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Media Play News

July 28, 2025

Welcome to Media Play News’ eighth annual 40 Under 40, in which we spotlight and celebrate the rising stars in digital entertainment, as well as established young executives whose career paths took them to soaring heights early in the game.

Media Play News believes in shining the spotlight on not just the industry’s top C-suite leaders, but also on the many other talented executives in content, distribution and technology who might not get front-row seats to the Oscars, but who are nevertheless key players in the “last mile” of entertainment: delivering movies, TV shows and other filmed content directly to consumers.

As usual, our honorees are listed in random order. Some were nominated by their peers, while others were nominated by their companies — or by outsiders who knew of their work and felt they deserved special consideration for everything they’ve accomplished in their relatively brief careers. Our editorial team made the final selections, based on many emails, texts and even late-night phone calls with industry insiders.

Jessica Fan, 31

Head of New Ventures
Prime Video

Fan focuses on emerging business opportunities for Prime Video. Since joining Amazon in 2017, she has been a key player in the company’s investments in Young Adult content, both at Prime Video and at Freevee, paving the way for hits such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Prior to assuming her present position in December 2024, Fan served as Head of Film at Freevee, where she worked in content acquisition and creative development. Before joining Amazon, Fan began her career as an Equity Research Analyst in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Group at Goldman Sachs.

Robert Baker, 30

Senior Manager, Global Brand and Social Marketing
Sony Pictures Entertainment

Baker is a strategy and creative leader for Sony Pictures’ global film and television distribution business. He is responsible for implementing 360-degree marketing campaigns for Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Sony Pictures Television, including such recent titles as Becoming Led Zeppelin, In the Land of Saints and Sinners, and “The Boys.” Prior to joining Sony in July 2023, Baker led marketing strategy for originals programming at HBO Max. He began his career at Sony Pictures in 2018 at Sony Pictures Animation. Since rejoining Sony, Baker has become integral for collaboration with filmmakers and partners to deliver innovative campaigns.

Bita Eshghieh, 34

Director, Customer Experience
Sony Pictures Entertainment

Eshghieh leads retailer strategy and activations across all digital retailers for Sony Pictures films in the transactional (TVOD) window. Partnering with cross-functional teams and retailers, she drives consumer purchases for at-home viewing. Most recently, Eshghieh oversaw launches for Karate Kid: Legends, 28 Years Later and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and collaborated with her theatrical counterparts to create full lifecycle programs. Since beginning her career at Sony in 2013 as a research trainee, she has held a range of positions across the studio, including roles in sales planning and network distribution. From 2020 to 2022 she worked at Paramount, managing AVOD partnerships.

Kei Yamada, 35

Manager, Digital Sales Planning
Sony Pictures Entertainment

Yamada is a key member of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Digital Sales Planning team, where he provides insights, analysis and strategic guidance across SPE’s library of film and television content. He leads planning efforts for the studio’s largest home entertainment partner, Amazon, driving partnership strategies and supporting high-impact initiatives across transactional (TVOD) and subscription (SVOD) windows. Known for his precision with data and systems optimization, Yamada is frequently tapped to lead SPE’s most-critical projects. Since joining Sony Pictures in 2022, he has championed cross-platform strategies that unlock incremental value and align with evolving distribution models. Prior to joining SPE, Yamada held an analytical role at Honda.

Sofia Gomez Garcia, 37

Executive Director, Innovation, Special Projects and Global Community Management
Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales

Gomez Garcia runs primary research on WBD’s Content Sales Global Research team, which supports all content lifecycle windows following the first release. Since joining the company in 2021, she’s worked across multiple disciplines supporting home entertainment releases, immersive entertainment, and content sales and global content licensing initiatives. She also manages the Warner Bros. ‘A’-List, a multi-territory insights community that serves as a valuable cost-savings research tool across the organization. Born and raised in Mexico, Gomez Garcia began her career in film development and production, and strives to keep a storytelling mentality when bridging the gap between entertainment consumers and the movies or shows they enjoy.

Sarah Nelson, 38

Global Head of Strategic Partnerships and business development
Samsung TV Plus

Nelson leads content acquisition and platform partnerships across 30 countries for connected-TV leader Samsung TV Plus. Under her leadership, the service has become one of the largest FAST platforms globally, reaching more than 88 million monthly users across 630 million devices, with 3,500 channels and a vast on-demand library. Nelson has secured exclusive partnerships with top creators and brands, including Spotify, the Jonas Brothers, Mark Rober, Mattel and A+E. Prior to assuming her present position in December 2022, Nelson led strategic partnerships for Samsung TV and Mobile, driving major deals across content, distribution and emerging tech. She joined Samsung in 2013.

Sara Marszalkowski, 30

Senior Manager, Business Intelligence
PBS Distribution

Since joining PBS Distribution in 2022, Marszalkowski has transformed the way the Business Intelligence unit provides data and analytics to the organization. She has developed and refined corporate projection models, allowing leadership to make fact-based decisions regarding acquisitions and partnership opportunities. She has been the primary driver of improved end-user reporting, allowing teams to access data when and how they need it. Promoted into her present position in November 2024, Marszalkowski is now mentoring others to strive for the same level of excellence and innovation. Prior to joining PBS Distribution, Marszalkowski spent more than three years at Greenlight Networks, a broadband service provider based in Rochester, N.Y.

Dashiell Winston, 36

Director, Digital Marketing
Paramount Home Entertainment

Winston leads digital marketing for new releases, acquisitions and original titles across home entertainment and Paramount+. A storyteller at heart, Winston is known for connecting with fans in authentic and unexpected ways — most notably earning a Grand Clio Award for his work on Scream VI. His past campaigns for Top Gun: Maverick, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and A Quiet Place have garnered both industry recognition and cultural impact. He excels in all aspects of digital marketing, from social strategy to influencer marketing and brand collaborations. Winston joined Paramount in 2011 and held a series of positions before assuming his present role in September 2021.

Melisa Torres Villafaña, 34

Manager, Digital Distribution
Paramount Home Entertainment

Torres Villafaña plays a pivotal role within the Paramount Home Entertainment sales team, providing account management support for digital retail partners including Prime Video and Microsoft. She collaborates across brand, marketing and planning to drive growth of the Paramount Pictures catalog to execute best-in-class digital releases. Most recently, Torres Villafaña and the team launched the pioneering pre-theatrical digital product page on Prime Video for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. Torres Villafaña joined Paramount in 2021 and has worked across sales, customer marketing and physical operations. She was promoted into her present position in 2022. Prior to joining Paramount she worked at insurer Hub International and Echelon Studios.

Rebecca Hart-Brown, 38

Senior Marketing Manager
Paramount Home Entertainment

Based in Sydney, Australia, Hart-Brown oversees the marketing for Paramount Pictures Australia and New Zealand, leading launch campaigns for major titles including Gladiator II and the “Mission: Impossible” films. She manages iconic franchises such as “Transformers” and “A Quiet Place” within the catalog business, as well as the expansive Paramount TV slate. Hart-Brown has driven innovative pricing and windowing strategies and plays a pivotal role in cross-industry initiatives to grow digital adoption and consumer engagement. Hart-Brown joined Paramount in October 2019 after more than five years at 20th Century Fox, where she most recently served as Theatrical New Release Marketing Manager.

Matthew Dominguez, 33

Director, Content Partnerships
Xperi

Dominguez drives CTV app partnerships at Xperi for TiVo OS and Automotive. He joined Xperi — a technology that develops and delivers solutions for consumer electronics, connected cars, and entertainment, including platforms for pay-TV and video services — in June 2024 from the Cox Media Group, where he scaled the company’s FAST business to 13 platforms and grew revenue by more than 3,000%. Dominguez blends technical savvy with sharp commercial instincts. Recognized with the StreamTV Emerging Leaders Award, he’s a sought-after speaker and trusted voice in the evolving FAST and CTV landscape. His strategic thinking, industry foresight, and collaborative approach make him a rising force in entertainment technology.

Jon Ollwerther, 39

EVP and Head of Business Development
Kartoon Studios

Ollwerther leads the identification and execution of new business opportunities that align with Kartoon Studios’ vision of creating, distributing and licensing engaging content for kids and families. He is a key architect of Kartoon Studios’ transformation, leading initiatives that span digital, content and corporate strategy. He launched Kartoon Channel!, the company’s first direct-to-consumer platform, and drove the acquisition of Ameba, expanding content reach and recurring revenue. As a senior leader of the Stan Lee Universe, he secured a multi-film deal and graphic novel series, extending the iconic brand across generations. He also oversaw the company’s rebranding and NYSE uplisting, boosting market visibility.

Jillian Broek, 36

Director, Growth
Plex

As Director of Growth at Plex, Broek blends data-driven strategy with creative brand thinking to drive audience expansion for the streaming platform, which has FAST channels, premium movie rentals, and live-TV channels available to stream in more than 180 countries and 81 languages. With roots in the entertainment industry — starting at DreamWorks Animation and later holding leadership roles at POPSUGAR, Chive Media Group and Atmosphere TV — Broek has spent her career at the intersection of content, marketing, and growth. At Plex, she leads performance and omni-channel campaigns across Web, mobile and CTV, while also tapping into upper-funnel tactics like brand partnerships and cultural moments.

Aaron Jackman, 39

Senior Manager, Content Licensing
LG Electronics

Jackman is the founder of webOS licensing activities at LG Electronics, along with Samsung and Vizio a leader in the CTV field. Since joining the company in 2023, Jackman has licensed thousands of titles that have been instrumental to the growth of LG Channels. He recently licensed the entire series of “Suits” for LG’s FAST audience, as well as such movie franchises as “John Wick,” “Red,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Hunger Games” and more. Jackman has also developed exclusive content for LG Channels such as “Fantasy Life,” a fantasy sports show. Prior to joining LG, Jackman oversaw global TVOD licensing and North America FAST licensing for MGM for 11 years.

Angie Haney, 30

Manager, Film
Netflix

Since joining Netflix’s Film team in 2022, Haney has worked on A Family Affair, The Piano Lesson, Pain Hustlers, Good Grief and The Six Triple Eight. She is currently helping shepherd adaptations such as People We Meet on Vacation, The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Haney is also working on such upcoming projects as Lena Dunham’s Good Sex, Voicemails for Isabelle with Zoey Deutch, Mrs. Claus with Jennifer Garner, and The Fifth Wheel with Kim Kardashian. Haney began her career at The Walt Disney Co. and Lucasfilm, and later joined ACE Entertainment, where she co-produced Time Cut for Netflix and Love in Taipei on Paramount+.

Liv Moore, 31

Senior Manager, Documentary Film and Series Awards
Netflix

Moore has worked on campaigns for award-winning films including Will & Harper, American Symphony, The Greatest Night in Pop, Daughters, Crip Camp, The Last Dance, Tiger King, Our Planet and Oscar winners Icarus, American Factory, My Octopus Teacher, Period. End of Sentence. and, most recently, The Only Girl in the Orchestra. Moore holds an Executive MBA from the University of Nevada, where she in 2021 established the Liv Moore Scholarship for undergraduate students in the journalism school. Moore’s TEDx talk on the power of giving back has received more than 130,000 views. In 2022 she was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and received the University of Nevada’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

Corinna Zinsmeyer, 35

Counsel
Studio Distribution Services (SDS)

Zinsmeyer’s primary responsibilities include legal guidance for SDS’s Canadian operations and for the HR team. Additionally, she has played a key role in SDS’s growing partner business, in which she has drafted a number of SDS’s key partner distribution agreements. SDS is the joint venture formed in April 2021 by Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures to sell and distribute their physical-media releases in the North American market. Zinsmeyer came to SDS from Warner Bros., where her responsibilities included legal work on original live-action and animated content in development through production. Prior to joining Warner Bros., she held roles with Lionsgate and in private practice for David Boyle, APC.

Aleen Haroian, 38

Senior Manager, MRP Production
Studio Distribution Services (SDS)

Haroian leads the team at SDS that is responsible for product planning, manufacturing and execution for the company’s growing portfolio of partner studio accounts, which include BBC, Shout! Studios, Angel Studios and others. She is proficient in leading high-performing teams in production, inventory management, demand planning, sourcing and purchasing. Haroian joined SDS when the joint venture was formed in April 2021 and has grown from managing four partner studios to 14. Haroian spent the first eight years of her career in banking, at Citi, and in 2014 shifted to supply chain when she joined NBCUniversal as a buyer and planner. There, she ultimately rose to Manager of Supply Chain.

Chris Jayasinghe, 32

Chief Delivery Officer
Giant Worldwide

A vital force in Giant’s sales and engineering efforts, Jayasinghe is a dynamic leader in the digital and OTT space. Promoted into his current role in May 2025, Jayasinghe joined Giant Worldwide in 2023 as Executive Director of Project Management and was soon elevated to VP. He has driven innovation through custom workflows, automation tools and large-scale RFP strategies, significantly elevating studio operations. Jayasinghe has deep expertise in client-facing supervision, strategic problem-solving and cross-functional team leadership. Prior to joining Giant Worldwide, a provider of cutting-edge solutions for the media industry, he spearheaded client initiatives at Deluxe and served as Executive Director of Client Services at PDS.

Tory Bigelow, 28

Manager, Content Strategy and Analytics
Hulu

Promoted into her present position in May 2024, Bigelow supports Hulu’s Content Partnerships team — part of the broader Direct-to-Consumer organization within The Walt Disney Co. — by analyzing content portfolios and developing strategic recommendations to guide acquisition and renewal decisions. She works closely with cross-functional stakeholders to implement initiatives that drive content portfolio health and viewer engagement on the platform. Prior to joining Hulu in December 2021 as a Senior Analyst, Bigelow worked for nearly three years at NBCUniversal on the Digital Distribution team, where she supported the Accounts team by analyzing sales performance across NBCUniversal’s extensive catalog of films.

McKenzie Smith, 29

Director, Global Marketing Strategy
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group

Smith helps set worldwide strategies for Lionsgate’s highest-profile multiplatform releases and select wide releases throughout their lifecycles. She collaborates with cross-functional teams and third-party distributors, and oversees marketing campaigns with international distributors. In 2024 she set the global marketing strategy for two of the studio’s highest-performing releases: The Strangers: Chapter 1, initiating the “Strangers Everywhere” campaign, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Her next projects include The Strangers: Chapter 2, She Rides Shotgun and I Wish You All the Best. Promoted into her current position in March 2023, Smith began her career at Lionsgate in 2017 in the Worldwide TV & Digital Distribution Group and later worked in theatrical marketing.

Arthur Thrower, 32

Senior Analyst, Sales Planning and Analysis
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group

Thrower oversees new-release forecasting, with a focus on go-to-market strategy. He plays a key role in evaluating new projects for commercial viability, forecasting expected revenues for greenlight consideration, contextualizing slate performance and translating industry trends into actionable insights. Beyond his work in sales and distribution, Thrower also serves on Lionsgate’s internal think tank, where he evaluates in-development scripts for cultural authenticity, inclusivity and creative originality. He began his career at Google, managing more than $650 million in annual operating expenses and developing Alphabet Inc.’s first consolidated income statement. He later joined Pixar, where he helped manage the production budget for the Academy Award-winning Soul.

Rashad Qasem, 36

VP, North American Digital Distribution
Radial Entertainment

Qasem works closely with Julie Dansker, SVP of Streaming and Content Strategy, securing licensing for Radial’s film and TV series library and new releases across major platforms in the digital streaming space, as well as pitching and launching FAST channels. With a keen, data-driven understanding of industry trends, Qasem serves as an account manager for key AVOD, SVOD and FAST partnerships across the globe, collaborates with the acquisition team to offer insight into sales projections, and works closely with senior leadership on overarching strategy. Qasem joined Radial predecessor Shout! Studios in 2019 after spending seven years at Millennium Films in international sales and financing.

Taylor Devorsky, 31

Director, Content Licensing
Radial Entertainment

Devorsky serves an account manager for key AVOD, SVOD and FAST partnerships across the globe. Working with Radial’s Content Licensing and Strategy team, he is responsible for securing licensing for Shout!’s film and TV series library and new releases across major platforms in the digital streaming space, as well as pitching and launching FAST channels. Additionally, he works closely with the Radial Entertainment acquisition team, providing insight into department sales projections. Devorsky joined Radial predecessor Shout! Studios in September 2022. Previously, he spent five years working in content sales at independent film distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films, where he rose to Director of Sales.

Nick Ekum, 38

VP, Digital Operations
Radial Entertainment

As VP of Digital Operations, Ekum has scaled digital media delivery from dozens of titles to more than 33,000 assets annually across platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and Pluto TV. With more than 15 years of experience in post-production and IT, he’s led transformative workflows, spearheaded 4K HDR adoption, and built in-house infrastructure powering global distribution. A PMP-certified leader, Ekum manages teams and vendors while designing scalable solutions that blend creative and technical excellence. Prior to joining Radial predecessor Shout! Studios in 2014, Ekum was Media Asset Manager at Playboy Plus Entertainment and, before that, Associate Editor and Director of Media at Famous Monsters of Filmland.

Zachary Cava, 33

VP, Media Architecture
The Walt Disney Co.

Cava leads the evolution of media architecture for Disney’s direct-to-consumer portfolio, encompassing Disney+, Hulu and ESPN. While at Hulu, Cava pioneered the Patch Manifest and Server-Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI) technologies, which were crucial for launching Hulu + Live TV and served as the basis for innovations that later informed industry standards. At Disney, Cava has been instrumental in integrating the Disney and Hulu media ecosystems and founded the media architecture team to drive strategic initiatives across their DTC offerings. Additionally, he chairs the CTA WAVE group, focusing on DASH-HLS interoperability. Cava interned at Hulu while attending the University of Washington and joined the company upon graduation.

Cass Yankala, 34

Director, Marketing Strategy
Disney+

Yankala is a strategic marketing leader with a decade of experience at The Walt Disney Co. She currently leads a global integrated marketing function across Disney+, where she is responsible for advancing new business initiatives, standardizing global planning frameworks, and streamlining processes, tools and playbooks to drive greater business impact. Yankala recently earned recognition in the Disney division’s “Streamer’s Choice Awards” for her commitment to teamwork and collective problem-solving skills. Before joining Disney in 2015, Yankala launched her career at Publicis, working across the Procter & Gamble account — an experience that grounded her in strategy, consumer behavior and integrated planning.

Scott Slesinger, 36

Director, Brand and marketing Strategy
Disney+

Slesinger leads global brand and marketing strategy for The Walt Disney Co.’s signature streamer, overseeing strategic positioning, messaging, and go-to-market planning across product launches, subscriber retention campaigns, and Disney’s bundle streaming offerings. Recently, he played a key role in the integration of Hulu and ESPN into the Disney+ app experience — guiding brand expression across audiences and channels. As a part of the Disney+ team since its inception in 2019, Slesinger serves as a central strategic hub for the entire marketing organization — leading global strategy development, cross-functional planning and campaign execution. He has worked across Disney’s diverse businesses and marketing functions since 2011.

Rebecca Winter, 34

VP, Partnerships and Platform Management
Kino Lorber Media Group

Winter joined this independent film distributor in October 2023 in a newly formed role. She oversees strategic distribution partnerships and new business development across all Kino Lorber brands and streaming services, including MHz Choice and Topic. She is tasked with driving revenue growth by distributing films and series from the Kino Lorber catalog across all means of distribution, including streaming and on-demand platforms. Winter joined Kino Lorber after eight years at AMC Networks, most recently serving as Director of Partner Management and Digital Distribution. In that position, she worked across AMC Networks’ brands and streaming services, and managed platform partnerships with Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Samsung.

Kevin Hillman, 39

Director, Business Development and Ad Sales
OTTera

Hillman supports revenue growth through direct and programmatic ad strategies across global FAST and OTT platforms for OTTera, a Sarasota, Fla.-based OTT services provider. He collaborates with brands, agencies and publishers to optimize monetization using OTTera’s proprietary tools, including the company’s monetization service, EMAI, and AdNet+, which acts as the supply arm for a diverse network of publishers, providing full inventory control for both domestic and international markets. Hillman joined OTTera in 2023 as Sales Director and was promoted into his present position in March 2025. Prior to joining OTTera, he held key roles at various tech-forward media companies, building high-impact partnerships and scaling revenue operations.

Jordan Warkol, 38

VP, Business Development
OTTera

Warkol leads OTTera’s global sales team, spearheading strategic partnerships and revenue growth across OTTera’s service lines, including Streambridge (global content distribution) and AdNet+ (monetization). Known for his cross-functional leadership and executive collaboration, Warkol plays a vital role in expanding global distribution and monetization strategies. He joined OTTera in 2017. Warkol has a lifelong connection to entertainment and a decade of OTT expertise. He began his career as a child actor — he played Froggy in the 1994 Amblin Entertainment film The Little Rascals, and Travis in 1996’s Carpool — and then transitioned to the business side after college. He began at Toon Goggles and joined OTTera in 2017.

Brooke Kahn, 39

SVP, Content Distribution, Partnerships and Programming
Allen Media Group (AMG)

Kahn oversees digital sales and licensing for theatrical releases and TV series, including Freestyle Digital Media’s 500-plus film library, across leading SVOD, AVOD and TVOD platforms at AMG. She played a pivotal role in launching the AVOD division, securing partnerships with more than a dozen key platforms and licensing exclusive multiyear movie packages to SVOD partners such as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. She spearheaded content acquisitions for the company’s AVOD service, Local Now, growing its library to more than 20,000 titles. Kahn joined AMG in 2017 as VP of Digital Sales and Partnerships, and was promoted into her present position in 2021. Earlier, she held positions at Cineverse and NBCUniversal.

Edgar Conroy, 21

VP
Deliver Films

The Class of 2025’s youngest honoree has been instrumental in building this family business, a technical services company, catering to the film distribution market, that specializes in high-volume film delivery to streaming platforms, quality control, and library management, storage, maintenance and deployment. Conroy spearheaded Deliver Films’ adoption of AI, which has transformed the company and saved its clients both time and money. For the past three years he has worked full-time alongside his father, Michael, while attending college and maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Deliver Films works closely with such independent film companies as Breaking Glass Pictures, MVD Entertainment Group, Epic Pictures, Blue Fox Pictures, Random Media and others.

Danielle Canepa, 33

Director, Release Strategy
Cineverse

Canepa is a standout marketing executive at Cine-verse, where she spearheaded the wildly successful release of Terrifier 3 — a No. 1 box office hit and the highest-grossing unrated film of all time. Since joining the company in 2024, she has overseen end-to-end marketing strategy across theatrical and home entertainment releases. Prior to joining Cineverse, Canepa spent eight years at Lionsgate, where she rose from Social Media Coordinator to Senior Manager of Global Marketing Strategy. In that role, she led campaigns for an assortment of wide-release theatrical titles. Canepa is known for her strategic vision and ability to ignite fandoms.

Kenesha Luney, 38

Senior Director, Digital Operations
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Luney is a rare repeat honoree. Since her initial 2021 recognition in Media Play News’ “40 Under 40,” she has been promoted into a more-impactful leadership role that allows her to continue to expand her scope and influence across several major company initiatives that are central to UPHE’s future. Luney has stepped up to support driving and enhancing UPHE’s focus around cloud distribution, retailer APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), and new forms of digital connectivity, influencing foundational shifts in how Universal operates and delivers value to its partners. Prior to joining UPHE in 2016, Luney worked as a chemist and spent some time volunteering overseas.

Savannah Cohn, 31

Senior Manager of Global Brand Marketing
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Cohn manages library initiatives across digital and physical formats. She is a leader in maximizing revenue for Universal’s film portfolio, including product releases, theatrical drafting, seasonal offerings, anniversaries and more. She’s driven UPHE’s digital growth by implementing strategies around bundles, 4K, extras and movie-cash offers. Cohn is also a leader in the collectibles market, including the development of highly successful gift sets and collectible Steelbooks. Recent projects Cohn has led include Jurassic World Rebirth drafting, Shaun of the Dead 20th anniversary plans, the rollout for the upcoming Back to the Future 40th anniversary, and an “always on” year-round digital media campaign promoting Universal’s library films.

Dawaun Lucas, 33

Senior Manager, Digital Marketing
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Lucas is responsible for driving media campaigns for Focus, family and partner titles. Since stepping into this position in 2022, he has played a key role in launching successful campaigns for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Minions and Wicked, skillfully navigating shifting timelines, budgets and cross-functional coordination. In addition to his title responsibilities, he also led the creation and publishing of a company-wide newsletter during a high-volume period while also supporting the onboarding of new team members and continuing to meaningfully contribute to UPHE’s team culture. Prior to joining UPHE, Lucas worked at toy company Educational Insights, focused on educational resources, where he managed all aspects of digital marketing.

Margaret Schatzel, 37

SVP, Global Scripted Series
Universal International Studios

Schatzel oversees more than 200 scripted TV projects across Universal International Studios’ expansive slate of programming. Over the past year she has been instrumental in developing and launching several successful series, including “The Day of the Jackal,” a 10-part thriller that became the biggest Sky Original ever and topped Peacock’s U.S. streaming charts on debut. In her four years at Universal International Studios, Schatzel and her team have helped shape a standout slate that includes “Apples Never Fall” (Peacock), “The Last Kingdom” (Netflix) and “Belgravia: The Next Chapter” (MGM+), among others. Earlier in her career, Schatzel held positions at Vice Media, StudioCanal, ABC Studios and William Morris Endeavor.

Katherine Erdman, 28

Product Manager, XR Devices and Content
Google

Erdman leads immersive entertainment across Android XR devices, with an emphasis on emerging spatial content formats. She works closely with external creatives and content studios to augment linear storytelling on Android XR, integrating advancements in conversational, multimodal AI on fully immersive devices to allow for new types of personalization, user-driven interaction and deeper engagement. Erdman holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from Stanford University. She interned at Google and Palantir Technologies. Erdman recently kicked off the DEG’s Entech Fest 2025 as part of a panel discussion, “Exploring the Edge of XR & AI Technology in Filmmaking With Google.”

Laura Crymble, 34

Director, Digital Distribution
A24 Films

Crymble is responsible for the digital transactional business for A24, the independent film production and distribution company best known for such critical and commercial successes as Midsommar, Lady Bird and 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Crymble oversees partnerships across all U.S. TVOD platforms. In addition to account management, she is responsible for optimizing A24’s new-release and catalog TVOD performance, including windowing strategy, lifecycle planning, and forecasting and analysis. Before joining A24 in 2023, she was Brand Marketing Director for WarnerMedia. Earlier, she spent 10 years in London in international and strategic planning roles at Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures and HBO.

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