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Q-Me Con (LA) 2007 has assembled some of the best queer digital content makers, producers, directors and writers currently working in the industry. Participating panelists will also include representatives from leading LGBTQ media outlets, top-level programmers, noted industry experts and traditional and alternative distributors.
(Panelists listed in alphabetical order)
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Director of Development & Production, BRAVO
Corey Abraham is the Director of Development & Production at BRAVO and serves as
Executive Producer of “Hey Paula,” “Top Design,” and “Work Out," among several other
BRAVO series. Prior to joining BRAVO, Ms. Abraham acted as Director of Development &
Executive Producer at VH-1, working on over 30 pilots, specials and series including:
“Totally Obsessed,” “True Spin,” “Stage Moms” and “Bootcamp: Showgirls.”
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VP VC2 Marketing & Outreach, Current TV
Aline Allegra is a Peabody Award winning director/producer with more than 20 years of
experience in the news and entertainment business. Her career began in the early
eighties at an upstart cable channel called MTV. Rising from college intern to writer/
producer/director, Aline helped establish MTV News as the source for entertainment and
music news. Following her time with MTV, Aline worked for nearly a decade as an award
winning documentary filmmaker for Channel One News. While with Channel One, Aline
traveled both nationally and internationally telling the stories of people and events,
providing context to the human condition and society’s challenges. In 1998, Aline migrated
into new media, first as an Executive Producer for The Digital Entertainment Network
overseeing the creation of broadband video and interactive websites. Later, at Packet
Video Aline supervised the creation of the first streaming wireless video portal. Aline
became the President and Creative Director of Homespun Entertainment, a full service
video production company with offices in Venice, California. Clients included Sony
Pictures, Disney, ABC/Family, Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus, and The
Learning Channel. Aline’s entire career has led her to this moment, as Vice President for
Current TV helming the Viewer Created Content department. VC2 is all about giving
viewers the opportunity to create short form non-fiction programs, specifically for Current,
and getting it on the air. Aline’s unique skill set in the short form genre as well as her
experience producing, shooting, writing, and cutting can help this new generation of
filmmakers and soon to be pod makers see their vision through.
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Actor/Producer
Mr. Allen brings over 20 years experience in the entertainment industry. As a highly
acclaimed actor, appearing in multiple films and 4 longstanding TV series, Mr. Allen is
recognized by audiences the world over. Mr. Allen began to expand his role in the
entertainment industry in the 1990’s when he founded LA’s theater company, The Creative
Outlet (where he produced Terrence McNally’s controversial and critically acclaimed play
“Corpus Christi”). He subsequently moved to NY, joining the highly respected Revelation
Theater. Of late, Mr. Allen has become an activist and leader in issues and causes
affecting our community, from HIV to crystal meth, youth to spirituality. Mr. Allen is the star
of here! Networks' highly acclaimed Donald Strachey mysteries, recently starring in the
highly successful independent feature “The End of the Spear” (2006), as well as Indie
feature, “Save Me.” His long and successful career affords him unique access to industry
executives and talent at the highest levels.
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(moderator) Producer Glitter Awards
Actor/Filmmaker/Distributor/Film Programmer Jorge began his professional career while in
his late teens. At the age of 18, he was selected to participate in the Walt Disney College
Program. He worked in the marketing departments of New Line Cinema, Paramount and
Columbia Pictures. In motion picture development, Jorge worked as a story analyst for
Richard Gere's production company and Wendy Finerman's productions at Tri Star
Pictures in the early nineties. Founder and Executive director of The Continental Film
Festival, better known as the first American Independent film festival overseas on an
island, was held in 1997 on the island of Contadora off the gulf of Panama. He served as a
festival coordinator during the very beginnings of the Los Angeles Latino International Film
Festival. After noticing a lack of recognition of foreign and independent gay themed films
released theatrically, Mr. Ameer founded the International Gay Film Awards, the Glitter
Awards. As a distributor, Mr. Ameer started Hollywood Independents with the theatrical
release of "California Myth" starring Tyron Powers Jr.. He has financed, produced, and
directed the features "Strippers" and "The Singing Forest" and has recently written,
produced and directed the highly anticipated romantic thriller "The House of Adam". The
film is schedule to be released theatrically soon. He is also working on the follow up to the
very successful compilation of shorts Straight Men and the Men who love them. Hia latest
film, Contadora is for lovers, was just is released on home video in store nationwide by
Ariztical Entertainment this past January. Currently, he's in pre-production with his latest
35mm project "The Dark Side of Love (aka Taboga)" about two brothers who have to
confront their prejudices after the death of their mother will be lensing this summer '07 in
Palm Springs.
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Apprentice 6
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Founding Partner/Executive Producer, Punkmouse; Co-Executive Producer, Q-Me Con
A ten-year marketing veteran in the entertainment and marketing arenas, John is one of
Punkmouse's Founding Partners. Alongside Jennifer Howd, he oversees day-to-day
operations, while also acting as Senior Consultant on a variety of accounts, creative
projects & new business ventures. Prior to creating Punkmouse, he served as Executive
Director of Marketing Solutions and Business Partnerships at the Clear Channel
Advantage creative think-tank. While there, he researched, developed and pitched
marketing and branding strategies for Fortune 1000 companies and their agencies. Clients
included: Toyota Scion, Xbox, Old Navy and Six Flags. His area of expertise is in music,
entertainment and lifestyle marketing with a focus on youth markets and cross-platform
and synergy media solutions. From 1998 to 2001, John headed up the East Coast Field
Marketing division of both Metro Goldwyn Mayer and United Artists Pictures. During his
tenure at MGM/UA, he oversaw both grassroots and regional publicity and promotional
efforts in over 27 major U.S. markets for dozens of films including Terry Zwigoff's
"Ghostworld," Ridley Scott's "Hannibal" and Michael Apted's James Bond installment "The
World is Not Enough." John also spent time as Marketing and Promotions Manager at
92.3 K-Rock, the top alternative music radio outlet in the country and the flagship station of
the Howard Stern syndicated program. While there, he spearheaded all advertising-client
marketing tie-ins and oversaw station branding and event development. John got his start
in entertainment as a Project Management Associate at LifeBEAT, the music industry's
leading AIDS education outreach and fundraising organization. Over the years, he has
served on several Boards of Directors of not-for-profits, including a senior Marketing
Committee position at Friends of High 5 - Tickets to the Arts, New York's leading teen arts
education group. In 2001, John founded and served as Chairman of Off Center, a cultural
program of the LGBT Community Center. In 2002, Off Center was awarded the prestigious
Hearts of the Center Award for its dedication to producing an ongoing series of lectures
focusing on topics not often discussed in the LGBT community. Past events include Split
Allegiances: Navigating the Culture of the NYPD and FDNY" and "Drawing Closer: Queer
Representations and the Comics." A dedicated and passionate advocate of learning and
liberal education, John received a Masters degree in Critical Theory in 2003 from the City
University of New York. He has taught at Brooklyn College and given lectures all over the
world. He focuses on cross-disciplinary approaches to writing about visual culture. He
recently co-authored (with Jennifer), “The Queer Guide to College Life: Everything
Students & Parents Should Know” for The Princeton Review and Random House
Publishing (currently slated to hit bookstores September '07).
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Escort
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Staff Writer, Showtime’s "Sleeper Cell"
Andrew Barrett was on the writing staff for the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated
Showtime series, “Sleeper Cell” where he enjoyed creating the first jihadi homosexual!
Prior to this he penned the play “I Love Satan” that was developed during his residency at
The Royal Court Theatre in London. The play dealt with arguments for and against the
erosion of civil rights under the Bush Administration, including gay marriage. He was
invited to London after having his transgender themed play “and/or” included in the New
Works Now Festival at The Public Theatre in NYC. He just sold to E! Entertainment’s new
scripted development department his first original scripted series called “The Distance”
that dramatizes the outrageous lives of gay and straight prep school students in New York
City- his home town. Finally, he is currently under contract with Regent Films to write the
screenplay based on the famed bi-sexual dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky. Andrew holds an MFA
from the Iowa Playwright’s Workshop and a BFA from The Boston Conservatory.
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Publicist & Founder, 15 Minutes
Howard Bragman has been a communicator, educator, entrepreneur, writer and lecturer
for more than two decades. Bragman founded a strategic media and public relations
agency, Fifteen Minutes, in 2005. Fifteen Minutes represents a broad yet focused client
base in a diverse range of areas: personality, corporate entertainment, special events,
consumer products, gay/lesbian market, media training and crisis management. Bragman
founded Bragman Nyman Cafarelli Public Relations and Marketing (BNC) in 1989. The
Company is one of the most respected public relations agencies in the United States with
billings of more than $15 million annually and a blue-chip client roster of celebrities,
consumer products and events. He was also an adjunct professor of Public Relations at
the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communications for six
years. Bragman’s record spans more than two decades of activism for the AIDS/HIV
community, lesbian and gay civil rights, Jewish causes and First Amendment protections.
He has received awards and honors from numerous groups including AIDS Project Los
Angeles, The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, The Life AIDS Lobby and
Congregation Kol Ami. Bragman founded the “Jewish Image Awards” honoring positive
portrayals of Jews in television and film.
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Writer/Director, "Boy Culture" and "Eating Out;" Creator, Logo's "Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in all the World"
Q. Allan Brocka is the creator of the stop-motion animated series RICK & STEVE THE
HAPPIEST GAY COUPLE IN ALL THE WORLD on MTV's Logo Network. He is also the
writer and director of the award-winning feature films BOY CULTURE and EATING OUT.
Allan's first film school project, RICK & STEVE (on which his series is based) screened at
Sundance and over 200 film festivals, winning enthusiastic reviews, a host of prizes and a
theatrical release through the Spike & Mike Festival of Animation. Outfest Los Angeles
named RICK & STEVE one of eight short films that "helped define this community’s artistic
heritage" over the past twenty years. At the Logo network, Allan developed RICK & STEVE
into a half-hour series, writing and directing every episode of season one, which premieres
in June 2007. Allan was later named one of five gay and lesbian directors to watch by
VARIETY. He then starred in GAY HOLLWOOD, an AMC documentary that followed five
gay men building careers in the entertainment industry. Allan's first feature, EATING OUT,
was shot in 10 days for less than $50,000. The film played in over 100 cities and won
numerous audience and jury prizes including the $10,000 Levi’s First Feature Award at the
San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and top prizes at festivals in
San Diego, Providence, Dallas, Istanbul, Rome, Phoenix, and Honolulu. It went on to a 30-
city theatrical release (opening at $14,000 per screen) and became the best selling gay
DVD of 2005. EATING OUT spawned the first theatrically released gay indie sequel,
EATING OUT 2: SLOPPY SECONDS, which Allan co-wrote and produced. EATING OUT is
now in development as a musical stage play. Allan’s second feature film, BOY CULTURE,
is adapted from the best-selling novel by Matthew Rettenmund. BOY CULTURE premiered
at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006 and was picked up by TLA Releasing for theatrical
distribution in spring 2007. Presently, Allan is developing several new projects with his
production company, Poshpicutres, including a feature film, LINO, about his uncle,
legendary Filipino director Lino Brocka (Macho Dancer). As a humorist, Allan contributes
regularly to publications such as The Advocate with his “Hell in a Handbasket” column.
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(moderator) Columnist “LezTalk;” Director, "Allison & Partners"
K. Pearson Brown began her career in gay media as producer and director of the award-
winning nationally syndicated TV news magazine show “One in 10 People.” As past
producer and chair of the Washington, DC GLAAD media awards Pearson worked to
promote lesbian & gay visibility, accuracy and fairness in media, while also serving as
publicity chair on the steering committee for the Human Rights Campaign. Pearson later
co-founded the entertainment and media networking group POWER UP. Currently
Pearson’s lesbian lifestyle column “LezTalk” appears in more than two dozen gay and
general newspapers and online outlets internationally. Pearson also serves as director
the Los Angeles office of PR firm Allison & Partners where she oversees communications
campaigns for clients including Sony and RealTALK LA magazine. Pearson is currently
finishing her first non-fiction novel, You’ll Never Eat P*ssy in This Town Again.
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Executive Director and Founder of POWER UP
With a fifteen-year track-record as a successful feature film producer and screenwriter,
Stacy Codikow has turned her considerable experience and energy toward giving
something back to the independent film community. In 2001, Codikow retired from her
production company to create the nationally recognized non-profit organization, POWER
UP - Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up. The mission of
the organization is to promote the visibility and integration of gay women in entertainment,
arts and all forms of media. The goal, to challenge perception through film and other
creative projects. For Codikow, writing on hit television shows like PROFILER and TWICE
IN A LIFETIME and producing successful films such as UNDER THE HULA MOON, FATAL
INSTINCT and HOLLYWOOD HEARTBREAK not only earned her a solid reputation in
Hollywood, but helped her discover a passion for mentoring and developing first time
writers, directors and filmmakers. Continuing to promote the visibility of gay women
through alliances with industry, film festivals and other allied non-profits nationally,
Codikow is proud of the success that POWER UP has achieved in under 6 years, including
the films she Executive Produced: STUCK, CHICKEN NIGHT, BREAKING UP REALLY
SUCKS, GIVE OR TAKE AN INCH, FLY CHERRY, D.E.B.S., LITTLE BLACK BOOK,
INTENT, THE NEARLY UNADVENTUROUS LIFE OF ZOE CALWALDER,
PROMTROVERSY, BILLY'S DAD IS A FUDGE-PACKER and STARCROSSED and is
especially proud of POWER UP’s first feature film, Jamie Babbit’s ITTY BITTY TITTY
COMMITTEE. Codikow received the LACE Award from the LA Gay & Lesbian Center for
her contributions to the gay community in an extraordinary way in the field of Arts &
Entertainment. She received the Leadership Award from the National Gay & Lesbian Task
Force. Codikow has been named on the most Powerful list on gay Hollywood women by
Curve Magazine, Go NYC Magazine and afterellen.com
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Indie Porn Star
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Casting Director
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Actor, here! Networks "Dante's Cove"
Charlie David is a Canadian Actor, perhaps best known for playing the lead of the LGBT
horror series Dante's Cove. He has also worked as a producer, writer, and TV host. He was
honoured by Out Magazine as one of the "Out 100" for Remarkable Contributions to Gay
Culture in 2005. He is co-owner of Border2Border Entertainment.
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President, GP Pictures; Producer "Eating Out II" & "Shelter"
Ms. Disalvatore just completed producing the feature, "Shelter," for here! films. In addition
to Producing the first American gay sequel, "Eating Out II" last year, she also produced a
short called "Gay Propaganda" (gay and lesbian recreations of famous scenes from
Hollywood movies) which played 113 festivals and won five Best Of's. She is currently
prepping a lesbian road picture, "The Road to Dinah." For two years, she produced here!
networks' entertainment news show HERE@, where she interviewed LGBT film makers
including John Waters, Greg Araki, Craig Lucas and Armistead Maupin, to name a few.
She has also served as Festival Manager for two years at OUTFEST. In addition to
producing, Ms. Disalvatore has written extensively for the gay press and internet outlets on
the subject of LGBT film and recently sold a lesbian comedy episodic to here! Networks,
"The Becky Snow Show," now in development. She was a founding member at Out in
Television & film and was also a freelance marketing person for Power Up - where she
redesigned all their outreach programs.
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Director
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CFO, Mythgarden
Mr. Dougherty has long standing roots in the entertainment and media industry. As founder
of Union Bank of California’s entertainment finance group in 1984, Mr. Dougherty has
financed everything from single films, to highly-structured multiple film financings, to media
industry LBOs. As President of UBOC’s Private Equity Group in 1998-1999, he provided
late-stage growth and acquisition financing to a plethora of private companies. In 1999,
Mr. Dougherty left UBOC to become CFO of ReplayTV, leading the successful sale of this
new media company in 2001. Since that time, Mr. Dougherty founded Popcorn Home
Entertainment (2003), served as CFO of Silk Trading Company (2005-2006), Vice
Chairman of the Weingart Center and Chair of the Weingart Development Corporation.
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Producer, "Transamerica"
Born in Paris and raised in Los Angeles, Sebastian’s first involvement in film was as a
child actor. After graduating from Yale University, Sebastian pursued a career on the other
side of the camera, working in development at Paramount Pictures and at Warner Bros-
based Witt-Thomas Films where he involved with such films such as THREE KINGS and
INSOMNIA. Sebastian produced TRANSAMERICA, which received numerous awards and
accolades including: two Academy Award nominations, the Golden Globe for Best
Actress, and both the Best Female Lead and Best First Screenplay at the Independent
Spirit Awards.
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Manager
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Actor/Producer, here! Networks "The Way Out"
Originally bound for Los Angeles from Georgetown with a law degree, Mr. Gant soon found
his true calling in front of the camera. By taking the role of Ben on the groundbreaking
series, “Queer as Folk”, Mr. Gant stepped out as an actor - and publicly out of the closet.
Mr. Gant has taken advantage of that opportunity to become a tireless supporter of LGBT
community related issues from politics to elder housing, helping to bring light to issues that
are not necessarily at the core of our community. Mr. Gant has written multiple scripts for
both film and TV, some of which will be developed by MG. Mr. Gant also enjoys access to
industry executives, particularly agents, managers and media, at the highest levels. Along
with Mr. Allen and Judith Light, Mr. Gant recently starred in “Save Me.” He also stars in the
upcoming here! Networs "The Way Out."
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Writer/Director, “Quinceanera”
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Founder, Out Magazine & Out.com
Michael Goff combined efforts with leading-blogger Andy Towle in mid-2006 to grow
towleroad.com and to launch new sites and web services as Broadblast Corporation.
(Towleroad is increasingly a must-read reaching 550K unique visitors/2.5 million pages/
month) Next? TapUp.com. Gay video. Beta soon. Goff previously founded Out magazine
as editor-in-chief and followed up launching out.com. He helped start Microsoft’s city
guides, Sidewalk, and went on to became general manager of MSN. He's also worked with
numerous media startups, including musician.com and (pre-Google) Blogger, and was
CEO of Roamable, a great mobile company with no market that went bust. He led the
volunteer team in Haiti for Clinton AIDS Foundation team and in 2005, he partnered with
“We The Media” author Dan Gillmor to launch one of the earliest citizen-journalism efforts,
Bayosphere, as CEO of Grassroots Media, Inc. He currently advises treehugger,com,
NowPublic, The Center for Citizen Media (at Harvard and Berkeley), the "Al Gore" SOS
Environmental Concerts this summer. He's served a few years on Outfest’s board, many
years on C-RIA’s board, almost 10 on a snowboard. He is based in Venice CA for now.
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(moderator) Founder, FYI Productions, Inc.
Catherine Gray, owner of FYI Productions, Inc- has enjoyed many achievements working
in the Cable Television Industry for the past twenty years. She is the producer of “Way Off
Broadway,” the first gay-oriented television series on broadcast television (WBFS-Miami)
to air in the United States. Ms. Gray later served as a Vice President for C1TV, a start-up
gay cable network and Vice President of Rivendell Media-NYC, a national gay media
company. She has also worked as a consultant to Bravo and AMC Networks. Her
award winning film, “I Can’t Marry You,” narrated by Betty DeGeneres, aired on PBS
stations in ‘04 and ‘05 around the country, in film festivals, and in a 20 city grassroots tour.
More recently, Ms. Gray worked on the award winning film “Laughing Matters More” (All
Out Films), which debuted at the Miami G&L Film Festival in April 2006, and other film
projects this past year, including "Kate Clinton’s 25th Anniversary Kick-Off," and "Laughing
Matters –The Men," starring Bruce Vilanch and several other gay male comics, both of
which will be airing on Viacom’s LOGO Network. After producing the film comedy
“Million Dollar Salad” in 2006, Catherine plans to wrap up the film Millionaires True Stories
for distribution in 2007.
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(moderator) VP Development Automat Pictures; Producer/Director, "Camp Out"
Larry Grimaldi is currently the Vice President of Development and a producer at Automat
Pictures. “Camp Out,” his award-winning documentary follows ten Mid-Western teenagers
as they attended the first overnight bible camp for gay Christian youth. It was recently
acquired by MTV Networks and will air in 2007. He is also in post on a documentary he
shot for Harpo Productions. “Okids” centers around high-schoolers from the US who
undergo an intense spiritual and political awakening as they travel to Africa to build
schools for impoverished children. Larry's extensive background in directing and
producing for reality and documentary television includes shows for MTV, WE, TLC, AFC
Family, E!/Style Network, Animal Planet and Bravo. Before producing and directing reality
series and docs, Larry was a television movie executive and has producing credits on films
for CBS and Lifetime. Larry graduated from Villanova University and began his career
working for veteran film producer, Freddie Fields.
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Executive Director, Outfest
Stephen Gutwillig is the Executive Director of Outfest, a position he has held since 1999.
The organization’s flagship program, Outfest: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film
Festival, is the oldest continuous film festival in Southern California and will celebrate its
25th anniversary in 2007. During Stephen’s tenure at Outfest, the organization has
expanded its programs to include the only LGBT people of color film festival (Fusion) and
the only LGBT film preservation program (the Legacy Project) as well as year-round
screening series at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and the Billy Wilder Theater at the
Hammer Museum. Stephen has 20 years' experience working for community-based,
cultural and social change organizations in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Stephen
earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College where he received the Harvard Arts
Council Award.
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MTV's The 70's House
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Founding Partner/Executive Producer, Punkmouse; Co-Executive Producer, Q-Me Con
Jennifer Howd is one of the Founding Partners of Punkmouse, a queer media +
entertainment group based in NYC. Alongside her business partner John Baez, she
oversees creative project development & new business ventures, while also acting as
Executive Producer & Sr. Consultant. An award-winning writer, Jennifer is also the co-
creator of queer-inclusive projects including: "The Peggy Blathers Show," an animated 1/2
hour sitcom and “The Question,” a feature-length sci-fi epic, both currently in development.
She recently co-authored (with John), “The Queer Guide to College Life: Everything
Students & Parents Should Know” for The Princeton Review and Random House
Publishing (currently slated to hit bookstores September '07). Jennifer has been a much-
sought after Post-Production and Motion Graphics Producer and has worked on numerous
high-profile projects including Focus Feature's acclaimed Robert Evans documentary "The
Kid Stays in the Picture" and VH1's 10-part television series "My Coolest Years." Jennifer's
production sensibility is bolstered by her five years as a Publicist at MGM/United Artists
where she worked on marketing campaigns for queer films such as "The Hanging
Garden," "Bent," "It's My Party," "The Bird Cage" and "Showgirls," as well as Mike Figgis'
Academy Award-winning "Leaving Las Vegas," Pedro Almodovar's "Live Flesh, Barry
Sonnenfield's "Get Shorty," and the James Bond installments: "GoldenEye" and "Tomorrow
Never Dies." A New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumna, Jennifer graduated
with honors and received a B.F.A. in Film and Television Production. She is an avid
supporter of philanthropic activity and has been a senior level board member of various
not-for profits including the New York City LGBT Community Center's award-winning Off
Center lecture series.
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Executive Director, Queer Lounge
Ellen Huang is the founder and Executive Director of Queer Lounge, a Los Angeles-based
non-profit that supports LGBT film toward reaching, inspiring and educating broad
audiences. Most notably, Queer Lounge creates a physical venue and networking space,
supporting LGBT films, filmmakers, festival-goers and press at mainstream film festivals,
such as at Sundance and Toronto International Film Festival. Through its panels, special
events and media outreach, Queer Lounge leverages high-profile industry figures,
celebrity and press to bring greater cross-awareness to LGBT film. In just 3 years of
existence, Queer Lounge has inspired Rolling Stone Magazine, Hollywood Reporter,
Reuters and Globe and Mail for the first-time to cover a mainstream film festival from an
LGBT perspective. Prior to Queer Lounge, Ms. Huang worked for Academy Award winners,
Helen Hunt and Hans Zimmer, as a feature film development executive. She graduated
with an MFA in film production from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of
Southern California.
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Outreach, POWER UP
Jo serves as Outreach director for the nationally recognized non-profit organization,
POWER UP - Professional Organization of Women in Entertainment Reaching Up. The
mission of the organization is to promote the visibility and integration of gay women in
entertainment, arts and all forms of media. The goal, to challenge perception through film
and other creative projects. Jo has worked in production on MIND OF MENCIA
GIRLTRASH! ADVENTURES OF POWER THE ITTY BITTY TITTY COMMITTEE, and
SHOW ME THE MONEY. Prior to joining POWER UP Jo was the Assistant Directors of
International Marketing New Releases at Warner Bros. Home Video.
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Producer, "Boy Culture;" Executive Producer, "Swimming with Sharks"
Stephen Israel is probably best known for executive producing the critically acclaimed
sleeper hit "Swimming With Sharks," starring two-time Academy Award Winner Kevin
Spacey. More recently, Stephen produced Q Allan Brocka's "Boy Culture" which was the
hit of the gay film festival scene in 2006 - and just hit theaters in March through TLA
Releasing. Other credits include Kevin DiNovis’s Death & Texas, starring Academy Award
Nominee Charles Durning (O Brother Where Art Thou, State & Main), and Dan Mirvish’s
Open House, starring Rent’s Anthony Rapp and Academy Award nominee Sally
Kellerman. Stephen’s extensive corporate experience includes co-heading strategy at
Turner, Senior VP Development & Acquisitions at American Cybercast (the Internet
pioneers who developed The Spot - the world's first web soap opera). Stephen has also
worked in production at Roger Corman’s Concorde Pictures, strategic planning at Warner
Bros., and served four years as a management consultant with the firm Booz, Allen &
Hamilton. He’s also a trained rocket scientist (no really, he's a physicist and used to design
chips for military satellites).
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Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs OddLot Entertainment
Laura currently serves as Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs for Odd Lot
Entertainment, which develops, finances and produces sophisticated, commercial projects
in the $5-$40 million range with box office viability in both the domestic and international
markets. While at Odd Lot, Laura had been involved with the production of several feature
films, including the upcoming "Suburban Girl," starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alec
Baldwin. Laura formerly served as Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Infinity
Media, an independent production company exclusively representing the German finance
fund Cinerenta GmbH, and producer of the Sundance hit Saved, starring Mandy Moore,
Jena Malone, Macaulay Culkin and Patrick Fugit. Her background also includes tenures
at First Look Media and Lynda Obst Productions. Ivey received her Juris Doctor from
Fordham University Law School and is a member of the State Bar of California.
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Vice President, Original Programming, here! Networks
Meredith Kadlec is the Vice President of Original Programming for here! Networks. A
native of Detroit, Michigan, Meredith studied film history in college and then did post-
graduate work at Prague’s prestigious film school, F.A.M.U. She moved to Los Angeles to
work as a production assistant on the hit show “Mad About You,” and then worked as Paul
Reiser’s assistant and writer’s assistant, before joining “Mad” co-creator Danny
Jacobson’s Infront Productions. Meredith was Infront’s longtime Director of Development,
nurturing numerous pilots and features for a host of industry giants, including NBC, ABC,
Fox, Warner Bros, DreamWorks and Paramount, among others. Meredith has also
directed two award-winning short films. Meredith is currently Vice President, Original
Programming for here! Networks, overseeing development and production of here!’s
features and original series.
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(moderator) Producer "The Scene"
Ondine Kilker has been working as a director, editor and producer for the past 8 years and
is the Producer of "The Scene," a fast-paced, star-studded webisodic series for lesbians,
the queer community & the people who love us them. She has also been a film reviewer,
film fest worker and now a principal in the production company Kisser Productions. Her
film experience includes work with: The Oakland Raiders, ODC Dance Company and
E*Trade. Ondine volunteers with many arts and community development agencies and
has a BFA in Graphic and Interactive Communication from the Ringling School of Art and
Design.
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(moderator) Actor/Entertainment Journalist
Steven Kmetko is an entertainment television host who is perhaps best known for his work
on the E! cable network and "QTN World News with Steve Kmetko." Previosuly, Mr. Kmetko
worked for the Los Angeles Channel 2 CBS News as an entertainment reporter. He was a
news anchor for station WAVE-TV in Louisville, Kentucky. He has appeared in numerous
films and television programs as "himself" and recently hosted the National Lesbian and
Gay Journalists Association's Excellence in Journalism Awards on October 4, 2005, at the
Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, California.
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Writer, "The L Word"
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Singer/Songwriter
Levi Kreis has always sung about his truth. Snubbing the temptation of success offered by
a watered-down mainstream industry, Levi has commanded his own audience through
freedom of voice and unapologetic creative expression. His new CD, “The Gospel
According To Levi”, has him utilizing that self-expression more than ever. In 2005, Levi
Kreis released his debut album “One of the Ones” on the heels of his appearance on
NBC’s hit reality show “The Apprentice with Donald Trump.” With a CD premiere
exclusively for XM Radio, the world’s introduction to Levi began a firestorm of
conversation. Songs from his debut CD have been featured on “The Apprentice,” “Days Of
Our Lives,” and “The Young And The Restless” spawning national television appearances
and radio rotation. With nearly 150 appearances in 06’, Levi has had the opportunity to
share the stage with Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Snoop Dog, Ferrell, Collective Soul,
and opened for Cyndi Lauper at Wrigley Field.
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Attorney, Zuber and Taillieu
Josh Lawler is a Partner at the law firm of Zuber & Taillieu, LLP in Beverly Hills, where he
maintains a legal practice oriented mostly toward transactional work in the entertainment
areas. Mr. Lawler’s expertise includes rights acquisition, structured finance, production
counsel, licensing and distribution. Mr. Lawler counts among his clients producers and
production companies, financiers, writers, actors and musicians, as well as a variety of
non-entertainment clients. Prior to joining Zuber & Taillieu, Mr. Lawler practiced in the Los
Angeles office of Skadden, Arps Slate, Meaghar & Flom LLP, the #1 law firm in the country
as ranked by revenue by The American Lawyer, where he maintained a practice revolving
around large scale finance and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Lawler is a member of the
California State Bar, and has been practicing law since 1995. Additionally, Mr. Lawler
produced the feature film "Little Athens," an Official Selection of the Toronto International
Film Festival, currently being distributed by ThinkFilms.
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President, Asterix Group
Ms. Lehtonen is a leading expert on building relationships with Gay and Lesbian
Consumers and an active voice and advocate in today’s Gay Marketplace. Chris is one of
the top agency professionals leading the charge for brands to embrace the Gay and
Lesbian segment and has represented AAA Travel, Olivia and WaMu among others. For a
dozen years, Chris has been ahead of the curve in new media and brand marketing. She
was with City Key, a pioneer Interactive Television initiative prior to the Internet boom. She
founded Maquette Online a top San Francisco interactive design agency in the hey-day.
And co-founded Kitchenette.com a community based food, drink and destination website
before the fanatical rise of blogs and community driven sites. Asterix Group is a consumer
intelligence, strategy and creative branding agency based in Portland and San Francisco.
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President, Linton Media, Inc.; Executive Producer, here! Networks' "Lesbian Sex & Sexuality"
Katherin Linton is an award-winning producer/ director whose documentaries have aired
on Discovery, VH1, Bravo, TLC and A&E. She has been producing socially relevant media
for over ten years. As senior producer and host of the PBS series “In the Life” she brought
gay and lesbian issues to a national public television audience throughout the 90’s. In her
subsequent works she has continued to focus on the stories of the marginalized in society
and their struggle to maintain dignity in a mostly hostile landscape. She wrote and
produced "AIDS: A Pop Culture History" for VH1, which won a Cable Poz Award for Best
History Documentary and was nominated for the 2005 GLAAD Award for Outstanding TV
Journalism. She also wrote and produced "Black Las Vegas: In Through the Backdoor" for
The Learning Channel, which was awarded a Bronze Telly in 2004; as well as "The Junkie
Next Door: Women and Heroin" for A&E: Investigative Reports, winner of a 2000 Silver
Telly Award. In 2004 she started Linton Media Inc. Linton Media's first project, "The
Evolution Will Be Televised" launched Viacom's newest channel, LOGO, on June 30,
2005. The film takes viewers on an inside-out drive through the seminal moments in pop
culture, politics and major events that changed the gay community and its visibility to the
rest of the world. Linton Media most recently produced the series, "Lesbian Sex &
Sexuality" currently airing on here! Networks.
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Creator & Executive Producer, "The War at Home" (Fox); Writer, "Will & Grace" and "Ellen"
Originally from New York, Rob Lotterstein graduated from the George Washington
University and went on to receive a graduate degree in advertising from Northwestern
University. A former copywriter, Lotterstein has been writing for television since 1995.
Beginning with a staff writing job on HBO's Emmy Award-winning comedy “Dream On,” he
went on to write for such shows as “Ellen,” “Suddenly Susan,” Darren Star's “Grosse
Pointe,” “Will & Grace” and a bunch of other shows no one remembers or Rob would rather
forget.
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Pink & White Productions
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Creator and Executive Producer of "South of Nowhere" (The N)
In his first project, Lynch combined the best of his music experience with his unique ability
to tap into kids’ interests. KIDS Incorporated, the first variety show for youngsters, was born
—and so were the successful new careers of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Stacy Ferguson (Fergie
of The Black Eyed Peas)…and Tom Lynch. Soon Lynch was revolutionizing kids'
programming, bringing it not just into the mainstream, but making it the dynamic, highly
competitive field it is today. In fact, the New York Times called him the inventor of the
“tween” genre. Under the company bearing his own name, Lynch has consistently broken
new ground, beginning with his landmark show, The Secret World of Alex Mack. The
series was the first to feature a strong female role model as its lead character. It was one of
Nickelodeon's first breakout hits. Now a prolific, award-winning and in-demand creator-
writer-producer-director, Lynch continues to extend the boundaries of youth-centered
programming with a style that is both relevant and fierce. South of Nowhere, the GLAAD-
nominated series for The N, explores issues of race, religion and sexuality as it follows the
members of an Ohio family who move to L.A. The series, which shoots on location in Los
Angeles, is in its production on its third season. Lynch has returned to his music roots by
heading into new territory: television animation. Co-created with Andre 3000, Lynch
launched Class of 3000 this past November. The series is already the cabler’s number
one show for kids 2-11. Lynch is currently writing a new pilot for the network entitled
Siblings, about three teens who get quirky superpowers. The project is classified as a
“live-action cartoon”, allowing the network to move into live-action entertainment while still
maintaining their brand. Lynch’s vision has also assumed a global scale, as seen in his
recent Discovery Kids on NBC series, Scout's Safari, which was set and filmed on location
in South Africa. In addition, he recently returned from China where he served as an
executive producer on Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Honors. Lynch is also partnering with
National Geographic Television & Film on an original live-action, comedy-adventure
series. Lastly, Lynch is moving into the world of cable-primetime. He has two projects with
Oxygen: an untitled half-hour single-camera comedy about a female bounty-hunter, and a
one hour dramedy he is writing called Exes, about a divorced couple who run a wedding
planning business together. At ABC Family, he has begun development on a one-hour
drama and a half-hour sitcom. Beyond television, the company has entered the world of
theatrical features, producing the film version of the kids’ sci fi book Interstellar Pig for
Paramount and Nick Films. And the company recently completed Piece of Mind, a
documentary on L.A. graffiti artists that took three years to make. The film had its first
screening at the Durango Film Festival, with a screening at the Newport Beach Film
Festival in late April.
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VP Original Programming, LOGO
DAVE MACE is currently Vice President of Original Programming for Logo. He most
recently oversaw two seasons of Logo’s first original scripted comedy and flagship series,
"Noah's Arc;" gay stand up comedy series, "wisecrack;" reality series: "Open Bar;" "The
Ride: Seven Days to End AIDS;" and the recently aired reality series, "Jacob & Joshua:
Nemesis Rising." Dave has several new series hitting this summer, including the Rosie O’
Donnell executive produced "Big Gay Sketch Show," Logo’s hilarious first animated series,
"Rick & Steve: The Happiest Hay Couple in All the World" and Logo’s first lesbian original
scripted comedy series, "Exes & Ohs." Before helping launch Logo, he served a Senior
Vice President and head of television development and production for Academy Award-
winning Executive Producers (CHICAGO), Craig Zadan and Neil Meron’s STORYLINE
ENTERTAINMENT for 5 years. He was nominated for an Emmy for Best Television movie
and Co-Executive Produced "The Reagans" (starring Judy Davis and James Brolin) for
SHOWTIME. Mace was Co-Executive Producer of the movie, "Suburban Madness,"
Producer on "Martin & Lewis," "Lucy" (3 hour event movie) for CBS, co-producer of the
Emmy-nominated mini-series "Life with Judy Garland" (starring Judy Davis and Victor
Garber) and "The Beach Boys" mini-series for ABC. He co-produced the lesbian custody
movie, "What Makes a Family" for Lifetime which starred Brooke Shields, Cherry Jones
and Whoopi Goldberg and was Executive Produced by Barbra Streisand. Mace also
helped develop and produce numerous award-winning television musicals at STORYLINE
such as "Annie" (starring Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming and Kristen Chenoweth); ROGERS
& HAMMERSTEIN’S "Cinderella" (starring Whitney Houston, Brandy, Jason Alexander and
Whoopi Goldberg); and "The Music Man" (starring Matthew Broderick). Mace was an
associate producer of the 22 episode groundbreaking ABC sitcom, "It's All Relative" which
was the first network sitcom to feature two out gay men as proud and loving parents.
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Senior Vice President, Corporate and Marketing Communications, here! Networks
As Senior Vice President of Corporate and Marketing Communications, Macias is
responsible for overseeing the overseeing corporate communications, public relations,
and consumer marketing efforts for all of here!’s programming which includes original
series, specials and made-for-network movies. These include: “John Waters Presents,” a
film series hosted by the legendary director from his hometown of Baltimore, MD; Birch &
Co., in which the former Executive Director of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) sits
down with the most notable politicians, activists and entertainers, including Pat Buchanan,
Rosie O’Donnell and Chris Matthews; “Ryan’s Life,” about a gay teenager coming out and
navigating the hilarious and harrowing waters of teenage dating; and “Dante’s Cove,” the
network’s wildly popular gothic soap recently named Best Soap Opera by The Advocate.
Macias is also responsible for spearheading community partnerships with many national
and local gay and lesbian organizations including: the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD,
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, The Trevor Project and GMHC. Macias had
previously been Entertainment Media Director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation (GLAAD) where he guided the organization’s national entertainment media
strategy. During his time at GLAAD, Macias successfully lobbied Nielsen Media Research
to begin the process of including gays and lesbians in their demographic count, convinced
FOX to remove a show from their scheduling deemed homophobic (SERIOUSLY, DUDE
I’M GAY), and worked with Univision in groundbreaking work on how Spanish-language
media portrays the gay and lesbian community.Prior to that he was Vice President of
Michael Levy Enterprises, a Los Angeles-based production and management company
where he was directly involved in film and television development and production. Macias
currently serves as co-President of the Board of Directors of Outfest, the Los Angeles Gay
& Lesbian Film Festival, and is also on the Board of Directors for the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force. He also served on the City of Los Angeles’ Cultural Arts Commission
and as an advisor to the National Hispanic Arts Organization and was named by cable
television’s AIDS organization Cable Positive as one of the top 25 leaders in the industry
for fighting AIDS and was named one of the top Public Relations and Marketing
professionals of 2006 by PR Week.
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(moderator) Co-Executive Producer/Writer "Queer As Folk"
Michael is a screenwriter and producer who divides his time between Toronto, Vancouver
and Los Angeles. A two-time finalist for the Governor General's Award (Canada’s Pulitzer
Prize), his fifth published play "Life After God" will be out soon. Michael started writing and
producing television in Canada before becoming a writer and co-executive producer for
"Queer as Folk." He then co-created and ran the critically-lauded Canadian series
"Godiva's" before returning to Los Angeles to write two pilots: "The Healer" for Avenue
Pictures/CBS, and "The Box" for Touchstone/ABC. With Douglas Coupland he recently co-
created the CBC series "JPOD." He’s currently writing three feature film scripts for various
producers, and pursuing television work.
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Founder, The Story Department; Producer "Party Monster;" Production Executive, "Far from Heaven"
Jon Marcus is a film/television producer and the founder of independent production
company The Story Department. He produced the feature films "Party Monster," written and
directed by Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato, starring Macaulay Culkin & Seth Green, and
"Women In Film," written & directed by Bruce Wagner, starring Portia De Rossi & Beverly
D'Angelo. and was an associate producer on "The Safety Of Objects," written & directed by
Rose Troche, starring Glenn Close & Patricia Clarkson. Marcus’ television credits include
drama pilots “Holy Schmidt” and “The Flyover States” at ABC. He was also an executive at
Killer Films for several years, involved in films such as "Far From Heaven," "Camp,"
"Hedwig And The Angry Inch," and "Boys Don’t Cry." Marcus serves on the Board of
Directors of Outfest and is a graduate of the Modern Culture & Media program at Brown
University.
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Executive Director DIVA: Diverse & Inclusive Visionary Artists
Born in the Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, Nelson Melegrito is the Executive
Director and Founder of DIVA: Diverse and Inclusive Visionary Artists, a grassroots, Los
Angeles-based non profit organization conceived in 2003 as a result of his involvement
with other community organizations. He created DIVA solely to provide a forum for multi-
ethnic and cultural LGBT media professionals an alternative niche to network with the
underserved segment of the community, often sidelined in the mainstream media. Through
its extensive outreach and innovative marketing concepts, DIVA's membership has grown
from 200 to 2,000 and has hosted high-profile and exclusive special events, industry
mixers, screenings, premieres, panels and film festivals, among them: award-winning
movies such as "Tarnation", "Boy Culture" "Gay Republicans", "Paper Dolls" and
"Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros"; Will & Grace Series Finale benefiting Lifeworks
Mentoring; VH1 Totally Gayer with World of Wonder; AMC Gay Hollywood; Women's Mixer
with POWER UP, Margaret Cho Assassin Premiere with Here! Networks, Equality U
Soulforce Fundraiser (Dir. Dave O Brien), and the first organization to host and produce
Madonna Confessions Album & Tour Promotion in Los Angeles. DIVA's OSCARS 2007
hosted by Jai Rodriguez (Queer Eye) was one of Tinseltown's well-attended events.
This April, DIVA is hosting the exclusive Los Angeles DVD Release Party for "Dreamgirls"
in association with Reel Gay TV and Paramount Studios. Prior to DIVA, Mr. Melegrito's
extensive experience included: Project Manager for MBC Promotions, Event Chairman for
Human Rights Campaign, Communications Liaison for the 2000 Democratic Convention,
VIP Sponsor Committee for Outfest, Marketing Committee for GLAAD Awards, Vice
President of Asian Pacific Gays and Friends, Media Liaison for APLA, E!, MTV Movie
Awards and AMFAR; and Programming Coordinator for Sundance Film Festival.
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Founder, Evolutionary Productions
Mr. Menendez is a young energetic interactive producer/filmmaker that focuses his work
on the gay Latino community. His current projects include the production of a documentary
on gay Latino culture in L.A., the launch of an online video community for the
entertainment, education, and empowerment of gay Latinos, and will soon acquire his BA
in Multimedia Productions from Cal State University Northridge. As a young entrepreneur,
he hopes to contribute his knowledge of interactive production and design to introduce rich
and innovative queer content to the public through mobile devices and world wide
streaming outlets.
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Director, "Equality U" and "Hip Hop Homos"
Filmmaker and activist Dave O'Brien's relatively short career has already garnered
significant attention, having work screened at film festivals worldwide including OutFest,
NewFest, Frameline and Sundance, and on television in the US and Canada. He is
currently in post-production on the feature documentary, "Equality U," which tells the story
of a group of young activists on the first ever Soulforce Equality Ride...travelling to
Christian colleges that expel students for being gay. His previous work includes "Hip Hop
Homos," a documentary exploring the lives of gay rappers which was one of the first films
to air on Logo's "Reel Momentum" series. He directed the music video for lesbian hip hop
artists GOD-DES & SHE's "Love You Better," which remained at #1 for 13 weeks on Logo's
THE CLICK LIST. His short film, "Straight Boys" was featured in OutFest Wednesday's
BEST IN SHORT FILM and was in the top 10 of Logo's "The Click List: Best in Short Film."
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Creator, “The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green”
Eric Orner is a comics, illustration and animation artist living in Los Angeles, where he is a
producer at Acme Filmworks Studios. Eric's credits include storyboarding on the Disney's
upcoming "Tinker Bell movie," and creating the long running comic strip "The Mostly
Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green," which was adapted as a live action feature in 2006
and received a 20 city theatrical release.
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Associate Publisher, The Advocate, Out Magazine & The Out Traveler (LPI Media)
Michael Phelps, the Associate Publisher for The Advocate, Out Magazine & The Out
Traveler (LPI Media), is an accomplished advertising sales executive with a 15+ year
record of achievement and demonstrated success generating new business and
managing key accounts for both mainstream and nitch publications. Additional advertising
sales experience in on-line sales and 7+ years of successful advertising sales
management experience.
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Head of Production, Mythgarden; Producer, "Save Me"
Mr. Racster founded Archer Productions in 1994, an event and brand marketing company
serving clients such as MTV, DreamWorks, Fox and Project Angel Food (a non-profit for
which he raised over $7 million). Mr. Racster subsequently became Executive Director of
marketing, advertising and PR for AsSeenIn.com, where he formed partnerships with
eBay, Carsey Warner and AOL TV. In 2000, Mr. Racster joined BWR Public Relations as
SVP charged with the creation of an event marketing division for global corporations such
as BMW, Nike and Qantas. In 2002 he stepped out of the corporate arena and into
filmmaking, producing award winning, globally distributed short films (including an official
Sundance selection) and three features for the LGBT audience. As head of production for
MG, Mr. Racster’s most recent film is “Save Me.”
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Acquisitions, Theatrical Releasing, Business Affairs and Gateway Marketing, Wolfe Releasing
Orly Ravid is responsible for Acquisitions, Theatrical Releasing, Business Affairs and
Gateway Marketing for Wolfe. Orly's experience in film ranges from film festival
programming to acquisitions, development and distribution. Prior to joining Wolfe, Orly
served as VP at boutique film sales agency Highland Crest Pictures, a marketing and
distribution consultant to independent film distributors and filmmakers, and in
Development and as Director of Domestic Distribution at Maxmedia (producers of "The
Others" starring Nicole Kidman).
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EVP of Distribution and Aquisitions, here! Networks
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Managing Partner, Renna Communications
Cathy is nationally recognized as a media relations expert and as a leader within the
LGBT community. As a major force behind the success and growth of the Gay and Lesbian
Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), where she worked for 14 years, Cathy served as a
primary spokesperson for GLAAD, as well as its first National News Media Director. She
contributed to the strategic, crisis communications and community relations components of
the organization’s most visible campaigns. When she served as Training Services
Manager, Cathy developed the materials and curriculum for GLAAD’s highly sought after
“MediaEssentials” training series. She also developed “Train the Trainer” materials for the
organization, as GLAAD’s staff expanded and media training services became an integral
part of the work of its Regional Media department. In her role as Community Relations
Director at GLAAD, Cathy conducted hundreds of media trainings and presentations
across the country to a diverse array of progressive groups of all sizes. Most notably in
terms of crisis response, Cathy played a central role while at GLAAD in garnering and
shaping media coverage of numerous anti-LGBT hate-crimes, including the beating death
of Matthew Shepard in 1998. Since leaving GLAAD, Cathy has worked to increase the
visibility of clients such as 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai, the
Matthew Shepard Foundation, the Point Foundation, Family Pride and the Williams
Institute. In her nearly two decades working in media relations, Cathy has achieved
placements in every major newspaper and television outlet in the country, including The
Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, the New York
Times, USA Today, the Washington Post, Newsweek and a cover story of Time magazine.
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Big Brother cast member
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Creator & Executive Producer ABC's "Brothers & Sisters"
Mr. Baitz was born in Los Angeles in 1961, and grew up there, in Brazil, and Durban,
South Africa. He is a founding member of Naked Angels, the acclaimed off-Broadway
theater company. Mr. Baitz is recipient of Helen Hayes, and Humanitas Awards (for PBS-
TV's American Playhouse production of Three Hotels, which he also directed), as well as
New York Newsday's Oppenheimer Award, N.E.A., American Academy of Arts and Letters,
and Rockefeller fellowships. He was a finalist for The Pulitzer Prize in 1996, for A Fair
Country. Mr. Baitz is a 1999 Guggenheim fellow. Currently he is executive producer for the
ABC drama Brothers & Sisters which he created.
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Actor, here! Networks "Dante's Cove"
Gabriel Romero (b. Mexico City) is an actor best known for his ground-breaking role as
Fernandito, the first openly gay character on Spanish-language television, on the
Telemundo sitcom "Los Beltrán" and for his role as Marco on the here! original series
"Dante's Cove." Romero starred in Los Beltrán as Dr. Fernando "Fernandito" Salazar, an
openly gay surgeon involved in a long-term relationship with another man. The series was
the first on Spanish-language television to feature an openly gay character and the first to
feature a same-sex marriage when Fernandito and his partner Kevin wed. Los Beltrán was
nominated for two GLAAD Media Awards, the first Spanish-language program to be so
honored. The series also won the National Council of La Raza Alma Award and an
Imagen Award for Best Comedy Series.
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(moderator) Entertainment Media Director, GLAAD
As GLAAD’s Entertainment Media Director, Damon Romine works at the crossroads where
entertainment meets lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. Mr. Romine
guides the organization's national entertainment media strategy where he advocates for
fair, accurate and inclusive portrayals in the media, responds to issues of defamation, and
promotes films and television programs with LGBT content. In early 2006, he steered the
organization's "Be an Ally and a Friend" public service campaign which, to date, has aired
nationwide on the ABC, CBS, The N and Logo networks. Mr. Romine has worked in the
entertainment industry since 1987. After graduating from the University of Missouri-
Columbia with degrees in both Journalism and Communications, he worked as a
television reporter and news producer for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia,
Missouri. He moved to Los Angeles where he spent four years developing television
series and movies for Davis Entertainment. Mr. Romine’s work with non-profits goes back
to 1990, when he joined the education committee of the Academy of Television Arts &
Sciences Foundation, where he remained until 2005. For two years, he served as a co-
chair of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Leadership Awards. He became
affiliated with GLAAD in 2000 as a volunteer before joining the staff in February 2005.
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VP Sales & Operations for here! Interactive Media
Bernard Rook is Vice President, Sales and Operations for here! Interactive Media, the
online division of here! Networks. He began his career in Sales and Marketing in 1991.
For the past 7 years he has worked in the LGBT market space managing sales and
operations for several leading gay media companies. He also serves on the Marketing
Committee for The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project operates the nations only 24/7
suicide & crisis prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth.
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(moderator) Vice President of Marketing and Publicity, here! Networks
Josh Rosenzweig is the Vice president of Marketing and Publicity for here! Networks. He has been with the company for over two years. Prior to here!, Josh worked as a Senior Account Executive at the Karpel Group where he work with such client as Showtime, ABC, MGM Home Entertainment, James Lipton and of course here! Networks. Before that Josh worked as Head of Development for Harvey Keitel’s productions company The Goatsingers. As a director his credits include the recent Off-Broadway production of Stephen King’s “Carrie” and the award winning featurettes “Scream Teen Scream” and “Charlie.”
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(Moderator) Arts & Entertainment Editor, The Advocate
Corey Scholibo is the Arts & Entertainment Editor at The Advocate. Prior to that he was a
Senior Account Executive at I/D Public Relations where he handled actors such as Owen
Wilson and Rachel Weisz as well as corporations such as Tiffany & Co and M.A.C.
Cosmetics. He got his start in the business at Rogers & Cowan where he handled public
relations for film and finance corporations such as IFC Films and Newmarket. He is a
graduate of the University of Southern California school of Cinema Television and
currently lives in Los Angeles where is working on his first novel.
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Director/Writer "Red Without Blue"
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(moderator) Founder/Host JasonCurious.com
Most known for his work as a print and broadcast journalist of the adult entertainment
genre at JasonCurious.com, JASON SECHREST is not a porn star... he just interviews
them for a living! One of many jobs actually, as the ambitious Sechrest has been a working
actor and host since he moved to Los Angeles the day after graduating high school in
1998. Since his turn starring as a straight, stoner frat bro in the legendary director Roger
Corman's "The Legacy," the rising star has become a regular reporter of the Time/Warner
gay cable network, Q Television, and was awarded The 2006 Orange County Theater
Award for his role in the hit stage comedy, "The Eight." Most recently, Sechrest is featured
along with fellow comedians Margaret Cho, Edie McClurg and Penn Jillette in the new film,
"Phone Sex." His work as "The Oprah of Porn" (Unzipped Magazine, 2005) continues to
thrive, named one of the "50 Most Powerful People in Porn" alongside the likes of Hugh
Heffner and Larry Flynt by mainstream publication, ARENA Magazine. Currently, Sechrest
hosts an award-winning live weekly web talk show via his site and has become the
youngest person in history to launch their own adult video production company with DV8
Entertainment, the company's debut title, "Bully" due out later this year. Sechrest has made
a name for himself as adult entertainment's tycoon of talk while continuously proving his
talents as a mainstream actor and host.
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Apprentice 6 cast member
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President, Ariztical Entertainment
Producer and Executive Producer of EATING OUT 1 & 2, President and founder of Ariztical
Entertainment
Michael Jack Shoel has been building bridges between independent film and retail
distribution for close to 20 years. In addition to green lighting and producing the first
American Gay Sequel (EATING OUT 2 – SLOPPY SECONDS) Michael was responsible
for the acquisition and distribution of the first gay themed Japanese Anime title “KIZUNA”.
Through his company Ariztical Entertainment he has distributed over a million individual
independent videos and DVD’s in major national retail and independent stores including
Breaking the Surface / The Greg Louganis Story, starring Mario Lopez and Dame Edna’s
Neighborhood Watch. Michael was inspired by the March on Washington where he was
arrested for civil disobedience, blocking the Supreme Court in protest of the Bowers vs.
Hardwick decision, a decision that allowed states to arrest people caught in the act of
homosexuality in the privacy of their own home. Michael considered it a good omen that
that decision was reversed years later during the filming of the first EATING OUT. Recently
Michael experienced a full circle moment of a career that has blended his personal
passion and politics with commerce when his participation in that march was to his
surprise included on the cover of an ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Chapter fundraising
promotional piece at a gay film industry fund raiser.
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(moderator) Writer/Producer; Contributor, AfterEllen.com & Velvetpark Magazine
Dasha Snyder trained as a playwright at Drew University, then furthered her studies at
Playwrights Horizons Theatre School. Several of her plays were produced off-Broadway.
Her full-length play "Beached Wales" won the Robert Fischer Oxnam Award for
Playwriting, and her one-act play "My Name Is..." won a full production in the Out On The
Edge Festival. Her screenplay "Transit Karma" was a finalist at the Sundance
Screenwriter's Lab, a semi-finalist in the 2005 Nolita Film Festival and a quarter-finalist in
the 9th Annual American Screenwriters Association International Screenplay Competition.
Her latest feature screenplay, the dramedy "To Do:" was selected for the 2006 OutFest
Screenwriters Lab, and a short version was a finalist at AFI's Directing Workshop for
Women 2006. She created, wrote and executive produced "The D Word," a New York City
parody of Showtime's Sapphic TV series "The L Word." Snyder is a contributor to
AfterEllen.com and Velvetpark Magazine, and authored the popular column "Girl's Night
Out" on the website Total New York. She served as Coordinator of the Filmmakers Forum
and Programming Assistant at NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &
Transgender Film Festival for three years. Snyder also works in film & television
production, having recently line produced the Oscar-nominated documentary short "Two
Hands," directed by Nathaniel Kahn. She is currently writing several feature scripts for the
screen.
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Head of Billy Crystal’s “Face Productions”
Samantha Sprecher presently runs feature film development for actor-director-writer Billy
Crystal's company Face Productions, where she developed and produced the Emmy Award
winning 61* for HBO Films and the box-office smash America's Sweethearts. She serves on
the Board of Directors for Outfest, a non-profit arts organization.
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Editor, The Advocate
Anne Stockwell, the Editor of The Advocate, has reported on LGBT culture during 15 years of
extraordinary change. A writer/director trained at NYU’s graduate film school, Stockwell is
also an author, speaker, and frequent commentator on TV and radio.
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Contract Porn Star
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actor/comedian/producer & Chairman of the SAG LGBT CAUCUS
Jason Stuart is one the countries top openly gay comics and prolific character actors . He
has performed at the Montreal Comedy Festival, Town Hall on Broadway to 100,000 at the
Gay Rights Millennium March. He is now touring all over the USA with his stand up
comedy show, “The Looking For Mr. Right Comedy Show” to sell out crowds across the
USA in all the colleges, mainstream comedy clubs (including The Laugh Factory, Improvs,
Funny Bones) and all the major Gay Events and Gay Prides. As an actor, he best know for
his ground breaking role on ”My Wife & Kids” starring Damon Wayans, playing a gay family
therapist. Jason has been seen all over TV on “George Lopez”, “House”, “Strong
Medicine”, “Fat Actress”, “Will & Grace”, “The Drew Carey Show”, “Charmed” and LOGO’s
“WISECRACK”. In Films he has been featured in “A Day Without A Mexican”, HBO’s “Gia”
with Angelina Jolie, “Ghosts Never Sleeps” opposite Faye Dunaway and in his first starring
role in the award winning romantic comedy “10 Attitudes”, which he also co-produced. And
recently he has had major supporting roles in the indie films “Coffee Date” with Jonathan
Silverman & Wilson Cruz (nominated for best supporting actor for the Glitter Awards) “Puff,
Puff, Pass” with Mekhi Phifer & Danny Masterson. Soon to be seen in “Ping Pong Playa”
and the drama’s “Twisted Faith” opposite Elaine Hendrix and “San Saba” opposite Angus
McFadden. He is also proud to be the Chairman of the first ever SAG LGBT CAUCUS and
the Lifeworks Mentoring Program.
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People of Color Media Strategy Director, GLAAD
Mónica Taher, people of color media strategy director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation (GLAAD), often appears on CNN en Español, Univision, Telemundo
and other Spanish-language networks and has written several editorials for publications
such as La Opinión, Hoy, El Nuevo Herald and Hoy. Taher has led the increase of fair,
accurate and inclusive LGBT images in Spanish-language media by conducting trainings
with executives at Mexico City-based Televisa, Univision and Telemundo. She has worked
at Telemundo Los Angeles KVEA 52, Arizona's Telemundo affiliate KDRX 48 and
Salvadoreña de Televisión, Canal 12.
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Executive Director, Out @ Warner Bros.
David Michael Taylor is the Executive Director of OUT@WBS, the LGBT employee affinity
group at Warner Bros. Studios, the first and only corporate-sponsored LGBT group of any
film and television studio and the largest group of its kind. OUT@WBS has produced
dozens of events in support of the LA Gay & Lesbian Center’s Youth Services Program,
and co-hosts social events with local LGBT groups both in and out of the entertainment
industry. On behalf of OUT@WBS, David created and hosts Monthly Mixer at East/West
Lounge, the world’s only studio-sponsored monthly social event for queer industry
professionals. He has an extensive background in non-profit arts management and
administration in Seattle and New York and was co-founder and Artistic Director of the
Chelsea-based theatre company Studio a la Koo Koo,
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Producer," Itty Bitty Titty Committee;" "President of Film Production & Distribution, POWER UP"
Lisa Thrasher is an Independent Film Producer and serves as the President of Film Production & Distribution for POWER UP, the non-profit gay womens’ film production company & educational organization. Thrasher produced the feature film “Itty Bitty Titty Committee.” Itty Bitty made its World Premiere at Berlinale 2007, where it was nominated for a Teddy Award, its US Premiere at South by Southwest, winning the festival with the “Best Narrative Feature Film Jury Award” and won the Best Feature Film Audience Award at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival. Thrasher also produced “Billy’s Dad is a Fudge-Packer,” “Prom-troversy,” “Starcrossed,” “Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother,” “The Nearly Unadventurous Life of Zoe Cadwaulder,” “Intent” and “Little Black Boot.” Thrasher served as a: Short Film Screener for the 2005 and 2006 SUNDANCE Film Festivals; Juror at the 2005 TORINO Gay & Lesbian Film Festival; Juror and Panelist at the 2005 TOKYO Gay & Lesbian Film Festival; Panelist at the 2005 MIX BRASIL Film Festival; Moderator at the 2006 Frameline Persistent Vision: “We Want Our Dykeback Mountain” panel, and Panelist on “Sex Scenes Stay Hard” at the 2007 South by Southwest Film Festival. In the five years prior to POWER UP, Thrasher did International and Domestic Anti-Piracy Litigation and Trademark Prosecution for 20th Century Fox Film Corp. Thrasher also served on the Motion Picture Association’s (“MPAA”) Anti-Piracy Litigation Committee. Thrasher earned her Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University School of Law. Thrasher studied Film & Video Production, Photography and Fine Art at Parsons School of Design; Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy; receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & Photography from the School of Art at VCU.
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Partner / President & Ceo Funny Boy Films
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Founder, Out of the Closet Broadcasting Network
Ted Trent is the Owner and Founder of The Out of the Closet Broadcasting Network and
Loft Living Los Angeles LLC. Trent started his entertainment broadcasting career in 1994
as a part of the hit Country Music Television program called, "Danceline," where he was a
lead dancer. After the show was canceled, he worked as a talent manager/agent/publicist
for six years representing actors, singers, models and broadcasting personalities including
Dusty Rhodes, "the American Dream" (WCW), Jamie Alexander (the host of The Trinity
Broadcasting Network's game show "Virtual Memory") and Anna Bradfield ("America's
Next Top Model"). Trent opened his production company Trent Studios in 1996 where he
specialized in photography and video production. In 2000, Trent began producing
independent gay and lesbian feature video projects for Internet distribution. In 2002, he
started a new free video website called www.OutoftheCloset.TV (OOTC). Since then, he
renamed his company, "The Out of the Closet Broadcasting Network." The company offers
free video streaming, free Internet radio and free mobile video. In 2006, Trent starred in the
USA Network Reality film, "The Great American Christmas" and an episode of the Food
Network reality show, "Weighing In." He also produced, directed, filmed, and edited, a
gay-themed music video entitled, "This Is Love" by Jason and deMarco. The music video
was elected the #1 music video on Viacom's television channel "Logo" in 2006. Trent's
most recently produced the reality series, "Boystown: West Hollywood." He is also
scheduled to appear this summer on E! Entertainments Dr. 90210.
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Director, "Go Fish," "Bedrooms and Hallways," "The Safety of Objects"
Rose Troche has worked in film and television for over ten years as a writer, director,
producer and editor. Troche worked on the groundbreaking “The L Word,” in 2002,
directing the pilot episode. Since then, she Co-Executive produced the series, as well as
wrote and directed many episodes. In the summer of 2004 Troche completed work on her
second pilot, “South of Nowhere,” a teen series, dealing with sexuality, race, identity and
family. The series just entered its' second season. Currently Troche is casting her fourth
feature, “In a Country of Mothers.” A script based on the novel of the same name by A.M.
Homes. Troche’s third feature, “The Safety of Objects,” also adapted from the writing of
A.M. Homes, deals with themes of loss and redemption. This ensemble piece brought
together a group of outstanding actors, among them; Glenn Close, Patricia Clarkson,
Dermot Mulroney, Timothy Olyphant and Mary Kay Place. The film was the second
collaboration between Killer Films and Troche. After completing work on “The Safety of
Objects,” Troche began work with TF1 to develop an original screenplay, “Lucinda’s
Changed” inspired by both the life of Mary Shelley and her most famous novel,
Frankenstein. “Bedroom and Hallways,” Troche’s second feature, was a British production
shot entirely on location in London. “Go Fish” was Troche’s first feature. It was one of
Samuel Goldwyn Company’s most successful acquisitions. “Go Fish” was made on a
shoestring budget and along with other films of it’s time, helped defined the term, ‘indie’.
“Go Fish” has become an iconographic queer film, it’s contents and execution studied in
film classes across the country. The film won many awards, including, a GLAAD Award, the
Teddy (Berlin Film Festival), best picture at Rimini Cinema, and for Troche, an Open Palm
Award.
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Writer/Producer/Actress
Guinevere Turner’s career began as writer, producer, and star of the feature film “Go Fish”
which premiered in dramatic competition at Sundance in 1994. She co-wrote the film with
Rose Troche for whom she leant her voice as a doll in Troche’s feature film “The Safety of
Objects.” Turner went on to collaborate with director Mary Harron on the screenplay
adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ “American Psycho,” in which she co-starred. Her next effort
with Harron, “The Notorious Bettie Page,” is an HBO film, which had its theatrical release in
April 2006. Her feature script “Blood Rayne,” based on the video game of the same name,
was released in January 2006, and stars Ben Kingsley and Michelle Rodriguez. She
worked for two seasons as writer and executive story editor on the television show “The L
Word,” on which she also had a recurring role. Two of her directorial efforts, the short films
“Spare Me” and “Hummer,” premiered at the Sundance Film Festivals of 2001 and 2004,
and her third short “Hung” has screened at festivals worldwide. In 2007, she will appear
as Marcy Maloney in Jamie Babbit’s upcoming feature “Itty Bitty Titty Committee,” and her
script “Just Listen” will go into production with Lifetime Television.
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Co-Vice Chair, Gay & Lesbain Writers Committee, WGA America West
French Canadian-born writer Daniel Vaillancourt works exclusively with his spouse, David
A. Lee. The two served on staff for the final season of “MTV’s Undressed” (which
mandated that one third of storylines be LGBT and was awarded the 2003 GLAAD Media
Award for Most Outstanding Daily Drama), are currently writing the feature film adaptation
of gay historian Neil Miller’s 2002 non-fiction book “Sex-Crime Panic” for Funny Boy Films,
and are developing a number of other gay-themed film and TV projects. Vaillancourt and
Lee—who were legally married in Vancouver, British Columbia on April 1st, 2004—are the
co-vice chairs of the Writers Guild of America West’s Gay & Lesbian Writers Committee.
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CBS's Amazing Race
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Writer/Director, “Quinceanera”
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(moderator) Founder and Executive Director of the Commercial Closet Association
Business journalist Michael Wilke has charted the emergence of gay marketing and
advertising since 1992. His work is widely cited by college textbooks and news agencies,
and he is credited with coining the popular term "gay vague." Wilke is founder and
Executive Director of the Commercial Closet Association, launched in New York City in
2001. The nonprofit organization educates advertisers and ad agencies for more effective
and informed representations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in
mainstream advertising. Wilke's syndicated column about gay marketing/media issues
appears in leading gay newspapers and web sites, and he travels frequently across the
U.S. and overseas with an advertising sensitivity training for corporations and universities.
Wilke was a business reporter at Advertising Age for four years, he won a 1998 GLAAD
Media Award, and was one of OUT magazine's OUT 100 in 2001 for his extensive
coverage of gay advertising issues. He has also written for The New York Times, Adweek,
Brandweek, and The Advocate. Wilke has appeared widely on national TV news,
internationally on CNN and the BBC, as well as "Entertainment Tonight" and VH-1.
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Director/Writer/Editor "Straight Acting" The Movie"
Spencer Windes has followed an eclectic path to his career as a filmmaker. A highschool
dropout, Spencer spent his late adolescence working on a potato farm, at a ski resort, and
as a Mormon missionary in the French West Indies. Upon his return home, he re-entered
academia by attending the prestigious great books program at Saint John's College in
Annapolis, MD. After college, Spencer toured the country, working odd jobs until returning
to Los Angeles, where he was the classical music expert for three years at Amoeba Music;
a time that allowed him to shed his religion, political orientation, sexual misconceptions,
and a hundred pounds. "Straight Acting: The Movie" is his first film--but surely not his last.
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Actress, here! Networks "Dante's Cove"
Michelle holds a BA in theater arts with an acting emphasis from UC Santa Cruz. Her
theater experience is extensive; from the classics to the modern and most everything in
between. Her love for theater is still strong and she goes back to it whenever time permits.
Her film work includes roles in "Mango Kiss," “Evolution” with Julianne Moore,
“Unspeakable” with Dennis Hopper, “Sol Goode” with Robert Wagner and "The Ten
Rules." She also worked on countless shorts and experimental indies. Michelle’s
television experience is extensive, including roles in "ER," "Without A Trace," "Close to
Home," "Sleeper Cell, "LA Dragnet," 3 seasons on CBS’s “Chicago Hope” in a reoccurring
role as well as 2 seasons appearing on NBC’s “Providence” and 2 seasons on FOX’s
“Boston Public.” Ms. Wolff currently stars in here! Networks' "Dante's Cove."
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(moderator) Associate Director of Programming, Outfest
Kimberly Yutani is the associate director of programming at Outfest: the Los Angeles Gay
and Lesbian Film Festival, and a short film programmer for the Sundance Film Festival.
She is also the programmer for Fusion: the Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film
Festival. She has served on juries at the Toronto International Film Festival for the Short
Cuts Canada Award and the Berlin International Film Festival for the Teddy Award. Prior to
her film festival programming, Kimberly was a film critic and freelance journalist focusing
on independent film.
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