WHO WE ARE

Mark Kassen is a Golden Globe and Emmy nominated filmmaker, playwright and actor. Mark cultivated new filmmaking technology, utilizing it to create the Trigger Street Independent film fund with Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti. Mark’s feature film directing and producing credits include Puncture starring Chris Evans, Bernard and Doris starring Ralph Fiennes and Susan Sarandon for HBO, and Before We Go. Mark has produced series across networks such as FOX, MTV, IFC, AMC and Sundance Channel. Mark also wrote and starred in the acclaimed off-Broadway, multimedia play Little Willy.

Joe Kiani is a renowned Technology Entrepreneur and Humanitarian, as well as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Masimo, one of the world’s most admired medical technology companies. In 2012, Mr. Kiani founded the Patient Safety Movement Foundation. The inventor of world-changing, noninvasive patient monitoring; and the recipient of multiple awards across the intellectual property, technology and humanitarian sectors; Joe speaks at events around the world, championing the rights of those who are not always empowered to speak for themselves.

Jean Mayrand founded the Montreal-based Vantrix Technology Corporation in 2004. With over 25 years of experience in telecommunications and venture capital, Jean began his career as a Professional Instructor at the Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal and at the Centre de Recherche Informatique de Montreal. Jean has held technical and executive management positions at Bell Canada, Telesoft Ventures, Evolucom (later acquired by Wysdom Inc.). Jean holds a B.Eng in Software and Hardware Engineering and an MScA in Software Engineering, both from the Ecole Polytechnique.

Iliana Nikolic has been involved in film development, production and distribution for over 15 years. She started as a production executive at IFC Films where she oversaw award-winning narrative and documentary films and television (including Monsoon Wedding, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, and Me And You And Everyone We Know), as well as the groundbreaking InDigEnt film program. Iliana has served as Head of Production and Development at Elevation Films and as VP of Production and Development at Overnight Productions. Iliana also partnered with Robert Rodriguez to develop and produce several films, including Machete and Machete Kills.

Sal has worked in digital, film, television and advertising production for the last ten years. As a producer at MAKER STUDIOS, Sal created hundreds of videos and short form media content for some of YouTube’s biggest stars. Sal helped Maker grow into the world’s largest network of short-form, digital content through its eventual sale to Disney for 500 million dollars. He has worked with top commercial production companies such as MacGuffin and Tool of North America, as well as renowned directors such as Julian West and Tony Kaye. Sal also served as an Associate Producer on the feature film ALONE, starring Sophie Turner and Ray Liotta.

Simone Lapidus has worked in film, television, and digital production in Los Angeles for the last ten years. She started her career working for Academy Award-winning producer Ed Saxon (Silence of the Lambs) before eventually writing, producing, and editing TV promo campaigns and digital series for major studios like Fox, Disney, and DreamworksTV. Simone also produced independent feature Darkness in Tenement 45 and co-produced the feature documentary The Melting Family, which made its world premiere at DOC NYC. She has had experience on numerous odd movies and shows in between, but you'll have to ask for those stories in person.

Kaylin Minton is a communications and government affairs professional who led media operations in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for nearly a decade. Prior to her current role as Director of Government and Media Affairs for A Starting Point, Minton has been Communications Director for the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Communications Director for a U.S. Senator and Chairman of the distinguished Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Press Secretary and Communications Director for a U.S. Congressman during his three terms in office.

Dana Brown is the former deputy editor of Vanity Fair magazine. He had his hand in many aspects of the magazine over the years: launched Vanity Fair’s digital video channel; executive produced the television series Vanity Fair Confidential for the Investigation Discovery network; created and wrote the award-winning animated web series The Vanity Code; was responsible for hundreds of feature stories on topics ranging from geopolitics to business, pop culture to crime, high-society scandal to the art world; his work was recognized multiple times by the National Magazine Awards In addition to his role at Vanity Fair, Brown has written and developed television pilots for Hulu, AMC, Imagine Entertainment, and CBS.