Paulina joined BBC Studios in 2019 and was elevated to Senior Director of Consumer Products for North America in 2025. With over a decade of experience, Paulina oversees hardlines licensing partnerships for BBC Studios’ diverse brand portfolio, including the TOTY and Licensing International Excellence Award-winning Bluey, Doctor Who, BBC Earth,...show more

Featured in: License to Play: Building consumer products strategies for kids IPs

Natalie has over 25 years’ senior management level experience in IP development, TV production, international distribution, financing, and new business development in Kids & Family animation. She is currently Senior Vice President of Business Development for Triggerfish Animation and Executive Producer for Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, overseeing the original...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

Shaan is the Head of Content Development for Samsung TV Plus across the platform, including live events, creator formats, unscripted & scripted content, animation, branded entertainment, and next-generation interactive experiences. A media executive for over 17 years, Shaan began his career at Discovery Communications in 2007 and worked across Discovery...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 1

Tyler is a Luminate Intelligence media analyst covering the streaming and content landscapes and their effects on the media and tech business. He was previously at Entertainment Weekly, where he wrote on, among many topics, the film industry, streaming and labor issues in Hollywood.

Featured in: The DEI Reckoning: What’s left, what’s next, and who’s leading the change?

Gabriela is Senior Vice President, Global Consumer Products Licensing, at Sesame Workshop. Based in New York, Gabriela is responsible for driving the strategic licensing development, direction, and implementation of consumer products across all major categories of goods, including toys, apparel and accessories, social expressions, and digital partnerships and collaborations. She...show more

Featured in: License to Play: Building consumer products strategies for kids IPs

As Associate Director of Content for PBS KIDS, Cathryn oversees the development of new broadcast, streaming, and interactive content. She works with creators from pitch to pilot, helping shape their projects for the PBS KIDS audience. She also serves as a production executive for several current PBS KIDS series, including ...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3

Evan is a TV/film producer, showrunner, and entrepreneur focused on telling great stories and building iconic brands and franchises. His credits include Sonic Boom (starring the eponymous hedgehog); the breakthrough indie feature Frank & Zed; the BAFTA-winning global phenomenon Lazytown; and a bunch of weird, fun projects for Nintendo. He...show more

Featured in: Show & Tech: The coolest new tools in town; The Art of Intelligence: Using AI without losing the human touch; JORDAN MATTER KEYNOTE – Making it Matter: Building trust & scale in the creator economy by being real

With four years’ experience in youth insight, Lucy draws on her background in psychology and critical thinking to understand how kids think, feel, and behave. She engages with kids every day through managing an active research community and has partnered with global brands including Nike and LEGO to help them...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Culture in Motion: How Gen Alpha is rewriting the rules of kids content

Featured in: Buyers Brief: Dreamia

Ed is the founder of Oware (au-wah-rii), a creative agency developing TV, feature films and branded content. Ed is an award-winning and hugely experienced content leader and storyteller, with a history of success developing content for major broadcasters and working with independent studios. He has previously worked at BBC Studios...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1

Simón started his career as an animator in 2005, then he jumped into executive producer and entrepreneur in 2012 with an international track record across Latin America, North America, and Europe. He is one of the founders of the Santiago ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter in Chile and served three terms as...show more

Featured in: Surviving Animation: How indies are adapting in a turbulent market

Daniel heads up the Development team at CAKE Productions; seeking out and working with creators and studios from around the world to develop and raise finance for unique, meaningful, stand-out, and best-in-lane children’s IP.

Daniel has over 20 years of experience in media, 16 of which were at the...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4

Matty is a producer, entertainment entrepreneur, and the founder of IRCODE, the visual-recognition platform transforming how audiences interact with television and streaming.

Matty’s career began in music and film, where he built and sold a nationally distributed record label before shifting into Hollywood finance and production. He launched Natural...show more

Featured in: Show & Tech: The coolest new tools in town

Kim is Vice President of Development at Disney Jr., the global preschool brand of The Walt Disney Company. In this role, she oversees the development of premium original content for preschoolers and families across Disney+, Disney Jr. and Disney Channel.

Since being named to the position in 2021, Kim...show more

Featured in: Buyers Brief: Disney

Jessica is based in Miami and heads up the Acquisitions and Partnerships team for Warner Bros. Discovery, LatAm. Jessica buys content for Cartoonito, DKids, Cartoon Network and HBO MAX.

Featured in: Speed Pitching 1

Brenda 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 acquisitions of top children’s media content from around the world, as well as a future caster for all new business development on...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 1

With over 30 years’ experience in kids and family brands, Julien is President of Mediawan Kids and Family. Until 2018, he was Head of Kids and General Entertainment Channels at WarnerMedia for France, French-speaking territories and Africa. Between 2005 and 2015, he created France Télévisions Kids department and established it...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3

Ryan is Senior Vice President of TV and Brand Marketing for DreamWorks Animation, overseeing marketing for the television division, including the studio's slate of award-winning kids and family programming for Netflix, Apple TV, Peacock, Amazon, Hulu, and other broadcasters around the world. Notable titles include Gabby’s Dollhouse, Jurassic World:...show more

Featured in: The Roblox Revolution: Rethinking brand management for a new era

Maud holds a BA in Modern Literature from Sorbonne Nouvelle University and an HND in 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 Coordinator for DIC Entertainment/Cookie Jar. Later, she joined...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4

Chloe is an accomplished media executive with over 15 years of experience in content acquisition, programming strategy, and channel management across leading global entertainment brands. Currently serving as Acquisitions Manager at Sky, Chloe drives complex negotiations and strategic content deals, leveraging deep market insights and data-driven approaches to deliver competitive...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 5

Sydney's journey in the animation industry began with her role in primetime animation at Bento Box Entertainment. There, she skillfully managed in-house design and animation teams for acclaimed shows like Comedy Central's Brickleberry, Hulu's The Awesomes, and FOX's multi-Emmy Award-winning series Bob's Burgers. Transitioning from production to...show more

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & Webtoons

Eric Calderon is an independent writer, producer, and YouTube educator with more than 30 years of experience in the world of animation production and development. He was one of the pioneer non-Japanese executives who successfully worked within the Japanese anime ecosystem and developed and co-produced the anime industry’s only Emmy...show more

Featured in: Surviving Animation: How indies are adapting in a turbulent market; What You Need to Know: Kids & Anime

Gina serves as Chief Creative Officer at Mad Engine Global. Gina is credited with starting the girls' division at Mad Engine 11 years ago, at a time when they had not entered the female market. She has created numerous collaborations, exclusive brands in partnership with major studios, plus in-house brands...show more

Featured in: License to Play: Building consumer products strategies for kids IPs; Kidscreen Licensing Challenge

Ben joined Spin Master at the beginning of 2025 and is helping lead Series Development, working across a slate of Spin IP as well as original series and features. Previously, Ben worked in both Features and TV for DreamWorks Animation, where he developed a wide variety of shows including DreamWorks...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 5

Swin is the Executive in Charge of Development and Production for CBC Kids. In her role, she seeks out, develops and curates preschool, school-aged, and tween content for CBC TV and CBC Gem. She focuses on development and acquisitions and serves as a production executive for CBC Kids' current shows...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 5; Speed Pitching 4

Founder of Victura Media, Thom is a creative and commercially-driven media executive with over 15 years of experience in content sales, franchise management, and platform strategy across television, streaming, YouTube, AVOD, and interactive platforms.

Thom has worked with top franchises such as PAW Patrol, Peanuts, and Bakugan and has...show more

Featured in: Show & Tech: The coolest new tools in town

Bernie is the President and Founder of DFSB Kollective, a Seoul-based artist and label services agency that specializes in providing digital media, marketing, and distribution solutions to 2000-plus Korean Pop music artists. As more K-Pop acts aspire to go independent and international, DFSB Kollective creatively collaborates with artists and their...show more

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & K-Pop

Carly is a five-time Emmy-nominated host, writer, producer, and performer. She began her career in children's media as a host of Sprout’s beloved preschool show Sunny Side Up, creating fast-turnaround live television with music, games, and sketches. Other TV hosting credits include Disney+ and NatGeo's Weird But True,...show more

Featured in: The Welcome Hour: Cocktails & Conversation

As a Strategic Partnerships Manager at YouTube, Hayley is dedicated to expanding the reach and engagement of youth-focused creators and media companies. Her expertise in content strategy was honed over several years at Disney, where she was instrumental in building the YouTube presence for iconic brands like Disney Channel, Disney...show more

Featured in: Behind the Channel: Building a Business on YouTube

Joey is a Los Angeles-based comedian, Peabody and Emmy-nominated TV writer and an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. Growing up, Joey aspired to become a local TV weatherperson because he didn’t see Native American comedians on screen and thought a career in comedy was off-limits. He has since...show more

Featured in: Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids

Rick is Executive Director of Content Acquisitions and Partnerships at Disney Branded Television. He has a distinct focus on acquiring series, movies, and short-form content — scripted and unscripted, live-action and animation — developed and produced by third-party providers for Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior, with a...show more

Featured in: Buyers Brief: Disney

Eleanor is a Paris-based American producer and distributor who has worked for over 25 years in the European animation community.

Her career began with a 15-year tenure at TF1 in France as the head of in-house production and business development across all platforms for children. Her animated broadcast work...show more

Featured in: The Co-Pro Advantage: Funding kids content with global partners

Megan is a Los Angeles-based cultural insights analyst and pop culture expert. Aside from a stint on the corporate side that only Kaley could have enticed her to accept, the proud LA native’s career has mostly been on the vendor side. For over a decade, she’s been providing clients from...show more

Jen is a leading critic and recognized voice in the fast-evolving world of vertical dramas. As the founder of Vertical Drama Love, she has built a global platform that connects fans, creators, and industry professionals—bridging the gap between audience passion and creative vision. Her sharp, insightful reviews and commentary have...show more

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & Microdramas

Natascha, PhD, is a psychologist, educator, researcher, guest lecturer, and Daytime Emmy Award judge who works towards enhancing children’s growth and development through the power of media. She is the founder and president of Crandall Consulting.

Natascha earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Developmental Psychology from The Pennsylvania...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1

Renowned for her humor, quick wit, and authenticity, Jessi has been the host of some of television’s most popular programs, including MTV Canada’s The Hills After Show, CBC’s The Goods, and Canada’s Smartest Person. A seasoned presenter, Jessi is an in-demand host, emcee, moderator, and on-stage interviewer...show more

Featured in: Kidscreen Awards

Meridian is a story artist, director, and showrunner from Carmel, Indiana. She began her career as a Story Intern at Pixar Animation Studios in 2021 and in 2022, joined the story team at Skydance Animation on Apple TV’s series WondLa. Today, she is the founder of Herringbone Animation, an...show more

Featured in: Surviving Animation: How indies are adapting in a turbulent market

Eric, Head of Creative Innovation at Asteria Film, is an Emmy Award-winning innovator, creative director, and member of the PGA. Known for blending cutting-edge technology with compelling storytelling, his recent work has been in generative AI film and TV animation. With a focus on open-source tools, Eric continues to push...show more

Featured in: The Art of Intelligence: Using AI without losing the human touch

Daphné de Beauffort, EVP in Charge of Acquisition of Animation for TF1 Group, heads the negotiations for pre-buy, co-production and acquisition of programs for the channels TF1, TFX, as well as for the SVOD & AVOD platforms, TFOUMAX and MYTF1. She also oversees the development of youth series with TF1...show more

Carla is an Emmy Award-winning producer who has held various roles both as a producer and broadcaster in Australia, Canada and the UK. Before joining Sinking Ship Entertainment, she was Head of Commissioning and Development for ABC Australia and Executive in Charge of Production and Development at CBC in Canada.

Featured in: The Co-Pro Advantage: Funding kids content with global partners

Sixte is a visionary French entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Animaj. Passionate about disruptive business approaches, Sixte co-founded Nestor, a groundbreaking food delivery company, revolutionizing the lunch break experience in France. After successfully scaling Nestor and selling it to Elior Group, and following the birth of his three boys,...show more

Featured in: Plug & Play: How producers are making AI work for them

Michael is Director of Coolabi Productions, the production arm of the Coolabi Group. He is an executive producer, development and branded content specialist with over thirty years of experience managing and growing kids and family entertainment brands. As part of his current role, Michael pitches Coolabi’s extensive book catalogue to...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

Elie is a veteran of the entertainment licensing industry. He has worked with the industry’s most dynamic licensors; Saban, Fox, Legendary, CAA, among others, and has guided consumer entertainment and licensing for Power Rangers, Transformers, The Simpsons, Avatar, Paul Frank, Paris Hilton, Skibidi Toilet and many other hit franchises.

Featured in: Kidscreen Licensing Challenge

Alan is a seasoned animation Head Writer specializing in children's content across television and digital platforms. Most notably, he served as Senior Story Editor on Cocomelon, the #1 global children's franchise on YouTube, where he shepherded over 300 episodic scripts that generated billions of views. His career spans leadership...show more

Featured in: Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids

As Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS and Education, Sara is responsible for the strategic direction of the dynamic educational media service that supports children, their parents, teachers and caregivers, and local communities.

Sara leads a cross-disciplinary team at PBS KIDS—the #1 educational media brand for...show more

Featured in: Funding & Finding: How public broadcasters are shaping kids media’s future

Revati is a Development and Current Series Executive working in animation. Most recently, she served as Manager of Development and Current Series at Nickelodeon, where she was Executive-in-Charge on Wylde Pak and Avatar: Seven Havens, in addition to shepherding projects from pitch through production.

At Cartoon Network, Revati ...show more

Featured in: Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids

David has more than 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. In his current role, he oversees programming, content acquisitions, channel (app) partnerships, and monetization across Future Today's extensive portfolio of Kids and Family channels including the top-rated ad-supported streaming app HappyKids. Before joining Future Today, he was...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4

Vienna is a consumer products and franchise development leader with extensive experience transforming kids and family IP into global brand ecosystems. Before joining Thunderbird, she worked across major entertainment and lifestyle brands at Warner Bros., Hasbro, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, where she launched new IP, repositioned and transformed existing brands,...show more

Featured in: Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere

Stephen Dypiangco is one the world’s leading experts on the topic of Roblox and brands. He has advised global companies on their Roblox strategies, including BBC Studios, Paramount, and Takara Tomy. With 100-plus articles published about Roblox and a following of over 14,000 across LinkedIn and his industry leading Max...show more

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & Roblox

Steven is a leading media and brand collaborations executive with extensive global consumer product licensing experience. Before co-founding License Global in 1998, Steven was a publishing executive at The Hollywood Reporter. Through License Global, he established the foremost publication for the US$360 billion licensing industry, fueling the sector’s threefold growth...show more

Featured in: Kidscreen Licensing Challenge; From TikTok to Target: How Gen Alpha discovers licensed brands; WORKSHOP – Licensing Launchpad: Preparing your IP for market entry

Vanessa is an accomplished writer, director, executive producer, and content creator and has creatively overseen a wide range of projects across all genres. Recently, she co-created and acted as showrunner for the animated series Super Wish and wrote and co-directed the short film Christopher & the Bug. Her leadership...show more

Featured in: Small Stories, Big Impact: Springboarding from short films to long tail

Ken is CEO and El Presidente of Epic Story Media and its subsidiary Epic Story Interactive. The mission for both companies is to put creators at the center of compelling and engaging franchises for kids. Who doesn't remember that feeling we all had as children when we fell in love...show more

Featured in: The Roblox Revolution: Rethinking brand management for a new era

Josh 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 has also worked closely with talented artists and creators to help guide them as they build their shows....show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1

Kim is an education and media research leader dedicated to advancing early learning, family engagement, and global equity through evidence-based storytelling. As Vice President of Research and Insights at Sesame Workshop, she drives the organization’s global research strategy—integrating data, audience insights, impact measurement, and innovation to shape content that supports...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Smarter by Design: The research behind Sesame Street's new era

Karen is a multi–Emmy Award–winning Development Executive, EP, and Showrunner. She joined 9 Story (Toronto) in 2019 as VP of Development, guiding four preschool series from development into production, serving as EP on Let’s Go,  Bananas!, Rosie’s Rules, Dylan’s Playtime Adventures, and an as-yet-unannounced...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Smarter by Design: The research behind Sesame Street's new era; Pitch Prep 2

Amy is the Founder and President of Redhead Consulting, a content and brand creation company focused on kids, teens, and families. Her work in programming, branding, and pro-social content has earned multiple Peabody, Beacon, Cable Ace, and Creativity Awards over three decades. Her current client roster includes The Aspen Institute,...show more

Featured in: Buyers Brief: Netflix; No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship; Buyers Brief: ABC Australia

Ed is CEO of CAKE, an independent entertainment company specializing in the production, distribution, development, financing and brand development of kids and family properties. With 25 years of experience, Ed has worked for leading companies including Gaumont and Xilam. Ed is Executive Producer of Bottersnikes and Gumbles, Mush-Mush and the...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Culture in Motion: How Gen Alpha is rewriting the rules of kids content

Athena is an award-winning Executive Producer of Content for Kids and Families in Animation and Live-Action, specializing in creative leadership, co-productions, and financing. Most recently VP of Nelvana Studios, Athena oversaw the development and production of multiple series in animation and live-action with a team of 300-plus. As the Director...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2; Buyers Brief: Dreamia; Small Stories, Big Impact: Springboarding from short films to long tail; Buyers Brief: PBS KIDS

Shelly is the founder of Erlance Studios, an award-winning animation studio based in Vienna, Austria, dedicated to developing original IPs aimed at teenage audiences. She is best known for Reyn: Angel of Freedom, a webtoon with over 1M reads and an upcoming animated adaptation. Her detailed animated music videos and...show more

Featured in: No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship

Tommy leads content strategy and editorial for the U.S. public broadcaster’s slate of children’s programs airing nationally on PBS stations and streaming free on the PBS KIDS app. Tommy oversees production for PBS KIDS — collaborating with producers, PBS station programmers, co-production partners, and distributors — on series including Arthur and...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 1

Robin is a leading children’s media executive and consultant with a two-decade track record in developing and scaling global animation brands across TV, film and digital platforms. He specializes in taking IP from early creative development through to international growth, using a mix of creative development, commercial strategy, distribution expertise...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1

Richard is a leader in the television and family entertainment industries who has overseen development, production, media distribution, licensing and merchandising and business development for major brands at The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company and Univision Communications. In 2021, he joined Vancouver-based Thunderbird Entertainment and...show more

Featured in: Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere; Speed Pitching 5

With two decades in television—more than half of them devoted to children’s entertainment—Susana has helped shape stories, channels, and brands that have inspired generations of young viewers. As Programming Director at Dreamia, she leads the editorial vision and content strategy for Canal Panda, Panda Kids, and Panda+, overseeing programming direction...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 1

Sebastian serves as Head of Studio and Executive Producer for Pixel Zoo Animation Studios, overseeing the esteemed Brisbane-based studio’s team of over 150 talented staff members. Prior to this role, he was Head of Production.

Driven by a passion for storytelling and development, Sebastian has helped Pixel Zoo achieve huge...show more

Featured in: The Co-Pro Advantage: Funding kids content with global partners

The ultimate entertainment guru, Jane is an expert at fearlessly transforming insights into stories that permeate far past the question at hand. Jane has a passion for connecting brands with the youngest of hearts to the forever young at heart, fueling the development of characters, personalities, and stories that are...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – New Tweens in Town: Understanding the generation transforming culture

Andrea is a creative executive with over twenty-five years production and development experience. At Sphere, Andrea leads the Kids and Family development strategy and is responsible for the execution of an exciting scripted, unscripted, and animation slate for the global marketplace. Known for her authenticity, clear vision and steady hand,...show more

Featured in: Crossing Over: A live-action primer for animation producers

Sherry is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of HEEBOO, the next-generation entertainment studio built to connect creators, fans, and capital around original IP. In this role, Sherry will oversee the studio’s continued growth as it expands its slate of original IPs in digital-first entertainment. She will work alongside Andrew Pelekis,...show more

Featured in: Show & Tech: The coolest new tools in town

Jonathan is a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and taught for 16 years in the department of psychology at the University of Virginia.

Since 2018, he has been studying the contributions of social...show more

Featured in: JONATHAN HAIDT KEYNOTE – Raising the Anxious Generation: What kids TV can do to help

Passionate storyteller and dynamic entrepreneur Anttu is the Co-Founder of Gigglebug Entertainment, a leading creator and producer of joyful 2D animation, with studios in the icy north and sunny south of Europe! Harlin started Gigglebug Entertainment with Creative Director Joonas Utti in 2013 with the mission of making fun stuff...show more

Featured in: The Co-Pro Advantage: Funding kids content with global partners

Carolyn is a Gemini Award-winning, WGC Screenwriting Award and Canadian Screen Award-nominated writer. She has written, created, developed, and story edited more than 50 children’s series, including Ruby Gloom, PAW Patrol, Agent Binky, Riley Rocket, and Ranger Rob, among others. She is currently in development...show more

Featured in: Crossing Over: A live-action primer for animation producers

Katelynn is a franchise and brand leader shaping the future of digital entertainment. As Head of Franchise at Voldex, she oversees the growth of some of the most-played games on Roblox, including Brookhaven, the world’s most popular virtual playground with over 70 billion plays and 160 million monthly...show more

Featured in: The Roblox Revolution: Rethinking brand management for a new era

Laura is an award-winning brand builder and modern marketer with a track record of success growing iconic global brands and launching break-frame new ones. She is currently Executive Vice President, Global Toy Brands and Creative Marketing at Spin Master, where she leads brand, product, and creative development across a variety...show more

Featured in: Creators & Collaborators: Evolving partnerships in the kids space

Alex has developed and produced original kids and family series for Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, and Universal Kids, including Nickelodeon’s Group Chat, the game show Tooned In, and the animated series Swamp Talk with Shrek and Donkey.

Today, Alex is the Director of YouTube Strategy at the...show more

Featured in: Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids

Dr. Javoris Hollingsworth, a Georgia native, is the CEO, co-creator and executive producer of Gracie’s Corner and proud father of its star, Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth. A former chemistry professor at the University of St. Thomas in Houston and Visiting Assistant Professor at Florida A&M University, Javoris has long combined...show more

Featured in: Mixer with the Makers: YouTube Kids creators; Behind the Channel: Building a Business on YouTube

Hollie is Vice President of Global Licensing for Moose Toys, a leading innovator in the toy industry. Based in El Segundo, Hollie drives Moose’s global license strategy, forging partnerships with powerhouse brands like Bluey, Minions, KPop Demon Hunters, Marvel, Amazing Digital Circus, and MrBeast.

With over 20 years...show more

Featured in: Kidscreen Licensing Challenge

Emily is an independent media consultant and former Disney executive. She has an extensive background in managing the intersection of content distribution and consumer products for household franchises, including Star Wars, Marvel, Disney Princess, and Mickey Mouse. She has written a great deal about the kids’ media space on...show more

Featured in: Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere

Ming is a producer and the founder of Children’s Playground Entertainment. Since July 2016, he has also served as the Vice President of Animation Production and Acquisition at Bilibili. This leading Chinese video-sharing platform acquired Children’s Playground Entertainment in the same year. Ming is one of the few foreigners who...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2; Speed Pitching 1

Luisa is COO and Co-founder of Toonstar, a tech-driven animation studio building entertainment franchises with world-class storytellers. At Toonstar, she oversees production, technology, and pipeline strategy, powering a rapidly expanding slate of original creator-owned franchises led by the breakout hit StEvEn & Parker. Luisa started her career at...show more

Featured in: The Art of Intelligence: Using AI without losing the human touch

Oliver MBE is a leading figure in the UK’s children’s media landscape, celebrated for his passion, innovation, and commitment to quality storytelling. As the Managing Director and Co-founder of Blue‑Zoo Productions, he has helped grow the company into one of the UK’s most prolific independent creators of children’s...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3

Jim is the Founder and CEO of Storybutton, who is behind some of the most popular kids’ podcasts, with over 100 million downloads across hit fiction series like Kids Short Stories, Miles the Brave and Pixel Quest. As a pioneer in family fiction, Jim has launched Riffio, an...show more

Featured in: Show & Tech: The coolest new tools in town

Christina is Manager of Content Acquisitions and Partnerships, at Disney Branded Television, and is a key part of a team responsible for identifying, assessing, and acquiring series, movies, and short-form content — scripted and unscripted, live-action and animation — developed and produced by third-party providers from around the world for...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4; Speed Pitching 1

Susie is an Emmy-nominated director, artist, storyteller, entrepreneur, and mom.

She currently serves as Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Encantos. Susie is best known as the creator of Canticos, the #1 bilingual preschool brand with over 45 million watch time hours and 350 million streams. Canticos uses digital...show more

Featured in: Mixer with the Makers: YouTube Kids creators; Behind the Channel: Building a Business on YouTube

Jaime is Vice President of Kids and Animation Content Strategy and Original Production for Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America. As part of his role, he oversees the content strategy for all platforms, including the linear networks (Cartoonito, Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim) and streaming. He’s also responsible for the...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4

Stevin is a leading voice in next-generation children’s media, best known as the creator and original host of Blippi, one of the most successful live-action kids’ franchises to emerge from the digital era. Long before major studios recognized YouTube as a cornerstone of children’s entertainment, Stevin identified an unmet...show more

Featured in: Creators & Collaborators: Evolving partnerships in the kids space

Featured in: No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship

Jeremy is the creator behind J House Vlogs and J House jr., family-focused YouTube channels with more than 35 million subscribers and over 55 billion views. He still films and edits the content himself while homeschooling five kids with his wife, Kendra. Their videos celebrate music, curiosity, learning, play, and...show more

Featured in: Mixer with the Makers: YouTube Kids creators; Behind the Channel: Building a Business on YouTube

Sid is an award-winning licensing executive and the founder of Kaufman Licensing, a new agency dedicated to delivering strategic, future-focused solutions across licensing advisory services, licensing representation, kids and family content development, retail development, eCommerce and thought leadership. Launching the agency after an accomplished tenure as Vice President of Licensing...show more

Featured in: TIM KILPIN KEYNOTE – The Power of Play: How storytelling, technology & toys build worlds kids love

Maria is the owner and co-founder of Little Engine Moving Pictures, a creator-driven media company that specializes in the production and distribution of original live-action, CGI, animated series, and companion interactive content for kids and family. Maria oversees the company’s business and sales strategy while building and strengthening partnerships with...show more

Featured in: Crossing Over: A live-action primer for animation producers

Heather is an executive producer and partner at Citizen Skull, a production and management company, where she also helms Citizen Kids, their family media division. Her recent producing credits include the Emmy-winning documentary Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street for HBO Films and Netflix's Bee and Puppycat....show more

Featured in: Small Stories, Big Impact: Springboarding from short films to long tail

Lynn is a Peabody, Webby and Parents’ Choice Award-winning Producer and Development Executive who creates animated series, digital, podcast and live-action TV programming for PBS, Nickelodeon, Netflix, Sesame Street, and MTV Networks. A trailblazer in children’s media for over 25 years, Lynn is passionate about creating playful, meaningful, and empowering...show more

Featured in: No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship

Tim serves as President of Toys, Games, Licensing and Entertainment for Hasbro, where he oversees Hasbro’s iconic multi-billion-dollar toy business, with a focus on optimizing the value and performance of the company’s strategic franchise brands and IP. Tim brings over 35 years of experience as a leader and executive in...show more

Featured in: TIM KILPIN KEYNOTE – The Power of Play: How storytelling, technology & toys build worlds kids love

Strategist, analyst, author, speaker, and connector, David Kleeman has led the children’s media industry in developing sustainable, child-friendly practices for more than 35 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

Featured in: Funding & Finding: How public broadcasters are shaping kids media’s future

David is a pioneer of Singapore’s 3D animation industry and a passionate advocate for turning ideas into globally successful IP. As CEO of Tiny Island Productions, he has guided the studio’s hit Dream Defenders to more than 80 countries globally, showcasing Singaporean creativity on the world stage.

He also...show more

Featured in: Plug & Play: How producers are making AI work for them

Yann joined Eurosport International in 1997 in the Audiences and Programming Research department. Two years later, he became a Program 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 catalogue. In parallel with his...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3

David is a seasoned creative content strategist, building multiple billion-dollar kids content franchises, launching and producing series across the globe, and is a recognized DEI leader. Through his company Lightboat Media, David provides advisory and consultant services to companies looking to grow in the global content landscape. David specializes in...show more

Featured in: The DEI Reckoning: What’s left, what’s next, and who’s leading the change?

Stevan serves as President of Programming and Operations for Kabillion, a leading youth-oriented programming network available in over 60 million US cable households and accessible across connected platforms including Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV and more. Since joining the company's leadership in 2007, Stevan has transformed Kabillion into a multi-platform...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4

Scott is a three-time Emmy award-winning content and digital entertainment executive. His expertise in multi-platform strategic thinking has made him a senior leader in overseeing content strategy, production, and brands.

In 2025, Scott joined CrunchLabs, a STEM education and media company founded by YouTuber and engineer Mark Rober as...show more

Matt is a seasoned digital strategist and YouTube content producer with over a decade of experience in digital media. Matt’s passion for storytelling, audience development, and emerging technologies has delivered over 1M followers and 1.5B views for clients like Warner Bros Discovery, Mattel, Walmart, FOX Entertainment and Group Nine Media.

Featured in: Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids

As a Producer at Spin Master Entertainment, Chantal leads production and collaborates with the toy, franchise, and content distribution teams for Netflix’s Unicorn Academy. Her leadership ensures brand alignment and effective management, driving the success of projects like Unicorn Academy. With over two decades of experience, Chantal has...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

At Lopii, Rennata leads all creative operations—directing, writing, casting, and shaping stories—bringing unscripted children’s moments to life. She has a passion for telling real stories. She graduated with honours in Broadcast Journalism from Seneca College. With over a decade in unscripted television, producing, casting and writing, she has earned multiple...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

Josh Mandel is Senior Executive of Development and Production with over 20 years of experience developing and producing content for Mattel, Disney, Pixar, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, DC Comics, Dreamworks, Microsoft, Amazon, Interscope, Atlantic Records and WWE. Josh is also a senior programmer for Slamdance, one of the top film festivals in...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 5

Tyler is the Acquisitions lead for kids content on ITVX, the UK's largest commercial broadcaster streaming service. He helped launch ITVX Kids in 2023 and brought shows such as Lloyd of the Flies, Iyanu, Pinata Smashlings and Lego Ninjago: Dragon's Rising to the platform. Prior to entering the...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3; Speed Pitching 5

Jordan is a two-time New York Times bestselling author (Born to Dance and Dancers Among Us) and the most-followed photographer in the world, with nearly 50M followers across socials. As the creator behind the #2 most-watched YouTube channel in the U.S., and the #1 channel for female viewership,...show more

Featured in: JORDAN MATTER KEYNOTE – Making it Matter: Building trust & scale in the creator economy by being real

Makeda is Senior Vice President of Digital and Cultural Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon. In her role, she evaluates the most effective ways to reach diverse target audiences through innovative research methodologies across Nickelodeon’s platforms.

Previously, she served as the Director of Education and Research, Digital Media at Sesame Workshop...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Scroll, Stream, Play: An inside look at the digital life of kids

An Emmy Award-winning executive producer, series creator and writer of YA entertainment, Tom is the co-creator of such international hits as the Total Drama franchise, My Babysitter’s a Vampire and Lucas the Spider. He is president and co-founder of Fresh TV, a world leader in creating and producing family...show more

Featured in: The Roblox Revolution: Rethinking brand management for a new era; Pitch Prep 1

Kristen is an Emmy Award-winning writer, director, and showrunner specializing in kids and family content. Most recently, she produced and directed The Potty Training Special for Ms. Rachel and directed for Sesame Street. Previously, she served as a staff writer on Disney Junior's RoboGobo and as the story producer...show more

Featured in: Creators & Collaborators: Evolving partnerships in the kids space

Hitendra is the Founder and CEO of YoBoHo New Media, a global digital media company that specializes in creating, distributing and licensing digital-first original content in the kids and family vertical. He founded YoBoHo in 2008, after identifying a massive opportunity to produce and distribute content geared towards kids on...show more

Featured in: Plug & Play: How producers are making AI work for them

Maria-Nicole manages content acquisitions for the ABC, where she secures best-in-class content for children and family audiences. She partners with global distributors and producers to identify standout projects and negotiate acquisitions, including pre-buys, across all content categories. With a deep understanding of children’s media and audience needs, Maria-Nicole helps ensure...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4; Buyers Brief: ABC Australia

Fletcher Moules is an Emmy-nominated animation director and showrunner whose work sits at the intersection of cinematic storytelling, engaging character performance, and a lifelong connection to music. Originally from Australia, based in Venice Beach, he is currently showrunning Netflix’s upcoming long-form Clash of Clans series, expanding the global franchise after...show more

Featured in: Hit Play: How music can supercharge kids content

Kaley is Founder and Lead Culture Maven at Cool Shiny Insights. Before launching Cool Shiny, Kaley led Youth & Trends Insights for YouTube at Google, helping steer the brand through a pandemic, the launch of Shorts, and a pivot to focusing on Generations Z and Alpha. Pre-YouTube, she worked for...show more

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & YouTube

Sadaf is the EVP of Development and Production at HappyNest, a first-of-its-kind independent production company focused on helping artists and creators launch their next kids and family animated franchises. A 20-year veteran of the entertainment industry, Sadaf works with creators to build and monetize their passion projects, creating new worlds...show more

Featured in: The DEI Reckoning: What’s left, what’s next, and who’s leading the change?

Siobhán is Commissioning Editor and Acquisitions Executive for Children’s Content at TG4, Ireland’s Irish language public broadcaster and the one year-old dedicated Irish language children’s channel Cúla4. In her current role as Young People’s Executive, Siobhán is responsible for selecting, negotiating and overseeing acquisitions for both TG4 and Cúla4 and...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3; Speed Pitching 2

As Vice President of Children’s Television, Bryan oversees The Jim Henson Company’s slate of live-action and animated children’s content. Previously, Bryan served as Director of Development at Disney Jr. for three years, overseeing the creative development of multiple shows, shorts and specials while collaborating with Disney’s franchise team, expanding properties...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2

Angela is a senior insights leader with more than 20 years of experience shaping the development of content, toys, and products for kids and families. She currently serves as Senior Director of Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon, where she leads content testing, screenings, and global franchise research across iconic IPs including ...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Scroll, Stream, Play: An inside look at the digital life of kids

Roye is an award-winning Nigerian-American filmmaker, author, and founder of YouNeek Studios. In 2021, YouNeek Studios secured a 10-book publishing deal with Dark Horse Comics to develop a unique line of African-inspired fantasy stories. His acclaimed title, Iyanu: Child of Wonder, is now an animated series streaming on HBO...show more

Featured in: The DEI Reckoning: What’s left, what’s next, and who’s leading the change?

Eimear has worked in RTÉ in Ireland for more than 20 years. Over that time, she has worked in Sport, Current Affairs, Irish Language Programmes and Entertainment. She has produced and directed documentaries, entertainment shows and live events. She was the showrunner on The Late Late Toy Show, the annual...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2

As CEO at Patencio Development since 2018, John specializes in the provision of sales, marketing, brand management, licensing, and advisory services for pop culture product brands seeking to expand their distribution of toys, collectibles, and lifestyle products across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. In recent times, leading into and beyond...show more

Featured in: From TikTok to Target: How Gen Alpha discovers licensed brands

Federica is an Editorial Consultant at Rai Kids , where she collaborates closely with Director Roberto Genovesi to shape the editorial co-production and acquisition strategy for Italy’s leading public children’s channels, Rai Yoyo (zero to eight) and Rai Gulp (eight-plus), and the FVOD platform RaiPlay. Her work focuses on scouting...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3; Speed Pitching 2

Rob is the progenitor of the modern global economics of anime. As employee #9 at Crunchyroll, he created the subscription model and closed their first 60 simulcast deals. He has since driven scale and reach at places like VIZ Media and Netflix, helping anime reach new heights. Through Henshin, Rob...show more

Featured in: Surviving Animation: How indies are adapting in a turbulent market

Halcyon is an Emmy, Humanitas, and NAACP Award-nominated TV maker living in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently the Head Writer and Co-Executive Producer of Sesame Street. She was also Head Writer and Co-Executive Producer on multiple projects, including Karma’s World and on Netflix. Before that, she was a...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Smarter by Design: The research behind Sesame Street's new era

Gary started as a school teacher before becoming a learning designer for a change management consultancy. In 2002, he co-founded Kids Industries: The Family Fandom Agency with his wife, Jennifer.

KI develops strategies, brands, products, and content for clients as diverse as Netflix, Danone and McDonald's. Through insight, strategy,...show more

Featured in: Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere

Erika is the Director of Content, Consumer, and Brand Insights for Kid and Family Entertainment at Disney. Erika is passionate about amplifying kids’ voices to inspire content that delights, empowers, and makes a lasting impact on kids around the world. Her team conducts research with over 10,000 kids a year,...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Culture in Motion: How Gen Alpha is rewriting the rules of kids content

Carl has built a career producing award-winning content. As the founder of Composition Media, Carl's mission is to amplify underrepresented voices and redefine storytelling through groundbreaking, inspiring projects.

Prior to founding Composition Media, Carl co-founded Lion Forge Comics and Lion Forge Animation, serving as president and Chief Creative Officer....show more

Featured in: The Art of Intelligence: Using AI without losing the human touch

Shabnam founded Big Bad Boo Studios to produce and distribute quality family programming. Shabnam has produced and directed the Hulu Original Series The Bravest Knight, winner of the 2020 GLAAD Award, with a second season currently in production. She has also created and directed original shows such as 16...show more

Featured in: The DEI Reckoning: What’s left, what’s next, and who’s leading the change?; No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship

John is the BAFTA-winning CEO and Co-founder of JAM Media, one of Ireland and the UK’s leading creators and producers of children’s content. Since establishing the studio in 2002, he has overseen the development and executive production of more than 200 hours of original programming and driven the global distribution...show more

Featured in: Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere

Peter has two decades' worth of experience consulting in the children and family media space and is the founder of Gone With – a research and strategy agency focusing on all audiences. He has worked for leading agencies supporting clients in growing their brands' reach and relevance. Pete specializes in...show more

Featured in: Funding & Finding: How public broadcasters are shaping kids media’s future

Genna is CEO of GennComm, a global PR and Marketing agency representing many of the most powerful classic and new brands of our time. She is Chief Ideator at ImaGENNation, a think tank focused on licensing and connections in the consumer product space, and Executive Producer at Upbeat...show more

Featured in: License to Play: Building consumer products strategies for kids IPs

Nancy joined Télé-Québec as the Content Manager for Youth and Family Content. Her primary responsibilities revolve around international acquisitions, drawing on her extensive 20-plus years of experience in the entertainment and broadcasting industry. Renowned for her keen instincts, Nancy is adept at identifying content that resonates with the needs and...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3; Speed Pitching 1

Colleen is a developmental psychologist with an expertise in children's tech and media. She is currently the VP of Digital and Cultural Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon, where she researches children’s digital content and provides landscape and cultural insights for Nickelodeon and Paramount.

Colleen was previously the Co-Founder and Chief...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Scroll, Stream, Play: An inside look at the digital life of kids

Kate is the Head of Sales and Distribution at Sinking Ship Entertainment, a multiple Emmy Award-winning production, distribution, and interactive company specializing in kids and family content. Since its launch in 2004, Sinking Ship has rapidly earned a reputation for high-quality, ground-breaking original series. Kate oversees the international sales strategy...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1

As Vice President of PBS KIDS Content, Adriano Schmid leads the PBS KIDS Content team and the network’s full content library. He is responsible for PBS KIDS’ robust multi-platform content strategy, meeting the evolving needs of the PBS KIDS audience by identifying new industry talent, fostering relationships with current producers and partners, and...show more

Featured in: Buyers Brief: PBS KIDS

Thomas is a Day-1er at BUCK, part of the crew that helped shape the studio’s voice as it grew from a scrappy motion design shop into a global creative force. As Group Creative Director, he steered some of BUCK’s most defining work — including designing and directing the Emmy-winning title...show more

Featured in: Surviving Animation: How indies are adapting in a turbulent market

Doug is a film and television producer who specializes in international finance and distribution.

Current productions include Iyanu, the #1 new show on Cartoon Network, and the #1 kids show in Africa on Showmax as well as the live-action series from Hannah Montana creator Michael Poryes, Home Sweet...show more

Featured in: The Co-Pro Advantage: Funding kids content with global partners

Ryan is a kids and family strategist and marketer who helps entertainment and consumer brands create meaningful connections with young audiences to earn their attention, loyalty, and long-term momentum. For nearly 20 years, he has served global brands across streaming, television, publishing, toys, gaming, food, and digital platforms, including Meta,...show more

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & AI

Stu is an award-winning adjunct professor at New York University, where he’s been teaching for over 20 years, an undergraduate course on Brand Licensing. He is the co-author of Brand Licensing For Dummies and was inducted into the International Licensing Hall of Fame in 2024. A frequent global speaker, Stu...show more

Featured in: WORKSHOP – Licensing Launchpad: Preparing your IP for market entry

Hila is Spin Master’s Director of Development, leading the development of several shows within Spin Master’s diverse slate of entertainment properties, including the PAW Patrol spin-off Rubble & Crew, the preschool series Vida the Vet, Netflix’s magical Unicorn Academy, and Sago Mini Friends, based on the...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2

Sophie is an award-winning TV Host, STEM educator, filmmaker, actor, and entrepreneur with degrees in Behavioral Neuroscience and Theatre. Her Telly Award-winning science comedy series Science With Sophie, aimed at increasing representation of women and girls in STEM, reaches two million families worldwide.

Sophie is the Founder of...show more

Featured in: No Age Limits: The power of 360 mentorship

Joe is an Annie Award-winning and Emmy-nominated Creative and Executive Producer for such studios as Disney, Warner Bros, Dreamworks, and Mattel on such iconic titles as Scooby Doo, How to Train Your Dragon, Muppet Babies, Legend of the Three Caballeros, and Thomas & Friends, ...show more

Featured in: Crossing Over: A live-action primer for animation producers

Joel is the Founder and CEO of KidsKnowBest, the Global Leader in Understanding and Reaching Kids. He initially made a mark as a stylist to A-list celebrities for over a decade and a half. Driven by a relentless pursuit of innovation, he identified an opportunity to bridge the gap between...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Culture in Motion: How Gen Alpha is rewriting the rules of kids content

Shridhar is an Emmy-nominated, London-born and Los Angeles-based composer, songwriter and producer whose career spans television, film and music. Beginning as a young actor on television in the UK, his love of songwriting grew after appearing in musicals on the West End stage and he quickly established himself as a...show more

Featured in: Hit Play: How music can supercharge kids content

Since 2011, Geraldine has been the Head of Acquisitions, Presales, and Co-productions for the Kids Department of Canal+. She is in charge of spotting and acquiring kids content for Canal+ Kids (four to 12-year-olds), Teletoon+ (six to 10-year-olds), Piwi+ (three to six-year-olds), and their SVOD corners for the platform published by Canal+ Group.

Between...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 1

Lisa is a seasoned executive in global licensing and brand development, renowned for her strategic leadership across the entertainment and music industries. With over two decades of experience, she has consistently delivered innovative merchandising solutions for some of the world's most iconic brands and artists.

Currently, Lisa serves as...show more

Featured in: From TikTok to Target: How Gen Alpha discovers licensed brands

As VP, Kids and Family for Gaumont, Michelle, or “Sully” as she’s known, serves as head of development, with an eye for finding compelling new creators, characters kids want to play and emulate, and interesting stories to tell in both the kids and live-action spaces. Sully was key in shepherding...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2

Monica, affectionately known as Ms. Monica, is an early childhood educator, entrepreneur, author, children’s music artist and the creator of the beloved preschool show Circle Time with Ms. Monica. With over 21 years of teaching experience and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, she has built a global community...show more

Featured in: Mixer with the Makers: YouTube Kids creators; Behind the Channel: Building a Business on YouTube

Amy is a seasoned media executive with over 20 years of experience in content acquisition, distribution, and creative development, specializing in kids’ and family entertainment. She has held key leadership roles at Netflix, Nickelodeon, The Jim Henson Company, Mattel, and Fremantle, where she led global strategies to acquire, develop, and...show more

Featured in: Plug & Play: How producers are making AI work for them

Adina was most recently Vice President of Content Acquisitions, Partnerships and Co-Productions for Kids and Family at Warner Bros. Discovery. During her 16-year tenure, she identified, negotiated, and acquired pre-produced series, specials, movies, and short-form products that fit WBD Kids and Family brands for exposure across all platforms. She oversaw...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1; Buyers Brief: Disney

Elizabeth is Vice President of Development at Disney Television Animation. In this position, Elizabeth oversees the creative development for all of Disney Branded Television's animated content created for Kids and Families. Taking ideas from pitch through pilot delivery, Elizabeth works side by side with show creators to build worlds, develop...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 4

Wendy is an Emmy-nominated producer and the Director of Programming at BYUtv. Wendy is deeply involved in the development and production of the network’s slate and oversees acquisitions and co-productions for the network, including standouts Secrets at Red Rocks (Libertine/Sky NZ), A Kind of Spark (CBBC/9 Story Media Group),...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 5

For 20 years, Heather has shaped some of the world’s most loved kids’ shows. Today she leads the Preschool Content team at Netflix, where she oversees a slate of titles for the streamer’s youngest viewers. In her five years at Netflix, she and her team have launched dozens of joyful...show more

Featured in: Buyers Brief: Netflix

At Warner Bros. Discovery, Beatriz serves as Senior Manager of Content Acquisitions and Co-Production for Latin America, overseeing business affairs, cultivating key partnerships, and guiding content strategies for major family and adult animation brands. Known for strong negotiation skills and talent management expertise, Beatriz brings a deep understanding of the...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 5

AJ has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry as both an on-screen talent and an off-screen creative. AJ joined marblemedia in 2021 as VP of Kids and Family Development and since the merger with Blue Ant Media in August 2023, his role has expanded to include Kids,...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

Yalda is the Founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA, which is the only youth-centered organization to bridge the gap between social science research and media creation to help storytellers better reflect the lives of adolescents. She is an internationally recognized research scientist, educator,...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Better Stories for Boys: Building audience. Building character.

Patricia grew up outside of NYC, in a town so small that there were 39 people in her high school graduating class. And yes, she was class president.

From there, she headed to Northern Ireland and the University of Ulster, where she studied acting, playwriting, and the art of...show more

Featured in: Snackable Stories: Cracking the code on micro-content for kids

Steven is the Senior Vice President of Music and Soundtracks at Disney Branded Television, where he oversees music for original programming on Disney+ and Disney Channel. Since joining The Walt Disney Company in 1991, he has played a key role in shaping the musical landscape of kids’ and family television,...show more

Featured in: Hit Play: How music can supercharge kids content

Erika is the Vice President of Content for HITN, where she leads the strategy, acquisition, and development of children’s and family programming across HITN’s linear and digital platforms, including Edye, the first premium Spanish-language preschool SVOD service in the US and Latin America. She oversees HITN’s content partnerships and...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2

With over 40 years in the entertainment and leisure industry, George has become a leading innovator in the development of highly participatory immersive Location Based Entertainment (LBE) projects, including theme parks, themed attractions and interactive entertainment venues. George is also a leading expert in the utilization of high-powered entertainment brands...show more

Featured in: From TikTok to Target: How Gen Alpha discovers licensed brands

Sarah is an Emmy award-winning Executive Producer with a 20-plus-year career developing and creating impactful children’s content. She is the Senior Director of Content Development for PBS KIDS.

During her time as VP of Development and Production at 9 Story Media Group, Sarah co-led the development of original properties...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 2

Melinda joins the ABC from Beyond Entertainment, where she most recently served as Head of Scripted and led development across premium drama, children’s, and family content. Her credits include developing, producing and executive producing the hit drama series The Family Next Door. Across her career, she has also held...show more

Featured in: Buyers Brief: ABC Australia; Funding & Finding: How public broadcasters are shaping kids media’s future

In 2024, Alexi founded Wheel In Motion, a London-based production company. Wheel In Motion is developing an array of new shows and movies targeting diverse audiences, encompassing both animation and live-action genres.

Previously the Head of Animated Series for Netflix EMEA, Alexi is an agile and experienced executive leader....show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1; KID INSIGHT – Culture in Motion: How Gen Alpha is rewriting the rules of kids content

A lapsed Canadian, David has spent the last 20 years in the TV Industry as an Executive, a Producer, an Executive Producer, and sometimes a writer.

Beginning his career at Nickelodeon, David cut his teeth on iconic blockbusters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Fairly Odd Parents and Invader Zim...show more

Featured in: Speed Pitching 3; Speed Pitching 5

Andy is a BAFTA-winning producer who specializes in developing and producing children’s content across various formats. His work spans television production and digital content strategies, offering valuable insights into how creators can best navigate today’s complex media landscape. Currently, he’s in active production on both an animated series and a...show more

Featured in: Dream Big: How BeddyByes is building a brand that sleeps well everywhere

Chris is the Founder and CEO of pocket.watch, the first and largest kids and family creator media company—named to TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2025—that develops, distributes, and monetizes content and IP for kids and families. Since its founding, pocket.watch has rapidly become a major player in the...show more

Featured in: Creators & Collaborators: Evolving partnerships in the kids space

Featured in: Pitch Prep 1

Lorna, Head of Development at Gigglebug Entertainment, is a recognized leader in the creative development and acquisition of kids' and family properties for the global market. As a core member of Gigglebug’s Content team, she helps shape the company’s original animation slate, working hand-in-hand with the company's founders, alongside other...show more

Featured in: Pitch Prep 2

Jasen, VP of North America for WildBrain CPLG, has developed consumer product and licensing programs for some of the world’s leading brands across food and beverage, home improvement, automotive, art, sports, lifestyle, and entertainment. Jasen leads a team responsible for growing WildBrain CPLG’s North American portfolio of entertainment and lifestyle...show more

Featured in: Kidscreen Licensing Challenge

Andy is the CEO of Miraculous Corp USA and Global Operations, a joint venture launched in 2024 by Mediawan and ZAG to expand the Miraculous franchise worldwide. He oversees a team of 150-plus employees across offices in Paris, Los Angeles, Miami, London and Dubai, managing creative development, production, marketing, distribution...show more

Featured in: The Roblox Revolution: Rethinking brand management for a new era

Maryellen is a dynamic, results-driven senior leader with expertise in global business development, franchise and brand building, marketing strategy and retail merchandising for iconic, Fortune 500 brands.

Maryellen’s passion lies in leveraging the convergence of content, community and commerce to foster the growth of brands and franchises, driving exponential...show more

Featured in: Kidscreen Licensing Challenge

Jenny is the Founder and CEO of Infinitize and a leading expert in fandom-driven marketing, recognized for energizing massive global communities across K-pop, anime, webtoon, gaming, and other passion-led verticals. Her award-winning work includes setting the Guinness World Records title for the “Most Used Hashtag on Twitter/X in 24 Hours.”

Featured in: What You Need to Know: Kids & TikTok

Jennifer is a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State University’s Brandywine campus. As the Director of the Brandywine Child Development Lab, she studies how infants and young children learn about the world around them. Through her work exploring topics such as playful learning, the impact of...show more

Featured in: KID INSIGHT – Smarter by Design: The research behind Sesame Street's new era