Co-Founder for CAP & Founder and CEO of Be Electric Studios

Andrew Stern is the Founder and CEO of Be Electric Studios, a leading New York City production hub he founded in 2014. Be Electric operates soundstages, an equipment rental house, and virtual production facilities serving film, television, and commercial productions, with a strong commitment to sustainability and emerging production technologies.

Andrew is also a co-founder of the Coalition for American Production (CAP). He previously served for four years as Co-President of the Production Initiatives Association (PIA), where he advocated for policies supporting New York’s production industry, including the expansion of the state’s film tax credit. He remains a member of PIA’s Executive Board.

Co-Founder for CAP & Media Entrepreneur and Former Producer

Rudy Callegari is a seasoned media entrepreneur and former producer with over 25 years of experience in film, television, and commercial production. He began his career in New York and founded Bright Pictures, producing content across various platforms. In 2006, Rudy co-founded Edge Auto Rental, now a leading provider of production vehicle rentals in NYC. He also co-founded Emerald Green Trailers, offering eco-friendly mobile solutions to the entertainment industry. In 2021, he launched the Production Initiatives Association (PIA), which lobbies for film tax incentives in New York. Rudy is known for his innovation, leadership, and industry advocacy.

Executive Director

Brian Papworth is a seasoned film and television executive with over three decades of experience at the intersection of production, labor relations, and strategic media initiatives. As Executive Director of the Coalition for American Production, Brian leads the charge in advocating for the growth and sustainability of domestic production, ensuring that the United States remains the premier global destination for high-impact storytelling.

An active and long-standing member of both the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the Producers Guild of America (PGA), Brian brings a dual perspective to the Coalition—combining the creative "boots-on-the-ground" experience of a seasoned producer with the high-level strategic oversight required to manage complex industry shifts.

Most recently, Brian served as Deputy Commissioner and Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME). During his tenure, he was instrumental in navigating the legislative and logistical frameworks that support one of the world's busiest production hubs. His deep understanding of studio infrastructure and crew development is backed by his management of an extensive database and networks.

A resident of Long Branch, New Jersey, Brian is a vocal proponent of the evolving "Hollywood East" corridor.

President 

Gannon Murphy is a strategic advisor in entertainment, production infrastructure, AI/new media, and public policy. He leads 25th Strategic Solutions and previously served as a senior executive at an international film and TV service provider, where he helped build the studio platform across the US. His policy work includes leadership roles with the GA Screen Entertainment Collation, the Screen Alliance of New Jersey, and the Coalition for American Production. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Alzheimer's Association Georgia Chapter.

Vice President

Jackie Stolfi, an Emmy-Nominated producer based in NYC, boasts an eclectic and impressive career in entertainment. Starting as a script intern on "Late Night with Conan O’Brien", she quickly rose through the ranks, honing her skills on iconic shows like "Sex and the City".Jackie's diverse production experience spans film, TV, new media, and various formats from single-camera to multi-cam, short to long form. She's produced 250 +hours of content acrosspilots, TV and web series, features, and animation, while also making her mark in the indie scene.  Her independent film career extends over two decades with notable projects screened at Tribeca, Woodstock, SXSW and Vancouver Film Festivals.  As an Executive of RIPFEST Film Festival, she shepherded 85+ short films.

Treasurer

Colin Barnhart is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Black Ink Services, where he advises small and mid-sized businesses on financial strategy, operational effectiveness, and long-term planning. He also founded Paper Street Strategies, a venture capital and private equity partnership focused on supporting early-stage companies through strategic investment and operational guidance. Prior to starting his own firms, Colin held leadership roles advising organizations on financial planning and business transformation. He holds extensive experience in financial operations, business governance, and strategic growth, and is committed to helping leaders build sustainable, high-performing enterprises. 

Executive Director West Coast

Jason Fisher, Founder, CEO, StageRunner Originally from Connecticut, Jason is a founder, award-winning producer and studio executive who has helped define the modern era of prestige television and global content production. Serving as the Head of Production at Disney+, Paramount, AMC Networks, and First Look Media, Jason has led production on iconic series including The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Loki, and The Mandalorian. Now, as the founder and CEO of StageRunner, Jason leads a fast-growing global soundstage marketplace and media company serving the production community and connecting 850+ studios across six continents. StageRunner is a growing media platform covering production and stage news, and the latest virtual production and AI technologies transforming how content gets made.

COO, Synapse Virtual Production

Aaron Gordon is a serial entrepreneur and recognized leader in creative innovation, virtual production, and company culture.

As Co-Founder and COO of Synapse Virtual Production, he is helping build a next-generation, filmmaker-centric, real-time production ecosystem. This includes a growing national network of LED volumes, currently in LA, Texas, and NY. Synapse collaborates with partners such as Netflix, Amazon/MGM, Marvel, Paramount, and Artists Equity, and supports an even broader roster of top commercial production companies and agencies across the advertising industry.

Before launching Synapse, Aaron founded Optic Sky Productions, where his team delivered global campaigns for Google, Amazon, Wegmans, Lenovo, Snap, Zillow, and dozens of other category-defining brands.

Aaron is also deeply committed to education and mentorship, helping develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, directors, artists, and creative technologists.

CEO and 4th Generation owner of Newel

Jake Baer is the CEO and 4th generation owner of Newel, a family business founded in New York City in 1939. Through Newel, Newel Rentals, Newel Props, and Newel Auctions, Jake oversees one of the country’s largest collections of antiques, vintage furniture, fine art, and decorative objects. Newel works closely with set decorators, production designers, and prop teams to help bring film and television sets to life, while also serving interior designers and collectors through retail sales and auctions.

Jake is Co-President of the Production Industry Association, known as PIA, and a Board Member of the Set Decorators Society of America, known as SDSA.

Policy Advisor
venable.com

Tim Ursprung is a skilled advisor who brings nearly a decade of Capitol Hill and government relations experience to his clients. Tim develops and executes targeted advocacy and lobbying strategies to help his clients adjust to public policy developments and comply with ever-changing regulatory requirements. Prior to joining Venable, Tim worked as the vice president of federal legislative affairs at a lobbying firm, where he represented client interests before members of Congress and administration officials. Before the private sector, Tim worked in Congress for six years, where he advised then U.S. representative Peter T. King, who served as a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee.

Senior Policy Advisor
venable.com

Richard Ward is a skilled advisor with more than a decade of experience in government relations, critical infrastructure, national security, communications policy, industry-government coordination, advocacy, coalition-building, and crisis communication. Most recently, Richard worked as the senior director of government relations for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which is the association representing all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. There, he led the development and implementation of a federal affairs strategy to advance the electric sector’s priorities in cyber and grid security, resilience, communications, privacy, and drones.

President and Founder of REBEL Media & Marketing
rebelteam.co

Ashley has over a decade of experience in marketing, consulting, and providing support to clients in the film, entertainment, media, and information technology industries. Her hidden superpower is her lightning-fast ability to implement solutions and solve problems.

She sets a high bar for quality control and has no time for excuses. Ashley is an action- oriented leader and someone you want on your team because she will listen to you and read between the lines to develop a suite of resources and tools that get your brand back on track, in alignment, and fully supported so you can do what you do best. Ashley created REBEL as a response to the need to better serve her clients because only the best will do.