Nuno Bernardo, CEO, Entertainment/Producer, BeActive

Nuno Bernardo is an award winning and Emmy nominated Transmedia writer and producer and the creator of the world’s first interactive teen series, Sofia’s Diary acquired by Sony Pictures and Television in 2006. He’s also creator of Flatmates, Aisling’s Diary, Beat Generation and Final Punishment, Transmedia series produced and adapted around the world. In North America Nuno Bernardo executive produced “The Line” and “Living in Your Car” for HBO Canada. He’s also a co-producer in “The Knot”, a feature film starring Mena Suvari and Noel Clarke, released in the UK/Ireland by Universal Pictures. Recently, Nuno produced “Farmer’s Market” for FOX and released multi-platform elements for Penguin Book’s Franchise “Girl Heart Boy”. Based on his experiences, Nuno Bernardo wrote the bestselling book “Producer’s Guide to Transmedia” and he is a frequent speaker at the most important industry events and festivals.

Nick DeMartino, Presidet, Nick DeMartino Consulting

Nick DeMartino is President, Nick DeMartino Consulting, a strategic advisory firm that works with companies on digital content and distribution strategy, partnerships and marketing initiatives. Companies he has advised include media companies, technology companies, transmedia producers, startups, and a business incubator. Find Nick on Twitter: @nickdemartino and on the web at: http://www.nickdemartino.net where he writes extensively on trends in digital media.

Formerly Senior Vice President for Media and Technology at the American Film Institute, DeMartino created programs at the frontier of digital production, interactive media & new forms of storytelling, including the AFI Digital Content Lab, the AFI-Apple Computer Center, the AFI Computer Media Salons, AFI Screen Education, and AFI.com. He was named #3 on the Hollywood Reporter’s list of digital influencers and twice named to L.A. Business Journal’s list of broadband technology innovators.

Prior to AFI DeMartino was an author, journalist, magazine publisher, independent filmmaker, advertising and marketing executive, and advocate for public media and indie filmmaking.

He is a founding member of the Interactive Peer Group of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences a frequent speaker and moderator at both tech and media conferences and festivals.

Guy Duncan, Global Group Content Director, Coca-Cola TM, The Coca-Cola Company

Joining in 2008, Guy took up the role of Director of Creative Excellence, The Coca-Cola Company Europe, leading the creative strategy and vision for the Group. In this role, Guy was responsible for managing the roster of agencies that was appointed to produce content across the Coca-Cola portfolio of sparkling and still brands. During his time in this role Guy led the reorganization of the Company’s roster agencies, conceived a new campaign for Diet Coke based on the lives of some beautiful puppets, had furry creatures singing for Coca-Cola in the Coca-Cola Summer program and filmed a group of teen skaters at night on location in Mexico City, for the award winning Burn Energy film which is receiving popular acclaim.

Guy was appointed to his current position as Global Group Content Director, based in Atlanta, in June 2010. In his current role, he is responsible for delivering global creative content across the Coca-Cola Trademark brands – Coca-Cola, Diet Coke/Coca-Cola Light and Coca-Cola Zero. Within this remit, Guy is leading development of creative content for the Company’s sponsorships of the London 2012 Olympics and the FIFA WORLD Cup 2014 in Brazil. In addition, Guy is responsible for leading the development of global content for the Open Happiness campaign for Coca-Cola, which now runs in 206 countries.

As part of a broad team at The Coca-Cola Company, Guy is responsible for driving our point of view on brand storytelling in this ever-changing communication landscape, and has contributed to the company’s new thinking on communications set out in Content 2020: an approach we call Liquid and Linked.

Prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company, Guy had a long career in advertising and design on the agency side with 18 years in London agencies, Guy has worked at Leo Burnett, JWT, DMB&B, Publicis and Coley 
Porter Bell - leading award winning projects for a broad spectrum of blue chip clients.

Guy loves living in the USA, misses English football, but doesn’t miss the climate.

Guy attended Oxford University and read Modern History.

Jacquelyn Ford Morie, PhD., Senior Scientist/Project Director , USC Institute, Creative Technologies

Jacquelyn Ford Morie is currently a Senior Research Scientist at USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), studying the effects of virtual worlds and avatar use on people for positive change.  Her work includes use of virtual worlds as an advanced form of tele-health care, looking at how and why people invest in their avatars, what cognitive changes happen during virtual world and avatar use, and how avatars affect our neurophysiology.  Her current funded efforts include the Coming Home project (www.cominghomecenter.org), which creates a healing and stress reduction center for veterans in the online world Second Life, and the Avatar Investment Metric Project, which is developing a standard instrument to determine one’s connection to an avatar.  Numerous papers and studies can be found on the Coming Home site.

Before ICT, she spent six years in the animation and effects industry at Disney Feature Animation, Blue Sky|VIFX and the award winning Rhythm & Hues, creating specialized training programs for both traditional and digital aspects of production.   From 1990 to 1994, Morie worked as an artist, researcher and educator at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Her Virtual Reality work at UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training involved creating scenarios and environments designed to evoke emotional responses from their participants.  In addition, she served as a Visiting Assistant Professor for UCF’s fledgling Film and Animation Program, developing a complete Computer Animation degree specialization.

Morie has been an active member of the games and serious games communities, and was part of the core team that designed ElectroAdventure (1992-1994) an early training game for Navy recruits that had an AI base to adapt lessons to the learner’s style.  She serves as a juror for IndieCade, a festival that promotes independent games of all types from young designers. She is a member of ACM, ACM SIGGRAPH. And currently serves as Director at Large on the Executive Council for SIGGRAPH.  She was a vital member of the SIGGRAPH Education Committee over the years, active in both research and conference activities for the group.  Morie has recently formed the ACM SIGGRAPH Digital Arts Committee, where the focus is to expand and enhance the SIGGRAPH arts community presence.

She is also a member of the International Digital Games Association (IDGA), the International Visual Effects Society, Women and Games International, the International Society for the Arts, Sciences, and Technology, the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA), and the International Society of Presence Research (ISPR) and the DARPA ISAT working group.  She is an active speaker on the potential of VWs and avatar use for real world good.  Her PhD is from the University of East London on theories of space and embodiment in immersive virtual environments.

Doug Frank, , Doug Frank Consulting

Doug Frank’s long and successful career in the entertainment industry has evolved from his beginnings as a musician, to his work as a composer/songwriter with songs recorded by such legendary artists as Dionne Warwick and Placido Domingo, to a 24 year career at Warner Brothers, culminating in 2003 when he assumed the post of President of Music Operations, a position he held until 2010.

As President of Music Operations, Mr. Frank was involved in all aspects of film music from the score to the soundtrack album, while also running the day to day operations of the music department.

Mr. Frank supervised the music for such blockbuster films as the Lethal Weapon series, the Harry Potter series and the Matrix series.  He also is responsible for overseeing the music for the Academy Award winning film Happy Feet, as well as The Departed, The Bodyguard, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and Sherlock Holmes among many others.

From 1986-2003 Mr. Frank’s career included serving as Vice-President , Senior Vice-President and Executive Vice-President of Music for Television and Animation, where he was responsible for establishing the musical identities for such shows as Growing Pains, Murphy Brown and China Beach as well as contributing his creative expertise to such Emmy Award-Winning animated series as Animaniacs, Superman and Tiny Toon Adventures.

Currently, Mr. Frank is running Doug Frank Consulting Services, serving as a consultant for music legend Celine Dion and her new Las Vegas Show, and for renowned video game designer Will Wright (The Sims, Spore).  He is also teaching and lectures at such universities as the University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, Bradley University and the University of La Verne.

Prior to Warner Brothers, Doug worked for Frontier Booking International as a music agent where he represented bands such as The Police, Fine Young Cannibals and The Bangles for their work in film and television.  He also composed music for the Broadway musical “Marilyn an American Fable,” which opened in the Mnskoff Theater in 1983.

Mr. Frank served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the National Academy of Recording Artists and Sciences and was selected to join the board of MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of NARAS.  He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees at the Idyllwild Arts Academy.

In 2006 Mr. Frank was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bradley University.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Brooklyn College.

Pablo Frasconi, , USC School of Cinema

Pablo Frasconi has been making films since 1969, when, at age 17, he won the National Newsweek-Bolex Documentary Film Contest with Redevelopment, a critique of conditions in his hometown, South Norwalk, Connecticut. Since, he has made films about the U.S. bicentennial, gentrification, childhood literacy, public art, creativity, civil liberties and poetry. He has received 18 grants and fellowships from national, regional and private entities including the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Film Institute. His films, including, The Woodcuts of Antonio Frasconi, Towards the Memory of a Revolution, Survival of a Small City, and The Longing, have been screened throughout the world, including the Festival dei Popoli, Firenze, Italy; The International Festival of Films on Architecture, “The Future of the City;” the Havana International Film Festival; the Smithsonian Institution; the Museum of Modern Art; the Santa Barbara International Film Festival; and the Margaret Mead Film Festival, and have received awards at the American Film Festival; the International Festival of Films on Art and Architecture; and the Black Maria Film Festival. He has worked as cinematographer and editor for the American Civil Liberties Union, theMetropolitan Museum of Art; Asia Society; and Weston Woods Studios. He is currently completing The Light at Walden, based of Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience and Walden, funded by the Park Foundation, and sponsored by the Center for Independent Documentary. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Production at the School of Cinematic Arts at USC where hecoordinates the first year of the graduate production program; teaches Editing, Concepts of Cinematic Production, Creating Poetic Cinema; recently designed and taught the YouTube Creator Institute at USC;the USC/Universal Studios Producing and Directing Course; was invited by the USC Provost to conduct a seminar in Transmedia and Political Engagement; helped to create of a new course in the graduate school,The Future of Cinema; and created a production seminar in World Building with Alex McDowell. He has previously taught at The New School; the State University of New York, College at Purchase; and Occidental College. His films have been distributed by the American Federation of Arts, NYC; The Museum of Modern Art, NYC, Filmmaker’s Library, NYC; and, El Museo del Barrio, NYC.

Jane Friedman, Co-Founder & CEO , Open Road Integrated Media

Friedman served as President and Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, one of the world's leading English-language publishers and a subsidiary of News Corporation, from November 1997 through June 2008. She oversaw HarperCollins book publishing including operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and India and initiated publishing relationships in China.

Friedman's decision to create a global digital warehouse, including digital files of its core backlist and future books, positioned the company as a leader in the industry and propelled HarperCollins into the 21st century of publishing.

Friedman, who earned a B.A. degree in English from New York University in 1967, came to HarperCollins from Random House, where she was Executive Vice President of Random House Inc., Executive Vice President of the Knopf Publishing Group, Publisher of Vintage Books, and Founder and President of Random House Audio Publishing.

She is Co-Chair of the Entertainment, Media and Communications Division of the UJA. She serves on the board of Literacy Partners, Yale University Press, and Poets & Writers, Inc. She is also a member of the American Advisory Committee of the Jerusalem International Book Fair and the Advisory Committee of the MFA program in creative writing at The New School.

Friedman has earned a myriad of awards and has been recognized by numerous international, national, and local organizations and publications. Among them, she was honored by Variety's 2007 Women's Impact Report and was chosen by the New York Post as one of New York's 50 Most Powerful Women. She was appointed Publishers Weekly's 2006 Person of the Year; named one of The Wall Street Journal's 50 Women to Watch; selected as one of Fast Company's Fast 50; and was featured in New York Magazine's The Influentials.

Friedman was also named one of New York's 100 Most Influential Business Leaders by Crain's New York Business; named one of America's 100 Most Important Women by Ladies Home Journal; was included on Vanity Fair's list of 200 Women Legends, Leaders and Trailblazers and was recognized for several years by Entertainment Weekly as one of the 101 Most Powerful People in Entertainment.

Eric F. Galen, Esq., Lawyer and Consultant , Heimann Galen LLP

Eric is a lawyer, consultant and entrepreneur whose passion for entertainment and technology has touched countless companies, entrepreneurs and creators over the past 12 years.  After graduating from USC Law School in 2000 (where he was a published author), Eric practiced law with several of the nation’s most prestigious law firms, including Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walkerand Manatt Phelps Phillips.

In 2007, Eric left the big law firm to gain an entrepreneur's education by first joining Audiolife, a growing Los Angeles entertainment and e-commerce startup.  As VP Business Development and General Counsel, Eric was crucial in helping the young company raise millions of dollars in funding, pivot their product, and successfully launch. 

In 2009, Eric created Music180.com, an online artist development platform boasting the world’s biggest roster of top music industry professionals.  Eric successfully raised seed funding from Southern California angels, orchestrated a large investment from Silicon Valley firm Originate, and partnered with brands like Guitar Center, Berklee, and Musicians' Institute. 

Eric is an author, speaker and mentor, having been featured at UCLA MEMES Week, Silicon Beach Fest, Lean Startup Machine, Startup Weekend, StartEngine Demo Day, Lean LA, io/LA Presents, ASCAP Expo, Anderson School of Business, Musicians Institute, CMJ, Miami Music Festival, Daily Journal, Los Angeles Magazine, and many others. Eric was chosen as a “Rising Star” in Super Lawyers magazine for 7 of the past 9 years, an award only given to the top 2% of lawyers in Southern California.

During his career, Eric has worked with creative professionals and leading brands including Fullscreen, Science, Originate, Disney, Sony Music, Warner Bros., DirecTV, Mitsubishi, General Electric, Bug Music Publishing, Primary Wave, Citrusbyte, The Eagles, R Kelly, Warner Bros Records, Foreigner, Universal Music, Arthouse Entertainment, Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Carrie Underwood), and many others.

Jeff Gomez, CEO, Transmedia Producer, STARLIGHT RUNNER ENTERTAINMENT

Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, is the world's leading expert at expanding entertainment properties, premium brands and socio-political themes into highly successful transmedia franchises and international campaigns.

As a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, Jeff contributes strategic planning and production for the extension of narrative content across digital and traditional platforms. He also extends the story worlds of films, toys, animation and videogame titles across multiple access points, which generate massive fan communities and multiple revenue streams.

Because of his team’s ability to assemble vital narrative elements from vast quantities of data, Jeff is able to quickly derive the essence of a brand or message and maximize its impact with target populations or global audiences.

Jeff created the smash hit Hot Wheels animation universe for Mattel, and has worked with such companies as Disney (Pirates of the Caribbean, Fairies, Tron Legacy), Newscorp (James Cameron's Avatar), Sony (Men in Black III), Microsoft (Halo), Coca-Cola (Happiness Factory), Hasbro (Transformers), and Viacom (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).

Prior to co-founding Starlight Runner Entertainment, Jeff helped develop the superhero universe of Valiant Comics, adapting characters such as Turok Dinosaur Hunter into blockbuster videogames for Acclaim Entertainment.

Jeff's first transmedia effort was for Magic: The Gathering, the popular card game from Wizards of the Coast, where he created a mythology for the trading cards that extended across a series of comic book titles, web sites and videogames.

A member of the Producers Guild of America, Jeff has spoken at the Aspen Institute, MIT Futures of Entertainment, CES, DARPA, NAB and TED. He's given his seminar, “Creating Blockbuster Worlds,” to the Game Developers Conference, NYS Bar Association, Turner Networks, Televisa, Globo Network, Rai TV, Digital Media Wire, and Kidscreen Summit, as well as to such corporations as Oracle, Wieden+Kennedy, and Ubisoft.

Jae Goodman, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Head, CAA Marketing, a division of Creative Artists Agency

Jae Goodman is Chief Creative Officer and Co-Head of CAA Marketing, a division of Creative Artists Agency, an entertainment and sports agency with offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Nashville and Beijing. CAA Marketing provides corporate clients with creative solutions that leverage the power of entertainment to build brands and drive business results. CAA Marketing clients include Coca-Cola, General Motors, Mattel, Diageo, Southwest Airlines, QVC, Chipotle, Experian, and Best Buy, among others. CAA Marketing was the driving force behind Coca-Cola’s long-standing partnership with American Idol and Hasbro’s Transformers film franchise. Recent successes include two Cannes Grand Prix awards for Chipotle’s “Cultivate Campaign” and its animated short film “Back to the Start” featuring Willie Nelson covering Coldplay, the first and second brand films ever accepted to the Sundance Film Festival, the first-ever live interactive show on Hulu, GAP’s first-ever Webby Award-winning work, Mitchum’s television show and social media search for “The Hardest Working Person In America,” and Mattel’s momentum in entertainment with seven feature films currently in development including Hot Wheels, Monster High, and Masters of the Universe. Prior to joining CAA, Goodman served as Senior Vice President and Executive Creative Director at Publicis & Hal Riney in San Francisco, overseeing all creative talent and work produced at the agency. Previously, he held creative and executive positions at Wieden + Kennedy, Leagas~Delaney, and Ogilvy & Mather, developing iconic campaigns for such brands as Microsoft, Virgin, Sprint, and HP. Goodman has won “Best in Show” at every major advertising award show, including the Clios, Cannes Lions, AICP, Andys, and One Show Entertainment, and had his work selected as one of TED’s “10 Ads Worth Spreading.” Outside of advertising, Goodman's successes include creating and executive producing a show for FOX Sports, developing the partnership between 24-Hour Fitness and NBC's The Biggest Loser, co-founding content-meets-commerce startup Honeyshed, and writing music videos, earning multiple MTV Music Video Awards nominations for artists ranging from Fatboy Slim and Linkin Park to Miley Cyrus and Mariah Carey.

Trudy Hardy, Department Head, Marketing Communications and Consumer Events, BMW

Trudy Hardy is the Department Head responsible for Marketing Communications and Consumer Events for the BMW brand in the United States.  She oversees the strategic development of national and regional advertising, media strategy and buying, experiential marketing, digital marketing and social media. She also works with an international marketing team who develop global marketing strategies and campaigns for new product launches.

Trudy joined the BMW Group family in 2001 as the Brand Communications Manager for MINI USA.  She was one of the original team members responsible for launching the brand in the United States and was promoted to the head of Marketing for MINI in 2005. In that role she was responsible for brand strategy, positioning, communication, research and events.

With over 17 years of automotive marketing experience, she began her automotive career with Jaguar Cars in the United States.  There she held several positions within the marketing group, from Advertising Production to Brand Management.

Ms. Hardy earned her degree in marketing from Ramapo College and is an active member of the Regional Board of Governors for the college and is a member of the alumni advisory board for the Anisfield School of Business.

Gary Hayes, Founding Director; Senior Producer, Product Development; CEO, Storylabs.us, ABC TV MultiPlatform, MUVEDesign.com

Gary is an award-winning multi-platform producer, author, educator and Director. He is currently Senior Producer and Manager of Product Development at ABC TV Multi Platform responsible for delivering new editorial formats against ABC TV shows including dual screen, social TV and mobile.

He founded the global training group StoryLabs.us in 2010 growing innovative multi-platform, transmedia productions and is CEO of Multi Platform company MUVEDesign.com creating branded and story-based multi-platform, augmented reality and virtual worlds for major brands. Gary was previously Senior Development Producer and Manager at the BBC in UK for eight years – delivering interactive Social TV, broadband internet and emerging platforms to millions of UK users.

After two years in the US as interactive producer, Gary then became the founding director in Australia of the Innovation Training Unit LAMP.edu.au via AFTRS between 2005-10. He recently became a Distinguished Talent permanent resident in Australia and since 2005 runs the top ten AdAge Power150 Media & Marketing blog  personalizemedia.com in Australia. 

Gary designs & lectures on full time multi-platform content courses at MetroScreen and AFTRS and has been an International Interactive Emmy juror for the past few years and adjudicates on several multi-platform funding initiatives.

Zak Kadison, Founder & CEO, Blacklight

A respected entertainment industry veteran, Zak Kadison is responsible for the management and strategic vision of Blacklight. He is an expert at transmedia storytelling, production of multi-platform entertainment properties, and strategic planning.
Kadison previously served as a senior production executive at Fox Atomic, a production label of the major film studio 20th Century Fox, where he was responsible for the acquisition, development, and production of Atomic’s slate, including production deals with film talent including Denzel Washington, as well as Harry Potter director Chris Columbus. Prior to joining Fox, Kadison served as the Senior Vice President of Production for Gold Circle Films and was responsible for the acquisition, development and production of Gold Circle’s films, including the company’s first deals with Paramount Pictures and New Line Cinema as well as collaborations with Gore Verbinski, Natalie Portman and Joel Schumacher.

Nicoletta Lacobacci, Head of Strategy for Media, EBU

Nicoletta joined EBU in 2006 as Head of Multiplatform and Crossmedia and was recently promoted to Head of Strategy for the EBU.  She also curates and produces the TEDX Transmedia Conference which was recently held in Rome, Italy. 

The EBU serves 74 Members in 56 countries in and around Europe. It represents its Members and promotes the values and distinctiveness of public service media in Europe and around the world. The Eurovision and Euroradio networks deliver news, sports, events and music to EBU Members and other media organizations. Services to Members range from legal advice, technical standardisation and development to coproduction and exchange of quality European content.

Before joining the EBU, Nicoletta worked for the Italian broadcaster RAI creating its first website, and initiating the RAI TV interactive/digital content factory in Italy. Prior to that she worked for RAI in the US as a producer covering North and Central America. Nicoletta has also been giving university courses on Multiplatform Distribution and Interactive storytelling.

Ed Lantz, Founder and CTO, Vortex Immersion Media, Inc., Co-Founder and Director, IMERSA, Vortex Immersion Media, Inc. and IMERSA

Ed Lantz is an entertainment technology engineer, entrepreneur, immersive experience designer and pioneer of large-format digital cinema. He left aerospace engineering in 1990 to transform old-style planetariums into immersive visualization environments, designing over a dozen dome theaters worldwide including the Library of Alexandria in Egypt and Papalote Museo in Mexico City. His company, Vortex Immersion Media, produces immersive and interactive experiences for Fortune 500 brands including Condé Nast, EMC2, Microsoft, Nestle, NFL, Nike, Nokia and Sprint. His company also operates the Vortex Dome, the first commercial immersive media production studio and events venue located in downtown Los Angeles. Ed's focus is on the unique cognitive properties of next-generation multisensory media environments, the merging of virtual and real worlds, computer mediated participatory art and brain-based approaches to digital media in art, learning and wellness applications. Ed holds a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering with minor in Quantum Physics and Electromagnetics from Tennessee Tech University. www.vorteximmersion.com

Gerd Leonhard, Futurist, Author, CEO , The Futures Agency

Gerd Leonhard is a well-known Futurist and Author of five books, a highly influential Keynote Speaker, Think-Tank Leader & Advisor, and the Founder of GreenFuturist.com. Gerd also serves as Visiting Professor at the Fundação Dom Cabral (São Paulo, Brazil). He is wellknown as the co-author of the influential book ‘The Future of Music’ (Berklee Press, 2005), and as the author of 'The End of Control’ (2007), ‘Music 2.0’ (2008), 'Friction is Fiction' (2009, Lulu Publishing), and ‘The Future of Content’ (Kindle-only, 2011). His new book "From Ego to Eco" will be released in 2012.

Gerd's background is in music and the music business; in 1985 he won Berklee College’s 'Quincy Jones Award' and subsequently spent 10 years working as a professional guitar player, composer and producer. He then caught the Internet bug and became a digital media entrepreneur, serving as CEO with several Internet startups, based in San Francisco for 7 years. In 2002, Gerd returned to Europe and started his career as Futurist, Keynote Speaker and Strategic Advisor.

He now travels around the globe and speaks at major conferences and events, company retreats, seminars and in-house trainings on the Future of Business, Sustainability, Environmental Policy and Climate Change, Media, Content and Entertainment, Technology, Marketing, Advertising & Branding, Telecommunications etc. Since late 2011, Gerd has been widening the scope of his work to include some of the most pressing ‘green’ issues such as sustainability and ‘sustainable capitalism’, renewable energy, climate change and global warming.

Gerd is considered a leading expert on topics such as digital business models, the networked society, a sustainable business ecology, social media and social communications, TV & Radio 2.0, mobile content, innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship, consumer trends, UGC and peer production, copyright and IPR issues, next-generation advertising, marketing and branding, and recently the development of ’green futures’ scenarios. In 2006, The Wall Street Journal called Gerd ‘one of the leading Media Futurists in the World’.

Gerd's keynotes, speeches and presentations are renowned for his hard-hitting and provocative yet inspiring, personal and intense motivational style. With over 1’300 engagements in 43 countries since 2003, Gerd has addressed over 200’000 executives and professionals, and is often considered a key influencer. His diverse client list includes Consumers International, YouTube, Nokia, The Guardian, Google, Sony-BMG, Telkom Indonesia, Siemens, RTL, ITV, the BBC, France Telecom, Orange, Deutsche Telekom, MTN, The Financial Times, DDB / TribalDDB, Ogilvy, Omnicom, the European Commission, and many others.

Gerd is a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts (London), a member of the World Future Society, and a visiting professor at the Fundação Dom Cabral in Brazil. A native German, he now resides in Basel, Switzerland.

Shelly Maxwell, Executive Vice President, NCM Fathom Events, National CineMedia (NCM)

Shelly Maxwell is executive vice president of National CineMedia (NCM)’s entertainment events division, NCM Fathom Events, based at the company’s Centennial, Colo. headquarters.
 
Maxwell joined Regal Entertainment Group’s media subsidiary Regal CineMedia Corporation (now National CineMedia) in 2004 as vice president of event operations, became a senior vice president in 2006, and was promoted to her current position in 2011. During her tenure, NCM Fathom Events has grown from a start-up to a profitable multimillion dollar business.
 
Prior to NCM, she served as senior vice president of programming, production and on-air strategy for Scripps Networks’ Shop At Home Channel, and as senior vice president, general manager of operations with Qwest Digital Media. Maxwell’s television career also includes work as senior vice president, programming and production with America's Voice Cable Network in Washington, D.C.; vice president, general manager of the WB television station affiliate WNAB in Nashville, Tenn.; and producer of various Emmy Award-winning non-news programs and thousands of live daily talk shows airing on networks including ABC, CBS, WB and FOX in the Tampa Bay, Washington and Nashville markets.

Erin McPherson, VP & Head of Video, Yahoo!

Erin leads the video business for the Yahoo! Media Network, which is comprised of the U.S. consumer-facing media sites on Yahoo.com, including News, Sports, Finance, the entertainment sites, and Yahoo’s new video  destination, Yahoo! Screen.  Erin oversees both licensed video and the development, production and distribution of original video content across the Network.

Erin has spent the last five years at Yahoo, during which time she also oversaw the business development and partnerships team for the Yahoo Media Network.  Prior to joining Yahoo, Erin was an entertainment attorney at Stone, Meyer, Genow et al., a boutique law firm in Beverly Hills, California, where she represented a wide number of individuals in the film and television industry, including Halle Berry, Kevin Spacey, Daniel Craig, and others.  Erin has over 15 years experience in the media industry, including serving as in-house counsel and strategist for LivePlanet, a new media venture founded by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and Z.com, an internet start-up backed by Idealabs’ Bill Gross in partnership with entertainment management and production companies Brillstein-Grey (now Brillstein Entertainment) and 3 Arts.

Erin is a graduate of Middlebury College and Harvard Law School  and resides in Los Angeles, California.

Chris Pfaff, Chairman, CEO, Producers Guild of America New Media Council East; Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC

Chris Pfaff is a leading new media and technology producer and strategist. He is renowned for integrating leading-edge technology into the media and entertainment community. He was the first to use IRC for an interactive corporate webcast; produced one of the first DVDs, in March, 1997; produced the first HD animated logo; produced some of the first mobile short films in 2002-2003, and produced numerous multipoint broadband events in the late-1990s. He was heavily involved with the launch of both Digital Television and digital terrestrial radio in the U.S., and helped launch the world’s first HDTV-over-fiber offering.

His company, Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC, provides strategy and marketing services for leading technology service providers and new media companies worldwide. Since founding Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC in 2002, Chris has represented a wide range of clients, including strategic ventures from Eastman Kodak, PRIMEDIA, Cantor Telecom, and ASCAP, and firms ranging from mobile content distributor Thumbplay, video encoding firm On2 Technologies (sold to Google), and 3D face and body animation production studio face2face animation. He leads a global team that works with a large, and growing, number of European ventures, and acts as an advisor to both technology incubators and investors alike.

Prior to launching Chris Pfaff Tech/Media, Chris was a senior executive with the early-stage ventures GeoVideo Networks and MobileQ, and previously had helped launch more than 16 ventures with the Lucent New Ventures Group and Bell Labs, including Lucent Digital Radio (now iBiquity Digital), Lucent Digital Video (sold to Harris Corp.), SyChip (sold to Murata), e-Ink, Flarion (sold to Qualcomm), and savaJe (sold to Sun Microsystems), among others. While at AT&T Corp., he helped launch AT&T WorldNet Service and the AT&T NetWare Connect Service, and also helped launch the AT&T Personal Online Services division. Prior to this, he represented such clients as Sony Electronics; Viacom New Media, Sharp Electronics, and Kyocera, among others.  He began his career in the music industry, representing clients including Yamaha Corporation; Hal Leonard Publishing, and working with a wide range of musical artists and producers, including such notable figures as Walter Becker, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, and Phil Ramone.

Chris is currently chairman of the Producers Guild of America New Media Council East; a delegate on the national board of the Producers Guild of America, and vice chairman of the Producers Guild of America New Media Council.

Rick Richter, CEO and Chairman / Previous President of Simon & Schuster Childrens' Publishing, Ruckus Media Group

Rick Richter is a recognized leader in children’s intellectual property development and digital strategy. As President and Publisher of the Simon & Schuster Children’s Division from 1996 - 2008, Rick quadrupled revenue and profit and established the company as a consistently award-winning children’s and young adult publisher. During his tenure bestselling brands created under his direction included, among many others, OLIVIA (Nickelodeon, Spring ‘09) and THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (Paramount, ‘08), HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (New Line, ‘08) and YES MAN (Warner Bros '08). In 1990, Rick co-founded Candlewick Press, a prestigious children's publisher based in Boston and launched the now children’s classic, GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. Ruckus Media Group, launched in September 2010, is Rick’s next great adventure. Ruckus is new award winning mobile media family entertainment company backed by venture capital firm Alsop Louie. www.ruckusmediagroup.com

Jeremiah Rosen, President & Partner, Campfire

Jeremiah Rosen is the President of Campfire, a leading marketing firm based in New York City.  Jeremiah has been party to some of the most successful transmedia programs in marketing history. He has also led Campfire's business transformation from scrappy creative startup to OMMA's 2011 Small Agency of the Year.  Jeremiah joined Campfire in 2006 as Director of Client Service and Business Development, was made a Partner in 2008, and became President in 2010. 

At Campfire, Jeremiah is responsible for business development, account management and finance operations. He also adds creative and strategic value for all of Campfire's clients, which include HBO, Capital One, Harley-Davidson, L'Oreal, A&E, Ian Schrager Hotels, USA Network and Cinemax. 

Jeremiah also spent time at some of the world's leading creative shops, including Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Deutsch in NYC, and Leftfield Interactive in San Francisco. In addition, Jeremiah was a key member of a successful e-commerce content startup, Center.com, based out of Paris and San Francisco.

Jeremiah has a J.D. from Syracuse Law School and a Master's in Communications from Syracuse's Newhouse School. He received his B.A. from Dickinson College.

Avi Savar, Founder & COO Big Fuel & Jury President of Branded Content and Entertainment, Cannes Lion

Avi Savar is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Big Fuel, a pure-play social media agency designed for the needs of large brands. Avi Savar began his career in the agent-training program at ICM in Los Angeles. Soon after, Avi transitioned to the creative side of entertainment — as an independent producer, he created highly stylized programming for companies such as USA Networks, Fox, Columbia Tri-Star and Showtime. Anticipating the convergence of technology and media in 1998, Avi founded and launched AtBalance Solutions – an online media company delivering Health, Fitness and Wellness related content to Fortune 1000 companies. Recruited back to “traditional” television in 2001, Avi served as producer for ABC’s “Good Morning America,” before being asked to create and develop breakthrough entertainment programming for both MTV and VH1. Among other credits, he oversaw the production and was instrumental in the success of VH1’s hit series “The Fabulous Life of….” In 2004, Avi launched Big Fuel. What started as a 1-man “branded content studio” has today grown into the largest social media agency in the world — with over 120 employees and clients that include: Starwood, H&M, Pepsico, T-Mobile, General Motors, Microsoft, Gore-Tex, Clorox, Children’s Place, Budwieser, and Philips. In June 2011, Avi led Big Fuel to a successful acquisition by French media giant Publicis. Giving Big Fuel a global footprint and making it the most dominant social media agency worldwide. In addition to being President of the inaugural Cannes Branded Content Jury, Avi is also an advisor to several non-profit’s, including: UJA Federation and Grameen America. He is also an active investor and advisor to several media and technology companies, including: Project Decor, Wendr, Promoboxx, Proclivity Media, Urban Interns, CMP.LY, Hyphen Lab, DietBet, among others. As a first-to-market innovator, Avi’s work continues to influence the shape of brand communications and media.

Alison Savitch, VFX Producer, Prior Chair, Producers Guild of America New Media Council

Alison Savitch is a producer in all aspects of multi-media entertainment; live action movies and television, theme park attractions for the worlds leading parks, and all aspects of special venue production. She specializes in producing and the supervision of digital visual effects for blockbuster movies, animation and themed entertainment worldwide.

Her groundbreaking work on both “The Abyss” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” contributed greatly to these films which won two Academy Awards for best special visual effects.

VFX and 3D combined Producing and Supervising credits include; this summer’s “Prometheus, “Spiderman 4,” “The Green Lantern 3D,” the new “Conan 3D,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 3D,” “Piranhna 3D” and more...

Savitch produced both “Mortal Kombat” and the sequel features.  Each one opened number one in the box office and they went on to gross nearly $200 million worldwide.  She also produced “Mortal Kombat’s” animated series that was #1 on USA network, as well as “Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins,”a direct-to-video animated special that ranked #1 on the Billboard Kid Vid Sales and Rental charts. Savitch continues to develop and produce top transmedia properties across the media spectrum.

Ms. Savitch’s Producing and Supervising credits further include:  “The Poseidon Adventure,” “Messengers,” “Rise,” “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” “Harold &  Kumar Escape Guantanamo Bay,” “Bangkok Dangerous,” “Alexander,”  “The Abyss,” “Dracula,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “The Grudge,” and  “The Grudge 2,” “Rise, Aliens of the Deep,” “The Matrix,” “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton,” “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Highlander: Endgame,” “The Imposter,”  “Scary Movie,” “The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas,” “The Shadow,” “Beowulf,” “The Faculty,” “Dogma,”  “Arachnophobia,” “The Last Action Hero,” “Mortal Kombat” movies, television series and animated series as well as a “Mortal Kombat” animated DVD and many more.

Savitch is known for her innovations in Theme Parks, Animation, Visual Effects, Motion Capture and 3-D stereoscopic production.  Most recently, she produced and supervised the animation and visual effects on numerous major theme park attractions, including an all CGI stereoscopic movie for Hershey Park, “Star Trek: Borg Invasion,” a stereoscopic ride/attraction film for Paramount’s Theme Park Division and the Walt Disney Company’s #1 ride ever, “Mission Space” at Epcot. Center as well as one of Euro Disney’s top attractions ARMAGEDDON, based on the blockbuster movie to name a few.

Ms. Savitch served as the Chair of the PGA: Producers Guild of America New Media Council for 5 years; Co-chair of the Visual Effect Committee for the entire PGA, she is on the National Board of Directors for the Producers Guild; the Advisory Board of Gnomon School of Visual Effects and is a founding Board Member of the Visual Effects Society and the International 3D Society.

Doug Scott, President & Founder, OgilvyEntertainment

With over 20 years of integrated marketing experience, Doug Scott is widely recognized for his exceptional ability to bring brand values to life through dynamic storytelling. As President of OgilvyEntertainment, Scott has produced groundbreaking multiplatform programs for some of the world's leading companies, such as Unilever, IBM, Nestle, DuPont, General Electric, Cisco, Time Warner Cable, and TD Ameritrade. Scott is a visionary in the branded entertainment space and a trailblazer in forming partnerships between talent, producers, networks and brands. Notable projects include The Horizons Project for Dupont, The Disadventures of the Disrespectoids for Capri Sun, The Invested Life for TD Ameritrade, Digital Cribs for Cisco, and The Real Food Project for Hellmann’s.

In addition to award-winning branded entertainment, Scott is also Executive Producer of the documentary film Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare. Escape Fire has swept up awards at film festivals nationwide after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and is set for theatrical release on October 5 by Roadside Attractions.

Before Ogilvy & Mather, Scott cofounded MATTER, where he created entertainment marketing campaigns such as “Diddy Runs the City” and “Vote or Die” for Sean Combs. Prior to that, Scott was Executive Vice President of Marketing & Branded Entertainment Creative Director at Hypnotic, where he developed and produced the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival in addition to campaigns for Reebok (Terry Tate: Office Linebacker), Ford Motor Company (Focus Films), Nintendo (Eternal Darkness Films) and Toyota (Scion Screening Series).

Scott is Chairman of the Branded Content Marketing Association’s North America Chapter (BCMA NA), Honorary U.S. Chairman of the Connected TV Marketing Association (CTVMA), and Chairman Emeritus of realscreen’s Branded Entertainment Forum. Scott is an active speaker at global industry conferences and has served as a jury member for global industry award competitions, including the Cannes Lions.

Brian Selzer, President, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Ogmento, Inc.

Brian Selzer is the President, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Ogmento, Inc., a developer and publisher of location-based, augmented reality games and entertainment. As a pioneering executive and entrepreneur for over 15 years, Mr. Selzer has made his career pushing the boundaries of digital media and entertainment. Having established business models that drive today’s online, mobile and social media space, he is a recognized leader and innovator in the interactive industry. He has created, produced, marketed and distributed online and mobile content to a client list that includes Sony, Microsoft, EA, Activision, Fox, Universal, Warner Brothers, Paramount, MTV, Marvel, Hasbro, Pepsi, Nike, Lego, NBA and many others. Mr. Selzer is a recognized speaker at industry events and a sought after advisor on augmented reality initiatives, location-based services, immersive technologies, emerging media platforms, games, gamification, and the future of entertainment.

Jeffrey Sharp, Co-founder and President, Open Road Integrated Media

Jeff Sharp is President and Co-Founder of Open Road Integrated Media in New York City. In producing a series of Academy Award– and Golden Globe–winning films over the past ten years, he has distinguished himself in recognizing opportunities to better integrate the publishing and film industries in creating critically acclaimed commercial entertainment.

His credits include the Academy Award– and Golden Globe Award–winning film Boys Don’t Cry, and You Can Count on Me, which was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes and won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.

He also produced the Golden Globe–nominated movies Nicholas Nickleby and Proof, as well as other renowned adaptations, including A Home at the End of the World, The Night Listener, and Evening.

As part of Open Road’s mission to market its ebooks on all screens, Sharp and his team are currently overseeing the development and production of a slate of feature films and television and online series from Open Road properties, including: Lie Down in Darkness, based on the novel by William Styron, written and to be directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart); Cocoa Beach, a television series adapted by Andre and Maria Jacquemetton (Mad Men) based on the life of NBC news reporter Jay Barbree’s recollections of the early days of the U.S. space program in Cape Canaveral, Florida; and soon-to-be-announced adaptations of future Open Road E-riginal, Publishing Partnership, and Author Branded Program projects.

Jeffrey Sharp holds an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from Colgate University. He serves on the board of Literacy Partners, the London Book Fair Film and Television Centre, the National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction and the board for the BookExpo of America. He is a member of BAFTA and chairs the advisory board of the Hamptons International Film Festival.

Sharp won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature for You Can Count on Me, was nominated for a Golden Globe for Nicholas Nickleby, and was honored with the Andrew Sarris award in 2005 from the Columbia University School of the Arts for his contribution to independent film.

Craig Singer, Producer, Director, Special Projects Disney Online Originals

After directing, writing and producing several Award Winning shorts and feature films (one starring Neil Patrick Harris, fresh off Doogie Howser fame), Singer went on to found FanLib and My2Centences, companies that predicted the integration of film with internet and social media. In 2008 he sold the companies to The Walt Disney Company, where he took a creative VP role.

A dynamic, award-winning filmmaker and new media executive with an exemplary record of leading sales and marketing for small to large privately-held and public companies. Singer is recognized for taking his companies from zero to producing multimillion dollar revenues in a short period of time. Entrepreneurial executive and visionary in building business development opportunities, forging strategic partnerships, and implementing & devising strategies to increase revenues by up to 100%.  Talented leader in creating world class diverse entertainment.

My experience is based on over 20 years in a Leadership/Management creative position.

Currently I am a creative and business advisor focusing on developing strategic planning and implementations of creative plans to fruition. This planning includes driving revenue, business development opportunities, developing unique partnerships, building sales teams, operation and infrastructure issues as well as original IP and creative oppertunities.

As Co Founder and Chief Creative Officer for both My2Centences and FanLib I was responsible for all creative events,  sales, business development and strategic partnerships ranging from Pepsi, to Harper Collins to Carl Icahn and Lions Gate Entertainment.  During my tenure the company launched events with most major media companies under my supervision.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Singer has been thinking in pictures since he picked up a super-eight camera at the age of twelve. He studied film and theater at William Paterson University, and art history at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. He honed his directing skills creating short films and music videos for bands such as IOU, Mask and The Misfits. His PSA on Gun Control won him a Best New Director Award from the NDECA.

Paul Smith, Director of Consumer & Communications Research; Author, The Procter & Gamble Company; Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives That Captivate, Convince, and Inspire

Paul Smith is a consumer research executive at The Procter & Gamble Company, a popular keynote speaker and trainer in leadership and storytelling techniques, and the author of Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives That Captivate, Convince, and Inspire. His work has been featured in London’s Edge Magazine, CIO Magazine, PR News, and Forbes.com.

Paul is currently director of consumer & communications research at P&G in Cincinnati, Ohio. In his 19 years with the company, he has worked in leadership positions in both research and finance functions in several multi-billion dollar business units. He is also a highly-rated trainer in several P&G training colleges for leadership and communications. Prior to P&G, Paul was a consultant for Arthur Andersen & Company.

In addition to corporate clients, he is a lecturer in the MBA programs at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati.

Paul holds a bachelors degree in economics, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He lives with his wife and two sons in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio.

Jim Stewartson, CEO & Founder, Fourth Wall Studios

As the CEO and Founder of Fourth Wall Studios, Stewartson has 20 years’ experience in the innovative development of technology and interactive entertainment. Under his creative guidance, Fourth Wall has created ground-breaking original content series for their RIDES.TV platform including the Primetime Emmy® winning series DIRTY WORK - along with DARK WALL, THE GAMBLERS and CLAIRE. Prior to Fourth Wall, Stewartson was a founder of 42 Entertainment where he designed, developed and delivered solutions for massive branded entertainment projects including the pioneering alternate reality game, I Love Bees for Halo 2, Vanishing Point for Windows Vista, and Year Zero for Nine Inch Nails. His creative direction on these projects has garnered him a number of prestigious awards including an Innovation Award at the Game Developers Conference, the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, as well as two Webbys. As the President and Founder of Shout Interactive, Stewartson also invented the first commercial 3D game to be delivered over the Web for Star Trek: First Contact, and has headed numerous award-winning online experiences for notable properties including, Titanic, Lost in Space and Starship Troopers, CNN, Sony, IBM, France Telecom, NBC and the Olympics.

Patric M. Verrone, Writers Guild of America Previous President, Writer/Producer/Executive Producer, Futurama

Patric M. Verrone is a television writer, attorney, and former President of the Writers Guild of America, West (2005-09). He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College where he was an officer of The Harvard Lampoon and earned a J.D. from Boston College Law School after serving as editor of the Boston College Law Review. His television writing credits include The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Larry Sanders Show, The Critic, The Simpsons, Pinky and the Brain, Rugrats, Muppets Tonight!, Class of 3000, and Futurama. He has been an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School and UCLA Extension. He has won three Emmy awards and has been nominated ten times in four different categories, three ASIFA Annie Awards, an Environmental Media Award, a People’s Choice Award nomination, the Writers Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Animation Writing, the Morgan Cox Award, and the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel’s Labor Counsel of the Year Award. He was #75 in Time Magazine poll of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2008. He is married to fellow TV writer and novelist Maiya Williams; they have three children who all want to be writers and a dog who wants to direct.

Will Wright, CEO, Syntertainment

Will Wright is a well-known computer game designer, and co-founder of Maxis. He created groundbreaking games unlike any others such as SimCity, The Sims and Spore. Known for his unusual ideas and projects, which later have become groundbreaking hits, sealing his reputation as one of the most important game designers in the world. Currently CEO of Syntertainment, he’s now working on new concepts to expand the realm of gaming into our everyday lives. When asked what he does he just says “I design stuff”. Rolling Stone magazine called him “one of the 100 people that changed America."