LOS ANGELES, October 26, 2017 - The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) today announced the election of Netflix Vice President, Original Content Cindy Holland, Universal Television President, Pearlena Igbokwe, Facebook Head of Development Mina Lefevre, and CBS Senior Vice President, Alternative Programming, Sharon Vuong to its Board, effective immediately. This was jointly announced today by Andy Kaplan, NATPE Chairman of the Board and JP Bommel, President and CEO of NATPE. The new appointees will serve a term of two years.
Representing broadcast and digital streaming services of the business, these new Board members round out an already robust group of content industry executives to position NATPE for continued evolution. With four new members representing broadcast/networks and OTT/platforms, these categories are now the second largest groups of representation on the Board.
Cindy Holland is the VP for Original Content at Netflix where she is responsible for acquiring and launching original series for the over 109 million users. Pearlena Igbokwe was named President, Universal Television in June 2016 and oversees creative programming for one of the country's largest and most successful production companies. Mina Lefevre is currently Head of Development & Programming for Facebook's original content initiative. She oversees the development and production of scripted and unscripted shows for Watch on Facebook. Sharon Vuong is the Senior Vice President of Alternative Programming at CBS Entertainment. Vuong oversees development of new alternative programs, including reality series, game shows and other non-scripted programming.
"We are delighted to welcome such a diverse group of leaders who are helping to redefine today's changing television landscape. At NATPE, we strive to represent the future of the industry and are gratified that our board is comprised of executives at the center of these evolutionary shifts," said Andy Kaplan, Chairman of the Board, NATPE and President, Sony Pictures Television Networks.
NATPE also announced the formation of a new NXTGN (Next Gen) Advisory Board, populated by a group of top executives across digital media with the mission to identify new trends in the media and entertainment content industry.
The NXTGN Advisory Board will be year-round through events, meetings and educational opportunities, leading a dialogue with content creators, brands, advertisers, distributors and buyers. It will focus on the emergence of new platforms and business models in TV, OTT, digital, mobile, gaming, AR, VR and AI.
"Our goal at NATPE is to be at the forefront of our constantly evolving business, lead content ecosystem dialogue, and create marketplace evolution that breeds new business opportunities. The mission of the NATPE NXTGN Advisory Board is to impact the business and creative communities, help navigate content across all platforms in creation, distribution and acquisition," said JP Bommel, President and CEO, NATPE. "Creating an excellent resource like NXTGN Advisory Board is just one piece of the puzzle and we are excited to reveal more plans."
Inaugural NATPE NXTGN Advisory Board Members:
* Eric Berger, EVP, Digital, Sony Pictures Television Networks & GM, Crackle
* Nick Buzzell, CEO, NBTV Studios (Chair)
* Susan Brooks, Founder & Owner, Forefront Media Strategies
* Dan Donahue, COO, All3Media America
* Peter Levin, President of Interactive Ventures & Games, Lionsgate
* Jay Levine, EVP, Warner Bros. Digital Networks
* Peter Naylor, SVP, Advertising Sales, Hulu
* Kate Robinson, SVP, Business Development, Bustle
* Vivian Yin, CEO, FremantleMedia China
Additional details on upcoming events, including the three-day NATPE MIAMI Marketplace & Conference from January 16-18, 2018 will be released soon. NATPE BUDAPEST, one of the largest marketplaces in central Europe, takes place June 25-28, 2018 at the Intercontinental Budapest. More information on the organization including registration for both events can be found at www.natpe.com<http://www.natpe.com>.
About NATPE
Celebrating 55 years of service to the ever-evolving global television industry, NATPE inspires the growth and success of content development, creation, production, financing and distribution across all platforms through interdependent marketplaces where industry powers gather to offer insight and make deals. NATPE is the largest U.S. based global content association and a leader in developing international markets and conferences for the entire spectrum of the dynamic content business. For more information, please visit www.natpe.com<http://www.natpe.com>.
