Meet Our Advisory Board
Sean Carey
Sean is an experienced media and entertainment executive whose 25-year career has included roles in film finance, corporate development, strategic planning, content acquisition and digital entertainment. As the Vice President of Content for Netflix, he was responsible for the acquisition of television series for the expanding global footprint of the Netflix service. Before joining Netflix, Carey was an executive at Sony Corporation. He led strategic content initiatives at Sony Corporation of America, helping develop and implement partnerships with content providers, and was responsible for digital strategy and distribution at Sony Pictures. Prior to those roles, he led the corporate development group at Sony Pictures, where he was responsible for film financing, strategic planning and mergers and acquisitions.
Virl Hill
Virl Hill is a Consultant, Strategic Advisor and Angel Investor, focused on building and accelerating the growth of consumer internet and digital media businesses at startups, growing companies and large organizations.
Prior to his tenure at Microsoft and RealNetworks, he headed the strategic planning team for The Walt Disney Company's Television and Non-Feature Animation production divisions. He also previously worked in international distribution at Hanna-Barbera Productions and in investment banking with Credit Suisse First Boston.
Mr. Hill is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and The Recording Academy.
He holds an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.
Tom Jump
Tom Jump has held global and domestic executive marketing and GM leadership roles corporate side at General Motors and Pepsico/Pizza Hut, at global agencies Leo Burnett and Mullen/Lowe, and in early-stage companies. Mr. Jump frequently acts as an advisor to start-ups, C-level and private equity executives and has been a Board member for 10 years at Partners Continuing Care Network.
Sherrese Clarke Soares
As a visionary two-time CEO, founder, investor, operator, and board director, Sherrese brings over 20 years of experience leading across corporate finance, capital markets, investment banking, and private equity with a focus in the Communications and Media & Entertainment sector. She leverages a strong record of building portfolios in capital markets that have delivered significant returns to investors, with deep expertise in asset management, M&A, divestitures, and P&L oversight for Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), CIT Group (NYSE: CIT), and GE Capital. Her experience in evaluation, finance, investment, and competitive analysis provides insights on investment strategies, portfolio amplification, and business models, enabling her to ask the right questions and advise both nascent companies in emerging markets as well as those competing on the global stage.
Stuart Snyder
Stuart Snyder is presently the Founder and President of Snyder Media Group LLC, providing strategic guidance to media and start-up companies. Clients included Sumitomo Corporation, Little Critter, LLC, Wonderama and Armored Combat League/Knight Fight. Mr. Snyder served on the Board of Directors of WOW Unlimited Media, a publicly traded family and animation content/production company and was instrumental in the sale of the company to Genius Brands. He is an investor in Einhorn Epic Productions, a content development and production company. Stuart is the Executive Producer of the upcoming MGM feature film based on the Carlos Ghosn/Michael Taylor Japanese story starring, and produced by, Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell. Mr. Snyder co-produced the stage production of “The Exorcist” which premiered on the West End. Mr. Snyder is also the co-owner of the iconic 90-year-old Beal’s Lobster Pier on Mt. Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park.
Steve Thayer
As a partner at Handler, Thayer, Mr. Thayer advises businesses on their formation issues, capital structures, private placement offerings, and other business contracts. He has represented clients on both sides of venture capital transactions, private equity transactions, debt offerings, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and other finance transactions. Additionally, Mr. Thayer has represented and advised athletes, entertainers, and other celebrities in the negotiation of business contracts. He has reviewed and advised clients on the acquisition of sports teams, movie production agreements, agency contracts, modeling agreements, endorsement agreements, private equity transactions, and other business arrangements.
Teresa Miles Walsh
Teresa is the CEO & Managing Director of Access Media Advisory, LLC. Prior to founding AMA in 2003, Teresa was based in London as Vice Chairman and Managing Director, European Telecommunications, Media and Technology at Merrill Lynch. Before that, Teresa was Head of the European Media Investment Banking Group from 1997 until 2002; from 1989 until 1996 Teresa worked in various investment banking roles at Merrill Lynch New York, including Project & Lease Finance, Utilities and Media Groups. Teresa participated in transactions totaling in excess of $75 billion in deal value while at Merrill Lynch.
Teresa received her MBA with distinction in 1987 from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and has her BA in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, also from Duke University. Teresa is an Emeritus member of the Board of Visitors at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and serves as an independent director and Audit Commitee member of the Board of Directors at Upland Software (UPLD) and previously was a Board Member and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Forest Road Acquisition Corp (FRX.U) before its de-SPACing (NYSE:BODY).
Ken Basin
Ken Basin currently works as the Global Head of Business Operations at Riot Entertainment, where he manages business affairs, operations, and physical production for film and television. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, Business Affairs at Paramount Television, where he was responsible for dealmaking with talent, producers, and licensees in support of Paramount's broad slate of premium original television programming. Prior to joining Paramount, Ken served as Vice President, U.S. Business Affairs for Sony Pictures Television, and before that, Co-Head of Business Affairs for Amazon Studios. Ken is also a published scholar, as well as a long-time speaker and commentator, on entertainment and intellectual property legal matters. Since 2014, he has been a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, where he teaches Entertainment and Media Law, and has previously served as an Adjunct Professor at UCLA School of Law (teaching Television Law) and Southwestern Law School (teaching Motion Picture Production Law).
Carlo Pozzali
Carlo, Chairman of Nilar Investments—a Miami-based venture capital firm—has a distinguished career spanning over three decades in the media industry, with specific expertise in managing global media content distribution.
His professional journey began in advertising and publishing in Milan, Italy, before relocating to the United States. He transitioned into the sports media sector, holding senior executive roles at IMG and UFA/S5, a division of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. In these positions, he led key initiatives in sports marketing and media rights.
In 2005, Carlo co-founded MP & Silva, a globally recognized sports media agency, which was acquired by a Chinese investment fund in 2016.
In 2015, he co-founded Brutus, a successful beer brand based in Madrid, Spain, which was acquired by market leader Mahou-San Miguel Group in November 2022.
Since 2019, Carlo has focused on investing in and advising high-growth startups, particularly in the media and entertainment sectors, driving innovation and expansion.
Amy Baker
Amy Baker is the CEO and Co-Founder at WINSTON | BAKER, where she oversees the company's global strategic planning, business development and vendor relationships. Prior to establishing Winston/Baker, she successfully directed B2B and B2C business development efforts for over 10 years, by leveraging innovative sponsorship methods to engage business professionals. At ALM — as Vice President of Business Development — she provided marketers with targeted channels for reaching decision-makers within the legal, real estate, financial, pharma, and tech sectors. In her preceding position, Director of Business Development at RPMC, she worked with entertainment, music, and sports companies, creating event marketing programs, travel incentive services, sweepstakes, and media promotions. Prior to RPMC, Baker was Sales Manager at Strategic Research Institute where she was responsible for selling sponsorships for investment, banking, legal, healthcare, and emerging technology conferences. Baker received a Bachelors degree in Psychology with honors from New York University.