Networking Education Technology: NET Roundtables

• Thursday,July 17, 2025
• 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm

This is a pre-paid event

• HPA Members – $60
• Non-Members – $90 (Opens June 16 pending availability. Not a member? Join Now!)

Schedule

4:30 pm – Check-in Opens
4:30 pm – 5:15 pm – Networking and Drinks
5:15 pm – 5:20 pm – Welcome Remarks
5:20 pm – 5:45 pm – Roundtable #1
5:45 pm – 5:50 pm – Rotate to a new roundtable
5:50 pm – 6:15 pm – Roundtable #2
6:15 pm – 6:45 pm – Networking Break, Refresh your drink while you’re up
6:45 pm – 7:10 pm – Roundtable #3

Sheraton Universal

• Starview Room
• 333 Universal Hollywood Dr, Universal City, CA 91608
  

Get Directions

Michael Cioni
Strada

Table topic: Hollywood vs YouTube: Where To Place Our Bets

Recognized as one of Hollywood’s most influential people in tech, Michael Cioni has been at the forefront of a number of technological firsts, playing pivotal roles in movements that have re-routed the trajectory of cinematic tradition. A four-time Emmy winner, Michael was the co-founder and CEO of the post house Light Iron where he pioneered a new class of post workflow driven by mobile technologies.  After being acquired by Panavision, Michael served as SVP of Innovation and led the team that built the Panavision Millennium DXL 8K camera system. As SVP of Global Innovation at Frame.io, Michael led the transformative Camera to Cloud technology. Through his latest endeavor, Strada, Michael and brother Peter Cioni are on a mission to once again transform the media and entertainment industry using artificial intelligence at the heart of workflow.

Nadia Davari
Davari Law 

Table topic: The Current State of IP Entertainment Law

Nadia Davari is a skilled entertainment attorney with expertise in film, scripted and unscripted television, documentaries, new media, music, influencer marketing, fashion, and technology startups. Her practice includes copyright and trademark law, and she has represented top-tier talent while serving as legal counsel, executive producer, and producer on notable projects such as Senior Moment, All There Is, Harpoon, Stronger Than Bullets, Here’s Yianni, Workaholics, House of Field, Levity Live, MAVTV, The Simpsons, ScareLA, The Geekie Awards, and The Crusades. She has also represented Grammy, Emmy, and Academy Award-winning and -nominated musicians, producers, and creatives.

A recognized legal expert, Nadia has provided commentary on platforms including KCRW Radio, PBS, LA Talk Radio, Asian Highway, Joe Adams, Esq. Network, Spark My Interest, ATV’s Our View, A Profit Maker, and Femme Regard. Her expertise has been highlighted in industry profiles by Ms. In The Biz and The Hollywood Press Corps.

Nadia earned her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Genetics from UCLA. She frequently speaks on entertainment law panels and lectures at law schools, film festivals, and universities. While on faculty at the Los Angeles College of Music, she taught music law, sharing her insights into its complex legal landscape.

Juan Reyes
Tech Align Group 

Table topic: Strengthening Trust: The Value and Impact of TPN Security Assessments for Media & Entertainment Vendors 

Juan Reyes is the President of Tech Align Group, a globally recognized leader in content security and technology solutions for the Media & Entertainment industry. With more than 23 years of experience, Juan has developed deep expertise in content protection and media technology, working across multiple levels of the industry.  

Throughout his career, Juan has been an active contributor to a wide range of industry organizations, including the TPN, 8K Association, Ultra HD Alliance, SMPTE, HPA, CDSA, HDR10+, CTA, DPP, and the DEG. His work has played an integral role in the development of technical standards, certification programs, compliance initiatives, and content security best practices that support a secure and cutting edge ecosystem.  

Juan currently serves as a TPN Advanced Assessor, helping service providers around the world align with the MPA content security best practices to protect their assets and strengthen their position within the studio vendor ecosystem. He is also the Executive Director and Certification Program Manager for the 8K Association, where he leads efforts to promote the 8K ecosystem, support member collaboration, and drive education around next-generation visual experiences.  

In addition, Juan was recently appointed Chair of the SMPTE Hollywood Section, where he works alongside the Board of Managers to produce engaging events, support professional development, and promote technology leadership across the industry. He also serves as Chair of the Interoperability Working Group within the UHD Alliance, working to ensure seamless television and device compatibility for an optimum consumer viewing experience.

James Blevins
MESH

Table topic: Know Your Worth, Consulting in M&E
(co-moderating with Daryll Strauss, Digital Ordnance)

Currently, James is a thriving virtual production line producer. Most of his clients are in pursuit of efficient bidding, scheduling, crewing and bidding. James and the MESH team have answers. The MESH team most recently built the virtual art department for Megalopolis. His previous work as Post-Production Supervisor for Lucasfilm Productions has given him world class experience in ground breaking shows using virtual production elements. He also spent four and half years at Netflix where the job of post production and distribution intertwined in a unique way. There he developed skills as an early employee of the world’s fastest growing studio. His time with Walt Disney Studios and fifteen years in the VFX industry had properly prepared him to take advantage of Netflix’s innovative approach to production technology. His passion to enable all the disciplines of storytelling keeps him young and vivacious. He is a proud member of some of the finest institutions in film and television production and distribution including: 

The Television Academy
Motion Picture Editors Guild
Hollywood professional Association, Board Member 

Daryll Strauss
Digital Ordnance

Table topic: Know Your Worth, Consulting in M&E
(co-moderating with James Blevins, MESH)

Daryll Strauss is a media and entertainment technologist and entrepreneur. Early in his career he ran a professional services organization that wrote Linux drivers for many of the major graphics card vendors. In the intervening years he and his teams have created software products throughout the industry including visual effects (Nuke and Frame Throwers), near set dailies (Technicolor Dailies Manager), and cloud based content management (Technicolor Pulse). Through Digital Ordnance he currently consults for technology and media companies on topics such as zero trust security and high performance computing. His current work includes software architectures for MovieLabs 2030 vision and the Academy Software Foundation Zero Trust working group.

Dane Brehm
Cintegral

Table topic: TBA

Dane Brehm, Production Technologist & L600 Digital Imaging Technician has a long-standing desire to BE at the forefront of creativity, technology, sustainability, and workflow. His direct approach, sharing personality, and consideration for bringing meaningful approaches to workflow techniques and solutions is his passion.

Dane balances his time between working on-set as a ICG DIT for ASC DPs; while running Cintegral.tech, a workflow company that focuses on introducing and implementing rentable high-performance enterprise NVMe/ SSD Storage and RAID systems. These systems improve the efficiency, cost effectiveness while increasing productivity for the End User on Location or on Stage. Cintegral’s creed the last six years has been “Fast Drives, Saves Lives”

Dane’s company Cintegral has supported over 474 productions since 2016 to bridge modern 4K/6K/8K Studio and Streaming content data footprint for large format-multi-camera-VFX intensive Feature Films, Television shows, and Music Festivals. Dane’s connective personality has forged deep partnerships with OEMs and Suppliers to develop tools and software for Union and Non-Union crews across the US, Pacific, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Dane is an ASC Technical Instructor, SMPTE and Local 600 member, as well as a participant in the ASC-MITC Advanced Data Management working group. He is

a founding member of the DIT super group “DIT-WIT,” which comprises over 350 global members to discuss, share, develop, and execute the creative and technical needs of present and future productions. When he’s not participating he enjoys traveling with his Wife and Family, LAFC Football Matches, and is a avid Motorcyclist.

Mathew Gilliat-Smith
ConvergentDS

Table topic: TBA

Mathew has over 20 years experience in the M&E sector, with strong relationships at many levels within the Film and TV studios, broadcasters and their supply chain. In particular he works with localization, visual effects and other production and post production service providers across the globe. Mathew is responsible for developing Convergent’s initiatives for on-prem, hybrid, cloud and SaaS application security, which includes assessments, threat assessment penetration testing, and general consultancy for security readiness. He manages Convergent’s corporate and business growth strategies including the promotion of the TPN initiative. He was previously founder and CEO of software development businesses focusing on video encryption solutions.

Hunter Woodworth
Flawless AI  

Table Topic: AI for Localization and Performance Editing 

Hunter Woodworth spent nearly a decade in the editorial departments of advertising agencies and trailer houses, crafting compelling campaigns for clients like Disney, Wells Fargo, Neon, Netflix, and Paramount. After years in the edit bay, she transitioned into the AI space, joining Flawless—a company known for its proprietary technology that enhances creativity and global distribution by seamlessly adjusting mouth movements in post-production. 

At Flawless, Hunter worked on projects ranging from advertisements to feature films, including their recent theatrical release, Watch the Skies. Since the public launch of Flawless’ technology in January, she now collaborates directly with studios and clients to reduce reshoot costs and support international distribution. She also helps teams adopt new tools and workflows, drawing on her background in post-production.  

Hunter proudly represents an AI company founded by filmmakers—one that’s shaping the future responsibly. Flawless is committed to ethical standards around talent consent and compensation, aligning with SAG-AFTRA guidelines. Recognized as “labor positive” by the Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG), the company develops tools that empower post-production professionals—not replace them. 

Lynette Duensing
Instinctual LA 

Table Topic: Color Grading in Two Different Worlds
(Co-moderating with Beatriz Rodriguez, Company 3)

Lynette Duensing is Senior Colorist at Instinctual LLC Hollywood, Colorist Society Fellow, HPA/Young Entertainment Professionals Mentor and a Member of the Association of Moving Image Archivists. During her 35-year career, she has worked in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Shanghai, color grading Commercials, Theatrical Trailers, Independent Features, Episodic Television Shows, Music Videos, and Film Restoration projects.

Beatriz Rodriguez
Company 3

Table topic: Color Grading in Two Different Worlds
(Co-moderating with Lynette Duensing, Instinctual LA)

Beatriz Rodriguez is an Associate Producer at Company 3 in commercials. A former YEP and YEP Committee member, she is currently a Women in Post Committee member. Beatriz has a well-rounded background in post-production, with experience across features, episodic post, and commercial projects. She’s worked within studio operations, show-side post, and vendor services, giving her a broad perspective on post-production workflows and collaboration. 

Michael Kammes
Key Code Media 

Table topic: TBA 

Michael Kammes, Senior Director of Innovation at Key Code Media, helps shape their suite of solutions in the marketplace, speaking at industry events across the country. Michael has over 20 years of post-production experience, with extensive knowledge of trends, products, production, and post-technology workflows through roles at Shift Media (now EditShare) BeBop Technology (now Cree8), and Key Code Media, plus various podcasts, keynotes, panels, and user groups. His recent experience encompasses applied Analytical and Generative AI.

Michael incorporates this deep knowledge into his technical edutainment series “5 THINGS”, drawing an audience of industry insiders worldwide.

Plus, he just really, really, digs Post. 

Laura Pursley
Purrmark Consulting  

Table topic: 20 Years of YouTube: The Creator Playbook Hollywood Never Wrote 

Laura Pursley has 14 years of experience promoting emerging technologies in production, post-production, and broadcast – with solution providers such as TVU Networks, Frame.io, Sony Electronics, OpenBID, Davant Systems, and Light Iron. She brings deep audience knowledge and communication prowess to the marketing profession. Laura frequently volunteers as a career mentor and is an expert grower of heirloom tomatoes.

Thomas Edwards
AWS 

Table topic: So You Want to be a Cloud Solutions Architect? 

Thomas Edwards is a Principal Solutions Architect for Media & Entertainment at Amazon Web Services, where he helps customers achieve business success through building solutions on the cloud. Before joining AWS, he spent 20 years working for broadcasters PBS, Fox, and Disney on satellite systems, digital TV, and advanced video technology projects. He is a board member of the Video Services Forum (VSF), a SMPTE Fellow, was awarded the SMPTE Workflow Systems Medal, and received an Innovator statue for contribution to VSF’s Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award for “Standardization of SMPTE ST 2110”.

Lori H. Schwartz
Story Tech 

Table topic: Private 5G & AI: The role of connectivity and AI in software-defined production pipelines
(co-moderating with Andrew Zarick, Verizon) 

With over 15 years of experience in experiential marketing, Lori H. Schwartz is passionate about creating great experiences that lead to business growth for brands, storytellers, and tech companies. Lori has worked with clients such as HP, Verizon, LG, CES, NAB, Showtime, and AT&T, delivering high-impact content opportunities and strategic guidance across live and virtual events, salons and curated meetings. A trusted voice in brand strategy and content creation, Lori helps organizations design meaningful experiences that engage audiences and amplify brand narratives. She is also an experienced event host, moderator, and facilitator, as well as a CNN contributor, providing a unique—and very playful—insider’s take on the biggest stories in tech and entertainment. Lori previously served on the Board of Governors for the Television Academy, representing the Emerging Media Programming Group. 

Andrew Zarick
Verizon 

Table topic: Private 5G & AI: The role of connectivity and AI in software-defined production pipelines
(co-moderating with Lori H. Schwartz, Story Tech) 

Andrew Zarick is passionate about working at the intersection of emerging technology, creativity, culture & community. Prior to Verizon, he worked for notable digital marketing agencies in New York City, and founded Digital DUMBO — a global networking event series for tech and creative communities, founded in Dumbo, Brooklyn. He’s also been a startup founder multiple times over, including launching music distribution startup StereoGrid from the first WeWork location. At Verizon, Andrew leads media & entertainment innovation partnerships, and drives ecosystem and marketing strategy for Verizon’s Innovation Labs in Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.