San Fernando Valley Network: Bruins in Entertainment, Tech, and Business
September 28 @ 6:00 pm
Join the UCLA Alumni San Fernando Valley Network, UCLA campus partners and Bloomberg for an evening exploring the future of content, media and entertainment. This year marks the fourth annual gathering, building on the Bruins in Business and Tech networking mixer and alumni panel, previously led by UCLA Alumni Affairs, and expanding the conversation to include entertainment.
The evening will bring together UCLA alumni, students, industry leaders and emerging professionals for an exclusive reception and conversation at the intersection of storytelling, technology and the rapidly evolving business landscape.
The program will feature a fireside conversation with Michael Kassan ʼ72, founder and CEO of 3C Ventures, followed by an audience Q&A and a panel discussion examining the future of content with leading voices from across the industry. The program will be moderated by Bloomberg, bringing a leading global business and media perspective to the conversation. Guests will have the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and network with other Bruins and professionals shaping the next generation of media, entertainment, business and technology.
6:00-7:00 PM – Reception, food, drinks, and networking
7:15-8:00 PM – Fireside Chat with Michael Kassan + Q&A
8:10-8:35 PM – The Future of Content Panel
8:35-9:00 PM – Networking
bruin exclusive bloomberg screentime discount
Keep the momentum going in the following days by attending Bloomberg Screentime in Los Angeles on Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, where media creators, curators, influencers and deal makers gather to define the next era in pop-culture.
Last year’s event was excellent and Bloomberg is offering a 50% discount for Bruins (Enter promo code UCLA50 on the payment page to receive the discount). We hope to see you there!
fireside chat
Michael Kassan is the founder and CEO of 3C Ventures, a leading firm that accelerates clients’ growth through three core pillars: consulting, convening, and co-investing. Known for his uncanny ability to identify – and seize – growth opportunities across industries, Kassan is a trusted advisor to top executives in media, marketing, entertainment, and technology, helping to solve their most complex business challenges. He is frequently called upon as a keynote speaker and media commentator on the future of marketing and digital disruption.
Previously, Kassan founded MediaLink in 2003, a strategic advisory firm that became the go-to resource for Fortune 500 brands, media moguls, and technology pioneers. He has also held senior leadership roles, including President/COO of Initiative Media Worldwide, where he grew billings from $1.5 billion to over $10 billion. Earlier in his career, he was President and COO of International Video Entertainment (Artisan Entertainment).
Kassan is a lifelong philanthropist and community advocate and serves on several boards including the American Advertising Federation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Ad Council, and the Paley Center for Media. Kassan is also a Trustee of the Whitney Museum of American Art. In 2019, he was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Fame.
Chris helps run the Los Angeles office of Bloomberg News, which consists of fourteen reporters and editors, covering areas such as entertainment, real estate, finance and politics. Before joining Bloomberg in 2009, he had been a senior correspondent at BusinessWeek. Chris also worked at Forbes for 13 years, eventually becoming its Houston Bureau Chief.
panel – the future of content
Ezra Cooperstein is President of Night, a next-generation talent management and investment company representing many of the world’s leading digital creators. He has spent more than two decades building businesses at the forefront of the creator economy.
Cooperstein was the Founding CEO of Maker Studios, which became one of the defining companies of the early YouTube era and was later acquired by Disney. He subsequently served as President of Fullscreen and Rooster Teeth, helping lead another generation of digital media businesses.
At Night, Cooperstein works across talent, investing and company creation, helping creators transform audience and influence into enduring businesses and brands. His career has been built around a consistent thesis: as media shifts from institutions to individuals, creators will increasingly become founders, owners and major business builders.
CJ Yu is a UCLA alumnus and entertainment executive who has spent more than 20 years working across television, streaming, digital media, interactive entertainment, and live specials. He currently serves as Head of Development at Red Bull Media House, where he develops creator-led series, global formats, documentaries, and live entertainment for major platforms and networks.
Previously, CJ spent seven years at Amazon Studios leading unscripted development across the U.S. and international markets, helping launch and scale franchises including *Thursday Night Football *pre-shows, LOL: Last One Laughing, and All or Nothing. Earlier in his career, he worked at companies including Talpa, Endemol, TMZ, Carat, and Mark Burnett Productions, with credits and experiences spanning The Voice, Survivor, The Apprentice, Deal or No Deal, Big Brother, *Wipeout *and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
UCLA was also where CJ first began combining many of the things he still loves today: storytelling, media, and meeting new people in the community with shared interests. He earned his B.A. in English, wrote for and worked as a photographer at the Daily Bruin, served on the board of the Student Alumni Association, and was president of Delta Tau Delta.
Outside of work, CJ is an avid traveler who is usually plotting his next trip, exploring a new city, or finding a reason to get on a plane. He remains a very proud Bruin and, perhaps most importantly, is old enough to remember when a Diddy Riese ice cream sandwich cost just a dollar.
Gary Ainsworth
Executive Vice President & Global Head of Content Operations, Lionsgate Entertainment
Mr. Ainsworth leads the global operations for content management activities for Lionsgate including all supply chain operations for delivery & fulfillment in all media, localization, asset management & restoration, metadata, avails, packaged media, cloud strategy, AI tool implementation, mastering, screening operations and both domestic & international theatrical servicing.
Prior to Lionsgate, Mr. Ainsworth held various positions with Deluxe Entertainment Services including EVP & GM Digital Media, EVP Corporate Development and Strategy and oversaw Sales and Account Management. He had responsibility for the media services and television post-production businesses. He also oversaw strategy and execution for all corporate development initiatives across the media group worldwide. This included acquisitions, partnerships, new products and services as well as involvement in operational activities associated with them.
Prior to joining Deluxe, Mr. Ainsworth spent 16 years at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios where he was most recently Senior Vice President Technical Services. He was responsible for all worldwide technical distribution in all media. This includes video transfer, foreign language dubbing, film restoration, TV and airline editing, DVD compression & authoring, theatrical distribution, airline delivery, satellite delivery, audio, foreign theatrical distribution and advertising/publicity stills archiving & distribution as well as other traditional methods.
Mr. Ainsworth, a graduate of The University of California at Los Angeles, has testified before the Library of Congress in hearings on film preservation. He is a past board member of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and a regular guest lecturer for UCLA Extension’s class on post-production and distribution. He has been a speaker and panelist at numerous conferences.
Jeremi T. Gorman is the Chief Revenue Officer of Fanatics Advertising, where she oversees the unified, cross-platform marketing and brand partnerships division that connects brands with sports fans across content, commerce, and live experiences.
Previously, Jeremi served as President of Worldwide Advertising for Netflix, Inc. until October 2023. Prior to that, she was Chief Business Officer at Snap Inc. and before that, held various positions at Amazon.com, Inc., including as Global Head of Enterprise Advertising Sales. Earlier in her career, she held advertising and marketing roles at Yahoo!, Variety and Monster.com.
Jeremi is an active angel investor and a founding investor in Angel City Football Club. She is an advisor to various companies and serves on the boards of Women for Women International, GameSquare Holdings, Inc. and Revitate. Jeremi holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University.
panel moderator
event partners
