Variety names Kent Rees one of Hollywood’s ‘New Leaders’ in TV.

Variety – October 28, 2014

Hollywood’s New Leaders: TV

Danielle Carrig, 36
Senior VP of publicity and public affairs, Lifetime Networks
Public relations is a passion for Carrig, who works double duty managing publicity and public affairs for the Lifetime brand. “I never thought I would find such a home in the entertainment space,” she says. Carrig got her start working in the nonprofit sector, running a women’s organization. She easily transitioned to the cable net where she says the biggest challenge is keeping things fresh. “It’s important to constantly be pushing yourself,” she says, adding that her extensive experience in the nonprofit world, bringing light to social issues, stands as a testament to her commitment to making a difference.

Melissa Chambless, 39
VP of marketing, TNT & TBS Unscripted Series, Turner Classic Movies
Chambless joined the company in 2000 as a marketing assistant. Since becoming VP she’s led successful promo and media campaigns for hit shows including “The Closer,” “Rizzoli & Isles” and “Major Crimes.” “I’m really proud of our recent work on the new season of ‘American Dad!’ on TBS,” she says. “We’ve embraced a fan-forward, socially driven strategy that rewards fans’ passion and love for the show. We’ve also collaborated with Adidas Originals to create a limited edition Stan Smith shoe in tribute to the show’s infamous main character.” Chambless has forged multi-tiered partnerships with other consumer brands and helped build audience engagement through online communities.

Sean Cohan, 40
Exec VP, Intl., A&E Networks
In the two years since Cohan was promoted from senior VP to exec VP, A&E’s History has expanded to 183 territories — virtually all markets where regulations allow it. He successfully launched brands like Lifetime and H2 across Europe, Asia and Latin America while rapidly rolling out the rest of A&E’s six-brand portfolio. “A big part of these wins has been the great characters, content and brands cultivated by pioneering U.S. teams in lending these channels a relevant voice and content,” says Cohan, who, prior to a number of titles at A&E, held positions at Primedia, Morgan Stanley and NBC. “A determined, analytical and collaborative approach has paid dividends in this increasingly complex and at times overcrowded environment,” he says.

Jonathan Frank, 37
Senior VP of current programming, FX Networks
Joining FX in 2008 as a VP and promoted to his current position in 2011, Frank oversees day-to-day production of a portfolio that includes “Sons of Anarchy,” “American Horror Story,” “The Bridge,” “Louie,” “Married” and “The Americans.” His achievements include integrating product placement into programs without offending creators, whom FX is known to nurture and protect. “All too often in the TV business the process of creating art gets muddled by people destructively forcing their agendas on others,” says Frank. “In the end, it was setting aside personal agendas and really listening to what everyone involved needed that allowed me to facilitate a solution that worked for all parties.”

Dalia Ganz, 30
Director, digital and partnerships marketing, ABC Family
Ganz joined the network after graduating college in 2005, quickly moving to champion then nascent social media, to connect with audiences. Since then, ABC Family has become a social powerhouse on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and Vine, with Ganz leading the charge. Her campaigns have led “Pretty Little Liars” to dominate many of those platforms, as does “25 Days of Christmas,” which surprisingly generates year-round interest. “We use responsive marketing to develop our strategies — studying fan behavior to inform marketing tactics,” she says. Ganz’s role has expanded to include partnership marketing, which generates extra impressions for the net and awareness with other communities.

Andie Green, 34
VP, scripted programming, Fox Intl. Channels
Since coming over to FIC from NBC in 2008, Green’s been steadily promoted up the ladder. Her team develops and sells U.S. dramas that can translate into global franchises like the upcoming series “Outcast” and “False Flag.” “Watching the success of ‘The Walking Dead’ on our channels and seeing the domino effect it had after becoming the biggest show in the world solidified my belief that although you may have a clear path mapped out, you always need to keep your eyes open for the game changer that could redefine you,” she says. Green was one of the first TV executives to realize the value of launching shows internationally at around the same time they hit U.S. screens.

Damien Marin, 40
Senior VP worldwide digital media and domestic pay tV, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
Rising through the ranks at the studio, Marin has sought to identify and reach new global audiences in more than 100 territories via digital platforms. He’s leveraged MGM TV series like “Fargo” and films including “The Hobbit” trilogy and “21 Jump Street,” plus library hits like “Rocky” in deals with Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime. “There is no way to predict evolution, or manage the rapid pace of change, in content distribution,” he says. “The key to building and sustaining strong relationships with our partners is allowing for flexibility and understanding the impact of change as consumer behaviors evolve.”

Ania O’Hare, 36
Lead casting executive, DreamWorks Animation
O’Hare learned about leadership from her parents, who emigrated from Poland when she was a year old, knowing no English and with less than $10. “They taught me how to respect others,” she says. “As long as your team is happy, you’re going to be happy.” That strategy comes in handy now that she’s heading a new casting department and overseeing five staff tasked with creating 1,100 episodes over four years under DWA’s Netflix deal. “I’m happy, but I am missing a lot of sleep,” says the exec.

Kent Rees, 39
Exec VP, marketing, scheduling and operations, Pivot
As a former senior creative director at IFC, Rees used his creative talents to help launch Pivot, producing the first promos in the edit room. “It’s a daily joy to find new and inventive ways to make our vision a reality,” Rees says. “The premise of the network is so unique — that TV can inspire real, meaningful change and, in turn, connect the audience with ways to take action.” With viewing patterns encompassing more binge watching, Rees looks for ways to connect how shows are marketed and when they’re watched. “If you treat your audience with respect and intelligence, they are more than willing to go along for the ride.”