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SANDRA AISTARS - Assistant General Counsel for Intellectual Property, Time Warner, Inc.

Sandra Aistars serves as Assistant General Counsel for Intellectual Property at Time Warner Inc., and leads the Intellectual Property practice for the Company. In this role, she is responsible for developing, managing, and coordinating copyright, trademark and patent policy and strategies for the Company and its divisions, particularly as they pertain to new opportunities and challenges posed by digital technologies. Sandra’s practice includes work as a subject matter expert before the United States Congress, the Copyright Office and Federal Agencies concerning a broad range of intellectual property and related matters. She collaborates with in-house and outside counsel to formulate litigation strategy; advises on business and legal implications of investments, licensing arrangements, and new business models worldwide; and represents the Company in cross-industry coalitions and technology standards efforts. She helped establish and chaired the group of eight companies that developed the Advanced Access Content System technology which protects copyrighted content and provides additional functionality for next generation optical media such as Blu- ray.

Sandra additionally serves as a cleared advisor to the US Department of Commerce on intellectual property aspects of international trade negotiations.
Before joining Time Warner, Sandra was an attorney at the law firm of Weil, ublic Policy and Litigation practices, specializing in technology and e-commerce issues related to intellectual property. While at Weil, she played a key role in developing and implementing a multi-industry licensing and management approach to content distribution and protection which enabled the launch of the DVD and other formats. Sandra also represented consumer electronics and information technology clients in connection with the enactment and enforcement of the anti-circumvention and internet service provider “safe harbor” provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and counseled and litigated on behalf of clients in connection with music licensing matters, including in the first copyright royalty arbitration to set rates for the use of sound recordings on the internet. In the cable arena Sandra has represented clients before the Federal Communications Commission and in negotiating the licenses necessary to build products with “plug and play” digital cable capabilities.
DARCY ANTONELLIS - President, Warner Bros. Technical Operations

As President of Warner Bros. Technical Operations, her division is responsible for identifying and leveraging new technologies and operational models. These support the Studio’s production and distribution divisions to move entertainment properties from production to marketplace faster and with greater efficiency. This includes worldwide supply chain management with partners and retailers. She oversees activities that define technical, business and legal standards for the secure digital distribution of Warner Bros.’ intellectual property.

She continues to have oversight of Worldwide Anti-Piracy Operations. Antonellis works closely with parent company Time Warner and its global public policy offices on the wide array of policy issues dealing with piracy and technology.

Antonellis was appointed President in January, 2008. Previously she had a dual role of Executive Vice President, Distribution & Technology Operations, Warner Bros. Technical Operations and Senior Vice President, Worldwide Anti-Piracy Operations, Warner Bros. Entertainment. As Executive Vice President, Distribution & Technology Operations, Antonellis was responsible for overseeing areas directly related to the Studio’s technical strategic planning and implementation related to worldwide distribution and protection of all the Studio’s content through traditional, new and emerging outlets as well as asset management. As Senior Vice President, Worldwide Anti-Piracy Operations, she was responsible for the coordination and facilitation of the Studio’s intellectual property protection strategy and execution on a global basis.

Antonellis joined the company in 1998 as Senior Vice President, Distribution Technologies & Operations, Warner Bros. Technical Operations, where she had oversight of the Company's transition from traditional distribution technologies to advanced digital distribution. She led the Studio’s transition to digital distribution for syndication as well as implementation of the MARS Advertising/Publicity Studio-wide asset management system. Currently, her team is managing the Studio’s digital-end-to-end initiative. A partnership with HP and Accenture, the system has created significant efficiencies to support digital distribution of content.

Prior to joining Warner Bros. Technical Operations, Antonellis was Vice President, Technical and Olympic Operations for CBS Inc., having also served as Vice President, Technical Operations in New York and Director, Washington Operations, for the CBS News Bureau in Washington, DC. She also served as Vice President, Operations and Engineering for Fox’s WTTG-TV in Washington, DC.

A veteran of three Olympics, she last headed up Operations and Engineering for CBS Sports’ coverage of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. She also worked as Director of Operations, stationed in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, during the Gulf War. She has received two Emmy Awards for technical production work on the Olympics and honors for work in the field of engineering from her undergraduate alma mater, Temple University. She is a US Patent holder dealing in the area of anti-piracy technology development. She serves on the Global Advisory Board for the professional Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) providing counseling on new media and technology.

She received a master’s degree in finance from Fordham University. In November 2003, she was named a Fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. In 2007, she was the recipient of Broadcasting and Cable’s Technology Leadership Award. In 2008, she was selected to Video Business’ Women Elite.
ASHOK AMRITRAJ - Chairman & CEO, Hyde Park Entertainment

As Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment, Ashok Amritraj produced the box office hits BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, starring Steve Martin and Academy Award-nominee Queen Latifah, and PREMONITION, starring Sandra Bullock and Julian McMahon, and is regarded as one of the most successful producers working in Hollywood today. Amritraj’s 2008 releases include the critically acclaimed TRAITOR, starring Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce, and the cross-cultural romantic comedy THE OTHER END OF THE LINE.  Early 2009 saw the release of STREET FIGHTER, based on the extremely popular video game.  Commencing principal photography in 2009 are DEAD OF NIGHT, based on the best-selling Italian comic book thriller “Dylan Dog”, and the U.S./Japanese co-production LEONIE.  Forthcoming projects include a remake of the iconic Blake Edwards film ‘10’ and an adaptation of the popular British television series THE PERSUADERS.

Amritraj’s recent releases include DREAMER, starring Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning through DreamWorks SKG, which opened in the number 2 spot at the U.S. box office, SHOPGIRL starring Steve Martin and Claire Danes through The Walt Disney Company, which opened to rave reviews, and DEATH SENTENCE released by 20th Century Fox and starring Kevin Bacon and Kelly Preston.  Additionally, Amritraj enjoyed a successful box office with the Kate Hudson feature RAISING HELEN, which was directed by Hollywood legend Garry Marshall and WALKING

Amritraj has grown Hyde Park Entertainment into a cutting-edge option to the traditional Hollywood studio system for filmmakers by making it one of the few progressive global independent companies that encompasses most elements of a full-fledged studio.  The Company, which includes live-action, animation and cross-cultural cinema, is capable of developing, producing and financing projects as well as handling their international sales and marketing.  Hyde Park Entertainment has a first look deal with 20th Century Fox, and a second look deal with The Walt Disney Studios.

Through The Walt Disney Studios, Amritraj released the critically acclaimed drama/romance MOONLIGHT MILE, directed by Brad Silberling, starring Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon and Holly Hunter.  Through MGM, Amritraj also produced ORIGINAL SIN starring Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas and the Golden Globe nominated BANDITS, directed by Barry Levinson starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett.

During the span of his 30-year career, having produced or executive produced 100 films with a worldwide gross in excess of $1 billion, Amritraj has worked with every major Studio in Hollywood.  The stars who have worked with Amritraj include Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Dustin Hoffman, Steve Martin, Antonio Banderas, The Rock, Kate Hudson, Kurt Russell, etc…

In 2005 the Indian International Film Academy presented Amritraj with the Award for “Outstanding Achievements in International Cinema”.  In 2004 Amritraj received the Producer of Vision Award from the Hollywood community and the prestigious Pride Of India Award from the American India Foundation.

Amritraj served on the Foreign Film Board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was a member of Los Angeles Board for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the International Council for the Emmy Awards.

Amritraj was a former tennis professional, having played in every major tennis event including Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
JONATHAN BARZILAY - SVP, Programming & Advertising, FLO TV

As senior vice president of programming and advertising for FLO TV, Jonathan Barzilay is responsible for leading the company's USA business in the areas of programming strategy, content acquisition and development, production, advertising, and consumer research. Based in FLO TV's Los Angeles office, he is also responsible for managing relationships with content partners and the creative community.

Prior to joining FLO TV, Barzilay served as senior vice president and general manager of entertainment for CBS Interactive. In that role, he oversaw the online entertainment business for CBS, including the CBS.com and StarTrek.com websites.

Previously, Barzilay served as senior vice president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks, and general manager of Toon Disney and ABC Kids. In that role, he oversaw all operations at both Toon Disney, a cable network, and ABC Kids, the children's programming lineup on ABC–TV. During the course of his 15–year career at Disney/ABC, he held numerous management posts, including vice president and general manager, ABC Children's Programming, and vice president, ABC Television Network Group. As a member of ABC's legal department, he counseled ABC News and ABC Broadcasting on legal and regulatory matters.

He began his career as an attorney in private practice in New York, focusing on entertainment law and First Amendment matters. Barzilay is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Law School.
BILL BLOCK - Founder & Chief Executive, QED INTERNATIONAL

Bill Block founded QED INTERNATIONAL in December 2005 where he leads day-to-day operations and strategy for the company. Previously, Block was President of Artisan Entertainment where he supervised all divisions - film production and acquisitions, international distribution, home entertainment, and television. Block managed Artisan’s senior lending as well as international distribution relationships. While at Artisan, Block acquired The Blair Witch Project which realized one of the most profitable returns on investment in film history. Artisan was successfully sold to Lionsgate in December 2003. Before Artisan, Block was one of the industry’s leading talent agents as Head of West Coast Operations for International Creative Management from 1992 to 1997 and founder of the Intertalent Agency.
HAROLD A. BROWN, Partner, Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, Inc.

Harold Brown is a partner at Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, Inc.  specializing in representing clients in motion picture, television and videogame industries. Client list includes Harpo Productions, Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Michael Mann, George Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Patrick Shanley, Alicia Silverstone, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis.
JEANETTE BUERLING - President, Magnet Media Group (MMG)

Jeanette Buerling has worked in all areas of the entertainment industry including writing, development, production, acquisition, international sales, international co-productions, and entertainment finance. Her career started in 1989 at RTL Television in Cologne, Germany. For the next 5 years she worked in the Entertainment Department, which aired, on average, 15 – 20 daily shows per year. She then left to produce 52 episodes of the one-hour daily show “Fun” for the Leo Kirch network DSF. In 1993 Jeanette moved to Munich, where she produced various television films and series, as well as feature films for ARD/WDR (BR) and PRO SIEBEN. The ARD/WDR series “Wildbach” was one of the networks highest ranking weekly one-hour drama series for 5 consecutive years. The PRO SIEBEN thriller “Kreis der Angst” (aka “Circle of Fear”) launched the career of Germany’s top director, Thomas Jauch.

Her development, packaging and co-production capabilities were the reason for her cooperation with WARNER BROS’ international feature film department. In 1999 Jeanette started her own production company in Los Angeles and produced the WARNER BROS turnaround comedy project “Timeshare” starring Nastassja Kinski, Timothy Dalton and Kevin Zegers (distributed by FOX and CONSTANTIN FILM). In 2004 Jeanette was hired by FAR EAST NATIONAL BANK to run their equity film finance fund HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL FINANCE. The fund invested into 38 films and 2 television series. With HOLLYWOOD INTL. FINANCE, Jeanette produced, executive produced, acquired and/or financed films and television products for HBO, ABC, DISNEY, LIONS GATE, and USA NETWORK. Such product includes “Harvard Man” (Lions Gate Films) with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Adrian Grenier, “Rent Control” (ABC/DISNEY) with Melissa Joan Hart, “A Case of Evil” (USA NETWORK) with Gabrielle Anwar, Vincent D’Onofrio, etc.

In May of 2008 Jeanette Buerling and Maggie Monteith formed their current film finance and production company MAGNET MEDIA GROUP LLC. In November of 2008, Buerling and Monteith produced their film, “13”, a thriller starring Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Sam Riley, Ray Winston, Michael Shannon and 50 Cent (Paramount Vantage). In June of 2009 MMG financed and produced “The Experiment” starring Adrien Brody, Forrest Whitaker and Cam Gigandet (Sony). The MMG team is currently preparing various projects in the budget ranges of $10 to $60 million per film.

Jeanette Buerling holds a MBA from University FH Cologne, a business degree from IHK Aachen, and studied screenplay writing at USC, Los Angeles. She is furthermore the US Correspondent for the German entertainment magazine “Professional Production”.

Jeanette Buerling was born and raised in Cologne, Germany. In 1999 she and her daughter Verenice immigrated to the United States.
PETER CARANICAS - Managing Editor, Features, Variety

As Managing Editor of Features, Caranicas helps direct the production of Variety's annual slate of some 250 editorial features, which are branded under the moniker VPlus. These sections appear in both daily and weekly Variety, on Variety.com and in electronic newsletters and other custom-publishing ventures. VPlus features include awards season reports, film festival and market updates, as well as the high-profile "Ten to Watch," "Billion Dollar" and "Impact" reports.  Prior to joing Variety, he was editor of the film/TV crafts-and-technology pub Below the Line, where he directed editorial operations. Before that, he was editor and publisher of Film & Video magazine and development director at its tradeshow affiliate, ShowBiz Expo. He also served in top editorial posts at Shoot, Videography and Millimeter and has reported on the TV industry for TV Newsday, NATPE Daily, World Screen News and the New York Times Encyclopedia of Television.
CHRIS CAREY - EVP, Worldwide Technical Operations, Paramount Pictures

CLAUDIA CENICEROS - Senior Director, Content Strategy & Partnerships, Cisco Media Solutions Group

Claudia Ceniceros, senior director of content strategy and partnerships in the Cisco Media Solutions Group (CMSG), is responsible for building strategic, high-level partnerships between the major Hollywood studios and Cisco. She also has responsibility for European media partnerships, and leads a team focused on similar efforts in Europe. In addition, Claudia is responsible for securing rights to distribute third party, short-form professional content on the Cisco Eos™ platform.

Before joining CMSG, Claudia was in the Cisco Corporate Business Development group under Dan Scheinman and responsible for developing strategic relationships with the entertainment industry for Cisco and its consumer division, Linksys. Claudia was also head of Cisco Corporate Public Relations from 2000-2004.

Prior to joining Cisco, Claudia was vice president of corporate communications for Acclaim Entertainment, a developer and publisher of software for a variety of gaming platforms; vice president of strategic communications at ABC Television Network; and vice president at Robinson firm, where she focused on entertainment and other corporate accounts.

Claudia graduated from the University of Illinois, Chicago, with a B.A. in philosophy and political science. She has been a frequent speaker at Digital Hollywood and other media industry forums, as well as a board member of the Entertainment Technology Center at USC.
FRANK CHINDAMO - President & Chief Creative Officer, Fun Little Movies

Frank Chindamo is the President and Chief Creative Officer of Fun Little Movies. FLM specializes in the development, production and distribution of original content for global distribution on mobile phones, the Internet and portable devices. Its mission is to contribute to love and to laughter by providing fun, funny, advertiser-friendly comedy to every person on Earth. Fun Little Movies was the first U.S. company to produce comedic films for mobile phones worldwide, and launched as a channel on Sprint TV in 2004. FLM's "Fun Funny Phone Films" have won 22 awards including CTIA's "World Smallest Film Festival" and two Golden Eagles at the American Cine' Awards, as well as The Content Award at Cannes in 2008, over MTV and Orange. FLM was also a finalist at: The Cannes Film Festival for Best Short Film, the 2008 Mobile Content Award in London, and the 2006 and 2007 Mobile Entertainment Magazine Awards for Best Video. Fun Little Movies have played on numerous TV networks worldwide including HBO, Showtime, CBS, Playboy, MTV and Comedy Central. FLM's mobile comedy can be watched on iPhones, Sprint, Verizon, Nokia, Motorola and ATT mobile phones, on Veoh.com, Revver.com, Vuze.com and many other top video sites, and on other mobile and Internet platforms. FLM has been a cover story or featured in Forbes Magazine, the L.A. Times, the NY Times, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, CBS and Wired Magazine.

In 2006 and 2007, Frank was named one of the Top 40 people in IPTV. Last year he was nominated by Ernst & Young for Entrepreneur of the Year, and is co-leading the Mobile Entertainment Forum's Educational Initiative. He is also a member of the Mobile Marketing Association.

Frank is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California (USC), where he teaches the class "Mobile/Internet Viral Screenwriting and Production," and an Instructor at UCLA where he teaches "Beyond YouTube: Making Mobile and Internet Movies that Sell." Frank Chindamo received his Film B.F.A. from N.Y.U. and his Screenwriting & Producing M.F.A. from Columbia University. Chindamo is also a supporter and advisor to the worldwide charity www.AirlineAmbasssadors.com , which hand-delivers educational, medical and relief aid globally. He wrote and produced the promo on their website.
DAVID COHEN - Associate Editor, Features, Variety

David S. Cohen covers 3-D, visual effects and post-production for Variety. Since 2003 he has spearheaded Variety’s expanded coverage of entertainment technology, including the new Tech page in Weekly Variety that debuted earlier this month. He has worked in or covered the entertainment industry for more than 30 years, including stints as a stage electrician, stage manager, Off-Off-Broadway director, television writer and documentary writer-producer. He is also the author of “Screen Plays: How 25 Scripts Made It to a Theater Near You, For Better or Worse,” from HarperCollins, and is now working on a book on the art, science and business of 3-D.  
JAY COHEN - Head of Film Financing and Packaging Division, The Gersh Agency

 
LINDSAY CONNER - Partner, Entertainment & Media, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Mr. Conner has more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment and media industries. He has served as chief outside entertainment counsel for several major film studios and television networks and numerous film and television production and distribution companies, and as lead counsel in several large finance, distribution, and M&A; transactions for one of America’s largest financial institutions.

Mr. Conner advises clients through the entire life cycle of film, television and new media assets. Over the course of his career, he has restructured the production and distribution of a multi-billion dollar television franchise, closed half-billion dollar feature film finance/production/distribution deals and international distribution deals, $300 million output and broadcast deals, as well as deals for the acquisition of companies and film and television assets.

Mr. Conner has represented film and television industry clients in bank and equity finance deals, licensing deals, and agreements with major talent, and has served as production counsel for a wide variety of feature films, as well as television series, specials, and longform productions.

Prior to joining Manatt, Mr. Conner was a partner at Dickstein Shapiro LLP, where he served as the head of the firm’s Entertainment Law Practice.
SHASHI FERNANDA - CEO, Saffron Digital

Shashi has a strong track record of success in the digital space. Starting his career at British Airways on the graduate scheme, He then moved to Hollinger Digital, part of the Telegraph Group and left to work at the Interactive agency, Razorfish working with clients such as Nike, Giorgio Armani, Sony and Hutchinson

Shashi launched Filmnight Digital four years ago winning the Vodafone UK and T-Mobile UK film aggregation business along with early mobile agency clients such as IPC Media and Duran Duran.

The evolving of Filmnight into Saffron Digital has been critical in pushing the business into new areas in the industry and he is instrumental in ensuring that Saffron Digital builds and maintains an edge in delivering converged cutting edge services across mobile and online.
STUART FORD - Founder & CEO, IM Global

Stuart Ford founded IM Global, a major international sales and distribution company with offices in Los Angeles and London, in March 2007. The company is one of the most active and high profile film and television sales operations in the worldwide entertainment community and is a prominent presence at major international film festivals and markets. In addition Ford and several of his colleagues are regular speakers at industry gatherings around the globe.

Prior to founding IM Global, in August 2006 Ford joined resurgent First Look Studios as President of First Look International, and before First Look Studios, Ford was a senior executive to Harvey and Bob Weinstein at New York-based Miramax Films from 1997 to 2004. At Miramax, Ford filled a variety of roles, most prominently as Co-Head of Miramax International, the studio’s powerful international distribution and sales arm. Ford was just 32 when he took the reigns at Miramax International and was profiled by The Hollywood Reporter in 2004 as one of Hollywood's top executives under the age of 40. At Miramax International, Ford operationally oversaw a staff of 28 people in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Beijing, and Sydney, self-distributed the studio’s pictures in many of the major international territories often in conjunction with the ‘on the ground’ staff of sister company Buena Vista International or, in France, via the company’s TF1 joint venture TFM, of which Ford was a founder/board member. Ford oversaw international distribution activities such as strategy, marketing, publicity, physical distribution, legal, and finance. Miramax International was also a major player in the international film sales arena and Ford oversaw a prolific sales team that at the time was recognized as one of the major suppliers to the independent marketplace in much of Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Overall, Ford and his team handled the sale and/or distribution of almost 30 titles a year in more than 42 countries. Previous to Miramax International, Ford was Co-Head of the Miramax Acquisitions division, which was responsible for acquiring the best foreign language and independent product for distribution in the US and internationally. During a two and a half year period Ford’s 18-strong acquisitions team acquired box office and critical hits such as Amelie, City of God, Hero, Dirty Pretty Things, Fahrenheit 911, and The Station Agent.
GREG FOSTER - Chairman & President, Filmed Entertainment, IMAX Corporation

Greg Foster, Chairman and President of Filmed Entertainment, joined IMAX Corporation in March, 2001. Based at IMAX's Santa Monica office, Foster’s primary responsibility is overseeing all aspects of the company's global filmed entertainment activities, including creative, production, film distribution, business affairs, marketing, sponsorship, studio relationships and the revolutionary IMAX DMR® process. During Foster's tenure at the Company, he has successfully re-positioned IMAX’s film slate to include more commercial entertainment product by bringing numerous Hollywood blockbuster event films to IMAX Theatres around the world. Among the films released under Foster are some of the most popular entertainment franchises, and some of the most successful in IMAX’s history.  A seasoned Hollywood executive, Foster spent 15 years at MGM/UA where he served in various senior management posts, including Executive Vice President of Production and Senior Vice President of Motion Picture Marketing and Research. During the course of his career at MGM/UA, Greg played a key role in the production and/or marketing of over 150 films, including hits such as A Fish Called Wanda, Get Shorty, King Pin, Moonstruck, Rain Man, Species, Thelma and Louise, Untamed Heart and several from the James Bond - 007 series. In 1999, Foster founded uMogul, a financial services company offering retail investors competitive market returns via mutual funds comprised of entertainment industry assets. He held the positions of Chairman, Co-founder and President of uMogul. Foster is a 1984 graduate of Georgetown University. He and his wife have three sons and currently live in Los Angeles.
STEVEN GAYDOS - Executive Editor, Variety

Variety executive editor Steven Gaydos directs the planning and production of the nearly 250 "Vplus" editorial feature sections in Variety, Daily Variety and on Variety.com. This includes all of the "Eye on the Oscar" sections and other awards season feature sections, as well as sections throughout the year covering the international entertainment business, music, home entertainment, technology, independent film, ie the entire gamut of entertainment business journalism. Among the numerous features projects Gaydos has launched, he created Variety's internationally recognized "Ten to Watch" series, which spotlights emerging talents in directing, acting, producing, writing, comedy and cinematography, as well as the "Impact" series which chronicles individual achievements in various sectors of the business, such as the influential "Women's Impact," "Youth Impact," "Music Impact" and "Comedy Impact" reports.

In addition to directing the features editorial operations, Gaydos directs Variety's fast-growing Custom Publishing operations. He also served for five years as international managing director of Variety, overseeing the global editorial operations from the London office from 2000-2005.

Gaydos serves on the board of the British Independent Film Awards and is a member of the Writers Guild of America, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the European Film Academy. Gaydos is author of the Variety/Putnam book, "The Variety Guide to Film Festivals," "Movie Talk from the Frontlines" (McFarland) and "Cannes: 50 Years of Sun, Sex and Celluloid" (Miramax/Hyperion). Gaydos also appears frequently as an entertainment business authority on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, BBC, Sky News, etc.
SIBYL GOLDMAN - Vice President, Entertainment, Yahoo! Entertainment

As vice president of Yahoo! Entertainment, Sibyl Goldman oversees the continued growth and success of Yahoo!’s Movies, TV, omg! and Shine, properties. Under her leadership, these properties have experienced all time highs in unique users, trailer streams and premiere partnerships.

Sibyl was at the helm of the development of omg!, Yahoo's celebrity news and gossip site. omg!, which launched in June 2007, has become #1 in its Comscore category and has received over 16 million unique visitors in some months, making omg! the number one entertainment news destination on the Web (beating TMZ and People.com). Sibyl played a key role in differentiating omg!’s celebrity news format by aggregating unique, light-hearted, and up-to-the-moment content.

Prior to joining Yahoo!, Sibyl ran Lifetime Television's interactive group. She worked closely with studios to produce video diaries on behalf of Lifetime's movies, as well as tapped into the powerful and often ignored audience of female gamers with a series of original Flash-based games that promoted Lifetime's slate of shows. Sibyl also created Girls on Film (Girls On) in 1995, a ground-breaking website featuring fan friendly perspectives on pop culture, which was acquired by Oxygen in 1999. Sibyl co-authored Girls On Film: The Highly Opinionated, Completely Subjective Guide to the Movies published by Harper Collins in 1999. omg!, TV, Movies and Shine continue to expand their content offerings, advertising opportunities, and unique and returning users under Sibyl’s guidance and are each premiere destinations in their respective categories.
MARK HORAK - President, Warner Home Video Americas

Mr. Horak, formerly Executive Vice President and General Manager Worldwide Operations and New Packaged Media was responsible for Marketing, Operations, Sales and Legal Affairs.  Prior to this assignment, he was Executive Vice President and General Manager - Asia, Pacific and Latin America.  As Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Mr. Horak was responsible for building worldwide release strategies on such titles as Harry Potter and The Matrix. He also bolstered cooperation across WB divisions, especially between WHV and the domestic and international theatrical operations, to optimize release strategies. In his role he is responsible for managing his region's P&L as well as growing DVD penetration within his territories. Mr. Horak joined WHV in 1995 as Director of Marketing and held numerous executive marketing roles, including Senior Vice President, US Marketing. Previously he held marketing positions with Dole, RJR Nabisco and StarKist Seafoods. He earned a BBA from Loyola Marymount University and received his MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.  
BRYAN LACOUR - SVP, Union Bank

LaCour work in the bank's specialized financial services division and report to David Musicant, who heads national banking. LaCour is responsible for managing the bank's entertainment finance business, which has provided capital to Hollywood for more than 25 years. Films Union Bank Of California have financed include Alexander, The Aviator, Bring It On and Trust the Man. LaCour has more than eights years of experience in banking finance and joined Union Bank in 2007 from Comerica Bank, where he was vice president with the bank's entertainment industries group.
ED LEONARD - CTO, DreamWorks Animation

Ed Leonard is the Chief Technology Officer for DreamWorks Animation, where he is responsible for the design, implementation, successful operation and overall technical direction of the Company.

During his tenure at DreamWorks Animation, Ed has overseen the studio’s adoption of Linux, which made DreamWorks Animation one of the first studios to fully embrace Linux as its core operating system for the production of animated films. Ed was also a principal in developing DreamWorks Animation’s Virtual Studio Collaboration system, which revolutionized the studio’s ability to seamlessly collaborate across multiple geographic sites. The technology has been commercialized and is now being marketed by Hewlett-Packard (a joint developer) under the “Halo” brand.

With over sixteen years of experience in the entertainment industry, Ed has been credited in more than a dozen feature animated film projects, which include the Academy Award®-winning “Shrek” franchise as well as such blockbusters as “Kung Fu Panda,” “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” and “Monsters vs. Aliens,” the studio’s first release in stereoscopic 3D.

In 2008, Ed was awarded animation’s highest honor, the Annie Award®, for forming a consortium of technologists that helped Linux to become the standard operating system for many of the VFX and animation studios around the world. And most recently, Ed was recognized in the June 2009 issue of Fast Company Magazine’s “100 Most Creative People” edition.

Prior to Ed’s entertainment industry experience, he held several engineering positions in the aerospace industry, specializing in visual and simulation systems research. He holds degrees in Computer Science/Math from Cal Poly Pomona and serves on the advisory boards for several leading tech companies as well as the High Performance Computing subcommittee of The Council on Competitiveness.
MICHAEL LONDON - Founder and CEO, Groundswell Productions

MICHAEL LONDON is the principal and founder of Groundswell Productions, an independent production and financing company formed in 2006. Since its inception three years ago, Groundswell has produced several recent releases, which include: Steven Soderbergh’s “The Informant!” starring Matt Damon; Gus Van Sant’s Academy Award®-winning “Milk,” starring Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin and James Franco; “The Visitor,” from writer-director Tom McCarthy and starring Richard Jenkins; “Appaloosa,” directed by Ed Harris, who also stars opposite Renée Zellweger and Viggo Mortensen; “Smart People” directed by Noam Murro and starring Dennis Quaid, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page and Sarah Jessica Parker; Rawson Marshall Thurber’s “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh,” based on the Michael Chabon novel and starring Sienna Miller, Peter Sarsgaard, and Jon Foster; and Todd Louiso’s “The Marc Pease Experience,” starring Jason Schwartzman, Ben Stiller and Anna Kendrick.

The company is in post-production on Andrew Jarecki’s “All Good Things,” starring Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Frank Langella.

Prior to founding Groundswell, London produced the Alexander Payne film “Sideways,” which won a Golden Globe for Best Picture - Comedy or Musical, an Independent Spirit Award, and was a Best Picture nominee at the 2005 Academy Awards®, where it won the Oscar® for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In 2005, London produced “The Family Stone,” written and directed by Thomas Bezucha and starring Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams and Craig T. Nelson. London also produced Neil Burger’s “The Illusionist,” a period romantic thriller set in Vienna, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006 and was released in August 2006. The film starred Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel and was produced with David Levien, Brian Koppelman, Cathy Schulman and Bob Yari, who also financed the picture.

Earlier in 2006, London teamed up again with Alexander Payne to produce “King of California,” which was written and directed by Mike Cahill, and starred Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood.

In 2003, London produced “House of Sand and Fog,” starring Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley, and Catherine Hardwicke’s “Thirteen” starring Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood. Both received Academy Award® nominations and 2004 Independent Spirit awards. “Thirteen” also won Best Director honors at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

Previously, London spent five years as a production executive at Fox, which he departed as executive vice president of production. Films under his supervision included “Alien 3,” “Die Hard 2,” “Sleeping with the Enemy,” “Hoffa,” and “The Sandlot.” He started his career as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times after receiving his undergraduate degree from Stanford University.
JAMIE MCCABE - EVP, Worldwide PPV/VOD and EST, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Mr. McCabe oversees the sales and marketing of Twentieth Century Fox’s feature films and television content on a worldwide basis for the pay per view, video on demand and electronic sell through media. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in bringing Fox films and television to major cable, satellite and Internet services in over 40 countries.

He has managed the release of over 400 films ranging from “Speed”, “Titanic” and “There’s Something About Mary” to “Juno”, “Slumdog Millionaire” and the X-Men franchise. He has distributed over 120 different television series ranging from “Family Guy” to “24”.

Mr. McCabe joined Twentieth Century Fox in 1993 as Manager of Pay Television later serving as Director, Vice President, and then Senior Vice President of Worldwide Pay Per View and Video on Demand. Prior to joining Twentieth Century Fox, he worked for Walt Disney Pictures and on Wall Street for Merrill Lynch.

Mr. McCabe has a B.A. degree from Bucknell University and an MBA from the University of San Diego. He and his lovely wife Kelli are the proud parents of Jake, Sam and Keila.
MARCY MAGIERA - Editor-in-Chief, Video Business

Marcy Magiera was named associate publisher of Video Business in 2009, and editor-in-chief in 2006, after a dozen years in various editorial leadership roles with the Variety Group newsweekly. Prior to joining VB, Magiera was a senior reporter at Advertising Age, where she pioneered the coverage of new release movie marketing.
RICK NICITA - COO & Co-Chairman, Morgan Creek Productions

Rick Nicita is COO and co-chairman of Morgan Creek Productions, one of the leading and most successful independent production entities in the film business. Nicita graduated from Wesleyan University in 1967 and began his career at the William Morris Agency in New York in 1968. He worked in the Motion Picture Department representing actors and actresses until 1976, when he transferred to the William Morris office in Beverly Hills.

In 1980, he joined CAA, where he went on to co-head the Motion Picture Department and head the Talent Department before being named co-chairman of the agency. Over the years, he has represented many of the world’s leading actors and directors, including Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, Kurt Russell, Jeff Bridges, Garry Marshall, Kevin Costner, and Rob Reiner. He has also been listed as one of the most influential people in Hollywood by Premiere Magazine and Entertainment Weekly. Through his successful representation of clients, Nicita has helped to reposition the overall structure of talent relationships in the entertainment industry. He also helped pioneer the strategy of actor-based properties and production companies.
RENA RONSON - Co-Head of Independent Film Group, United Talent Agency

Ronson, currently Co-Head of UTA’s Independent Film Group, is one of the pre-eminent packaging and finance executives in independent film, and brings with her 23 years of experience in the global marketplace, including a 12 year career in foreign sales, production and co-production where she cultivated and continues to nurture relationships with the top distributors overseas. Her extensive experience abroad and in the United States gives her powerful insight concerning the global film market and the expanding economics of this business, and has led her to put together some of the most important independent films of the last few years.

Prior to joining UTA, Ronson helped secure financing and distribution for more than 150 films during her eleven years at William Morris Independent, and has been involved in over 500 titles in her career, including library packages, feature films and documentaries. She has put together creative financing structures for diverse directors such as Gus Van Sant and Woody Allen, as well as raised financing and development funding for producers Lauren Schuler Donner and Mark Canton.

Over the past few years alone, she was involved in the financing and/or distribution of several films that went on to receive Academy nominations, including Frozen River (Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress), Half Nelson (Best Actor), and Away From Her. (Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay). Ronson has also been instrumental in the sale of many other successful independent films, including the Thank You For Smoking, The Good Girl, Monster’s Ball, Hard Candy, The Cooler, and New York, I Love You., with directors Alan and Albert Hughes, Joshua Marston, Mira Nair, Brett Ratner, Bennet Miller, and Shekhar Kapur among others.

An advocate and strong supporter of new voices in the independent film community, Ronson helped launch careers for many directors and their first films, including Courtney Hunt’s Frozen River, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s Half Nelson, and Sugar, Sarah Polly’s Away From Her, Nicole Kassell’s The) Woodsman, Brian Dannelly’s Saved, Jacob Estes’ Mean Creek, and most recently, Cherien Dabis’ Amreeka, which went on to win the both the 2009 Fipresci Award in Cannes, and the prestigious Humanitas Award. In addition, Ronson has nurtured and represented several preeminent documentaries, including Louie Psihoyos’ THE COVE, Steven Walker’s YOUNG @ HEART (a 2008 Humanitas Award winner), Bunim-Murray’s AUTISM THE MUSICAL, and the recent feature documentary EVERY LITTLE STEP, which she was also involved in putting together.

In 2008, Ronson helped launch the partnership with Screen Capital International to form the film financing entity Incentive Filmed Entertainment. Through this venture, she helped package and fund Don Roos’ Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, starring Natalie Portman, as well as Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine, starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

Prior to joining The William Morris Agency, Ronson ran Lakeshore International, a division of Lakeshore Entertainment she helped launch after spearheading the sale of Trans Atlantic Entertainment to create Lakeshore International. She launched the company in October 1996, positioning it as one of the leading independent foreign sales companies, and oversaw its 350-picture library.

In additional to her career in foreign sales and distribution, Ronson produced Twin Falls Idaho, which she developed with writer/director Mark and Michael Polish and served as Executive Producer on several independent features, including Susan Streitfeld’s Female Perversions , starring Tilda Swinton, and more recently, Don Roos’ Love and Other Imposible Pursuits, and Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine.

In 2006, Ronson received "The Independent Hero Award” by the Creative Coalition, and in 2008, she was honored by Women In Film (WIF) and presented with “The Business Leadership Award.”

Ronson received an M.A. in International Educational Development and Media Studies at Columbia University. Her distinct background also includes employment and studies abroad in Spain and Latin America.
JOHN RUBEY - President, AEG Live

John Rubey, President of AEG Network LIVE, has been a pioneer in bringing digital and electronic media to the forefront of entertainment marketing for more than 25 years. Rubey has created an innovative approach to the production, promotion and distribution of live niche events around the world, with a successful track record that has consistently and creatively expanded the marketing potential of live events.

As President of AEG Network LIVE, Rubey initiates and oversees powerfully integrated promotional campaigns that target specific audiences across numerous media platforms. In addition to utilizing proprietary brand-building strategies, Mr. Rubey incorporates broadband, digital cinema and new technological advancements in High-Definition TV into his campaigns, while also employing traditional radio, print and cable television applications, among others.

Under Rubey's direction, AEG Network LIVE is the industry leader in client-supplied concerts and special events for digital cinema, broadband, television, HDTV, Video-On-Demand (VOD) and Pay-Per-View (PPV) exhibitions. AEGNL is the leader in client supplied events with more than 125 programs have generated more than $1 billion in measured promotional media and $19.7 million in media value, as well as 813.5 million online impressions and 567 local market radio promotions.

At AEG Network Live, Rubey has worked with clients in the production and promotion of live concert events including Live 8, Operation MySpace - LIVE from Kuwait, Garth Brooks, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, Beyoncé, John Mayer, The Beatles & Cirque du Soleil, Destiny's Child, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Nelly, Avril Lavigne, Jimmy Buffet, KORN, Kenney Chesney, Gloria Estefan, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Prince. Rubey has also been the top provider of music events in cinemas, with more than 75 events since 2000. In addition, he has worked in the world of sports with marketing of "3D Cinema" events that include the BCS Bowl and NBA All Star Cinema Event. He was also involved in the first endeavors to bring Pay-Per-View to the professional boxing arena with the likes of Mohammad Ali, George Foreman, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya.

Rubey earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston, and his Bachelor of Science from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. His productions have won numerous awards, including twenty-one Telly Awards, and he is a member of the Telly Award Silver Council. As a television event pioneer, he has spoken throughout the U.S. as well as in London and Tokyo on the subjects of electronic distribution and media, and the sponsorship of live events.
KEN RUTKOWSKI - Owner, KenRadio

Ken Rutkowski is one of the most broadly-informed and connected people in the media, entertainment and technology (MET) market. Part pundit, part matchmaker, part strategist - Ken helps start-ups to multi-national corporations understand the trends shaping their industries and connect with the people that matter. His daily Internet and radio talk show, World Tech Round-Up, is a must-listen-to source of inside information for listeners in over 40 countries - regularly scooping the major media and giving perspective to emerging trends, developments and industry maneuvers. An astute strategist, Ken combines a deep understanding of MET convergence with an insider's perspective of the problems facing the industry today - helping clients craft breakthrough strategies that leverage innovations in the digital economy.

As a media personality and industry figure, Ken has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, BBC, Wired, Business Week, The Red Herring, Internet World, Electronic Media, Online Journalism Review, Chicago Tribune, Chicago SunTimes, Boston Times, Asahi Shinbun, Bangkok Times, Finland Helsingin Sanomat, Yahoo Internet Life and dozens of other publications worldwide. He has been a featured presenter, speaker and moderator at technology and media conferences hosted by industry organizations, like: The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), The National Association of Broadcasters Convention (NAB), CTIA, - The Wireless Association, National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE), IBC Conference, ITA, Digital Hollywood, Internet World, Streaming Media, COMDEX, N+I Interop, Radio Ink, LA Games Conference, XMediaLab, MipTV/MILIA, Seoul Digital Forum, GadgetFest, Future of Television Conference and Milken Institute. Ken has cultivated extensive relationships, ranging from the biggest tech companies (Microsoft, Sun, Nokia and IBM) to the motion picture studios. He has particular networking reach into the local software development and media companies, IT outsourcers and consultants.

Ken has also created and hosted various technology programs on the following radio networks: NPR, ABC, WLS Chicago KHOW Denver, CNET Radio San Francisco, and BBC. Professional associations Ken is a founding member of the Streaming Media Executive Committee, and is on the board of several media, entertainment and technology companies.

He is a guest lecturer at prestigious universities such as Loyola University, Northwestern University, and University of Illinois - Champaign/Urbana to name a few. He has also been a guest speaker at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Southern California, University of California - Los Angeles, San Diego, and Berkeley and other top tier colleges and universities.
NED SHERMAN - CEO & Publisher, Digital Media Wire

As CEO and Publisher of Digital Media Wire, Inc., Ned Sherman works at the center of the rapidly growing digital media industry, where he brokers relationships and keeps a tab on the most important developments shaping the industry. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Publisher Ned Sherman is more than the average pundit: He is an attorney and has an inside grasp of what is happening.”  Ned is responsible for establishing DMW's partnerships with NYU's Stern School of Business, Variety, the Consumer Electronics Association and numerous other industry publishers, associations and businesses. Future of Television Forum, which he co-chairs with NYU's Professor Al Lieberman, is widely considered to be the most prestigious event of its kind, bringing together industry leaders from around the globe twice annually in Los Angeles and New York to network, do deals and discuss the industry's future. He also co-chairs and hosts Digital Music Forum, the industry standard among digital music industry events.

Before co-founding Digital Media Wire, Ned spent seven years as a corporate and entertainment attorney. As a founding member of the iLaw Group in the Entertainment Department at Loeb & Loeb LLP in Los Angeles, he handled licensing and corporate transactions and financings for media and entertainment clients including Universal Studios and MGM and launched dozens of Internet and new media start-ups. Ned is a graduate of Brown University, with honors, and the University of Texas School of Law.
NEIL STILES - President & Publisher, Variety Group

As President and Publisher of Variety, Inc., Neil Stiles is responsible for the global business operations of the Variety franchise including Variety, Daily Variety, Daily Variety Gotham, and Variety.com. Additionally, he oversees market-leading publications Video Business, Tradeshow Week and 411 Publishing, and has corporate responsibility for MarketCast, a leading provider of marketing research for the film and television industries.

Neil, a native of Great Britain, has more than 30 years of experience in the magazine industry, beginning as a music industry journalist in the mid-1970s and moving into sales management positions throughout the 1980s.

Before joining the Variety team in 2008, Neil played a large role in the success of sister company Reed Business Information-UK. As Division Managing Director, he oversaw a number of online initiatives, including the email marketing business, while managing the print and electronic portfolios of more than two dozen products including Personnel Today, Hairdressers Journal, Travel Weekly, Commercial Motor, Motor Transport, Truck and Driver and Utility Week. He also served as Chief Revenue Officer and launched the division’s digital advertising network.
DAVID STRAUS - CEO & Founder, Withoutabox (IMDb, Amazon co.)

David Straus, a Fulbright scholar, brings a diverse background that encompasses both film and business.

For four years, Straus co-founded and managed a production company. During this time, he developed and produced ten short films and four features, which received limited domestic and international distribution, as well as notable attention on the festival circuit.

In 1993, Straus and business partner Joe Neulight co-founded a successful post-production company, which doubled its revenues within a few years.

Straus brought his film experience to the political realm, leading a team authorized by former President Clinton to film his 1992 inaugural activities.

From this varied experience, Straus and his partners developed and founded Without A Box, Inc. As chairman and chief executive officer, Straus leads the Company in its financing endeavors and oversees its long-term business planning.

Straus recently served as a member of the Board of Directors of Clinica Para Las Americas, a community health care clinic serving the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. He has an undergraduate degree from Pitzer College and is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television MFA program.
SHARON SWART - Senior Editor, Variety

Sharon Swart is a Senior Editor at Variety, primarily covering independent film, the “10 Directors to Watch” series, the Global Independents issue, and festival/market focuses such as Sundance and Cannes. Previously, Swart spent four years as an editor at The Hollywood Reporter, and served as a writer-producer on national newscasts for RTL4 and RTL5 Television in The Netherlands. Swart holds a B.S. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley, and has done graduate work in communications at the University of Amsterdam.
SIMON SWART - EVP & General Manager, North America, Fox Home Entertainment

Simon Swart joined TCFHE in 1997 and currently serves as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of North America. Prior to this appointment, he served as Executive Vice President of Sales and is credited with developing one of the most lauded National Sales teams in the industry by transforming the company's sales methodology into the first and most successful team selling model in the industry. Simon was also the driving force behind several new distribution models including distributing ,the Lionsgate library and an aggressive acquisitions and development strategy including the creation of Fox Faith.

Under Swart's guidance, Fox Home Entertainment has received numerous accolades from it retail partners including 24vendor of the year awards over the past eight years.

Mr. Swart joined the company as Vice President of Operations and made the transition to Sales in 1999. Previously he held positions of increasing responsibility at Warner Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

He has a unique background demonstrating ethical leadership, creativity, constant innovation and vision throughout his career, being successful in executive positions in Finance, Operations, Logistics, Sales and Marketing.
DANIEL TIBBETS - Executive Vice President & Studio Chief, GoTV Networks

Daniel Tibbets brings substantial traditional and new media experience in the entertainment field to GoTV. Prior to joining GoTV, Tibbets spent 16 years at the vortex of the entertainment industry and has held senior executive roles in production and development for companies such as CBS Enterprises, Fireworks Television, Inc., Papazian-Hirsch Entertainment and Twentieth Television. At Twentieth Television, Tibbets ran FOXLAB, Inc. where he co-created and developed the first ever mobisode. In addition, Tibbets executive produced the first two original content mobisodes Love and Hate and Sunset Hotel, which launched in February 2005. Tibbets also developed the first convergence program to air on broadcast television at FOXLAB. In addition to his work at Twentieth Television, Tibbets is credited with the development and sale of the HBO series ROME from his work at Papazian-Hirsch. Tibbets graduated from Arizona State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with an emphasis in International marketing and business.
JARED UNDERWOOD - Senior Vice President and Manager, Comerica Entertainment Group

Jared Underwood is Senior Vice President and Group Manager of Comerica Entertainment Group, a leading Los Angeles-based specialty finance group targeting the entertainment industry. Underwood has been with Comerica Entertainment Group (CEG), a division of Comerica Bank, for 15 years, during which time the group has financed over 700 films. Notable films financed by the group include Academy Award winners, “Crash”, “Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit”, and “Gods and Monsters”. Other more recent notable titles include, "Twilight", "District 9", "New Moon", "Milk", and "Iron Man."

Recent slate transactions underwritten and/or led by CEG include, a $135 million credit facility for Michael London’s AXON Film Finance fund, a $200 million credit facility for The Weinstein Company’s Asian Film Fund, a $75 million credit facility for Larry Levinson's LG Films, a $350 million credit facility for Media Rights Capital (co-led with JP Morgan), a $135 million credit facility for Nu Image films, and an up to $300 million credit facility for Relativity Media's Beverly Blvd 2 (co-led with Union Bank).

Born in Pocatello, Idaho, Underwood majored in Business Administration at the University of Southern California and resides in Los Angeles.
PAULA WAGNER

PAULA WAGNER has worked in the top ranks of the entertainment industry as a powerful talent agent, successful producer, and top studio executive. She is founder of Chestnut Ridge Productions, currently developing film, television, theater, and new media projects.

Wagner began her career at Creative Artists Agency where she spent 15 years representing some of Hollywood's top actors, directors, and writers. In 1993, she launched Cruise/Wagner Productions with her former CAA client Tom Cruise. For the next 13 years, C/W Productions produced a wide range of pictures that earned numerous awards, widespread critical praise, and global box office success. C/W's first film, "Mission: Impossible", was an international hit that brought the company the 1997 Nova Award for Most Promising Producers. Wagner went on to produce such critically acclaimed films as "Without Limits", "Shattered Glass", "Narc", "The Others", "Vanilla Sky", "Elizabethtown", "The Last Samurai", and "Ask The Dust", not to mention the international blockbusters "Mission: Impossible II", "Mission: Impossible III", and Steven Spielberg's "War Of The Worlds" which she executive produced. In the decade that separated "Mission: Impossible" and "Mission: Impossible III", Ms. Wagner's films earned more than $3 billion in worldwide box office receipts.

Wagner was co-owner and CEO of United Artists Entertainment, LLC from 2006 to 2008. During her tenure, she orchestrated relationships with some of the top talents in the business including Oscar-winning screenwriters Christopher McQuarrie, Paul Haggis, Steve Zaillian and Academy Award nominee Guillermo del Toro, among others. UA released the Robert Redford political thriller "Lions for Lambs" and the World War II thriller "Valkyrie", directed by Bryan Singer. On behalf of UA she spoke at MipCom in Cannes, ShoWest in Vegas, and the Cinema Expo in Amsterdam regarding the state of the entertainment industry.

Wagner has received a number of awards and recognition for her contributions to varying film societies. Ms. Wagner was honored by Premiere magazine with the Women In Hollywood Icon Award in 2001 and was featured in Bravo's "Women On Top" documentary which profiled exceptional women in entertainment. In 2004, she was honored by Daily Variety as a "Billion Dollar Producer" and that same year received the UCLA/Producers Guild Of America Visionary Award. She was the recipient of the Excellence in Producing Award at the Sarasota Film Festival, served as the president of the First-Time Directors Jury at the Venice International Film Festival, co-chaired the Hollywood Film Festival from 2002-2006 and was honored by the Costume Designers Guild with its Swarovski President's Award. Most recently, she was honored with the Sherry Lansing Award from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization. In 2007, she and her husband Rick Nicita were awarded the ACLU Bill of Right Award for championing numerous film projects that highlight civil rights and civil liberty issues.

An ardent supporter of higher education, Wagner serves on the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University, where she received her degree. She is a member of the American Cinematheque's Board of Directors and sits on the board of the National Film Preservation Foundation through the Library of Congress. Ms. Wagner is also on the Executive Committee of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, served on the Board of Education for Interlochen Center for the Arts, and participates as a mentor to the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

Prior to her career as an agent and producer, Ms. Wagner began as an actress, performing on and off-Broadway. She was also a member of the Yale Repertory Company. She is a published playwright, co-authoring the play "Out Of Our Father's House". She was a member of Actor’s Equity and Screen Actors Guild and currently, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Producers Guild of America. Wagner currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband Rick Nicita, Co-Chairman and COO of Morgan Creek Productions, and their sons, Zachary and Jesse.
BLAIR WESTLAKE - Corporate Vice President, Media & Entertainment Group, Microsoft Corporation

As corporate vice president of the Media & Entertainment Group at Microsoft Corporation, Blair Westlake serves as the liaison within Microsoft for the media and entertainment industries, including Hollywood, broadcasters, cable/satellite programmers and the music industry. He directs a cross-organizational group responsible for business development, policies and content licensing for services and products including Xbox Live Marketplace Video store, Windows Media Center Edition PCs and Zune. He joined Microsoft in August 2004 and is based at the Company's Redmond, WA headquarters.

Westlake is a seasoned media and entertainment industry veteran, with more than 25 years of diverse experience encompassing home video, pay and free television distribution, video-on-demand and pay-per-view, non-theatrical content distribution (airlines, hotels, etc.), television production, physical studio operations, international thematic channels development and management, strategic planning for a global television business unit, magazine publishing and theme parks.

Before joining Microsoft, Westlake consulted for various media companies including Comcast Corp. and NBC Universal and was corporate executive vice president of Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc. Westlake was also an executive of Universal Studios, Inc. (formerly known as MCA INC.) for nearly 20 years, where he was Chairman of Universal Television & Networks Group. He joined Universal as an attorney in the Law Department (1982 - 85), and subsequently held positions as Director of Business Affairs for Studio Operations (1985-87), Vice President and Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Home Entertainment Group (1987-93), Executive Vice President, Home Entertainment Group (1993-96), and President, Worldwide Pay Television and Television Business Development (1996-97). Following graduation from law school, he was an attorney with Great Western Financial Corporation, later acquired by Washington Mutual Bank.

Under Westlake's leadership, Universal Studios broke new ground in creating strategic alliances to build the Universal brand in the global television arena, including long-term, multibillion dollar channel carriage and content licensing agreements with Germany's KirchGruppe, France's Canal+, Stream in Italy and Sogecable in Spain. He was instrumental in the formation of various multi-party joint ventures, leading to the creation of a dozen international channels including HBO Asia, Telecine premium movie channel in Brazil, Cinecanal premium movie channel in Latin America, the Premium Movie Partnership (Showtime and Encore movie channels) in Australia, TV1 Channel in Australia, RTL7 channel partnership (with CLT/UFA and Bertelsmann) in Poland, and Star Channel in Japan.

Westlake oversaw the global of the licensing of Universal's motion pictures (output and library comprising 5,000+ titles) and television libraries (40,000+ episodes), through all forms and means of television. In 1993, Westlake negotiated a groundbreaking agreement with Tele-Communications Inc. and Encore Media for Universal Studio's motion pictures, which led to the formation of what later became known as Starz, a premium movie channel which competes with HBO and Showtime. In 2000, he was responsible for crafting and negotiating the first-ever "split-slate" output deal with HBO and Starz.

A recognized leader in the media and entertainment industries, Westlake was the first recipient of the Whittier College School of Law Alumni Award for Business Excellence in 2002, and in December 2007 received the Special Founders Award from the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel (AMEC), the leading trade association serving general counsel and business affairs attorneys at media and entertainment companies.

He is a member of a number of industry organizations including The Paley Center for Media (The Museum of Television & Radio) Media Council, the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (Academy Awards®), Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmy Awards®), the Executive Committee of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (iEmmy® Awards) and The Pacific Council on International Policy. Westlake is a member of Board of Directors of the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG); ContentGuard, Inc.; and Digital Coast Roundtable; he is a former member of the Consumer Electronics Association Board of Directors and the Board Industry Leaders and board of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE).

Westlake is admitted and an active member of the California State Bar.
DAVID P. WHITE - National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, Screen Actors Guild

David White is the National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of Screen Actors Guild, Hollywood’s largest entertainment union.  In this role, he oversees all executive, operational and contract negotiation matters for the Guild.  Prior to rejoining the Guild, where he previously served as General Counsel from 2002 to 2006, White was Managing Principal of Los Angeles-based Entertainment Strategies Group (ESG) providing consulting services to the entertainment industry.

A graduate of Stanford Law School and a Rhodes Scholar, White was a labor and employment attorney at O’Melveny & Myers LLP before joining the executive ranks of SAG.  Prior to law school, White served as Executive Director of the neighborhood-based, non-profit Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Inc.  He also consulted for the Chapin Hall Center for Children (University of Chicago) and a variety of urban development projects in the United States, England and South Africa.  

White has been selected as a “Southern California Super Lawyer - Rising Star” and has received numerous other awards for his work and service throughout his career.  He is the former Co-Chair of the Sports & Entertainment Labor Law Standing Committee of the American Bar Association.  He is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Grinnell College, and was appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles as a Commissioner for urban area planning and development.  White is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel and a member of the Board of Advisors for the Posse Foundation-LA, an organization dedicated to expanding educational and leadership opportunities to students across Los Angeles County.

White has been a contributing writer for the Los Angeles Lawyer and, as a frequent commentator on entertainment industry trends, has been quoted on National Public Radio’s “Marketplace,” and in the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily Journal, the Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, Broadcasting & Cable, and other publications. 

Many more to come...

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