MSEP

DEVON FRANKLIN is an award-winning film producer, New York Times bestselling author, and motivational speaker. He serves as President and CEO of Franklin Entertainment, a dynamic multimedia entertainment company with a first-look film deal at Paramount Pictures, a second- look film deal at Netflix, and an overall deal at CBS TV Studios.

DeVon is committed to uplifting global communities through entertainment and has leveraged his 20-year Hollywood career and experiences to become a leading authority on inspirational personal and professional development with millions of followers worldwide. His inspirational films have grossed over $175MM at the box office with most recent hits including BREAKTHROUGH starring Chrissy Metz (Disney/Fox), THE STAR (Sony Pictures) and MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (Sony Pictures).

Franklin Entertainment has several projects in development including Flamin’ Hot, the true story of the creation of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (Fox Searchlight) and Daring to Live (Paramount Pictures). Variety Magazine named him one of the "Top 10 Producers to Watch," Ebony Magazine has distinguished him as one of the "Top 100 Influential African-Americans in America.” In addition to his work as a producer, DeVon is also the author of multiple bestselling books Including THE TRUTH ABOUT MEN, THE SUCCESS COMMANDMENTS, THE WAIT (co-written with his wife, award-winning actress Meagan Good) and PRODUCED BY FAITH.

Karlton “NotKarltonBanks” Humes is a 27-year-old Missouri native who has come to be one of the #1 social media influencer phenomenons of our time. Humes captures his supporters through comedy by portraying multiple characters who make up what is known as “IG COGIC.” Characters like Lee Lee, Sister Mary, Pastor, and Sweet Jee have become viewer’s favorites.

Humes stated, “I got my inspiration from my home church growing up. Lee Lee was me. I just made it a little girl.” The familiarity of the characters who make up IG COGIC keeps so many people all across the globe coming back for more and demanding their presence on stages, tv screens, and even private events. Humes continues to take social media charts by storm with nearly 1 million followers on Instagram, appearances in movies, plays, and his own television series.

Norman Gyamfi is the founder and CEO of The ICHO Group, a management and marketing company. Its in-house team of nearly two dozen experts handle everything from graphics, video and strategy to build a solid foundation for brands and campaigns. In 2018, The ICHO Group began to broaden its client base, along with Travis Greene and JJ Hairston, they work with other fresh faces in music and media, among them Bri Babineaux, Tamar Braxton, Erica Campbell, Todd Dulaney, Israel Houghton, Kierra Sheard, and Michelle Williams, to name a few. In three years, The ICHO Group has grown from $50,000 in revenue to a multimillion-dollar company. Under Gyamfi’s leadership, it is now the largest management company in gospel music. The ICHO Group also serves media behemoths such as BET, Lifetime, the OWN Network, My Block Entertainment.

Charles Randolph-Wright has built a dynamic and diversified career in directing, writing, and producing for television, film and theatre.

Television and film credits include Executive Producing and directing the new OWN series Delilah, Director on Greenleaf, Katy Keene, Step Up: Highwater, Lincoln Heights, South Of Nowhere, and Live At Lincoln Center. He directed the award-winning film Preaching To The Choir, the European Freestyle campaign for Nike, and produced and wrote for the series Linc’s. Charles is Executive Producer of the film Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back which won the Grand Jury Prize at the NY Doc Film Festival.

In theatre, Randolph-Wright directed the smash hit Motown: The Musical (Broadway, London and the National Tours), the Broadway bound musical Born For This (which he co-wrote with gospel icon Bebe Winans), the Pulitzer prize winning play Ruined and the musical Sophisticated Ladies (starring Maurice Hines), at Arena Stage, the 75th anniversary tour of the opera Porgy and Bess, Brian Stokes Mitchell in Love/Life at Lincoln Center, Guys and Dolls (the 50th anniversary national tour), They’re Playing Our Song (in Portuguese in Brasil), Cabaret Verboten at the Mark Taper Forum (with Bebe Neuwirth and Roger Rees), and The Diva Is Dismissed (starring Jenifer Lewis) at the Public Theater.

One of the most important pop culture influencers in entertainment today, director/choreographer/artist LAURIEANN GIBSON is a force to be reckoned with. Counting numerous international superstars such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Diddy, Akon, K-pop's Big Bang, and Nicki Minaj among her clients, Gibson brings a unique brand, blending traditional artist development with movement and dance training to their collaborations. Combined with a distinctive creative eye and an artist in her own right, Gibson is one of the most sought-after creative directors and choreographers in the music and film industries today.

Gibson continues to break new ground in her field by creating various virtual experiences such as “The Virtual DreamWarrior” and the “Virtual Make Me Dance Experience”. The “Virtual DreamWarrior” takes an aspiring artist from around the world and injects them into an online artist development workshop where they learn to tap into their authentic artistry. Also, Gibson’s artist developing an army of young talented superstars ready to become the next biggest music superstar in the world. Gibson is also producing various projects such as “The Uptown Story” on BET, airing in 2021, and her own dance competition experience called, “The Dance Games”. She’ll be returning to TV in 2021 as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” and as creative Director/ choreographer on MTV’s “Making the Band”.

Kevin Bartel is a multi-faceted and experienced production executive who has played a leading role in growing and evolving numerous production groups throughout his 10+ years in the business. Not only has he led the creation, development, and launch of numerous prolific series, in 2019 he also started his own production studio, Best Production Company. At 36, he has overseen as Executive Producer numerous series orders for shows across major broadcast, cable, and SVODs including Netflix, ABC, Discovery, Amazon, and Nat Geo Wild.

Last year, Bartel returned to the All3Media America family with the launch of a new production banner in their portfolio, Best Production Company. In his current role as CEO at the emerging company, Bartel is paving the way for unscripted content that defies genre -- focusing on raising the content bar with the production of cinematic, story-driven, and unconventional series. A few items they currently have within their diverse development slate include a feature doc exploring global leadership, a genre-bending natural history concept, a colorful workplace occu-soap, and two culinary formats.

Austyn Biggers is currently the Head of Unscripted at GET LIFTED FILM CO. He has executive produced several scripted and unscripted projects, including Reality Series, Award Shows, Talk Shows, Event Specials, Feature Docs, and Live Events. At GLFC, Austyn's projects include the HBO docu-series ATLANTA'S MISSING AND MURDERED: THE LOST CHILDREN (HBO), John Legend and Family: A Bigger Love Father's Day. Tommy Oliver's documentary 40 YEARS A PRISONER (HBO) and GIVING VOICE, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and premiered on Netflix on December 11, 2020. Get Lifted Film Co. is led by Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning producer Mike Jackson, EGOT recipient and award-winning producer John Legend, and CEO of Friends At Work, Ty Stiklorius.

Rose Catherine Pinkney is a versatile television executive who has been both a buyer and a seller, having worked for networks, studios, and independent production companies. She has developed content in the scripted arena (comedy, drama, movies, and miniseries) as well as the unscripted arena (alternative, reality, reality-competition, comedy, variety, talk, game shows, docu-series, documentaries, and specials). Highly regarded by her peers, this Princeton University graduate and UCLA Anderson School of Management alumna is known for both her creative abilities as well as her business acumen.

Rose Catherine is currently Sr. Vice President, Scripted Programming at BET, where she leads the development and current team in scripted programming. In this role, she is charged with developing new scripted content for BET network and BET+, the recently launched streaming platform, as well as overseeing current productions. During her tenure, she has been involved in a variety of projects, including Being Mary Jane (series and finale movie), Real Husbands of Hollywood (series and upcoming movie), Tales, a Hip Hop Anthology, American Soul, a period drama focusing on the iconic and complicated Don Cornelius, Games People Play, The Comedy Get Down and the critically acclaimed Twenties. She also works with the acquisition team on some movie co-productions.

Ryan J. Ford is an experienced Digital Marketing Strategist with a demonstrated history of working in marketing and advertising for non-profit and educational organizations as well as in the music industry. A multi-gifted professional, well-respected by clients and peers alike, Ryan specializes in social media marketing and management, digital advertising, and social media consulting and strategy.

Brooke C. Hardy is a native of Prince George County, Maryland. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Strategic Communication from Ohio State University. She is currently pursuing her Master’s of Divinity with a focus in Marketplace ministry from Regent University. Brooke is a well sought-after strategist and creative director and has successfully lent her expertise to many different spaces, including productions, gospel artists, digital rollouts, and more. She currently works as a digital strategist and project manager for The Icho Group and a communications coordinator for Howard University Middle School of Mathematics & Science.

Brooke is also the founder and owner LB Group, LLC, and The Brooke Christan brand, a network designed to inspire through experience. Through her YouTube channel, blogs, and social media content, she shares her journey of triumph to encourage people to believe that there are lessons in failure that bring so much joy and success.

Harry Lennix is a distinguished film, television and stage actor. For the last seven seasons, he has starred as Harold Cooper, Assistant Director of Counterterrorism for the FBI on NBC’s The Blacklist. Moviegoers know Lennix as General Swanwick, from the Warner Brothers blockbuster Man of Steel and the hit sequel, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice.

In 2014, Lennix created Exponent Media Group, a movie production company he founded with longtime Chicago associate Steve Harris. Projects completed include Mr. Sophistication about a brilliant but self-destructive stand-up comedian and H4, a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV with an all-black cast filmed onstage and in the streets of South Central L.A. The third film, Revival!, a re-telling of the gospel according to John the Apostle, is a joyful blend of Gospel fantasia, Broadway musical, and epic historical drama starring Mali Music, Chaka Khan, and Michelle Williams, among many others.

In 2018, Lennix made his off-Broadway NY directorial debut with A Small Oak Tree Runs Red at The Billie Holliday Theatre. The original production first staged at Chicago’s Congo Square Theatre as part of their August Wilson New Play Initiative, was also directed by Lennix. The New York production was honored with the prestigious Audelco Award for Best Production in 2018.

Robi Reed has nearly 30 years of experience in the film and TV industry and over 50 movies under her belt as an Emmy-winning casting director and producer. She is behind the breakout movie roles for some of Hollywood's brightest stars, including Halle Berry, Samuel J. Jackson, and Jamie Foxx.

After 25 years of running her own company, Robi Reed Entertainment, Reed joined the executive ranks at Black Entertainment Television Networks (BETN). In her new position as Vice President of Talent and Casting for Original Programming, she oversees all scripted and non-scripted shows for the network, including the NAACP Image Award-winning mini-series The Bobby Brown Story and The New Edition Story, American Soul based on the legendary Don Cornelius and Soul Train, the music anthology drama series Tales, and the hugely successful series The Game and Gabrielle Union’s Being Mary Jane.

Satisfying her philanthropic nature, Reed launched The Reed For Hope Foundation (RFHF). The mission for RFHF is to raise funds to support Sickle Cell Disease awareness and its foundations, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention organizations, women and children’s health initiatives, and disease prevention and healthy lifestyle/living platforms. Each cause sits very close to Reed’s heart.

Annet McCroskey is a talent manager and producer at Artistic Endeavors in Los Angeles. She won a Heller Award for Manager of the Year in 2013 and served as the President of the Talent Manager Association from 2013-2015. Annet co-produced the feature film Locating Silver Lake (Amazon, Hulu) starring Josh Peck, Finn Wittrock, Audrey Peebles and Zelda Williams, a micro pilot for Disney, as well as a short film for the Disability Film Challenge.

Her clients have won Daytime Emmys, have presented at the NAACP Image Awards and have been series regulars on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Disney, Nickelodeon, ABC, Fox and many other networks as well as starring roles in major Oscar winning studio films.

Annet is a member of The Sundance Institute, Emmy voting Member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Film Independent and Women In Film. Annet serves on the Advisory Board of SAG's The Actors Fund's Looking Ahead Program for young performers. She loves making artists' dreams come true and making sure diverse voices are represented in all media and storytelling.

Lori McCreary is the CEO of Revelations Entertainment , a film and television production company she and actor Morgan Freeman founded in 1996 with a mission to produce entertainment that reveals truth. The duo first worked together on McCreary's critically acclaimed "Bopha!" in 1992.

McCreary's film and television credits include the Award-winning Invictus, 5 Flights Up, the groundbreaking documentary film about cancer, The C Word, and was Executive Producer of CBS's hit television series Madam Secretary starring Téa Leoni. McCreary also served as Executive Producer of Discovery Science's Emmy-nominated series Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, exploring how science pushes the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.

McCreary is a unique combination: part film producer, part UCLA-trained computer scientist. She maintains a passionate, ongoing dialogue with filmmakers, talent, and executives to combat piracy and works to change the landscape for diversity in film and emerging media. She is President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America (PGA), founder of the PGA's Motion Picture Technology Committee, served as a Co-Chair of the PGA Awards, and now chairs the PGA's Production Safety Task Force. McCreary sits on the Board of Trustees for the American Film Institute and is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Robyn Lattaker-Johnson is an Unscripted Development Executive, developing a variety of unscripted programs for the network’s core African-American female audience. Lattaker-Johnson was at

REVOLT Media & TV, where she was Head of Content & Development and launched several series including "State of the Culture,” “Funny AF,” “Short and Fresh,” “Director’s Reel” and the “Anatomy of…” franchise and produced the highly-attended REVOLT Summits in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Lattaker-Johnson also served as VP, Alternative Programming at SYFY, NBC Universal Comcast where she developed creative and oversaw the network’s top-rated unscripted series, including “Face Off,” “Paranormal Witness,” “Ghost Hunters,” “Wizard Wars” and “Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge,” among others. Lattaker-Johnson also served as SVP, Original Programming for BET, where she led a team that launched more than 35 series and specials during her tenure and helped the network earn the highest ratings in its then 25-year history.

Darrell Miller is the founding Chairman of the Entertainment Department at the national law firm of Fox Rothschild LLP.

He is a trusted advisor and deal-maker for many of America’s hottest stars -- like Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Jonathan Cain (from the Rock band “Journey), Justin Prentice, Daymond John, Cheo Hodari Coker (“Luke Cage” creator), Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Bishop TD Jakes, to name a few.

For over two decades, Darrell has worked with individual, production, and institutional clients to leverage their careers and high brand equity into multiple streams of income. He is the author of the NAACP Image Award-nominated book, “The 16th Minute of Fame: An Insider’s Guide for Maintaining Success Beyond 15 Minutes of Fame”.

Michael Siegman is the Senior Vice President of Physical Production for BET Networks, a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. Siegman is a Production executive with 20+ years of experience in overseeing/managing broadcast, OTT, and digital media content with expertise in multi/single-camera scripted, unscripted, tentpoles, special events, talk shows, game/competition shows, and development.

Currently, he oversees the production of BET Networks’ original content for scripted and unscripted series. Responsibilities including budgeting, planning, production, scheduling, locations, crewing, and staffing.

He joined BETN in 2000 as a Production Manager to work on Comic View. During his career at BETN there were a number of firsts. He worked on the first BET Awards, Celebration of Gospel, Hip Hop Awards as well as the first in-house scripted shows on the Network. Prior to joining BETN in 2000, he worked on various shows from Keenen Ivory Wayans talk show to Shop Til You Drop. Over the years, he has relocated from Los Angeles to Atlanta and NYC for work and in 2015 moved back to LA to take over his current role of SVP, Physical Production. He is most proud of being given the opportunity to help create a full-service in-house Production Studio to produce scripted and non-scripted programming for BET in Atlanta. BETN produced The Game, Being Mary Jane, Sunday Best, Mo’Nique, The Steve Harvey Show, and multiple movies and pilots.

Kita Williams did not choose the “business” of entertainment, in fact the business choose her. One conversation with her you will find a flawless balance of brains and beauty. Having worked with the likes of superstars Jay Z, Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Ludacris, Bruce Willis, Halle Berry, Brandy Norwood, Chris Brown, Rihanna, and NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, to name a few, then you know you have found matchless representation for your publicity and brand management needs. With the success of the TV show “Scandal” some call her the “Olivia Pope” of PR. She’s always “fixing” a situation for her clients but she refers to herself as a “Brand Architect” that helps with creating a blueprint that molds and shapes the media’s perception, for long-term purpose, platform and profit.

Shawn Gee is the President of Live Nation Urban, and a Principal and Partner in Live Nation’s Maverick management company. Gee began his career in music almost 20 years ago as the co-manager for acclaimed music artists The Roots and Jill Scott, both natives of his hometown of Philadelphia.

Two decades later Gee still manages all aspects of the careers of these two artists, as well as through his Maverick venture co-manages Lil Wayne and G Eazy amongst others. Gee’s expertise in the business and strategy of the live touring and music festival models has placed him as one of the most respected live music executives in the industry.

As President of the newly minted Live Nation Urban venture, Gee and his team are responsible for developing unique live global platforms and urban content opportunities while also helping emerging artists build their live profiles, with a focus specifically in the areas of Hip Hop, R&B & Gospel.

He is a producer and/or equity partner in several festivals such as The Roots Picnic, Broccoli City Festival, R&B Summer Block Party, BET Experience, Lights On Festival, Miami Jazz In The Gardens, and Kirk Franklin’s Exodus Festival.

Traci Lynn Blackwell currently serves as Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming, reporting to BET Networks president Scott Mills. In this role, Blackwell leads all of BET Networks’ Original Scripted Programming functions, including Development, Casting and Current for the BET linear network and the company’s new SVOD service, BET+.

Previously, Blackwell served as Senior Vice President of Current Programs at The CW Network where she oversaw the day-to-day creative production for some of the network’s biggest brands, such as Supergirl, Jane The Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Black Lightning, Roswell: New Mexico, Legacies, and All American.

Blackwell’s TV programming credits include both award-winning dramas and comedies among them the critically acclaimed Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Dynasty, The Carrie Diaries, Hart of Dixie, The Messengers, Life Unexpected, Beauty and The Beast, One Tree Hill, 90210, Everybody Hates Chris, The Game, Girlfriends, and countless others.