


Tiffany is a developmental expert, creative strategist, and media buff. As a senior member of MarketCast, she leverages her background in developmental psychology to help brands listen to the voice of consumers, from toddlers to boomers. Tiffany combines this expertise with her other lifelong passions – education and media &...show more
Speaking at: Mental health check: Are the kids really alright?


Tom Ascheim serves as President of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. In this role, he is responsible for leading the global strategy for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and Boomerang, as well as the company’s two powerhouse animation studios Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon...show more
Speaking at: Master planning with WarnerMedia’s Tom Ascheim


Catie Asip serves as senior associate, content for children’s programming at PBS, where she oversees new series development. She works with series creators from pitch to pilot, helping shape their projects for the PBS KIDS audience. She also serves as production executive for a number of current PBS KIDS series,...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, Disney Channels, WildBrain/Family Channel; Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, M6, TF1


Zia Bales is Senior Acquisitions Manager, Kids, EMEA for WarnerMedia International, working across Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Boing, Cartoonito, Toonami, Toonix and the kids’ section of HBO.
In this role, Zia oversees and negotiates shared acquisitions for the EMEA kids’ business, working closely with the local heads of programming and acquisitions of...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - WarnerMedia, TF1, Nickelodeon; Speed Pitching - WarnerMedia, SVT, Hopster; In Conversation with... Zia Bales, Turner EMEA


Justine is a trilingual media professional with over 20 years’ experience accrued with majors and independents alike - and most notably with 20th Century Fox, Disney Channels France, The Lagardere Group, Media Participations and PGS Entertainment. Her skillset spans international distribution, marketing, press, communication, brand management, project sourcing, project evaluations,...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—Money Talks


Kim Berglund is Executive Director, Development, Disney Junior. In this role, Berglund oversees series development of original animated television properties for the Disney Junior audience of kids 2-7.
Prior to joining Disney Junior, Berglund was a key creative executive and curriculum director for PBS Kids, working on award-winning television series including...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Diane Ikemiyashiro & Kim Berglund, Disney Junior


Matthew Berkowitz is a seasoned animation executive, with over a decade in the industry. Matt currently serves as Head of Development at Atomic Cartoons, a Thunderbird Company, where he is developing and growing the studio's ever expanding IP & Co-Production slate.
Previously, Matt spent 7 years at Arc Productions, where he...show more
Speaking at: Sales story: Global exclusive or regional deals?


Aaron oversees development and production on current series for Amazon Kids+, the premiere destination for movies, series, mobile games and books aimed at kids ages 3-12. Previously, he developed and oversaw Emmy-winning and nominated series at Snapchat and AOL, and created IMDb’s first ever slate of original series and podcasts....show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Amazon Kids, CBC Kids, YouTube; Speed Pitching - Amazon Kids, CBC Kids


Stephanie Betts is responsible for managing, fostering and expanding the kids development slate. Stephanie’s expertise and focus is on building strong creatively-driven teams and series, which will appeal to domestic and international broadcasters, and mostly importantly kids! Prior to joining DHX Media, Stephanie worked at Breakthrough Films and Television for...show more
Speaking at: Pitch Doctoring - Stephanie Betts, Sidney Clifton, Heath Kenny


Mark Bishop is Co-CEO and Partner at marblemedia. An accomplished entrepreneur, brand builder and trusted media industry advocate, Mark, alongside co-founder Matt Hornburg, has grown marblemedia into one of Canada’s leading independent production, distribution and digital media companies.
In addition to serving as executive producer across marblemedia’s successful portfolio of television...show more
Speaking at: COVID-proofing your live-action shoot


Brenda Bisner is the Chief Content Officer for A Parent Media Co Inc. the creators of the SAFE STREAMING™ Platform: Kidoodle.TV®. She is an integral force behind the successful acquisition of top children’s media content from around the world, as well as a future caster for all new business development...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Kidoodle.TV, Apple TV+, WildBrain/Family Channel; How to bring your A-game to AVOD; Speed Pitching - Kidoodle.TV, Disney


Mike Blum owns the boutique, animation studio, Pipsqueak Animation, is an Emmy- nominated director who has won many awards in his multiple capacities as director, writer & producer and is a sought after speaker who lectures around the world about animation-related topics. Mike’s teams at Pipsqueak Animation have completed service...show more


Maud Branly
Children Acquisitions Director & International TV Channels Children Programming Director
M6
Maud Branly holds a B.A. in Modern Literature from Sorbonne Nouvelle University and a H.N.D of Audiovisual Production from Efficom. She began her career at Patrick Spica Production where she was in charge of production scheduling. In December 2006, she became EMEA Sales Coordinatoor for Dic Entertainment/Cookie Jar. Then she...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - M6, BNNVARA, Disney EMEA; Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, M6, TF1


Hedda Bruessing has been working in the film and television industry since 1996. She worked as an executive producer and producer on a wide range of television programs for producers and public broadcasters including multi-camera live programs, documentaries, current affairs, and human interest programs.
Hedda joined pubcaster NTR in 2007 as an...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - M6, BNNVARA, Disney EMEA; Speed Pitching -BNNVARA, NRK Super, Super RTL


Eryk Casemiro is Senior Vice President of Nickelodeon Preschool, in charge of the network’s preschool production and development across all formats and platforms spanning digital, TV and film. Based in Nickelodeon’s Burbank, Calif., headquarters, Casemiro manages the day-to-day operations of Nick’s preschool group, with creative and business oversight of the preschool...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Eryk Casemiro, Nickelodeon Preschool


Lana Castleman is the Director of Communications for the Writers Guild of Canada, which represents more than 2,400 professional English-language screenwriters in Canada, creators of screen entertainment watched around the world. She oversees all internal and external communications priorities for the Guild, including advocating on behalf of its members with...show more
Speaking at: Master planning with eOne’s Olivier Dumont


Nate Cavanaugh is the co-founder and CEO of Brainbase, a platform that helps brands protect and monetize their intellectual property. Launched in 2017, Brainbase works with globally-recognized brands that generate billions of dollars in sales from their intellectual property. Brainbase is based in Los Angeles and has raised more than $12M...show more
Speaking at: The new licensing deal


As Senior Vice President of Television Development for DreamWorks Animation, Ben Cawood and his team are charged with the creative development of a rapidly growing slate of original television projects, including the content for DWA TV’s groundbreaking multi-year deal with Netflix as well as Amazon, Hulu, Universal Kids and other...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - DreamWorks Animation TV, Disney Channels, Hopster; Speed Pitching - DreamWorks Animation TV, Corus Kids, Apple TV+




Vince Commisso is the Co-founding Partner, President & CEO of 9 Story Entertainment, one of the industry’s leading creators, producers and distributors of award-winning content for young audiences around the world. Leading the production, creative, technical, sales and marketing aspects of the company's activities, Vince has contributed to 9 Story’s...show more
Speaking at: Cooking with... Vince Commisso (9 Story Media Group)


Dr. Natascha Crandall is a psychologist and educator with a special interest in enhancing children’s growth and development through the power of media. She is the founder of Crandall Consulting, LLC.
Natascha received her Doctorate in School Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also holds a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation...show more




Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, is a clinical psychologist widely known for both her expertise on race relations and as a thought leader in higher education. Her thirteen years as the president of Spelman College (2002-2015) were marked by innovation and growth and her visionary leadership...show more
Speaking at: Confronting your biases


Danielle Davies
Distribution, Acquisitions, Co-Production and Development
Distribution, Acquisitions, Co-Production and Development


Keith Dawkins is a strategic, creative, award winning Chief Executive Officer with 25+ years of experience in the media/entertainment, professional sports and philanthropic industries. Experienced in overall business operations, setting company strategy, leadership and management of people, deal negotiations, and driving revenue growth, Keith is a results-oriented executive. He has...show more
Speaking at: Confronting your biases


Daphné de Beauffort currently serves as EVP in charge of the acquisition of children programs for TF1 Group. In this position, she negotiates and follows the pre-buy, co-production and acquisition of programs for the channels (ie TF1, TFX), she selects and acquires the entire content of the SVOD platform (TFOUMAX)...show more
Speaking at: Coffee with... RAI, TF1, NRK; Coffee with... Nickelodeon, TF1, M6


Carla de Jong is an Emmy Award winning producer who has held various roles both as a producer and broadcaster in a number of different countries across the world. At Network Ten Australia she was responsible for producing 140 episodes a year of one of the longest running Australian children’s...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—Money Talks


Michael has over eighteen years experience in developing content, brands, and properties across a wide-ranging portfolio.
In his last role as Strategic Director- Chorion, Michael was responsible for the roll-out, development and forward planning of properties such as Mr Men and the Blyton catalogue, notably Noddy and the Famous Five Series.
Previous...show more
Speaking at: The big short: How to turn bite-sized ideas into long-form content


Kim Diaz has spent the past 14 years in preschool television as a development exec, writer, and producer. In her current role, Kim oversees Sesame’s Creative Development pipeline, which includes original series, Sesame Street spinoffs, and animated specials for partners such as HBO Max.
She also runs shorts production and development...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Sesame Workshop, Gloob/Gloobinho, Amazon Kids; Speed Pitching - Sesame Workshop, eOne, WarnerMedia Kids APAC


Ellen Doherty is Chief Creative Officer for Fred Rogers Productions, overseeing creation of television and digital content for the company’s existing PBS KIDS series—Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, and Odd Squad —as well as developing new properties. She is the creator, head writer, and executive producer of the award-winning shortform, preschool series Through the...show more
Speaking at: COVID-proofing your live-action shoot


As Head of Children’s Libbie is responsible for the Content Strategy and has oversight of 380 hours of internally produced and commissioned content across the ABC’s two dedicated children’s channels, ABCME (6-12yrs) and ABC KIDS (2-6yrs). As a member of the ABC's TV & Radio leadership team, she contributes to...show more
Speaking at: Cocktails with... ABC Australia; Speed Pitching - ABC Australia, PBS KIDS, YouTube; (Pre-recorded) In Conversation with... Libbie Doherty, ABC Australia


Debra Dorfman began her publishing career at Scholastic in the Book Club division, where she worked for twelve years. In 2001, she left for Penguin Young Readers Group, where she was the President & Publisher for two imprints, Grosset & Dunlap and Price Stern Sloan. She is proud of the...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—Leaning into Licensing


Jadiel's career as a teen actor sparked a passion to creative innovative content that entertains, educates, and empowers viewers. He’s the youngest Writer’s Guild of Canada member, fluent in Spanish, and at only 21 has two live action shows in development: a mystery/sci-fi series for teens with Sinking Ship Entertainment...show more
Speaking at: User-generated content on a whole new level


As President of eOne’s Family Brands division, Olivier oversees all content creation and distribution activities for the division across all brands from the combined portfolio of kids targeted properties which includes Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, Ricky Zoom, My Little Pony, Power Rangers and Transformers amongst others. His responsibilities include developing...show more
Speaking at: Master planning with eOne’s Olivier Dumont


Misty Eyez joined SunServe in 2015 as an educator and trainer to help create and launch the LGBTQ Proficiency Training and Consulting Program. Soon afterward, she added on the responsibilities of case management for transgender clients, linking clients to biomedical preventions, mental health therapists, and other vital services. In 2019,...show more
Speaking at: Confronting your biases


Qing Fan is the Producer overseeing the international business including content investment, co-production and distribution at Tencent Video Kids Channel.
Before joining Tencent, Qing was the Associate Director of International Business at UYoung Media, where she was responsible for acquisition, distribution and co-production. She was actively involved in the international distribution...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Tencent, eOne, NRK Super


Morgann Favennec joined Academy Award®-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation in 2017 and is responsible for the company’s business development across sales, licensing and merchandising, digital, and marketing departments.
Favennec began her career at Latin American specialist Salsa Distribution and following the company’s acquisition by TV-Loonland, she handled sales for titles...show more
Speaking at: Sales story: Global exclusive or regional deals?


As Head of Content Strategy and Programming of Globo Group's Kids Unit, Luiz Filipe Figueira is currently responsible for the channels Gloob & Gloobinho's overall content strategy - from sourcing to acquisitions and developing international partnerships for a consistent programming and distribution strategy.
Speaking at: Cocktails with... Gloob/Gloobinho; Speed Pitching - Sesame Workshop, Gloob/Gloobinho, Amazon Kids; Speed Pitching - Gloob/Gloobinho, CBC Kids, Disney; In Conversation with... Luiz Filipe Figueira, Gloob/Gloobinho


Josh Fisher is an Emmy award-winning executive and content creator with years of experience developing and producing successful and engaging content for young audiences. He has been part of big global franchises and also worked closely with talented artists and creators to help guide them as they build their shows. ...show more
Speaking at: Pitch Doctoring - Danielle Davies, Josh Fisher, Christopher Keenan


As Kidscreen’s Copy Chief & Special Reports Editor, Elizabeth Foster is responsible for the creation and production of special reports and for the production flow of the print magazine. Career highlights include meeting Chris Kratt and breaking news on consumer products trends. Prior to joining Kidscreen, Elizabeth served as a...show more
Speaking at: The new licensing deal


Amy Friedman
Head of Kids and Family Programming
Warner Bros. (Cartoon Network & HBO Max Kids and Family)


I discovered my passion for kids and family entertainment while still almost a kid myself. Inspired by working at Disney and Kids America (a national kids’ radio show) during college, I focused my undergraduate thesis on how to build meaningful and impactful content for kids. Since then, my entire career...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—Leaning into Licensing


A veteran distribution professional with over 20 years of experience, Ed is the Managing Director and CCO at CAKE. In this dual role, he oversees all sales operations, the day-to-day running of the company, as well as directly selling CAKE's growing content portfolio in major territories including North America, the...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—Money Talks


Rafael Garcia is vice president, Original Series Development, Disney Channel. Promoted into this role in March 2020, Garcia is responsible for sourcing and developing live-action series for both Disney Channel and Disney+.
Garcia joined Disney in 2012 and was most recently executive director, Original Series, where he oversaw creative development and...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - DreamWorks Animation TV, Disney Channels, Hopster; Speed Pitching - Disney Channels, CBC Kids, Apple TV+; In Conversation with... Rafael Garcia, Disney Channels


Mr. Leo Geng is a Master’s candidate at the School of Journalism & Communication at Tsinghua University. He is the Senior Vice President of iQIYI.
From 1998 to 2009, Mr. Leo Geng was working in SOHU. In 2007, Mr. Leo Geng worked as the General Manager of Focus Network. In March...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - iQIYI, RTÉ, WarnerMedia APAC; Speed Pitching - iQIYI, Nickelodeon, Canal+


Athena Georgaklis is the Head of Development for Nelvana. A highly respected animation executive, Athena leads the acquisition of rights and the development of all original content for Nelvana. Athena is committed to develop creator-driven content, working with the studio’s producers, creators, and talent around the world that will resonate...show more
Speaking at: MASTER CLASS—Perfecting your virtual pitch


As Director of Children’s Programming, Tommy leads the strategic rollout of video content for PBS KIDS, including scheduling and content planning for the national children’s service and the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel and livestream. He is also the production executive on several PBS KIDS series, including the Emmy-winning ARTHUR, now...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - ABC Australia, PBS KIDS, YouTube; Cocktails with... PBS KIDS; Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, Nickelodeon, Amazon Kids


Jon Gisby, EVP and Managing Director, WildBrain Spark, has spent twenty years leading, building and advising major companies that create and distribute premium digital content. He was one of the many architects of the BBC’s strategy for online and on-demand services. As Managing Director of Freeserve, he built and monetized...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—All Things Digital


In July 1960, at the age of 26, Jane Goodall travelled from England to Gombe, Tanzania and ventured into the little-known world of wild chimpanzees. Equipped with little more than a notebook, binoculars and her fascination with wildlife, she braved a realm of unknowns to give the world a remarkable...show more
Speaking at: KEYNOTE—Dr. Jane Goodall on finding hope in dark days


Bill Graham serves as PhatMojo's Chief Marketing Officer. In this capacity, Graham leads the LA-based toy company's marketing, brand evaluation, licensing, and communication globally. PhatMojo’s portfolio includes Bendy and the Ink Machine, TABS, Baldi’s Basics, Showdown Bandit, FGTeeV, Paddington, Pete the Cat, Llama Llama, The Office, Friends, Bob’s Burgers, and...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—Leaning into Licensing




Josie Grierson is Director of Creative Affairs for Family Brands at Entertainment One, developing original content for the eOne Family slate, from initial concepts and ideas through to series production.
eOne are looking for creative and original animation concepts in early stages of development, different to any other show on the...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Sesame Workshop, eOne, WarnerMedia Kids APAC; Speed Pitching - Tencent, eOne, NRK Super


As Senior Vice President, International Production & Development, Nina Hahn oversees international content development and co-production partnerships for Nickelodeon outside of the US.
Based in London, Hahn coordinates and drives the development process, spearheading new production models, managing productions from pilot through to series, and working in direct partnership with Nickelodeon’s...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Nina Hahn, Nickelodeon


Or Handelsman is Senior Manager of International Acquisitions for Nickelodeon at ViacomCBS Networks International, a role he assumed in February 2019. In his role, Handelsman is responsible for sourcing, negotiating and managing content acquisitions for Nickelodeon channels on an international and pan-regional basis. Working closely with the programming heads in...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, Nickelodeon, Amazon Kids; Speed Pitching - Nickelodeon, Disney Channels, Discovery Kids




Anttu Harlin is the co-founder and CEO of Gigglebug Entertainment, an animation IP studio that creates and produces positive kids' content for the global market. The Helsinki based company's mission is to have a meanigful impact on the world through fun filled entertainment on multiple platfomrs.
spIn recent news, Gigglebug Entertainment is...show more
Speaking at: The science of sparking joy


A long-time champion of children’s programming, Bob oversees the creative direction for Boat Rocker Studios Kids and Family business, including development, production and acquisitions of TV and digital programming. Current programming includes Dino Ranch (CBC, Disney Jr), The Next Step (CBBC) and Love Monster (CBeebies, HBO Max).
Before Boat Rocker, Bob...show more


Emma Hunter is an actor and comic living in Toronto. Credits for Hunter include: CTV'S The Beaverton, Letterkenny, Match Game, Spun Out, Pop Quiz and appearing in two galas for Just For Laughs, For CBC, hosting the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards, MR D, Save Me, Royal Canadian Air Farce, This...show more
Speaking at: Kidscreen Awards


Diane Ikemiyashiro is vice president, Current Series, Disney Junior, a role she was promoted to in March 2020. She is responsible for guiding the creative supervision and production of multiple series geared toward preschoolers and their parents/caregivers,including Mira, Royal Detective, a mystery-adventure series inspired by the cultures and customs of...show more
Speaking at: Coffee with... Disney Junior, LEGO, Nickelodeon; Coffee with... DeAKids, Disney Junior, Nickelodeon; In Conversation with... Diane Ikemiyashiro & Kim Berglund, Disney Junior


Ian Jones-Quartey is an Emmy- and Annie-nominated showrunner, director, animator and voice actor. He is the creator of the Cartoon Network animated series OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, and Co-Executive Producer of Steven Universe and Steven Universe: The Movie. He was also a supervisor on Cartoon Network's Adventure Time and...show more


Over the last 13 years, Karin Jue has managed multi-platform video streaming experiences for kids ages 2-8, delivering award-winning content from series such as Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Odd Squad, Pinkalicious & Peteriffic, Elinor Wonders Why, Sesame Street, Xavier Riddle & the Secret Museum, Dinosaur Train and more.
Karin leads...show more


Rachel Kalban, a child development expert with a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University’s Teachers College, spearheads 9 Story’s groundbreaking formative research process. She is involved in all projects, to develop curriculum-driven brands that enrich the lives of children and families. Kalban has played a key role in...show more
Speaking at: User-generated content on a whole new level


Christopher Keenan is a highly accomplished creative executive, producer and writer who has enjoyed over thirty years of success in the animation, kids and family entertainment industries. With thousands of hours of production to his credit, he is equally adept at development, sales and production.
Currently engaged by Mattel as Senior...show more
Speaking at: Game Night—Trivia!; Pitch Doctoring - Danielle Davies, Josh Fisher, Christopher Keenan


Suzanne Kelly has been producing television for over 20 years. She has worked across a variety of genres in RTÉ & the independent television sector. Since 2007 she has exclusively created children’s content for RTÉ. Her experience ranges from creating & developing programme formats, producing & directing in both studio...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - RTÉ, Nickelodeon; Speed Pitching - iQIYI, RTÉ, WarnerMedia APAC


A native of New Zealand, Heath started in the animation industry as a animator and quickly gained experience in story boarding, layout and post production. After working in television and commercials in New Zealand, Heath moved to London as a Freelance Animator where he worked on high-end commercials and music...show more
Speaking at: Pitch Doctoring - Stephanie Betts, Sidney Clifton, Heath Kenny


With a PHD in Developmental Psychology, Telidja Klai is responsible for 360°programming strategy and target strategies at Ketnet the dedicated children’s channel of the Flemish public broadcaster VRT in Belgium.
The main thrust of her activities at Ketnet are the development of children and Ketnet’s vision and values. Telidja is also...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - VRT, YLE Finland, Spotify; Coffee with... RAI, SVT, VRT


Strategist, analyst, author, speaker, connector — David Kleeman has led the children’s media industry in developing sustainable, child-friendly practices for more than 30 years. He began this work as president of the American Center for Children and Media and is now Senior Vice President of Global Trends for Dubit, a...show more
Speaking at: Hear that? Tuning into the role of sound and music in brand-building


Amy Kraft is Director of Development and Children’s Programming at Pinna. She is a children’s media veteran who has developed innovative and interactive entertainment with companies including Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Sesame Workshop, Spin Master, Microsoft, Kyowon, Barnes and Noble, and Leap Frog. She was co-founder of the children’s content...show more
Speaking at: Cooking with... Amy Kraft (Pinna)


Yann Labasque joined Eurosport International in 1997 in the Audiences and Programming Research department. Two years later he became a Programme Buyer and Project Manager for Eurosport International Senior Management.
He joined TF1 Games-Dujardin in 2001 where he headed the editorial team and developed the catalog. In parallel with his professional...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - WarnerMedia, TF1, Nickelodeon; Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, M6, TF1


Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson is Vice President of News Programming for Nickelodeon, as well as Executive Producer of the recently rebooted Nick News series. In her role, Laguerre-Wilkinson spearheads Nick’s commitment of speaking to kids about the news and issues of the day they care about most, overseeing all aspects of research, development and...show more
Speaking at: Yadda yadda yadda: Why talk shows are blowing up in kids media


Daytime Emmy nominee and 5-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee Brandon Lane is an award-winning director, showrunner, screenwriter and producer. He currently works as Development Producer at legendary Canadian animation-house Nelvana, previously working as Production Executive for Teletoon, YTV, Treehouse and Adult Swim Canada. Over the past decade, Brandon has overseen...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - DreamWorks Animation TV, Corus Kids, Apple TV+; Speed Pitching - Corus Kids, Apple TV+, Cartoon Network


Cort Lane is a passionate creative exec with extensive experience in animation development, production & storytelling. With 12 years at Marvel/Disney and 7 years at Mattel he has built a diverse skillset in kids' entertainment with credits like Barbie In A Christmas Carol, Ultimate Spider-Man, the girls' franchise Marvel Rising and...show more
Speaking at: Pitch Doctoring - Claire Curley, Cort Lane, Mike Vogel


Kristin Lecour has been in the entertainment industry for over 10 years with a focus on multiplatform brand development, licensing and corporate marketing. With her wide-ranging experience across several marketing disciplines, Kristin brings a unique perspective on building brands, through development, launch and ongoing management. As Vice President, Consumer Products...show more
Speaking at: Cooking with... Kristin Lecour (9 Story Media Group)


Leslie Lee is WarnerMedia’s Head of Kids Content, overseeing Cartoon Network, Boomerang and POGO networks and content in Asia Pacific.
Based in Singapore, and part of the Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics division, his role includes the programming, operations, brand and franchise management, and content direction for the...show more
Speaking at: (Pre-recorded) In Conversation with... Leslie Lee, WarnerMedia APAC


Benjamin Lehmann is the Executive Producer for Sesame Street, where he oversees the creative direction and production teams for the iconic children’s show. He is responsible for the production of all content experiences across broadcast and digital platforms for Sesame Street and is also a Director for the series. Lehmann...show more
Speaking at: Yadda yadda yadda: Why talk shows are blowing up in kids media


As Managing Director of Jellyfish Originals, Natalie drives the development and strategy of Jellyfish Pictures’ original animated children’s content, curating long-form animated series, serials and family features with global commercial appeal.
Bringing over 20 years’ experience to the role, Natalie has extensive knowledge of original IP development, TV production, international sales...show more


Brenda Maffuchi joined De Agostini Editore in December 2012 as Head of Acquisitions & Property Development and is responsible for analyzing, negotiating, and managing all content acquisition and all international co-productions for De Agostini’s channels in Italy. In this role, she also supervises the complete development process for the local...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - DeAKids, BBC Children's, ITV; Coffee with... DeAKids, Disney Junior, Nickelodeon


Josh Mandel is a senior level film, broadcast and digital content producer and production executive with over 15 years of experience producing and developing content for companies: Mattel, Disney, Pixar, Warner Bros, Universal, Sony, DC Comics, Dreamworks, Microsoft, Amazon, Interscope, Atlantic Records and WWE.
Josh began his filmmaking career in Development...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Sesame Workshop, Gloob/Gloobinho, Amazon Kids; Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, Nickelodeon, Amazon Kids


Born and raised in Colombia, Alfredo Marun moved to the United States in his early teens and quickly found his passion for filmmaking and storytelling. He is currently a Director of Development at Disney Television Animation working closely with creators to develop new animated series based on original ideas as...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, Disney Channels, WildBrain/Family Channel; Speed Pitching - Nickelodeon, Disney Channels, Discovery Kids


As Head of Nelvana Enterprises, Mellany Masterson brings over 15 years of knowledge and a specialized focus within the kids entertainment and consumer products space. Mellany oversees the global brand strategy, content distribution, digital, licensing, and retail development for Nelvana’s extensive brand portfolio.
Mellany previously served as Director of Global Business...show more
Speaking at: Cooking with... Mellany Masterson (Nelvana)


With more than 20 years of experience in the audiovisual field and especially in the distribution of cultural and entertainment contents, Raphaelle Mathieu has been involved in the creation of television and feature animation production companies, such as Daydream Production and Timing.
Raphaelle has also co-founded several associations that gather and...show more
Speaking at: Sales story: Global exclusive or regional deals?


Vikrant Mathur is a seasoned high-tech silicon valley media executive with 15+ years of experience in designing, developing, launching and growing complex technical products both with startups and Fortune 500 companies. Vikrant is a pioneer in the online video industry having founded Future Today Inc. (http://www.futuretodayinc.com/) as a video distribution...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—All Things Digital


Stacey is a researcher, creator and advocate whose mission is to develop content and technology that helps kids do the work of growing up. Stacey is passionate about opportunities to scale nurturing through intentional technology tools and inspiring media experiences.
Stacey has served on Bridge Multimedia’s Advisory Board to support efforts...show more
Speaking at: User-generated content on a whole new level


Makeda Mays Green is Vice President, Digital Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon. In her role, she evaluates the most effective ways to reach target audiences through innovative research methodologies across Nickelodeon’s platforms.
Previously, she served as the Director of Education & Research, Digital Media at Sesame Workshop (the creators of Sesame Street),...show more
Speaking at: Opening up about race on screen


Marie McCann is the senior director of children's content for CBC Kids. McCann oversees development, production, acquisition and in-house production of award-winning content. As Canada's national public broadcaster, CBC is committed to excellence and innovation in children's and youth media and to reaching audiences across multiple platforms.
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Gloob/Gloobinho, CBC Kids, Disney; In Conversation with... Marie McCann CBC; Speed Pitching - Amazon Kids, CBC Kids, YouTube


Menal has over 20 years of experience in the toy industry in a broad capacity including sales, product development, and licensing at top Toy and Entertainment companies. She started her career at Mattel in sales of entertainment brands. At Disney she managed the core toys business across a variety of...show more
Speaking at: The new licensing deal


Maggie McGuire is CEO of Pinna, an audio-first children's media company offering the first and only ad-free, audio on-demand streaming service for kids. Pinna delivers breakthrough, original audio programming curated and created for kids 3-12 that includes podcasts, music, and audiobooks. A seasoned media executive with deep experience in cross-platform...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—All Things Digital


Flavio Medeiros is the director of programming and acquisitions for Discovery Kids Latin America. His areas of expertise include children’s television, acquisitions and sales within the pay-TV industry.
Before joining Discovery in March 2013, Medeiros worked as vice president of sales for ITV Global Entertainment in Latin America and the U.S....show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Flavio Medeiros, Discovery


Luca Milano, manager at RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, the Italian public broadcaster.
Executive Director of “Rai Ragazzi”, Rai's department for children and kids, controlling 2 free-to-air TV Channels (Rai Yoyo, the leading Italian children's channel, and Rai Gulp), as well as the units for production and co-production of Animation, kids' drama and live...show more
Speaking at: Coffee with... RAI, TF1, NRK; Coffee with... RAI, SVT, VRT


As Vice President of Global Distribution, Anna Moorefield oversees the sale of Henson content to television networks, digital platforms, home entertainment distributors, and theatrical exhibitors worldwide. Titles under her purview include current preschool hits Dinosaur Train, Dot., Doozers, Splash and Bubbles, and Word Party, as well as classic favorites like...show more
Speaking at: MASTER CLASS—Breaking down the SVOD deal


Lydia joined KidsKnowBest as Editorial Director in March 2020. She is responsible for shaping the editorial and content strategy across a new range of digital products for kids. Lydia manages the business communications and tone of voice to ensure everything they do stays true to their ethos to ‘give kids...show more
Speaking at: Meet the new cliques


Sarah Muller has recently re-joined Children’s BBC as the Head of Independent Animation and Acquisitions. Previously she was Vice President of Children’s and Youth Programming at Sony Pictures Television with responsibility for the Pop and Sony Music Channels and before that, Sarah was Head of Children’s at Channel 5 where...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - BBC Children's, NRK Super, Super RTL; Cocktails with... BBC Children's; Speed Pitching - DeAKids, BBC Children's, ITV; In Conversation with... Sarah Muller, BBC Children's


Drew Mullin is an international award-winning Writer, Director, and Producer who joined CBC Kids team as an Executive in Charge of Production in 2015. At CBC, Drew has overseen several broadcast and digital series including season 1 & 2 of Dot, Kingdom Force, Big Blue, Snapshots (2018 International Emmy winner),...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Disney Channels, CBC Kids, Apple TV+; Speed Pitching - Amazon Kids, CBC Kids




Lucy is Director of Kids Content for Sky in the UK and ROI. She is responsible for Sky’s kids content across all platforms which includes 8 live channels and a library of over 5,000 On Demand episodes, as well as overseeing the continued development of the successful Sky Kids App.
Lucy’s...show more


Darren is responsible for leading negotiations on a range of acquired series, films and kids deals across the ITV portfolio (ITV1, ITV2, ITVBe, ITV3, ITV4, CITV and littleBe). For CITV & littleBe, Darren has acquired a range of live-action and animated comedies such as Detention Adventure, Mighty Mike, Mr. Bean...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - DeAKids, BBC Children's, ITV; Speed Pitching - ITV, BBC Studios, Canal+


A senior executive with more than 30 years experience in theatrical and TV distribution. Mevelyn’s career includes overseeing international sales and distribution divisions for companies with large libraries, acquisition activity, and busy on-going production slates. Encompassed among her duties is the participation in all aspects of sales, acquisitions, development, marketing...show more
Speaking at: Sales story: Global exclusive or regional deals?


Jon Ollwerther joined Genius Brands from Measure, the nation's leading Drone as a Service® company. As Vice President of Media, Ollwerther grew the Arts & Entertainment division from its inception and worked with leading media companies and advertisers like ABC, CBS, ESPN, Red Bull Media House, Coach, Prada, Maker's Mark,...show more
Speaking at: How to bring your A-game to AVOD


Veronica Pickett, Head of Original Video for Amazon Kids, lives to tell entertaining stories that have a positive effect on young audiences. Her career has been defined by unique gigs that combine science and creativity. Veronica currently oversees original video programming for Amazon Kids+, Amazon’s digital media subscription service for...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Veronica Pickett, Amazon Kids


Jamie Piekarz is children’s media professional with the unique combination of creative production and broadcast experience that spans all age groups and genres. She is currently developing preschool programming for AppleTV+, after spending the past few years creating, showrunning and providing expertise on children’s media through her company, JamPie Media,...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Disney Channels, CBC Kids, Apple TV+; Speed Pitching - DreamWorks Animation TV, Corus Kids, Apple TV+


Adina Pitt is Vice President, Content Acquisitions and Co-productions for Cartoon Network and Boomerang. She is responsible for identifying, negotiating and acquiring pre-produced series, specials, movies and short-form product that fit the Cartoon Network and Boomerang brands for exposure across all platforms. She continues to oversee those programs once they...show more
Speaking at: MASTER CLASS—Perfecting your virtual pitch; In Conversation with... Adina Pitt, Cartoon Network & Boomerang


Irene Pothecary-Huse, Acquisitions Executive at NRK Super, Norway’s foremost multi-platform Children’s channel.
In 1996, the Norwegian public broadcaster, NRK, launched NRK2 in which Irene was part of the creation team. She has since served as Project Manager and Executive feature film/ fiction buyer for NRK1 and NRK2. In 2007 Irene helped...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - BBC Children's, NRK Super, Super RTL; Coffee with... RAI, TF1, NRK


Mahesh leads digital product strategy and development at KidsKnowBest, the UK’s fastest-growing kids media agency. Besides architecting KidsKnowBest’s new suite of research data tools, he advises clients on UX and commercial optimisation of their digital businesses. Mahesh has 20 years of experience developing and managing multi-platform digital products, across web...show more
Speaking at: How to bring your A-game to AVOD




Carl Reed is the President and Co-founder of Lion Forge Animation, and Producer of the Academy Award-winning film, Hair Love.
Carl’s career includes 20 years in media. Over the course of his career, Carl has worked with partners to produce a variety of different types of content, from comic books to...show more
Speaking at: The big short: How to turn bite-sized ideas into long-form content




As VP of Animation Production and Development, Chris Rose heads up the internal and external animation development and production teams for Nickelodeon International. In addition to identifying and developing new IP for Nick Toons, Nickelodeon, and Nick Jr, Rose works across Nick International’s original animated content production slate and manages...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - RTÉ, Nickelodeon; Speed Pitching - iQIYI, Nickelodeon, Canal+




Orion Ross is based in London and is responsible for the creative development and production of original animated series for Disney's Europe and Africa media networks including Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+.
Current and recent projects include Chip 'N' Dale, 101 Dalmatian Street, Miraculous Ladybug, PJ Masks, Furiki Wheels, Gigantosaurus,...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - M6, BNNVARA, Disney EMEA; In Conversation with... Orion Ross, Disney EMEA; Speed Pitching - M6/Gulli/Tiji/Canal J, BBC Studios, Disney EMEA


Dr. Colleen Russo Johnson is the Chief Scientist and co-founder of The OK Company, makers of the OK Play app. As a developmental psychologist with an expertise in children's media and technology, Colleen serves as an adjunct professor at Ryerson University and co-founder of the Ryerson Children’s Media Lab. She...show more
Speaking at: Opening up about race on screen




Shai Samet is a proud husband and father of five, an experienced and award-winning Internet safety and privacy expert, and a college tennis hall-of-famer. When he’s not exploring California’s coastal food scene for the best kosher dish, he's fulfilling his role as the founder and president of the kidSAFE Seal...show more
Speaking at: Brainpick—All Things Digital


From 2013 to present, Dr. Sapp has served as project director for multiple accessible media projects funded by the Department of Education, Office of Special Education. Projects have included expanding the use of audio description for children’s educational television programming, creating accessible online educational games for children, and providing guidance...show more
Speaking at: Confronting your biases


Vicky Schroderus joined YLE, Finnish Broadcasting Company in 1997 is currently working as Acquisition Executive for YLE Television. When measured by ratings and audience satisfaction YLE is the number one multi-platform destination for Finnish Kids. It transmits annually over 1300 hours of children’s programming for a two- to 12-year-old audience...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - VRT, YLE Finland, Spotify


With over 25 years of experience in media rights distribution and global franchise development, Claudia is an accomplished media professional with a focus in the children’s entertainment arena. Prior to forming Cookbook Media, Claudia served as Senior Vice President, Global Distribution, at The Jim Henson Company, where she spearheaded media...show more
Speaking at: MASTER CLASS—Perfecting your virtual pitch


Natalie joined Herschend Entertainment Studios (HES) in June 2019 following their acquisition of Ludorum in December 2018. Natalie was part of the Ludorum team for 11+ years, tasked initially to manage International Sales and Licensing for its wholly-owned pre-school property, Chuggington. She was appointed Commercial Director in January 2015 before...show more
Speaking at: Cooking with... Natalie Setton (Herschend)


Jay Shah leads Global Content Partnerships at LEGO, overseeing content partnerships, co-productions, and business development efforts for the iconic toy company’s entertainment division. Shah is responsible for sales, marketing, developing multiplatform content strategies, and seeking out new & innovative ways to convey content and stories to consumers globally through new...show more
Speaking at: Coffee with... Disney Junior, LEGO, Nickelodeon; Coffee with... LEGO, Nickelodeon, Super RTL


As Vice President of Digital & Platform, Kate Sils oversees international digital content strategy and social engagement for Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Network and BET for ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI).
In this role, Sils leads a team that leverages the scale of ViacomCBS’s global organization by disseminating and...show more
Speaking at: Coffee with... LEGO, Nickelodeon, Super RTL; Coffee with... Disney Junior, LEGO, Nickelodeon


As the Head of PBS KIDS Content, Linda Simensky collaborates with producers, co-production partners, PBS station programmers, and distributors throughout the development, production, post-production, broadcast, and digital phases for PBS KIDS content. She leads the development of a multi-platform video content strategy, designed to respond to the quickly evolving media...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Linda Simensky, PBS Kids


With more than 25 years of experience in the development, production and distribution of cultural and entertainment products, Pierre Sissmann has been involved in TV channel launches, music production and distribution and even in the creation of a press group. After being a top executive at Sony Music for 10...show more
Speaking at: Yadda yadda yadda: Why talk shows are blowing up in kids media


Leticia Smith has 14 years’ experience working with kids’ content. She is currently the Sourcing & Acquisitions Manager for Discovery Kids Latin America. She has worked in the sourcing department for the last seven years and prior to working in sourcing & acquisitions, Leticia worked programming Discovery Kids for 7...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Nickelodeon, Disney Channels, Discovery Kids; Speed Pitching - Cartoon Network, Discovery Kids, Spotify


Jamie has worked in Kids TV for the last 15 years. His professional highlights include launching & programming the Disney Junior and Disney XD EMEA channels, leading the Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy for Disney PRIDE UK & Ireland, spending a morning with Selena Gomez’s mum gossiping over croissants, and working...show more
Speaking at: Cocktails with... Disney+ & Disney Channels


Ellen has overseen the content strategy at Hopster since 2015. She has led the development of Hopster’s original content productions and served as executive producer for Hopsters Original series including Two Minutes Tales and Saturday Club. Ellen has been a juror for the Children’s BAFTA and the British Animation Awards,...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - DreamWorks Animation TV, Disney Channels, Hopster; Speed Pitching - WarnerMedia, SVT, Hopster


Tara Sorensen is Apple’s Head of Children’s Programming, Worldwide Video. A respected children’s programming executive, Sorensen oversees the development and production of original live-action and animated children’s series globally.
Previously, Sorensen served as Head of Kids Programming for Amazon Studios, where she launched the division and shepherded Emmy Award-winning series, including Tumble Leaf,...show more
Speaking at: Cocktails with... Apple TV+


Ralph Sosa, graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, Animation Department, and is an Emmy and Annie nominated storyboard artist, with 24 years of experience. Working at all major studios from Fox, WB, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Sony. Ralph Sosa has directed several episodes of The Simpsons, was Assistant...show more


Since 2011 Geraldine Soto has been the Head of Acquisitions, Prebuys, and Coproductions for the Kids Department of CANAL+. She is in charge of spotting and acquiring kids contents for teleTOON+ (6-10 yo), Piwi+ (3-6 yo), Canal+Family kids slots, and SVOD kids content for the platform published by CANAL+ Group.
Between...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - ITV, BBC Studios, Canal+; Speed Pitching - iQIYI, Nickelodeon, Canal+


An Emmy® winning and ten-time Emmy®-nominated television producer, Halle Stanford leads The Jim Henson Company’s development and production of all television, home entertainment, and digital media in animated and live-action formats establishing the Company’s creative culture across all territories.
Stanford most recently executive produced the short form series Fraggle Rock: Rock...show more
Speaking at: Yadda yadda yadda: Why talk shows are blowing up in kids media


Rebecca is the Research Director at KidsKnowBest, leading research in the key behaviours that impact kids’ development and helping brands develop global strategies to engage family audiences. Since joining KidsKnowBest Rebecca has worked with brands such as Cartoon Network, eOne, Hasbro and Viacom.
Speaking at: Meet the new cliques


Syrinthia Studer is Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon and Awesomeness Films, overseeing all live-action feature-length content for Awesomeness and Nickelodeon’s Kids & Family Studio in a role that encompasses development, production, acquisitions and co-financing.
A 20-year industry veteran, Studer previously served as Paramount Pictures’ Executive Vice President, Worldwide Acquisitions, where she oversaw...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Syrinthia Studer, Nickelodeon


Melanie Summers is the Chief Brand Officer of Driver Studios, an award-winning production studio specializing in Kids & Family Entertainment. Responsible for all marketing, licensing and business development for Driver's existing and new IP, she leads the Driver team in evaluating new content opportunities as well as seeking best in...show more
Speaking at: Cooking with... Melanie Summers (Driver Studios)


Carlene Tan is responsible for identifying new IP and producing original series for Cartoon Network, Boomerang and POGO in Asia Pacific.
Based in Singapore, she oversees the region’s current slate of originals that include the International Emmy-nominated Lamput, the brand-new Monster Beach, as well as steeringthe production on the long-running Roll...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - Sesame Workshop, eOne, WarnerMedia Kids APAC; Speed Pitching - iQIYI, RTÉ, WarnerMedia APAC


Asalle Tanha is director of development for Cartoon Network Original Series, where she is responsible for finding and developing new original shows. She has developed 17 artist-driven shorts in addition to the hit series Victor and Valentino, Craig of the Creek, Apple & Onion, and Infinity Train, as well as...show more
Speaking at: The big short: How to turn bite-sized ideas into long-form content


Baratunde Thurston is an Emmy-nominated host who has worked for The Onion, produced for The Daily Show, advised the Obama White House, and wrote the New York Times bestseller How To Be Black. He’s the executive producer and host of two podcasts: How To Citizen with Baratunde and We’re Having A Moment which CNET called...show more
Speaking at: KEYNOTE—Reframing the story: How to deconstruct racism through the tales we tell


Wynne Tyree is the founder and president of Smarty Pants, an international market research and strategic consulting firm that specializes in youth and families. She is a leading authority on the lifestyles and behaviors of kids, teens and parents around the globe. She is a gifted brand builder, speaker, writer...show more
Speaking at: The changing perception of self


As the Vice President of Live Action Production and Development, Valentine oversees all development and production for Nickelodeon International. From identifying IP, through every stage of production to premiere, Valentine handles development, writing, casting, and post-production for Nickelodeon’s productions in multiple global regions including, Hunter Street (Netherlands), Spyders (Israel), and...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - WarnerMedia, TF1, Nickelodeon; Coffee with... DeAKids, Disney Junior, Nickelodeon


Jennifer Vaux oversees content acquisition for the ad-supported component of Roku’s owned and operated channel, The Roku Channel. She is responsible for sourcing and executing innovative programming acquisition deals across a range of content and business models. She works to license content for The Roku Channel in United States, Canada...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Jennifer Vaux, Roku


Kerstin Viehbach joined Super RTL in 1999. After working as a producer for non-fictional children's content, she joined the Co-Production department.
Since this year she is heading the Commissioning & Development department. She and her team are searching for the best children's programmes and are also supervising co-developments.
Speaking at: Speed Pitching -BNNVARA, NRK Super, Super RTL; Coffee with... LEGO, Nickelodeon, Super RTL; In Conversation with... Marion Winter & Kerstin Viehbach, Super RTL


Michael Vogel is a writer, producer and super geek who has been fortunate enough to work on some of the biggest brands in the entertainment industry. He has a proven track record in developing IP across features, television (prime time and cable) live action, animation and digital.
His experience as a...show more
Speaking at: Pitch Doctoring - Claire Curley, Cort Lane, Mike Vogel


Verdell Walker is the Head of Kids Audio Content at Spotify. In this role, she oversees the development and production of original audio content for the growing kids vertical on Spotify. She is responsible for developing and executing the programming strategy for original audio content made for kids aged 3-9.
Prior...show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - VRT, YLE Finland, Spotify; Speed Pitching - Cartoon Network, Discovery Kids, Spotify




Katie Wilson, Vice President, Channels and Curation, WildBrain Television, is responsible for curating content and providing editorial direction across WildBrain’s portfolio of Canadian broadcast channels – Family Channel, Family CHRGD, Family Jr., Télémagino and their multiplatform/VOD extensions. Central to her role, Wilson spearheads WildBrain Television’s content acquisition and original production program....show more
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - PBS KIDS, Disney Channels, WildBrain/Family Channel; Speed Pitching - Kidoodle.TV, Apple TV+, WildBrain/Family Channel; In Conversation with... Katie Wilson, WildBrain/Family Channel


Marion Winter joined Super RTL in April 2011 as Senior Manager of Acquisitions and Co-Productions. Previously, she held numerous positions within the Program Acquisitions and Sales department of parent network RTL Television, and worked as Manager of Content Sourcing for RTL Interactive’s online, mobile and VOD platforms.
Speaking at: Speed Pitching - BBC Children's, NRK Super, Super RTL; In Conversation with... Marion Winter & Kerstin Viehbach, Super RTL


Adam has 30 years media, marketing and insight, 15 years of which was spent in senior operational roles.
Initially spending time in working with production teams and audience research for London Weekend Television. Then moved into creating content and senior programming roles for broadcasters. In 2001 he moved into audience insight...show more
Speaking at: Hear that? Tuning into the role of sound and music in brand-building


Mike is a Software Engineer Lead at Unity, where he is helping to define the future of Film, TV and Animation for Unity. He leads teams of creators on innovative projects, most notably Baymax Dreams (which won Unity their first Technical Emmy in 2019) as well as the collaboration with...show more


Gerald Youngblood is the Founder of Tankee, Inc., an award-winning media company dedicated to the future of family-friendly digital entertainment. He is also the Head of Brand, Consumer & Creative Services for NSF International, an organization dedicated to protecting and improving human health since 1944. Youngblood is a Mentor-in-Residence at...show more
Speaking at: How to bring your A-game to AVOD


Candida Zelaya is the Director of Programming at Corus Entertainment, overseeing the 10-network portfolio of Corus Kids, including flagship networks, YTV, Treehouse and TELETOON. In addition to overseeing content and scheduling strategy, she manages acquisition needs across the portfolio. She also works closely and collaborates with international partners including Nickelodeon,...show more
Speaking at: In Conversation with... Candida Zelaya, Corus


Nadine Zylstra works with family and learning partners on YouTube. Prior to working at YouTube, Zylstra served as Vice President of Sesame Street Production and Programming and Supervising Producer for Sesame Street. She has been recognized with numerous awards including a Peabody Award, Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing and Producing...show more
Speaking at: Cocktails with... YouTube; Speed Pitching - ABC Australia, PBS KIDS, YouTube; Speed Pitching - Amazon Kids, CBC Kids, YouTube; In Conversation with... Nadine Zylstra, YouTube