneer in bringing Internet Video service providers to the TV screen, he led the team that launched the world’s first 4K video store. Colsey leads a team that negotiates and executes partnerships with 3rd parties for Sony smart TVs, professional displays and XR products.
Previously, Colsey was involved in various Sony Electronics’ initiatives in the U.S. Prior to that, he worked in product planning in Sony HQ in Tokyo.
Colsey holds an Industrial Design degree from Central-St. Martins in London.
Nicole Scaglione has been working in the ad tech space for more than a decade. She joined PubMatic in 2021 to manage the OTT/CTV business globally and has since expanded her role to take on all things online video.
Prior to PubMatic, Nicole ran the West Coast AdvancedTV programmatic sales team for Hulu and oversaw the West and Midwest sales teams at Telaria.
Nicole holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University.
Based out of LA, Patrick Gacoscos is Director, Programmatic Sales and Partnerships, at Vevo, the world’s leading music video network. In his role, Patrick has played an integral part in building out Vevo’s programmatic footprint and ad stack; driving agency holding co. programmatic investments; integrating ad tech partners like Publica and Freewheel; and developing Vevo’s audience-based buying solutions, amongst other initiatives. Prior to Vevo, Patrick held positions at the Los Angeles Times, PK4 Media, Springboard Video, Gorilla Nation Media, and RPA.
Peter is the VP of Revenue at PREMION, the pioneer CTV/OTT advertising platform for regional and local advertisers. With 20+ years of digital leadership experience, Peter has spearheaded multiple strategic sales, marketing initiatives, and overseen digital business units over the past 12 years.
Prior to PREMION, Peter helped launch offices at ReachLocal and spent time in IT consulting, working with companies like Accenture, AT&T, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot.
Peter graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he studied information technology and finance.
Pete Scott is currently the Chief Strategy Advisor for Play Anywhere, an interactive monetization platform that is helping sports leagues and IP holders create new revenue streams across gaming, ecommerce and interactive ads. They are also leveraging Ai Agents and Gentic Ai to hyper personalize these new interactive experiences down to the individual consumer.
He was recently the Vice President of Emerging Media and Innovation for Warner Media Discovery
In this role, Scott advises internal teams on new tech, trends and helping the company remain relevant in the new media world. Additionally, he is helping lead the strategy and operationalization of LIVE Virtual Productions, Sportsbetting, Ecommerce, Name Image and Likeness ( NIL), and Next Generation viewing experiences across the Turner Sports portfolio; NHL, NBA, MLB, USA Soccer and March Madness. He also manages a portfolio of existing partnerships including but not limited to companies building next generation experiences including computer vision, AI, metaverse, NFT’s, Fan Tokens, etc.
As an Emmy award winning digital strategist and operator Pete has helped the company evolve and embrace a digital and direct to consumer mindset.
Prior to his current role, Scott served as the Vice-President of Emerging Media for Turner Studios. While in this role, Scott was responsible for working with colleagues at TNT, TBS, and Adult Swim to onboard and operationalize new technology across production, post-production, visual effects, and content generation. His unique hybrid background of TV and digital helped Studios digitally transform itself into viable resource for production on Twitter, FB, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
In 2014, Pete partnered with Coca Cola, and Mercedes to established a technology incubator in Tel Avi , named the Bridge/Builder program. The program that finds the best Israel technology companies in ChatGPT Artificial Intelligence, VR/AR, Machine Learning and Blockchain. The program has been a great pipeline for Warner Media and ATT@T while providing validation for the Bridge/Builder companies and the Israel start- up ecosystem.
Scott began his Turner career as a sound tech and editor for CNN, covering such major events as the war in Bosnia and the U.S. invasion of Haiti while working with international correspondents Christiane Amanpor and Nic Robertson. In 2001, he transitioned to Turner Sports’ new media team where he laid the foundation for the development of Turner’s unique digital portfolio. He served as executive director of partnerships managing digital and mobile rights for NASCAR.com, PGA.com, NBA.com, and PGATour.com as well as of March Madness Live. Scott also guided the day-to-day programming of interactive content on each of the sites, which included live streaming, interactive TV and mobile platforms.
Additionally, he helped to create a digital media team with diverse expertise that attracted attention from other professional leagues and their peers throughout the digital media industry. In 2010, he helped launch NCAA March Madness Live, the successful live streaming video experience that is now available across twenty three platforms for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
Before Turner, Scott served as a senior video producer for FoxSports.com where he produced and directed the first live college football game streamed online. Before Fox, he served as a senior production manager of remote operations for Turner Sports, coordinating logistics for the production of NBA, NFL and MLB telecasts
Scott earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in film and television, with a minor in business, from Boston University.
Robert Folliard is Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Distribution, for Gray Media. He responsible for Gray’s interactions with the Federal Communications Commission and on Capitol Hill. He also oversees Gray’s relationships with cable, satellite, and other distributors of Gray’s programming. In addition, Mr. Folliard is the Chair of Pearl TV, which is a consortium of broadcasters advancing the NEXTGEN TV transition. Prior to joining Gray, he was an associate in the Communications Group at Cooley, LLP and Dow Lohnes, PLLC.
Rob brings 25+ years of experience in marketing and data analytics, audience sciences, media strategy, media buying, and research to USIM’s clients. He leads strategic insights, data analytics, and optimization activities, guiding agency and client teams to deliver more efficient and effective campaigns across verticals (e.g., Retail, CPG, QSR) and distribution points (e.g., eCommerce, Brick and Mortar). To do so, Rob has developed an advanced architecture for strategic decision-making, underpinned by data (1P and 3P), and fueled by AI/ML-based prediction and optimization tools. His has developed proprietary platforms that include Purview (strategic location/trading zones built utilizing traditional, programmatic, addressable, and automated buying channels) and Nexus (customized, flexible client-reporting platform enabling full attribution, analytics, and optimization).
An industry thought leader, Rob has presented at the ANA, SXSW, and ARF on managing and parsing the exponential growth of data to identify insights that unleash a brand’s true potential.
Principal
Shawn Johnson is an Emmy® Award-winning executive, speaker, author, entrepreneur, and innovator, and the Founder and President of SocioPunk and Seichō Syndicate. With over 25 years of experience, he has created products and experiences that have reached millions worldwide, fostering positive and lasting relationships through evolving consumer, technology and social ecosystems.
A proven global leader, Shawn combines an award-winning design, product, and brand portfolio with strategic, technological, and business expertise. His approach to creative leadership builds effective strategies and high-performing, cross-functional teams, resulting in highly engaging and innovative experiences. As the former GVP of Global Product & Design at Warner Bros. Discovery, Shawn led the vision, design, and go-to-market strategies for Discovery+ and 18 other products, delivering one of the largest content libraries to consumers globally.
Previously, at NBCUniversal, Shawn served as VP of UX & Experience Design, where he built an industry-leading team that drove the vision and brand strategy for products that engaged hundreds of millions of fans. Throughout his career, he has worked for and collaborated with notable clients, including Microsoft, Nike, Sony, Budweiser, Paramount Pictures, Disney, and Coca-Cola.
Passionate about innovation, Shawn thrives at the intersection of design, technology, and human imagination. A graduate of Otis Parsons School of Art & Design, he was one of the youngest instructors at the prestigious design school, continuing to inspire and lead at the forefront of digital growth, transformation and innovation.
Steve Reynolds is CEO of Imagine Communications, a global leader in multiscreen video and ad management solutions that broadcasters, networks, video service providers and enterprises around the world rely on to support their mission-critical operations.
Steve brings 25 years of technology leadership in the video industry to Imagine Communications. He has served as the CTO at Imagine Communications and Harris Broadcast, Senior Vice President of Premises Technology at Comcast, Senior Vice President of Technology at OpenTV, and CTO at Intellocity USA.
Steve earned a MS in Computer Engineering from Widener University and BS in Computer Science from West Chester University. As the Chairman of the AIMS Alliance and a member of SMPTE and SCTE, he has participated in numerous standards-making bodies in the cable and digital video industries. Steve also holds over 40 patents relating to digital video, content security, interactive television and digital devices.
Taniesah Evans is a trailblazing entrepreneur, executive creative strategist, and storyteller whose work champions the intersection of culture, creativity, and community. As the Founder of Lake Park Girl Productions, she leads a media development company dedicated to producing powerful, authentic stories about women, and women of color – amplifying voices that have long gone unheard and creating space for new narratives to thrive.
With over two decades of experience across entertainment, media, brand, and content innovation, Taniesah also serves as the Founder and CEO of Swune Inc., a dynamic global platform that celebrates style, sustainability, and cultural identity. Her career has been defined by crafting immersive, emotionally resonant campaigns for top global brands and entertainment properties, from Star Wars to Indiana Jones and Paranormal Activity, while fostering diverse creative talent along the way.
Previously, she founded Citro Studio, where she spearheaded digital-first storytelling and built groundbreaking campaigns that became global phenomena. Her leadership roots trace back to her time as VP and Managing Partner at Bleu22 Studios, guiding multinational creative teams in LA, Milan, and New York, and driving results for clients like Nike, Disney, Coca-Cola, and DreamWorks.
A Cornell graduate, mother, mentor, and investor, Taniesah is a respected force in business and creativity alike. Her path is one of purpose and progress—blending strategic insight, brand mastery, and heartfelt storytelling to lead organizations and individuals toward meaningful, lasting impact.
Reputed as the “Mayor of Influencer Marketing,” Tinashe’s number one goal is to bring together like-minded parties from (talent, brands, distributions, and media buyers) to develop groundbreaking campaigns that reach and convert audiences.
As the CEO & Founder of Sosani Studios, and Sosani Consulting Group, he is on a mission to revolutionize the world of influencer marketing. With a background as a former influencer and a deep passion for empowering brands and creators, Tinashe has built Sosani Studios into a powerhouse agency.
At Sosani Studios, Tinashe and his team have developed their own groundbreaking model called “PIIC” – Passion-Integrated Influencer Campaigns. This innovative approach is reshaping how brand marketers collaborate with influencers, ensuring authentic and impactful connections.
Tinashe is an expert in on Gen Z, Gen Alpha and multicultural campaigns within the Hispanic, Black, LGBTQ+, and immigration causes.
Their track record speaks for itself. Through Sosani Studios, Tinashe and his team have successfully executed brand series and campaigns for renowned names such as Lexus, P&G, Cash App, Amazon, Unilever, TED, Warner Brothers, and 200+ brands. They have collaborated with the likes of Khaby Lame, Dwayne the Rock Johnson, David Beckham, Alicia Keys, Justin Schmidt, Brandon Roberts, and many more. Each project has left an indelible mark, delivering exceptional results and building meaningful connections with audiences.
In recognition of their contributions, Tinashe was honored to be named one of Ad Age’s “The List – Generation Next 2022.” He and Sosani have been featured in Business Insider, Ad Age, Brand Innovators, American Marketing Association and many more. This accolade further fuels his drive to empower brands and creators, fostering connections and communities through his work as a brand marketer and entrepreneur.
Born and raised in Poland, I have over two decades of experience on the creative side of Entertainment Advertising. My career spans contributions to more than 560 brand campaigns for theatrical, streaming, television, video games, and interactive industries. I’ve had the privilege of leading diverse teams — including designers, art directors, matte painters, 3D artists, producers, and creative strategists — on hundreds of data-informed and tech-assisted projects.
As a recognized authority in Entertainment Advertising, I frequently speak at conferences, schools, and film festivals, sharing insights on the art and science of poster-making, ideation, and strategic storytelling. Passionate about the intersection of entertainment and technology, I founded and led two award-winning agencies specializing in graphics, creative assets, and key art for theatrical, gaming, and broadcast marketing.
At Netflix, I contributed to the initial development of art direction, automation, and scaling systems for title promotion, supporting creative excellence across platforms for a global audience of 200+M members. My work spanned over 700 Netflix Originals, 100+ innovation projects, and multiple HackDay initiatives, where I pioneered products and processes that bridged foundational strategies with future-forward experiments.
Currently at Adobe, I focus on shaping the future of creative tools and solutions by exploring advanced technologies, systems, and approaches that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning. Outside of work, I immerse myself in conceptual poster-making, large-format digital graffiti, photography, organic 3D modeling, and special projects designed to provoke thought and inspire creativity. I thrive at the intersection of creativity, technology, and innovation — and love every moment of it.
Tracy Swedlow is the CEO, publisher, and editor-in-chief of InteractiveTV Today (ITVT), which she founded in 1998, and is also the executive producer and director of the TV of Tomorrow Show (TVOT) conferences.
Her writing has appeared in many leading newspapers and trade publications, including the New York Times, the San Francisco Examiner, PC World, Multimedia World and VR World. Topics she has covered in the past include virtual reality, email communities, privacy and technology, online gravesite memorials, and, of course, interactive television.
Prior to founding ITVT, she was chief evangelist at eGroups.com (now Yahoo! Groups); new media editor at PC World; a producer and director for Telemorphix, a pioneering interactive TV company, and a video producer at Steve Michelson Productions in San Francisco.
A regular presenter at ITV industry conferences and panels, and a frequent guest on television and radio shows, she actively communicates her understanding of the history of interactive TV; its current trends, technologies, content innovations and applications; the complexities of executive leadership and industrial dynamics; and where she thinks the medium and the ITV industry will and must go in the future to audiences around the world. She has served as the founding chairperson and judge of the “Television” and the “Broadband” categories respectively for The Webby Awards since its inception and regularly produce editorial events and awards programs benefiting the ITV industry (e.g. The annual TV of Tomorrow Show).
Other experiences include voiceovers on many feature films while at Sound One in New York City (e.g. “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “9 1/2 Weeks”); participation in the Director/Playwright Workshop at Playwright’s Horizons in New York City with founder, Bob Moss; participation on various experimental technology multimedia theater showcases directed by the visionary George Coates in San Francisco; conceiving, producing, directing the first 3 fashion shows (as interactive theater) on the Black Rock Desert in the early years of the Burning Man project, and directing an episode of the Twlight Zone called “The Obsolete Man” at the Dark Room in San Francisco. In August 2005, she created and directed a politically-charged multimedia “blogtheater” (my word) piece that focused on post-election America called “Fuck That!: The Political Science Show.” In her non-spare time, she produces and edits the occasional book such as “Desert to Dream” (a photography book) and “Train of Thought” (a children’s book), trains as a traditional boxer, and paints http://tracyswedlow.work. She also recently published her first collection of poems in “No Visiting ‘Till My Show Is Over” published on Amazon. She is also a mother to a wonderful little girl named Hannah and wife to Richard Washbourne, the co-owner and co-producer of ITVT/TVOT.
Her education includes a Ph.D fellowship in directing at the University of California, Berkeley; a Masters degree in Dramatic Criticism from Northwestern University; a certificate in French and French Literature from the Université de Cannes; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater History from Tulane University; studies in Drama at the Royal Holloway College at the University of London; as well as a high school degree from Culver Military Academy in Indiana.
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, she witnessed the birth of QUBE, the first commercially deployed interactive television platform, and CompuServe, the first commercial online service. She is also the proud creator of an artcar.
Vera Chien is a research leader with 20+ years experience in insights, analytics, CX, and UX – spanning entertainment, media, gaming, technology, and consumer products. Vera is Executive Director at Warner Bros Discovery, where she leads research on the entertainment landscape, corporate strategy, and emerging opportunities. Prior to her role at WBD, Vera was Senior Research Consumer Data & Analytics at Microsoft and Senior Manager, Worldwide Consumer Insights at Mattel.
Vibhor Kapoor is the chief business officer at AdRoll, where he drives product management, partnerships, marketing and revenue leadership for the company’s product-led businesses across its B2B and B2C product lines. Under his leadership, the business has achieved strong SaaS revenue growth and successfully evolved into a multichannel, full-funnel and privacy-forward advertising and marketing platform. Kapoor has also built a robust demand engine for the company and brought new products to market, including cross-channel attribution, connected TV advertising, and an AI-powered customer intent command center, earning industry recognition.
With nearly three decades of industry experience, Kapoor brings extensive business leadership expertise in SaaS and cloud platforms. Prior to his time at NextRoll, he was a senior director in Adobe’s Digital Media business, leading marketing and go-to-market efforts to incubate new categories in experience design and developer platforms. Before joining Adobe, Kapoor served as vice president of marketing at Box, where he led product marketing, evangelism, and demand generation for the company’s API platform. He also spent a decade at Microsoft in leadership roles across marketing and product management and was an early member of the team that built Microsoft’s Azure business.
Since 2015, Kapoor has served as a mentor with 9Mile Labs, a venture capital firm specializing in investing in early-stage, enterprise-focused B2B technology startups. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in technology from the Indian Institute of Technology in Varanasi, India.
Yan is the CEO and Co-founder of TVision, the only company which measures individual viewer attention to both TV content and ads. TVision helps brands, their agencies, TV networks, and OTT platforms better understand how people really watch TV so they can make more effective media decisions. Yan founded TVision while earning his MBA at MIT. Prior to TVision, Yan started and managed Yo-ren, a leading digital marketing agency in China, and also worked at McKinsey in Tokyo. He has an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Yan grew up in both Japan and China and currently resides with his family in New York.
