Years at Current Organization: 5
First Job in the Industry: Associate general counsel, z.com (Web 1.0!)
Bucket List: Travel More: Himalayas, Brazil, Iceland, More of Africa, India…just for starters; try standup comedy at least once; finish and perform my one-woman show; spend at least a year living on a beach somewhere; heli-ski Canada; say I’m sorry when I need to and tell everyone I love exactly how I feel.
How many companies have you worked for? I’ve worked for 11 companies–I started as an attorney, transitioned into entertainment law and early internet, working for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck among others, represented talent in Hollywood, then went into digital video content early—ran video at Yahoo, was Chief Content Officer at Maker Studios, which sold to Disney in 2014. Have been at Verizon since late 2016, and it’s incredible to be at the intersection of traditional and streaming media.
Has the telco rollout of 5G wireless in North America impacted your business? Well, since Verizon is the one rolling out 5G wireless, I will tell you that the promise of 5G is far more dynamic and greater than anything we’ve ever seen before. Verizon offers experiences like sports and entertainment that leverage the low latency and speed of 5G to our customers. These are areas where customers are spending their time right now, so it’s important to show customers how 5G can impact their lives today.
What does the metaverse mean to you? Immersive experiences, scalable worlds. Multiple economies and increased access. Question is can we fulfill the promise of a better world with Web 3.0 or will it be leveraged for profit and have the potential to divide us more? The answer is probably both.
What’s your Wordle strategy? Who has time for Wordle. Sorry.
Boredom buster? I wish I had time to be bored! See answer above.
What will it take to see a seismic shift away from linear television for sports? NFL goes OTT.
Your YouTube rabbit hole? My rabbit holes are on IGTV and TikTok
What creative property do you hope does NOT get adapted into a show, movie or remake? “Sixteen Candles” and any John Hughes movies. Stay in my Gen X time capsule!
My prediction for NFTs… Traditional IP will become more predominant, the marketplace will become regulated and exchanges will evolve. Again, there is a real opportunity for IP owners to empower consumers to participate in the new ecosystem, both creatively and financially.
What childhood memento have you kept? A Snoopy doll that used to spend Christmas in the store window display of Aspen Sports, the ski shop my Dad managed when I was a kid.
The phrase “digital divide” will go away when… Ad dollars fully migrate to OTT and digital.
What household chore could you win a gold medal in? Vacuuming and dishes, especially when stressed.