GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista: Recent Episodes
Rich Battista
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), an alumni networking organization under the Georgetown University Alumni Association. Hosted by GEMA Founder/Chairman and veteran media executive Rich Battista (B '86), each episode welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari Music theme: Teddy Zambetti Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS, we're joined by Lindsay Amstutz (L '06), Chief Media Officer and Head of Integrated Sales & Marketing at OneTeam Partners. In our conversation, Lindsay describes her background that led her into the sports industry after graduating from Georgetown Law. She speaks of her varied and rich experience across the sports ecosystem across marketing, media and television, content, sales, and operations through her roles at the NBA, Fox Sports and OneTeam. She also discusses her experiences as a leader and what principles she employs in her leadership style. She also raises some of the key trends in the sports industry including the emergence of NIL deals and the growth of the "power of the player" and the direct relationships players now have with fans via social media and other channels. Finally, she shares her advice for those looking to break into or grow their careers in the sports industry.
In this episode of GEMA TALKS, we speak with accomplished, veteran consumer marketer Brett O'Brien (C '95). Brett is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Frito Lay North America, a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Brent has served in various roles and across various brands at PepsiCo for over 20 years, including a number of years overseeing the Gatorade brand. In our discussion, he speaks to his experience at Georgetown University and how he broke into the sports marketing world right out of college. He explains Gatorade's unique "point of sweat" sports marketing philosophy and how Gatorade came to partner with the NBA on the G League. Brent also discusses his goals at Frito Lay and explains its "fan experience" marketing philosophy and also reviews some of the key trends in the consumer marketing world. Finally, he shares his advice on breaking into the world of marketing, including the importance of building your own "Batman Tool Belt."
In this episode of GEMA RIFFS, we are joined by acclaimed singer/songwriter and recording artist Greta Gaines (C'89). In addition to music, Greta has had a varied career which has also included work as an activist for cannabis legalization, a television host, and extreme sports competitor. Greta discusses her background including how her upbringing in New Hampshire formed her interest in music, how she broke into the industry, her process of writing and recording as well as her experiences as a competitive snowboarder during the early years of the sport. She also shares stories of performing at the famed Lilith Fair and other concert events. Greta also shares valuable takeaways from her years at Georgetown, her advice for those breaking into music and gave us a sneak peek into her next music release.
Monetizing in the New Digital Media Economy
On September 14, 2022, the Georgetown Entertainment & Media Alliance (GEMA) held a virtual alumni panel event focused on strategies and trends for monetizing in today's digital media economy. The discussion explored perspectives from Georgetown alumni at blue chip companies representing various areas of digital media including FAST and AVOD streaming services, the creator marketplace, NFTs and the Metaverse.
The panelists:
Stephen Dypiangco (F '01), CEO, Metaverse Marcom
Jeff Shultz (L '97), Chief Strategy Officer & Chief Business Development Officer, Streaming at Paramount Global
Tiffany Stevenson (MBA '01), Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer at Patreon
Moderated by Matt McMahon (F '96, MBA '04), Former Senior Vice President, Business & Content Development, Seriously Digital Entertainment
GEMA assembled senior Hoya leaders for a virtual panel event on June 16, 2021 entitled "Listening to the Future: The Evolution of Digital Audio and Podcasting" - the panelists were:
Conal Byrne (C '96), CEO, iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group
Liz Gateley (Parent '24), Senior Advisor, Original Podcasts & Video, Spotify
Phoebe Lett (C '13), Podcast Producer, The New York Times
Kai Ryssdal (MA '93, Parent '20), Host/Senior Editor, Marketplace (American Public Media)
Moderated by Tom De Napoli (C '01), Chief Strategy Officer, APM Studios, American Public Media Group
Opening Remarks by Grace Kane (C '11), Director, Business Development, Podcast at Simplecast (A SiriusXM/Pandora Company)
Thank you to the Georgetown University Alumni Association for their collaboration on this event.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS, we speak with top Hollywood attorney Gordon Bobb (C '93) of Del Shaw Moonves, who represents top talent in the entertainment industry including actors, directors, writers and producers. Gordon speaks to us about how he developed his practice over a 20+ year period and some of the keys to his success and important attributes necessary to being an effective attorney and partner to his clients. He also discusses the importance for him of representing diverse voices in Hollywood. Gordon also discusses his upbringing in Brooklyn and his time at Georgetown, and his key influences including the film "Do The Right Thing" which ignited a "pilot light inside of me" and working as the manager of the basketball team under famed Coach John Thompson. He also dispenses advice to those looking to build their careers in the entertainment and media law profession.
Four distinguished alumni representing a cross section of entertainment and media fields and roles assembled for our 20th annual alumni career panel for Georgetown students - this event usually takes place on the Georgetown campus, but was held virtually this year again due to the pandemic. The panelists discuss each of their specific positions and what their roles entail, discuss how they broke into and advanced in the industry and offer valuable advice to those interested in doing the same. Our panelists:
Erick Flores (L ’09), Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development, NBCUniversal Advertising Sales
Eliza Wheeler (C ’18), TV Literary Agent, The Gersh Agency
Lauren Williams (C ’08), Senior Editor, The Atlantic
Claudine Wilson (L ’08), Vice President and Senior Counsel, HBO Max Original Program Marketing
Moderated by Mitch Peyser (MBA ’93), Vice President and Executive Producer, Time Life.
Produced in conjunction with the GU Cawley Career Center and GU Alumni Career Services.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS, we are joined by Ned Segal (C ‘96), Chief Financial Officer of Twitter. Ned has had a distinguished career in the tech industry, both as a CFO and through his long career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs.
In our talk, Ned discusses how he made the transition from majoring in liberal arts at Georgetown to a career in finance. He shares his philosophy on leadership and what he looks for in a person when hiring for a role, including his approach to interviewing. Ned also offers his thoughts on what the primary role is of the CFO and finance function inside a corporation.
We also discuss Twitter (eg, is it a media or tech company?), its recent product innovations, his key accomplishments there and what the future challenges and opportunities are in a fiercely competitive market.
Ned also offers his advice on how to best advance one’s career in finance.
Finally, he shares the reasons why he is grateful to have attended Georgetown.
GEMA RIFFS is a new virtual series that goes behind the scenes of today's music industry featuring exclusive discussions with prominent Georgetown alumni musicians and producers. In this inaugural episode, we are joined by Johnny Zambetti (B '09), acclaimed musician and founder, producer and songwriter of the band The Palms. Johnny discusses how he first found a love of music, his involvement in music at Georgetown, how he launched his career and the success he has had as a professional music artist - guitarist, songwriter and touring musician.
On April 21, 2022, GEMA held a virtual panel event entitled "Hoyas Investing in a New Age of Global Media & Entertainment" with alumni panelists:
Rick Heitzmann (B '94), FirstMark Capital
Laura Held (B '04), Shamrock Capital Advisors
Ted Oberwager (C '06), KKR
Shamin Walsh (F '07), BAM Ventures
Moderated by: Mary Ann Halford (C '80), Altman Solon
GEMA TALKS welcomes Patrick Steel (MBA '00), Former CEO of Politico as our latest guest. Patrick joined Politico as CEO in 2017 having never worked in media previously. In 4 1/2 years, he oversaw the significant growth of the company, turning it into one of the most valuable news media brands, and led the highly successful sale of the company in late 2017. Patrick discusses the key steps he took to transform and build the company and what it was like joining the company as an outsider to media. He also shares his principles of leadership.
Overall, Patrick has enjoyed a fascinating and unique career in that he has had successful and long-term experiences in three totally separate fields: government, corporate finance and media. We discuss what he believes have been the secrets of his success and versatility throughout his career.
He also shares his thoughts on the value of his Georgetown MBA and provides valuable career advice, particularly around the importance of risk-taking.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS, we speak with top Hollywood attorney Gordon Bobb (C '93) of Del Shaw Moonves, who represents top talent in the entertainment industry including actors, directors, writers and producers. Gordon speaks to us about how he developed his practice over a 20+ year period and some of the keys to his success and important attributes necessary to being an effective attorney and partner to his clients. He also discusses the importance for him of representing diverse voices in Hollywood. Gordon also discusses his upbringing in Brooklyn and his time at Georgetown, and his key influences including the film "Do The Right Thing" which ignited a "pilot light inside of me" and working as the manager of the basketball team under famed Coach John Thompson. He also dispenses advice to those looking to build their careers in the entertainment and media law profession.
In this episode of GEMA TALKS, Mary Ann Halford (C '80) interviews Derick Stace-Naughton, SVP, Strategy & Business Operations of Quixote Studios, a leading studio and equipment rental company in the entertainment industry. Derick discusses the state of film and TV production today during COVID and how Quixote has navigated with its clients through the pandemic. He also shares his thoughts on growth trends in the industry and the robust technology innovation happening in the world of production, particularly virtual production. He also discusses what it was like being hired for his role during a pandemic.
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Marci Wiseman. Marci discusses the unique production model for Blumhouse TV, a leading independent TV production company; she also discusses what it has been like navigating through the COVID crisis including innovative new ways of producing remotely and what the future may look like for TV production. She also shares her fascinating career journey from initially pursuing a career in international affairs to graduating law school to holding senior roles in Hollywood including at AMC Networks and working on such landmark shows as American Idol, and Walking Dead. She also shares valuable career advice, especially for those considering a career in entertainment who may want to pursue a law school degree.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS, we are joined by Dasha Smith (B '95), Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer of the NFL. In our talk, Dasha describes what her role at the NFL entails, including the areas of technology/innovation and social responsibility/DEI. She also shares what the key factors were in executing on a successful 2020 season during COVID. Dasha also recounts her career journey including her roles at some of the most iconic media companies in history including Time Inc (and the challenges the company faced amidst the digital revolution) and Sony Music and now the NFL. She shares how she transitioned from an attorney to the areas of human resources and administration and also shares the one piece of career advice she would give her younger self, while also sharing insightful carer advice to those breaking in and advancing their careers in media and entertainment.
In this episode of GEMA TALKS, we speak with Regina K. Scully (I '85), Documentary Film Producer and Founder/CEO of Artemis Rising Foundation. Regina is one of the most prolific documentary film producers today, with over 200 films made, virtually all having a social justice issue at the forefront. We speak at length about her new documentary short film that debuted on Netflix in January 2021, "What Would Sophia Loren Do", a very special project for Regina which chronicles the life of and stars her Italian-American mother Nancy Vincenza Kulik and film legend Sophia Loren. We also discuss how Regina began her film producing career after having already founded and run a very successful marketing and communications agency and having worked in corporate PR/communcations for major fashion brands. We also discuss her days at Georgetown and early career in broadcast journalism. Finally, she shares some valuable advice for budding filmmakers.
GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista is joined by Molly Solomon on this episode. As the head of NBC's entire Olympics production and as the head of all of Golf Channel's production, Molly has been deep into the challenges of navigating through the COVID-19 crisis and she shares here what that experience has been like and what the future holds. She also talks about her career from graduating from SFS to her 30-year career at NBC and also imparts valuable advice to those looking to break into the sports industry.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS, we welcome Blair Rich (C '97), Brand & Marketing Advisor, Virgin Galactic and former President, Worldwide Marketing, Theatrical and Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. Entertainment. As one of the leading marketers in entertainment, known for her innovation and franchise building expertise, Blair shares numerous insights on the world of marketing through her nearly 25-year career at Warner Bros where she headed up marketing efforts for some of the most iconic movies and franchises of all time including the Harry Potter Series, the Batman trilogy, Hangover, Crazy Rich Asians, A Star is Born and many, many more. She also discusses her career journey, starting with her initial aspirations at Georgetown of going into politics and government, her distinguished career at Warner Bros. and the exciting brand-building work she is now doing at Virgin Galactic. Blair also shares thoughts on leadership, including key leadership traits she espouses and employs. Finally, she offers career advice to those looking to break into or advance their careers in entertainment and media.
In this talk, Dennis Roche speaks about the genesis of the idea for Burbio, the industry leader in aggregating community event information for digital media, consumers and civic partners that he co-founded and runs with his wife Julie -- and then describes how interestingly, the company has successfully pivoted during the COVID crisis, utilizing its unique data to offer essential information to cities and towns and b-to-b vendors within communities about the status of COVID and its impact on communities at any moment in time. Dennis also shares his thoughts on building and operating a company with a spouse.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Diana Williams, Producer of Content and Franchise Strategy at Madison Wells Media, a leading independent film & TV production company. Diana has had a prolific career as a producer and executive across a number of areas including scripted film, scripted and unscripted television, documentary film, VR, animation and comic books. She shares her interesting and diverse career from initially wanting to be a Wall Street entertainment industry analyst after Georgetown, to being accepted in the prestigious DGA Trainee program, from producing independent film to developing content and franchise strategy at Lucas Film and its Star Wars franchise. She also discusses trends in franchise strategy and development, shares her thoughts on Hollywood's need to expand its diverse voices and images on and behind the screen and offers valuable career advice to those breaking into the industry.
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, the renowned entertainment executive Tony Thomopoulos (F '59) joins us to talk about his acclaimed and storied career as a senior executive in Hollywood over six decades including as President of ABC Entertainment, President of ABC Broadcast Group, Chairman of United Artist Pictures, President of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television, among others. Tony is now Chairman of Flourish BMS, a line of organic food products. Tony tells us terrific stories starting from his humble roots in The Bronx, applying to and attending Georgetown, and breaking into and working within the entertainment industry. He also discusses the genesis of several celebrated TV series and films he was associated with throughout his career including the great ABC TV series and mini-series of the 1970's and 80's like Taxi and Roots, the film Rainman and the TV series ER. He also compares and contrasts what the business was like several decades ago vs today and the profound changes that have occurred over that time. And he concludes with some valuable career and work advice for those in the industry or looking to break into it.
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we speak with Jim McCormick (C '90) who is one of the most prolific songwriters in Nashville and the country music scene. Jim has been nominated for five Grammy awards and has written two #1 Country hits - he has written music for the likes of Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Trisha Yearwood, Randy Travis, among many others. In our chat, he discusses how he has harnessed his creativity in new and surprising ways during the Coronavirus pandemic. He gives a sneak peek into his songwriting and collaboration process and relays his very successful, yet non-linear career journey. He also gives valuable advice to aspiring songwriters.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
On this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, Alex Marquardt (F '04), Sr. National Security Correspondent, CNN discusses the experience of producing, reporting on and presenting news during the COVID-19 crisis and shares his views on whether there will be a new normal in the news industry going forward. He also raises what he believes will be the most important national security issues over the next few years, discusses his days at Georgetown and career path and lends valuable advice to those looking to break into the news industry.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS, Ted Oberwager (C '06), Managing Director, KKR in its TMT division speaks with Mary Ann Halford (C '80) about the private equity landscape and the interesting companies in media and entertainment that KKR has invested in in recent years including UFC, Epic Games (creator of Fortnite), Fan Duel, MSG, RB Media, and others. Ted discusses the impact that Coronavirus has had on media and the outlook for the industry and for private equity over the next 12 months. He also shares his advice to those looking to break into private equity and media.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Elizabeth Luciano (C '03), SVP, Consumer Marketing & Media at A+E Networks, which is comprised of brands such as A&E, History Channel and Lifetime. Elizabeth discusses her role and responsibilities and how her role as a marketer has changed over time with the advent of more data analytics and the emergence of streamers. She also highlights some of the key trends in the world of marketing, what current projects she is excited about and her career journey from The Hilltop to now. She also shares valuable career advice for those looking to break into entertainment.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista. In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we welcome Sarah Crennan (C '05),
VP and Head of Content at Yahoo Sports. We discuss Yahoo Sports' leading position in the market and its key content initiatives and Sarah shares her thoughts on major trends in sports media, including sports betting. She also highlights the key parts of her career journey, her views on leadership and her days at Georgetown as a Varsity Lacrosse student/athlete.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Chris Williams (C '89), one of the more prolific and versatile actor/comedians in Hollywood. In this interview, he talks about his upbringing, his years at Georgetown and what led him to pursue acting after he moved to Los Angeles post-college. He also discusses some of his key film and TV roles including the details around his iconic guest role as rapper Krazee-Eyez Killa in season 3 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, which catapulted his career. He also shares his views on the issue of racial inequality and injustice in Hollywood and also shares his career advice for budding performers.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this GEMA TALKS interview with guest host Mary Ann Halford (C '80), Tim Hanlon (C '88), Founder & CEO of The Vertere Group discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the media advertising business, looking at it from the linear TV, local TV and AVOD TV views. He also shares his thoughts on the potential acceleration of advertising business models in a post-COVID world and other advertising-related predictions over the next 12 months.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by film production executive John Hodges (C '00), Head of Film at Jax Media and one of the founders of A24, the leading independent film production and distribution company. John discusses the impact of Coronavirus on film production and what a "new normal" may look like, including trends and predictions for the future of film. He also discusses his career path from starting as a management consultant to transitioning to film and the genesis of A24. He also shares career advice for those looking to break into the film industry.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
On this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Tedd Cittadine (MBA '00), Vice President Content Partnerships, Roku. Tedd has had a 20 year career in media, including prior roles at AOL and for 11 years at Fox. In our conversation, Tedd discusses his role at Roku and what have been the key success factors of Roku's explosive growth over the past few years as it has become one of the major players in the streaming world. Tedd also shares his thoughts on key trends in the business, what led him to make the switch from Fox to Roku and what advice he has for those looking to enter or enhance their careers in media.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we talk with Anne Thomopoulos (C '84), Partner, Legendary Global. Anne has had a distinguished career as a TV and film producer and programming executive, particularly in the global arena. In her 15+ year career at HBO, she developed or produced such projects as "Oz", "From the Earth to the Moon", "Band of Brothers" and "Rome" just to name a few. Now at Legendary Global, she is building a mini studio and production entity with an emphasis on developing international projects in international territories. In our conversation, she discusses how she made the transition into entertainment and media from Georgetown, shared a great story on how she became the head of Michael J. Fox's production company in her 20's and discusses some of they key trends in global production and the differences between being a programming executive at a network vs a producer, while also sharing career advice.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we speak with Louise Lague (SLL '69) who has had a fascinating career as a journalist and author, including an 18-year career as an editor/writer at PEOPLE magazine where she wrote 42 cover stories including 28 on Princess Diana. She has also done freelance writing for many periodicals including the New York Times and Oprah Magazine and is the author of three books and is currently writing her first novel. She discusses her time at PEOPLE and her early days after college in Washington, DC as a reporter/columnist for the Washington Star. She also shares stories of campus life at Georgetown including the turmoil around racial injustice and the war in the late 1960's. She also discusses her later-career decision to get a masters in counseling and shares career advice.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Mark Abbott (F '86), President & Deputy Commissioner, Major League Soccer. Mark has the distinction of being hired as the first employee of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1993, three years before the league commenced. In our talk, Mark speaks about how he initially got involved in MLS and developed its first business plan and recounts its tremendous growth over the past 25 years. He also discusses how MLS has skillfully navigated the COVID crisis to re-instate the season and how COVID may impact sports going forward. He also shares his thoughts on key trends in the game and sports in general. Finally, he discusses his career journey from graduating Georgetown as an SFS student and beyond and shares interesting advice for those looking to break into or build their careers in sports.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista speaks one-on-one with Chris Kelly (C '91), Co-Owner of the Sacramento Kings and veteran tech and media executive and investor. Chris discusses the impact of the Coronavirus on the NBA, the Silicon Valley VC and start-up world and the media industry; he also gives his thoughts on the streaming wars and the lessons and insights from his extraordinary career from being one of the original Facebook employees to the various companies he has invested in or acted as consultant with over the years.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we speak with Melissa Anelli (C '01), Founder & CEO, Mischief Management, a live events company in the entertainment space. She discusses the impact of COVID on the events/conference business, how she is navigating through it and what the future holds; she also discusses the genesis of her company and the major fan events it produces including BroadwayCon, LeakyCon and Con of Thrones. She also shares her career journey including her big break as a major part of the Harry Potter blog The Leaky Cauldron. She also gives invaluable career advice to those looking to break into the world of pop culture and live events.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista episode, we speak with David Appelbaum (C '03), TV Writer/Producer in Hollywood. David discusses the origin and journey of his accomplished career as a TV writer/producer, including his long stint on "The Mentalist" as well as "NCIS New Orleans", and "The Enemy Within" and his first job in Hollywood on "The OC." He also talks about his new drama series, "La Brea" which he created and is executive producing at NBC and the challenges of producing re: COVID-19. He also highlights his filmmaking activities while at Georgetown and shares career advice for budding TV writer/producers looking to break into and advance in Hollywood.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, Rich speaks with Mary Ann Halford
(C '80), Senior Advisor of OC&C Strategy Consultants who discusses the impact the Coronavirus has had on the entertainment and media industry, the possible short and long-term ramifications of the crisis on the business and on various specific media companies and potential new areas of opportunities. She also shares advice for graduating seniors and recent alumni on how to navigate job opportunities during this time.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this episode of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we are joined by Kay Madati (C '95), former Twitter and Facebook executive who discusses the impact and long-term ramifications of Coronavirus on the digital media/platform space and key companies within it. He also shares his interesting career journey working at such blue-chip companies as Facebook, Twitter, BMW, CNN and BET. In addition, he lends advice to those Georgetown students attempting to navigate the job market during these unprecedented times.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista ('86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista is joined by Joe Leccese (C '82), Co-Chair Sports Group and Former Chair of the Firm, Proskauer. Joe has had one of the more prolific careers in the sports industry as an attorney for over 30 years at Proskauer, one of the premier law firms in sports. As someone who works with virtually every sports leagues and various sports teams, Joe discusses how the leagues were affected by the stoppage of sports due to Coronavirus and shares his views on how they will re-emerge going forward and what the lasting affects could be. He also speaks about his career journey from Georgetown to the law profession and what attributes he thinks are important to be successful. He also shares invaluable advice to those looking to break into law or break into the sports industry.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In this installment of GEMA TALKS with Rich Battista, we speak with Kevin Turpin (C '05), President of National Journal. National Journal serves government affairs professionals and government officials with a variety of advisory services and products to keep members informed of key movements in people, politics and policy. These products and services include media/editorial, custom content, research and insights. In our conversation, Kevin chronicles the interesting and highly successful transformation of the company over the past ten years from a purely media company to the multi-products and multi-services company it is today. Named President at the tender age of 32, Kevin discusses the experience and occasional challenges of becoming a relatively young senior leader. He also shares his key tenets of leadership and the importance of mentorship. He also discusses the experience of being a person of color as a leader and what he believes companies can do to improve upon diversity, equity and inclusion. Finally, he shares career advice.
GEMA TALKS is a podcast series from the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), hosted by Georgetown University alumnus and GEMA Founder/Chairman, Rich Battista (B '86). In each episode, Rich welcomes a prominent Georgetown University alumnus working in the entertainment and media industry to discuss their career journey, their role in the industry, how the business has evolved and where it’s headed, how being a Hoya propelled them to their place within it and their advice for those looking to break into or rise up in the industry. Producers: Rich Battista and Alex Ghaffari; Music theme: Teddy Zambetti; Logo: Ross Patrick
In GEMA TALKS' inaugural episode, Rich sits down with alumnus Teddy Zambetti, the Senior Director of Music Production and In-House Composer at Sirius XM Radio. They get into Teddy's musical upbringing in the Bronx, his seminal years at Georgetown, his fascinating career journey including as a touring musician with The Flying Burrito Brothers straight out of college, his time overseeing all music production at The Groundlings improv troupe in Los Angeles and his almost 20 year career at Sirius XM. He also shares his thoughts on the music industry of today and tomorrow and his key pieces of advice to those starting out in the music industry.