Josh Arensberg, Verizon Business Group, Global Head of Business Development, Media and Entertainment

Josh Arensberg is the global head of business development, media and entertainment at Verizon Business Group. He has 25 years of experience running engineering organizations, providing technology strategy, architecting solutions, and leading global business development in the M&E sector. Prior to joining Verizon, Arensberg was GM of the Ad Platform and group CTO for Comcast Technology Solutions. Before Comcast, Arensberg was VP of engineering and Product at Discovery, where he received an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media. He is a passionate industry advocate and holds memberships in SMPTE, IEEE, SBE, 5G-MAG, and the Television Academy. Currently, Arensberg sits on the board of directors for USC’s Entertainment Technology Center and The International Trade Association for Broadcast and Media Technology. He holds a B.S. degree from Georgia State University.

Christopher Bentivegna, AT&T, Director of Strategy and Innovation

Chris Bentivegna assists AT&T’s most strategic customers to deliver innovative solutions in the 5G, IoT, and mobile application space. Working across verticals, he has tackled projects ranging from helping manufacturers gain greater supply chain visibility to streamlining operations for the largest airlines. With a focus on private cellular and edge computing, Bentivegna recently enabled the first 5G broadcast of a sporting event and is tasked with helping AT&T’s customers harness the power of 5G.

Bentivegna has 20 years of experience with network and software implementations helping some of the world’s largest companies create industry leading solutions.

After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in engineering, Bentivegna spent the next seven years at Accenture where he grew from a hands-on software developer to a technology manager in their Communications and High-Tech organization. In this role, he was tasked with leading complex, cross-functional engagements at leading companies such as Verizon Wireless, UPS, Cingular, WorldCom, and XM radio.

With AT&T for the last 11 years, Bentivegna has had a chance to meaningfully affect their customer’s business through technology. Projects of note include AT&T’s first ever Virtual Reality experience developed in partnership with Carnival Cruise Lines and development of an automobile smart battery that can alert owners weeks before failure.

Located in Tampa, FL, Bentivegna is active in the community as part of the Tampa Bay Crisis Center’s technology steering committee.

Eric Bolten, Zixi, VP, Business Development

Eric Bolten is a leading expert in the digital video space, advising the world’s largest, most complex, and most demanding customers, from media and sports entities to Fortune 1000 corporations. His career spans executive, sales, marketing, and business development roles in markets around the globe including Australia, Asia, South America Europe, and the United States.  Prior to Zixi, Bolten worked for Com Tech, PictureTel, Vela Research, Venaca, and Signiant.

Brad Cheney, Fox Sports, VP, Field Operations and Engineering

Brad Cheney manages technical and operational planning for golf, baseball, and college sports along with advanced-technology projects for Fox Sports Media Group.

Cheney is a leader in new technology approaches, including IP-based live and post-production centers, IP over RF, UHD, HDR, and UAS systems. His work includes innovative production approaches and executions for in-ground audio, robotic cameras, and home run productions.

Cheney is a six-time Emmy winner and previously worked for MLB Network, the Late Show with David Letterman, Game Creek Video, and Cox Sports.

Ghislain Collette, Haivision, VP, Product Management

Ghislain Collette has over 20 years of experience in video networking, working in broadcast, cable distribution, and streaming industries. Prior to Haivision, Collette served as a project engineer at Videotron, designing and coordinating the deployment of multi-million dollar projects. He also worked at Miranda Technologies / Miranda Media Networks where he served as product manager for the transport and multimedia products.

Collette holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Sherbrooke (Canada). 

Chris Connolly, NBC Sports Group, VP, Transmission Operations and Engineering

Chris Connolly has been with NBC Sports for over seven years. He currently oversees all transmission engineering and operations for NBC Sports Group and is based out of its state-of-the-art broadcast center in Stamford, CT. The center encompasses NBC Sports, NBC Digital, NBC Olympics, Olympic Channel, and Golf Channel.

Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital

Brandon Costa covers the sports video production industry with a focus on live streaming, over-the-top (OTT), social media, and other digital distribution technologies and platforms. He also directs SVG’s internal digital strategies launching the company’s video outfit, ‘SVG On Demand,’ designing and overseeing its mobile application, ‘SVG Mobile,’ and serving as executive producer and host of The SVG Podcast. Costa serves as program director of networking events serving the SVG College and SVG Digital communities. Prior to his time at SVG, Costa spent five years producing digital content for MLB Advanced Media.

Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor and TranSPORT Program Director

Jason Dachman oversees all aspects of SVG’s North American editorial operations, including the thrice-weekly SVG Insider newsletter and SVG’s annual print publications. A member of the SVG team since 2009, Dachman also serves as program director for SVG’s RSN Summit, Sports Content Management Forum, Sports Graphics Forum, and TranSPORT event. Prior to joining SVG, he spent three years covering local sports for The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA, and two years on the production staff of SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s The Ron & Fez Show. Dachman began his career in the Sports Information Department at Northeastern University in Boston, where he also earned a B.A. in media communications and cinema studies.

Janel Fleming, LiveU, Director of Sales and Sales Group Manager, Sports

As the director of sports sales, Janel Fleming is responsible for driving the strategy for LiveU’s Sports Group. She has been integral in bringing LiveU Sports solutions to professional teams, sports associations, and production companies, allowing them to create more unique live content and increase fan engagement. Throughout her career, Fleming has worked with broadcasters, producers, and distributors of sports, entertainment, and news seeking reliable and robust backhaul video services. She is a graduate of Florida State University where she received her Bachelor of Science in business management.

Rick Gibson, Lumen, Director of Operations, Media and Entertainment

Rick Gibson is the director of operations for Lumen’s Media and Entertainment groups which include Vyvx Broadcast Solutions and Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Gibson has more than 30 years of experience building and operating telecommunications networks specializing in video delivery. He previously served as Lumen’s director of Vyvx broadcast and satellite teleport operations. Prior to that, Gibson held senior roles at Level 3 Communications and Wiltel Communications. Early on in his career, he also held senior management positions at GTE and British Petroleum.

Gibson holds a bachelor’s degree in management from California Coast University along with certifications from the University of California at Los Angeles. He is a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Keith Goldberg, Titan Media Group, Managing Director

Keith Goldberg is an accomplished executive with extensive experience in media and entertainment, global supply chain operations, broadcast workflows, and content acquisition.

Goldberg spent over two decades with Fox Networks Group where he enjoyed serving in various leadership roles focused on managing the contribution and distribution transmission, as well as supporting domestic and international initiatives around the network’s live linear and digital streaming platforms.

As a result of the acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets, most recently, Goldberg transitioned to Disney Television where he provided strategic oversight of numerous service-related requirements needed to support organizational integration efforts, post acquisition.

Tim Jackson, Globecast, SVP, Sales and Marketing

Tim Jackson is senior vice president for Globecast, a leading global provider of media management services to broadcasters, programmers, platform providers, and distributors. A 30-year industry veteran, Jackson has worked for a variety of companies in the television and media distribution industries including IDB Communications, Discovery Communications, PanAmSat, Intelsat, and Ateme in a variety of areas ranging from television operations and engineering to sales and marketing and business unit management. Jackson holds a B.A. in broadcast and cinematic arts from Central Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.

Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial

Ken Kerschbaumer is co-executive director of editorial services for the Sports Video Group and SVG Europe. He was a co-founder of SVG along with Paul Gallo and Marty Porter in 2005 and has been writing about how sports networks and leagues use video and audio technology to deliver a quality TV experience since 1991. Kerschbaumer began his career in 1991 at Television Broadcast magazine before joining Cahners where he was founding editor of Digital Broadcasting magazine. In 2000, he joined Broadcasting & Cable magazine as senior editor of technology where he covered all aspects of broadcasting, cable, and internet content creation and distribution.

Susanna Mandel-Mantello, SES Satellites, VP of Strategic Accounts, Sports and Events

Susanna Mandel-Mantello is vice president of strategic accounts, sports and events at SES. In this capacity, she focuses on finding end-to-end solutions for major sports clients (broadcasters, agencies, and federations). These solutions include satellite, fiber, IP, production, and network origination.

Prior to joining SES in 2012, Mandel-Mantello was in the sports industry for over 20 years. Most recently, she was with Sm2 Sports, which she founded in 2004, focusing on satellite transmission solutions around the world for top sports properties. In November 2012, Sm2 Sports was acquired by RR Media and Mandel-Mantello joined the company to head the Sports & Events division.

Mandel-Mantello earned a B.A. degree in political science at NYU and an M.B.A. at Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Matt McEwen, TVU Networks, VP of Product Management

Matt McEwen leads the TVU Networks Product Management team. He has over 17 years of experience developing award-winning broadcast and professional video products. Prior to TVU Networks, McEwen was director of product management at Focus Enhancements, a leading manufacturer of professional video solutions that was acquired by Vitec Multimedia in 2010. While at Focus, he was responsible for multiple product lines including the award winning line of FireStore DTE Recorders, which was a key technology in the transition to tapeless acquisition in the broadcast market. Before Focus, McEwen held various product management, marketing, and technical positions at Videonics, Production Audio Video Technology (Australia), and Ampex. McEwen has a B.A. from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.

Julie Morrison, WarnerMedia Production Technology, Manager, Content Transmission

Julie Morrison is manager of content transmission within WarnerMedia’s Production Technology group. In her role, Morrison leads a core team responsible for the transmissions of integral content for both domestic and international distribution across multiple platforms. The team has an immersive involvement of complex, high-profile sports and entertainment content, with an eye on problem resolution. She takes a dynamic approach to mentoring both technical and personnel advancements in a changing environment and focuses on team growth and product integrity to meet the challenges of future technologies.

Morrison received a Bachelor of Arts in broadcasting from the University of Maine. She is based in Atlanta.

Rami Moussawi, ST Engineering iDirect, Product Manager

Rami Moussawi is responsible for ST Engineering iDirect’s media and broadcast portfolio of products. He holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Southern Illinois.

Prior to joining ST Engineering iDirect, Moussawi spent the past decade in various product management and sales engineering roles at Spirent Communications, a leader in telecommunications testing. Here, he led the development of a machine learning-based testing solution to objectively test the perceived audio and video quality on smart devices for telcos and device manufacturers around the world.

Roberto Musso, NDI – A Division of Vizrt Group, Senior Product Manager

Roberto Musso is senior product manager for NDI, a brand of Vizrt Group. Musso has an extensive background in technology having worked for various companies including Wang Laboratories, Sigeco, and NewTek in positions ranging from technical support to quality assurance in research and development.

Musso designed and built an NDI/Dante audio-based OB-Van which is currently used in production in Italy for the Volleyball Premier League and European Champions League. As senior product manager, Musso drives product strategy and oversees new product launches.

Ciro A. Noronha, Ph.D., Cobalt Digital, EVP of Engineering / RIST Forum, President

Dr. Ciro Noronha holds a B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering from Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica, Brazil, and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University. He has worked in the compressed video over IP space since 1995.  Dr. Noronha has previously held engineering management positions at Optivision, SkyStream, Tandberg Television, and Ericsson, having led the development of a number of compression and networking products, including encoders, decoders, transcoders, gateways, and multiplexers. In 1999 and 2001, he had appointments as consulting professor at the Electrical Engineering Department at Stanford University. Dr. Noronha was one of the founders of ImmediaTV Corporation, acquired by Cobalt Digital in 2016 and is currently executive vice-president of engineering at Cobalt Digital, as well as the president of the RIST Forum for 2020. Dr. Noronha is the author or co-author of a number of academic papers and has seven issued patents.

Daniel Pisarski, LiveU, VP of Engineering

Daniel Pisarski is an engineering leader in the online, video, and broadcast industries with over 20 years of experience. With a broad background in software and hardware design, product development, research and analysis, and quality assurance, Pisarski understands how to take complex technology solutions from inception to delivery and beyond. As a tech visionary, he is a recurring contributor to articles and white papers communicating both practical know-how and forward-thinking knowledge to help bring the live video industry to the next level. Pisarski is also a frequent presenter sharing his technological expertise at industry conferences around the country with sessions ranging from open-source solutions to bringing linear channel infrastructure online for OTT services.

Andy Rayner, Nevion, Chief Technologist

Andy Rayner is chief technologist at Nevion. In addition to providing technical direction for the evolution of the company’s media solutions, he heads up the Nevion UK technology centre.

Nevion provides award-winning media transport solutions to broadcasters, telecom service providers, governmental agencies, and other industries.

Prior to joining Nevion in 2010, Rayner was head of the broadcast technology at BT. In this role, he was responsible for the design of the BT Global Media Network and oversaw the development of key video interfacing, monitoring, and protection technology. Rayner has filed many patents – both with BT and Nevion.

Paul Spinelli, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Director, Distribution & Network Systems

Paul Spinelli is the director of distribution and network systems for Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBG). Previously, he had been the director of engineering, starting in 2014. Prior to this he served as the engineering manager of Sinclair Television Group’s corporate facilities. He has held various operations and engineering positions with SBG for the past 12 years. Before his time at Sinclair, he spent time working at WBOC, PSAV, and QVC.

Spinelli is active in many broadcast-related technical organizations such as the ATSC, Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), and the Avid Customer Association (ACA). He has been an SBE certified member and an Avid certified support representative for the past 10 years.

Spinelli has expanded SBG’s linear and file-based acquisition and distribution strategies and technologies. He attended Salisbury University on Maryland’s Eastern Shore where he earned a B.A. in communications, B.A. in theatre, and played football. He remains active in the Salisbury University Maroon & Gold Club to support fundraising efforts for student athletes.

Brian Stanley, Arctek Satellite Productions, Owner and CEO

Brian Stanley has been working in the television and satellite industry for over 27 years. In 2003, Stanley and two partners started Arctek Satellite Productions. 17 years later, he became the sole owner, overseeing the day to day operation and management of his five uplink trucks.

Arctek transmits nearly 400 sporting events per year, transmitting everything from a single feed back haul to multi-camera REMI/at-home productions. Arctek trucks travel coast to coast.

Prior to starting Arctek, Stanley worked for Conus Communications, a pioneer in satellite transmissions.

Rob Szabo-Rowe, The Switch, SVP, Engineering and Product Management

Rob Szabo-Rowe brings more than 25 years of senior executive management experience to The Switch across the technology, media, and telecommunications sector. In his role at The Switch, he takes the strategic lead in the creation and delivery of best in-class products and services across the company’s entire live production and transmission portfolio, driving growth and innovation – including MIMiC, the on-demand cloud-based production-as-a-service offering. He previously served as executive vice president and general manager of live production and infrastructure for Snell Advanced Media (SAM), responsible for the company’s live broadcast solutions and its migration to IP. Previously, Szabo-Rowe held roles as CTO for Cambridge Positioning Systems, and vice president of network design and technology for Aerial Communications (now part of T-Mobile).

Peter Wharton, TAG V.S., Director, Corporate Strategy

As director of corporate strategy at TAG V.S., Peter Wharton’s experience includes 20 years of news and live event coverage and engineering at ABC and Fox Networks. He also worked towards the launch of a satellite based CDN at PanAmSat, has 16 years of product development at Miranda (Grass Valley) and BroadStream Solutions, and has developed cloud migration strategy for several broadcasters, networks, and technology vendors. Wharton’s broad experiences in live events, playout, technology development, and cloud enables TAG V.S. to develop new solutions for a constantly changing media landscape.

Adam Whitlock, ESPN, Director, Remote Traffic Operations

Adam Whitlock oversees the daily operation of ESPN’s Remote Traffic department, which is responsible for the acquisition of all live event contribution transmissions for ESPN linear and digital networks, both domestic and international. Since joining ESPN in 2001, Whitlock has provided transmission planning and on-site support to a variety of remote event productions including the Super Bowl, World Cup, World Series, X Games, and NBA Finals, as well as Monday Night Football.

The three-time Emmy recipient also oversees all remote telecom services, managing a voice-over-IP system used to support more than 1,000 remote events annually. In 2014, Whitlock supported the SEC Network launch by designing and implementing a completely fiber-optic video and data network across more than 100 athletic venues within the conference to facilitate unlimited campus productions and ESPN Remote Operations events. In 2019, he launched another conference-wide fiber optic video and data network in support of the ACC Network.

Whitlock is currently focused on seasonal sports and live-from-home production workflows while overseeing more than 70,000 satellite, fiber optic, and IP based transmissions annually.