Devin Griffin is General Manager of BET+, BET Networks’ subscription streaming service. He oversees the P&L, sets the company’s vision, business goals, and strategy while leading the launch, content development and production, marketing, communications, planning and analysis, and operations.
Prior to BET+, Devin was Executive Vice President of Story Lab US, where he led the company’s foray into premium long-form content development. In less than a year, he developed original series with Anonymous Content, ITV, and Stephen David Entertainment while forging partnerships with Gillette, Jaguar Land Rover, and the NBA Players Association.
Previously, Devin served in various senior content roles at Netflix. He formed and led the company’s unscripted group, commissioning and/or executive producing over 40 series, including the Emmy Award-winning Queer Eye, The Confession Tapes, Michael Jordan: The Last Dance, the Peabody-winning Hip-Hop Evolution, Shot in the Dark, and The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes. During his tenure at Netflix, Devin also worked extensively on scripted TV series, stand-up comedy, and genre fare. Devin brought a distinctive curatorial lens to the service, programming global hits such as the Emmy Award-winning Black Mirror, Designated Survivor, Chewing Gum, The Great British Bake-off, Van Helsing, Dawg Fight, Danger 5, Sword Art Online and original stand-up specials from Chelsea Peretti, Tom Segura, and Wyatt Cenac.
Earlier in his career, Devin served as Head of Business Development at Broadway Video, the production company of legendary producer Lorne Michaels. There, Devin conceptualized, co-founded, and oversaw Above Average, a premium comedy network and studio
Devin holds a BA from Stanford and an MBA from Wharton. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Sarah, and two young children.
Ben Relles Head of Innovation, YouTube Originals
Ben Relles is Head of Innovation for YouTube Originals. In this role he is responsible for developing new emerging formats across the global slate of YouTube Originals including live specials and interactive series.
Prior to his current position, Ben was Head of Unscripted for YouTube Originals where he oversaw development of series and specials such as Kevin Hart: What the Fit?, Will Smith: The Jump , and Mind Field starring Michael Stevens. He has also led the launch of several documentaries including Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated, and GiGi Gorgeous: This Is Everything. Before joining the YouTube Originals division, Relles served as YouTube’s Global Head of Creative Strategy where he led a team responsible for helping YouTube partners build loyal audiences and create break-out hit series.
Prior to joining YouTube, Relles was Vice President of Programming and Content Development at Next New Networks. While there he led content strategy as the company built viewership to over 2 billion total views with networks Ben launched including Barely Political and Vsauce. In March 2011 Next New Networks was acquired by YouTube.
Relles received his MBA in Marketing from the Wharton School of Business. He was a founding partner of MarketVision, Inc and spent several years at Omnicom agencies including BBDO and TBWA. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their three children.
David Kirsch Agent, Alternative Television Department, UTA
David Kirsch is an agent in the alternative television department at UTA. Kirsch works closely with television production companies, producers, and talent to package non-scripted television series.
Mark Garner Executive Vice President, Content Licensing and Business Development, A+E Networks
Mark Garner is Executive Vice President, Content Licensing and Business Development at A+E Networks. Garner is responsible for the development of strategy monetizing A+E Networks’ vast library of owned and original content via commercial and strategic partnerships with traditional and emerging content distribution platforms. Garner is also charged with optimizing A+E Networks core creative business through development and distribution of new business opportunities inclusive of co-productions, new product and services development, podcasting, educational licensing, and out-of-home distribution. He continues to oversee the product operations function within the Distribution unit at A+E networks.
Prior to joining A+E Networks, Garner worked as an executive at several start-up ventures, including a satellite broadcast network based in Johannesburg, South Africa where he successfully built the network’s distribution to 22 sub-Saharan countries. Subsequent to his time in South Africa, he led business development efforts for a direct-to-consumer, on-line automotive sales venture. Garner also held positions at Lifetime Entertainment Services, MTV Networks and AT&T (formerly Pacific Bell) in sales, marketing, financial operations, and product management.
Garner currently serves on the board of directors for the industry association CTAM, and also serves as a Governor on the board of the South Orange Performing Arts Center. Garner has chaired and served on the executive committee of NAMIC, the media industry’s leading organization for advocacy on behalf of people of color.
Garner earned his B.A. in Economics and Sociology from Stanford University. Born in Detroit, and raised in the New York metropolitan area, he now resides in South Orange, New Jersey with his wife Suzette and son, Santos.
Isabel San Vargas President, Production and Operations, Propagate Content
Isabel San Vargas is President, Production and Operations, of Propagate, one of the world’s fastest-growing independent premium content production and distribution companies. She oversees all aspects of production and operations, including international and domestic production and post-production, rights and clearances, ancillary businesses, finance, IT, telecom, human resources, risk management, and planning.
Propagate’s rapidly expanding production portfolio includes “Lore” for Amazon, “Charmed” for the CW, “Haunted” for Netflix, “In Search Of” for The History Channel, “Planet of the Apps” for Apple and the documentary miniseries “November 13: Attack on Paris” for Netflix. Before being promoted to her current position in 2018, San Vargas was Executive Vice President.
Prior to joining Propagate, San Vargas served as Senior Vice President, Production for Pilgrim Studios, where she helped launch competition series “Top Shot” and oversaw “The Ultimate Fighter,” “American Chopper” and “Street Outlaws,” among others. Previously, she worked as a freelance producer on highly rated non-scripted series including “America’s Next Top Model,” “The Simple Life” and “Making the Band.”
San Vargas has a B.A. in political science from the University of Southern California.
Lauren LeMieux VP, Development, Pilgrim Media Group
Lauren LeMieux is Vice President of Development at Pilgrim Media Group, a Lionsgate company. At Pilgrim, LeMieux draws on her diverse experience in the entertainment industry to develop content across all platforms, having previously served as a producer for a live sports app at Stadium, a member of the 51 Minds Entertainment current team, where she helped cast I Love Kellie Pickler and Sisterhood of Hip Hop, and an executive at top tech brand, PopSugar.
In her earlier career as a sports producer, LeMieux covered myriad events, including the Super Bowl, the World Series and the NBA Playoffs.
LeMieux earned a BA in journalism from the University of Washington, during which time she worked for Pac-12 Network.
Devin Griffin
President, Production and Operations, Propagate Content