Major(s): English, Film Studies
What is your current role? What was your journey in arriving there?
I’ve worked at the intersection of Media, Entertainment, and Technology for over two decades, and across several seismic shifts in Content Creation, Discovery, and Distribution: From the 1st Internet Age to Mobility to Social/OTT and now Web 3 / AI / Immersive. My main work has been in Business Development, Licensing, Distribution, and Partnerships of Entertainment and Consumer Software. I am currently helping Early to Mid Stage Start Ups and Creator Service businesses with market development, revenue growth and channel strategies.
What do you enjoy about your work? What do you struggle with?
I enjoy the emotional connection Entertainment, Sports, Music and Media delivers as a source of joy, catharsis, humor, escape, inspiration, identification, expression, and reflection. Working in the age of personalization and discovery has been incredible. Having the world of music and film in your pocket. Being able to create a short film, storyboard, or prototype using text prompts is truly revolutionary. Frightening and inspiring all in the same moment. Traditional media, especially Broadcasting and Publishing as we know them are in a Doom cycle of consolidation and disruption toward a user centric era. I remain optimistic about the new opportunities ahead and hope to help add value navigating new landscapes.
How did your time at Wesleyan influence your career choice/journey?
My journey to this work was fundamentally influenced by my time at Wes. The passionate discourse and investigation of the world I experienced on campus laid the foundations for the lens I apply to the world, seeking solutions and partnerships with a user centric view as the guiding principal of all I do. Empathy, debate, navigating change, embracing diverse points of view and innovating on new models are all core Wes principals no matter the discipline you focused on in your class work. This passion for what’s next and what’s possible, a willingness to connect existing models to new capabilities and challenge the status quo continues to guide me. Coming out of School I took the road less traveled at a Start Up in 1996 when I had the opportunity to also continue my pursuit of my work in Film. I ended up in the center of the 1st Internet Boom cycle and have remained at this nexus of Technology and Media ever since.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about entering your industry?
Beginners mindset: maintain a constant state of learning as you gain valuable experience, remain grounded and connected to new perspectives and tools.
Prototype and play: don’t be satisfied with conceptual knowledge, dive in to new modes, tools, and models. Play and test. You may not be an expert but develop working level skills and knowledge to relate to all levels of a company and culture.
Be authentic: professional, accountable, coachable, self-motivated are all base level attributes but what drives teams and businesses that achieve flow are the quirky personalities and connections that bind. Work is life in balance. Bring all of you, where sensible, to inspire, connect, and support those you partner with.
Updated February 27, 2024
