Speakers
Brad Abramson is Vice President of Documentaries and A&E IndieFilms and a two-time Emmy® Award-winning Executive Producer.
Abramson creates, develops, and oversees series, specials, and documentaries at A&E. He is the executive in charge of the BIOGRAPHY brand relaunch, and was nominated for an Emmy® Award for the documentary LA Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later. His projects...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Brad Abramson, A&E
Jon Adler is Vice President for CNN Original Series at CNN, based in New York City. In this position, he is responsible for cultivating relationships within the creative community and developing original programming across a variety of CNN platforms. He is responsible for the development (and management/coordination thereof) of show concepts for CNN...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Jon Adler, CNN
Harriet Allen is currently the Commercial Executive in the Non-Scripted Content team at All3Media International, leading on the commercial functions for their non-scripted slate.
Harriet joined A3MI in February 2021 from BBC Studios Distribution where she was part of Content Partnerships, working across all sub-genres in their unscripted slate and more...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners: All3Media International, Group Nine Studios, MGM Television
Harriet Armston-Clarke is Director of TVF International, the world's leading fully independent distributor of unscripted and documentary programming. In this role she oversees a core team of thirteen highly specialised sales and acquisitions executives who work with broadcasters, platforms and producers in every country around the globe. During her decade...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Meet the Distributors
Hayley Babcock is a highly respected, entrepreneurial television executive recognized for her exceptional mix of creative and business skills. Babcock has an extensive background in development, production, acquisitions, formats and management. She has built her career developing, producing and acquiring programming, building new divisions in existing organizations and overseeing multiple...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Genre Experts
As SVP, Production & Development, Love Nature, Alison Barrat provides a leading role in finding, developing and commissioning new projects for Love Nature’s growing slate and is responsible for executing programming strategies for the brand’s international channels through development and production. She also oversees all production management and post production...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: CNBC, Food Network & Cooking Channel, Game Show Network
Christian Beetz is the CEO of the German production house gebrueder beetz film production, which specialized in
international co-productions since the very beginning.
He is an Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning producer and executive producer of numerous documentary feature films and series. In 2013 the co-production Open Heart was nominated...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: International Markets
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Pitching Partners: Blue Ant Studios, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. Intl TV Production
Meghan Cassin is Vice President of Content for Magnolia Network, the media joint venture between Chip and Joanna Gaines’ home and lifestyle brand Magnolia and Discovery Inc. In this role, she oversees production and development of original series and specials in the lifestyle space.
Previously, she was responsible for...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Harjeet Chhokar is currently a Commissioning Editor in the Channel 4 Factual team, where his recent commissions have included Is Co-Vid Racist?, Hitched at Home and The Year that Changed Love.
Prior to joining the broadcaster in 2020, Harjeet worked in Factual programming for over 15 years, working his way up to series...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: Corus Entertainment, Travel Channel & Paranormal on discovery+
Maitee Cueva joined A&E networks in 2021 as Executive Producer, Development & Production.
Most notably known for being part of the original team to launch the Oprah Winfrey Network, Cueva started at OWN in 2010 as Executive Director, Programming & Development, and was quickly promoted to VP, Programming & Development. In 2015, she was...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Franklin Cumberbatch is an Executive Producer and Showrunner in the A&E Scheduling and Programming Department. He also runs A&E’s Enhanced Content & Specials Department.
Cumberbatch is currently serving as Executive Producer on two long-running hit series on A&E, Storage Wars and Hoarders. Other credits for A&E and FYI include My Floating Home,...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: A&E, CBC, Discovery Channel
Ed Davis serves as Senior Director of Unscripted Development for TBS, TNT and truTV. In this role Davis oversees development for the linear networks non-scripted slate of programming and reports directly to Corie Henson, Executive Vice President and Head of Unscripted Programming for TBS, TNT and truTV.
Most recently, Davis helped...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: PBS, Reelzchannel, TBS/TNT/truTV
Joni Day is the Senior Vice President of Alternative Programming at Fremantle. In this role, she is responsible for development and production of reality competition, game show and other unscripted television programming. Her most recent success has been bringing the hit international format, Game of Talents, to the U.S. for FOX. ...show more
Speaking on: The talent test: Why and when you should attach talent to your show
Dolyn Dobro is Director of Development for CNBC Primetime Alternative Programming, based in New York City. In her role at CNBC Prime group, Dolyn oversees development of original content with a business and money focus. She is responsible for finding new formats and working with independent production companies to bring...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Emily Elisha, VP Acquisitions, Banijay Rights, oversees factual acquisitions for the TV rights catalogue. Emily has over 20 years’ experience in the international distribution sector. Banijay Rights represents factual independent producers and networks from across the globe and manages the international roll out of successful franchises including SAS: Who Dares...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Meet the Distributors
Nicole Emanuele is a lead development executive at YouTube Originals. Her work includes the critically acclaimed documentary films like Life in A Day 2020, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2021, Kedi (Critics Choice Award 2017), The Gift: The Story of Johnny Cash (IDA Nominated 2019), in addition to scripted...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Nicole Emanuele, YouTube Originals
Leo Faber is an Executive Producer in the Factual & Culture department of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) where he has worked for the past five years. Leo oversees a large and diverse slate of factual projects spanning multiple fields such as science, natural history, social issues, travel, lifestyle and...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: American Public Television/Create TV, BET, CNN; Coffee With (Group 1)
Zara Frankel works in PBS Programming as the Director of Programming and Development. She collaborates extensively with filmmakers, production companies, and new talent to develop interesting and innovative content across genres for PBS. Prior to her current role, Zara served as the Development Manager for PBS Programming, evaluating submissions and...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: PBS, Reelzchannel, TBS/TNT/truTV
Kitty Gambel is the Senior Vice President of Unscripted Television at MGM. In her role, she oversees the development team and serves as point on current productions, including Beat Shazam (FOX), The Big Shot with Bethenny (HBOMax), and podcasts like Going to Bed with Garcelle and Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader. Additionally, Kitty serves as the domestic...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners: All3Media International, Group Nine Studios, MGM Television
Jennifer joined TLC in October 2014. As Vice President of Development, she creates and conceptualizes series, specials and programming initiatives for the network. Since joining TLC, Jennifer has developed a variety of new series, such as OutDaughtered, 1000 Lbs Sisters, Welcome to Plathville, sMothered and Doubling Down With The Derricos. She is based in the...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 2)
Carolyn Gross is Director of Programming & Development, charged with developing new formats and talent, and overseeing the production of series, pilots and specials for Food Network, Cooking Channel and discovery+. Throughout her tenure at Food Network, Carolyn has led hit series and holiday tentpoles including Chopped, Holiday Baking Championship,...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Kirsty Hanson is a Commissioning Editor at UKTV, home of channels including Dave, W, Gold and Yesterday. Since joining the multi-channel broadcaster in 2018, Kirsty has commissioned My Famous Babysitter and The Wedding Fixer for W, and Stream Train Britain for Yesterday. She has also recently taken over responsibility for Yesterday’s hugely popular series Bangers and Cash and The Architecture...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Pitching Partners: Blue Ant Studios, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. Intl TV Production
Kate Harrison Karman is President of Cream Productions.
Based in Toronto, Cream develops, finances and produces distinctive and award-winning content across a wide range of TV and digital platforms in North America and internationally.
Among the company’s many credits include Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan (Netflix), The Story of Late Night (CNN), History of Sitcom (CNN), Fear Thy Neighbor (ID), BTK: A Killer Among Us (ID), Wild...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: International Markets
Sara Helman joined TLC in October 2015 as the Vice President of Program Development, helping to oversee development strategy and programming initiatives for the network. Helman is currently working on the 90 Day Fiancé spinoff series, Darcey & Stacey and has previously worked on shows including 90 Day Fiancé: 90 Days the Other Way, Smothered,...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: Lifetime, Magnolia Network, TLC
Lilla is a coproduction specialist, with extensive experience in her field and an unparalleled contacts network across Europe, Australia and North America. Before co-founding Drive with Ben Barrett, she ran Lillavision, helping indies to secure co-production and deficit finance. Previously Lilla was Head of Co-Production for factual and scripted projects...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Meet the Distributors
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: History, Nickelodeon, Science Channel; Coffee With (Group 1)
Katie Isaacson is Senior Manager of Development for CNN Original Series based in New York City. She is responsible for cultivating relationships within the creative community and developing original programming across a variety of CNN platforms.
She was the coordinating producer for CNN Original Series The Windsors and served as coordinating producer for HLN...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: American Public Television/Create TV, BET, CNN
Samuel Kissous is the founder and president of Pernel Media, a creative and diverse independent TV production company listed as a “Realscreen Global 100” company in 2019 and 2020. Headquartered in Paris and with offices in London, the company produces a wide range of original factual programs as well as adaptations...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: International Markets
Bert Klasey is the Senior Director of Development for Discovery Channel, overseeing the creation and development of unscripted series. Over the course of his career, Klasey has developed and produced a number of hit shows including Diesel Brothers for Discovery and The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch for History Channel. Previously, he worked for Screaming...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: A&E, CBC, Discovery Channel
Richard Life spearheads acquisitions for Cineflix Rights and the expansion of the company’s catalogue of factual and scripted programming through producer partnerships, development and first-look deals, and co-productions.
Richard is one of the UK’s most experienced TV distribution executives, and previously held the roles of Head of Acquisitions and Co-productions at...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Meet the Distributors
Wendy Llinás is an Emmy-nominated Producer and Documentary Film Maker. As Director of Programming and Development at PBS, she provides editorial and strategic guidance, manages the daily production process and resources for new limited series and existing programs such as Independent Lens, Voces, American Experience and POV. Llinás is an experienced journalist, writer and producer whose...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 2)
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: Corus Entertainment, Travel Channel & Paranormal on discovery+
Max Micallef is Vice President, Nonfiction Programming for HISTORY. In this role, Micallef spearheads the development and production of some of HISTORY’s main nonfiction programming. He joined the network in December 2018, and is based in Los Angeles.
Among the HISTORY series he is Executive Producing is Assembly Required, which reunites...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Max Micallef, HISTORY
Sean Olsen joined the GSN team as Vice President of Development in December 2017. Olsen hails from Conveyor Media where he served as Vice President of Production directly responsible for generating and managing the creative vision on series and pilots.
Previously, Olsen made his name as a freelance Executive Producer & showrunner for...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: CNBC, Food Network & Cooking Channel, Game Show Network
Caroline Perez serves as Senior Vice President, Development and Production (Factual), bringing new series and specials to Science, Discovery, Discovery+ and the international networks of Discovery, Inc. She has also held roles in production and development at TLC, Destination America and VH1. Prior to working in non-fiction cable production and...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: History, Nickelodeon, Science Channel
Jenny Ramirez serves as Vice President of Unscripted Programming for TBS, TNT, and truTV, helping to oversee unscripted development and current programming for all three networks. In this role, Ramirez runs point on The Misery Index, the game show featuring Jameela Jamil and the Tenderloins, stars of truTV’s Impractical Jokers,...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Jenny Ramirez, TBS, TNT & truTV
At Distribution360, Diane oversees commercial activity for global distribution, including sales, acquisitions, partnerships and operations to bring great content to buyers around the World. Alongside marblemedia's in-house development team and third-party content partners, Diane works on projects from development through to delivery, setting up strategic partnerships, raising finance and executive...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Meet the Distributors
Joe Rivadeneira has spent the the past 13 years specializing in unscripted development and talent packaging. He joined Group Nine Studios to shepherd their premium unscripted slate in September of 2019. Since joining, he has sold a number of original series including the primetime special Girl Talk with Michelle Obama...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners: All3Media International, Group Nine Studios, MGM Television
Loren Ruch is the Group Senior Vice President of Development and Production for HGTV where he oversees the programming team along with many of the networks’ high-profile series and pilots. He also works closely on cross-network collaborations with the other Discovery brands and sites.
Prior to this role, Loren spent the...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Loren Ruch, HGTV
Betsy Ayala currently serves as Senior Vice President of Production & Development for HGTV and discovery+ Home where she oversees the development and production team. She is credited with the success of such hit series as Rock The Block, Good Bones, Windy City Rehab, and Rehab Addict Rescue.
Ayala joined the...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 2)
Jessica Schmiedchen
Executive in Charge of Development, Unscripted Content
CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Bio Coming Soon...
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: A&E, CBC, Discovery Channel
Jean Shi serves as the Senior Vice President, Alternative Development & Programming for Fremantle in North America. Shi is responsible for developing and selling original unscripted series, with a focus on global formats and talent. Her current projects include overseeing development for the upcoming Tattletales series for HBO Max, which...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners
As Commissioning Editor, Factual at ITV, Priya Singh oversees a broad mix of programmes in peak from fact ent formats, documentaries and consumer including Paul O’Grady For the Love of Dogs, How to Spend It Well, Love Your Garden, A Year on Planet Earth, The Queen Unseen, Billion Pound Cruises.
Prior...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 2)
Jonathan Skogmo is Founder and CEO of Jukin Media. Under his leadership, the company has grown to more than 220 employees with offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, and New Delhi. Jukin is the world’s first media company that’s powered entirely by user-generated video content. Skogmo...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Genre Experts
Adam Steinman
VP, Creative, Format, Development & Sales
Warner Bros. International Television Production
Adam Steinman served as Vice President, Non-Scripted International Development & Sales from October 2010 until October 2016 and in November 2016 was promoted to Vice President, Creative, Format, Development & Sales at Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP), where scripted formats have been added to his remit.
In this position, Steinman...show more
Speaking on: Pitching Partners: Blue Ant Studios, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. Intl TV Production
Mike Stiller is Vice President, Development and Programming for HISTORY.
Stiller is a veteran programmer known for commissioning and developing a wide range of hits and critically acclaimed documentaries. During a long career at History Channel, he developed The Curse of Oak Island, the #1 rated nonfiction series on cable since...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
Patty Suh is Vice President, Programming and Development for Food Network, with a focus on developing new programming and talent, and working closely with the west coast production community. Previously, Suh held the title of Vice President of Development at Steve Harvey's East 112th Street Productions, where she oversaw the casting...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Patty Suh, Food Network & Cooking Channel
Rob Swartz is Sr. Vice President of Development and Production at REELZ, a leading independent cable and satellite general entertainment network that is home to factual entertainment, television events, miniseries, movies and series featuring big stories and big stars. Swartz leads creative execution of the network’s development and production slate including documentaries...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 2); Speed Pitching: PBS, Reelzchannel, TBS/TNT/truTV
Brooke Townsend is Director of Nonfiction Programming and Development for HISTORY. In this role, Townsend oversees multiple hit programs, including Pawn Stars, Lost Gold of World War II, and Swamp People: Serpent Invasion, as well as maintaining a robust development slate.
A 6-year veteran of A+E Networks, Townsend began her tenure at...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: History, Nickelodeon, Science Channel
Jennifer Vaux oversees content acquisition for the ad-supported component of Roku’s owned and operated channel, The Roku Channel. She is responsible for sourcing and executing innovative programming acquisition deals across a range of content and business models. She works to license content for The Roku Channel in United States, Canada...show more
Speaking on: 30 Minutes With: Jennifer Vaux, Roku
Dana Volkmer-Jones is Director of Programming and Development for Food Network based in Los Angeles, charged with developing new programming and talent, and working closely with the west coast production community. Prior to joining the Food Network team in January of 2020, he served as Senior Director of Development, West Coast...show more
Speaking on: Speed Pitching: CNBC, Food Network & Cooking Channel, Game Show Network
As Head of Acquisitions at Passion Distribution, Sean Wheatley spearheads the company’s content acquisition activity, working closely with Passion Distribution’s production partners - both with independent producers and the Tinopolis group companies. Since joining the company in June 2018 Sean has acquired a range of high-quality unscripted titles from production...show more
Speaking on: Executive Insights: Meet the Distributors
Tiffany Lea Williams’ stellar career in television has spanned twenty years and has included development, production and current programming oversight. She has created and overseen multiple landmark series and specials in unscripted TV and developed domestic and international formats for the U.S. market.
She is currently EVP of Unscripted...show more
Speaking on: Coffee With (Group 1)
