Carrie Dunn, Riot Games, Director of Esports Creative

Carrie Dunn is the director of esports creative for Riot Games where she is charged with leading the creative development across all of Riot’s esports products including League of Legends Esports, VALORANT Esports, and Wild Rift Esports. Since joining Riot in 2020, Dunn’s creative vision across Riot’s global esports events have been consumed by millions of esports fans worldwide during the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and most recently the 2021 League of Legends Worlds Championship, including the music video for the anthem “Burn It All Down.” An award-winning creative with 12 years experience both as a freelancer and within creative agencies 72andSunny and AKQA, Dunn previously led global brand campaigns for Google, adidas, Facebook, Starbucks, and Levi’s. Her work has earned her accolades including the Cannes Lions “See It Be It” award in 2016, honoring the world’s top female creatives.

Nick Troop, Riot Games, Executive Producer, League of Legends & Wild Rift Global Esports Events

Nick Troop serves as the executive producer for League of Legends and Wild Rift Global Esports Events at Riot Games, where he is responsible for the creative and strategic vision of Riot’s two largest annual international esports competitions: the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and World Championship (Worlds), in addition to the forthcoming Wild Rift ecosystem. Troop unifies the business needs and expectations, both strategic and financial, of Riot’s esports events and works in conjunction with third-party vendors to deliver that vision as a global experience to players and fans. His work leading a globally distributed team on the Worlds 2021 XR stage was recognized by the 2021 AV Awards as the “Broadcast and Media Project of the Year.” Troop joined Riot Games in 2015 and has since produced some of the most successful League of Legends events at regional and global levels, breaking viewership records every year.

Matt Arden, NBA 2K League, Head of Content and Media

Growing up all Matt Arden wanted to do was work in sports, so when he was able to secure an internship at The George Michael Sports Machine during his junior year at Virginia Tech, his entire world changed. That’s when he realized that storytelling, not scores, are the heart of any good broadcast.

Arden went on to join Turner Broadcasting where he spent 11 years working across multiple channels and platforms, most notably as a multiple Emmy-Award-winning creative producer in Turner Sports’ (now Warner Media News & Sports) Creative Services Sports Unit. In 2011, he moved to New York City and landed at Maggie Vision Productions, where he got the opportunity to work on a wide range of ESPN products, including the ESPYs. Arden then spent six years building and leading the “40 Foot Solutions” brand studio at Screenvision Media, where he rebranded and maintained one of the nation’s largest cinema entertainment networks and oversaw unique branded content productions for a roster of more than 150 national brands.

Today, Arden is head of content and media for the NBA 2K League where he leads the creative direction of all NBA 2K League content and broadcasts, overseeing the development and execution of the league’s content and broadcast strategies, creative, and distribution across all platforms.

Jason Baker, Do Not Peek Entertainment, Co-Founder and Managing Director

Jason Baker has been involved in esports since 2001. He innovated some of the first CS broadcasts in 2006. Baker also helped launch ELeague for Turner Sports and Overwatch League for Blizzard Entertainment. He is now the co-founder and managing director of Do Not Peek Entertainment.

Michael Bergeron, Panasonic, Senior Category Owner, Production Systems and Advanced Technology

Michael Bergeron is currently managing Panasonic’s live production system business, having served many roles at Panasonic including four years as camera product engineer and four years as chief technologist for workflow. He has managed co-development projects with other U.S.-based technology companies over the years and is currently focused on launching KAIROS – Panasonic’s IT/IP-based live production platform.

Bergeron has been involved with the production equipment business since joining Abel Cine in 1991, from technician to engineering director. He has been developing and supporting production gear from 16mm film to file-based workflow to ST 2110 and has authored white papers and delivered technical presentations to SMPTE, The HPA, The Digital Cinema Society, SVG, and the National Association of Broadcasters. Bergeron holds a B.S. in physics, an M.S. in electrical engineering, and is a member of SMPTE.

TJ Canty Jr., NBA 2K League, Director of Events and Operations

Talmadge Canty Jr., or TJ as he’s known in the industry, has been a part of the events and entertainment industry for over 16 years. Originally from Detroit, MI, he is now the director of events and operations for the NBA’s 4^th league, the “NBA 2K League.” He oversees ideation, planning, and execution of all their broadcasts for both linear and streaming services, as well as public facing events.

Ryan Cole, Cosm, Senior Director, Broadcast Technology

Ryan Cole is the senior director of broadcast technology at Cosm.

Previously, he oversaw the production technology, transmission, and logistics for Activision Blizzard Esports. As senior technical manager, global broadcast at Blizzard Entertainment, Cole primarily focused on the technological advancements of the Overwatch League, Call of Duty League, and BlizzCon. Prior to joining Blizzard, he spent most of his career with Major League Gaming (MLG) and Electronic Sports League (ESL) managing numerous large-scale esports productions worldwide. During his tenure at MLG and ESL, Cole was responsible for multiple production studio and event environments for major esports clients including Riot Games, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, and Microsoft. At Activision Blizzard Esports, Cole was focused on scalable, cost-efficient cloud technology products that boost fan experience and engagement. He has been committed to driving esports innovation and breaking the boundaries of technology for over 15 years.

Charles Conroy, The Switch, VP, Gaming

Charles Conroy leads The Switch’s global expansion into esports. A former gamer himself and an early pioneer of professional esports, he created and managed his own teams including JMC, which he sold to the Dallas Cowboys. Conroy was also an equity partner and chief development officer of Complexity, one of the world’s premiere esports brands.

Brandon Costa, SVG, Director of Digital

Brandon Costa covers the sports video production industry with a focus on live streaming, over-the-top (OTT), social media, and other digital distribution technologies and platforms. He also directs SVG’s internal digital strategies launching the company’s video outfit, ‘SVG On Demand,’ designing and overseeing its mobile application, ‘SVG Mobile,’ and serving as executive producer and host of The SVG Podcast. Costa serves as program director of networking events serving the SVG College and SVG Digital communities. Prior to his time at SVG, Costa spent five years producing digital content for MLB Advanced Media.

Jason Dachman, SVG, Chief Editor & Esports Production Summit Program Director 

Jason Dachman oversees all aspects of SVG’s North American editorial operations, including the thrice-weekly SVG Insider newsletter and SVG’s annual print publications. A member of the SVG team since 2009, Dachman also serves as program director for SVG’s RSN Summit, Sports Content Management Forum, Sports Graphics Forum, and TranSPORT event. Prior to joining SVG, he spent three years covering local sports for The Patriot Ledger in Quincy, MA, and two years on the production staff of SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s The Ron & Fez Show. Dachman began his career in the Sports Information Department at Northeastern University in Boston, where he also earned a B.A. in media communications and cinema studies.

Royce Dickerson, EA, Executive Producer, Madden Competitive Gaming Content and Programming

A lifelong athlete, Royce Dickerson was drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of high school in the 27th round of the 2002 MLB Draft. He went on to start for the Western Michigan Broncos baseball team for four years, then played a year of professional baseball before starting his career in sports television in 2008. Dickerson began his career traveling around the country for ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball, also producing shows for the MLB All-Star game and World Series for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight. He later moved to Los Angeles to help launch ESPN’s SportsNation.

Dickerson soon moved over to FOX Sports to launch their new Sports Network, FS1, where he developed and produced FS1’s nightly news and highlights show, FOX Sports Live. Later joining the MLB production team, he won three Sports Emmys for his work on the MLB on FOX postseason. In 2018, Dickerson was asked to help develop, launch, and produce FS1’s groundbreaking sports Gambling Show, Lock It In. Prior to the start of season two in 2019, he was given daily oversight of Lock It In and in 2020 oversaw the rebrand of the show to its current name, FOX Bet Live.

In September of 2020, Dickerson joined Electronic Arts where he currently oversees content and programming for Madden Competitive Gaming. In his short time at EA, he has helped the Madden Championship Series set viewership records on Twitch and YouTube, has won a Telly Award for his work on “Derwin James vs The World” and most recently, a Hashtag Sports Award for the Best Virtual Brand Experience for his work on The Pro Bowl: The Madden 21 NFL Edition.

Dickerson resides in Woodland Hills, CA.

Matt Donovan, Riot Games, Broadcast Engineering and Technology Manager

Matt Donovan brings his 20 years of sports and network television broadcast experience to his role as the broadcast engineering and technology manager for Riot Games North America. Donovan leads a team of talented engineers that are responsible for the technical development and execution of Riot’s broadcast and production ecosystems. A significant component of Riot’s global esports network is the North American broadcast facility in Los Angeles where Donovan oversees the implementation of the latest on-prem, REMI, and cloud-based production workflows. Donovan’s passion for building scalable teams and technology continues to increase efficiency, quality, and reliability across Riot’s esports broadcasts.

Simon Eicher, ESL Gaming, Executive Producer, Special Events and Senior Global Manager, Procurement

ESL operates high profile esports leagues and tournaments such as the Intel Extreme Masters, ESL One, and the ESL Pro Series. Its work includes year-long production services across the esports tournament landscape. Simon Eicher joined ESL Gaming in 2005 and has played a key role in driving the worldwide growth of esports over the past ten years. In his role, he managed the broadcast of all ESL’s esports productions, including the pre-production, onsite execution, and the post-production for tournaments across the globe. Since 2018, Eicher’s focus has shifted more towards publisher and federations projects, creating the IEM PyeongChang show in South Korea ahead of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games to showcase the excitement and influence of esports. In 2020 due to COVID, Eicher became part of the procurement team to support his network for the company and continue the innovation and partnerships to deliver state of the art technologies and concepts for ESL.

Phil Englert, Ross Video, Business Development Manager, Esports

Phil Englert grew up in Denver, Colorado and now resides in California after graduating from Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. He has worked in the broadcast industry for eight years focusing the last five years on esports.

Previously, Englert worked for Next Generation Esports (NGE), and then Esports Engine as the head of in-game production. He has focused on the in-game storytelling of esports and the use of the spectator tools within the games. His goal has always been to deliver the most game authentic, format relevant, and emotionally impactful story to the audience and community. Some of his credits include game directing the Fortnite World Cup, TwitchCon 2018-2019, PUBG PGI 2018, and Teamfight Tactics World Championship 2018 – 2020.

Englert is excited to expand his expertise globally at Ross and continue to innovate the technological workflows used within the esports ecosystem.

Robert Erickson, Grass Valley, Strategic Account Manager, Sports and Venues

A member of the Grass Valley team since 2008, Robert Erickson has more than 19 years of experience in the broadcast and IT markets with previous roles covering systems engineering, television station management, broadcast network design, and RF transmission systems. Throughout his career, his focus has been on designing and maintaining infrastructure and playout systems based on new and emerging technologies for both existing and greenfield broadcast facilities.

In his current role, Erickson is a participant in the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) and advocates for proper implementation of current and emerging broadcast standards on live production equipment. He spends much of his time engaging with customers to educate them on emerging IP technologies and trains internal staff on how IP technology drives different system designs. Erickson also designs and manages IP POC (proof of concept) systems for customers worldwide, testing and implementing solutions based on a diverse product line that includes cameras, servers, routers, multiviewers, various processing nodes, and VM-based software solutions.

Erickson is an active participant and frequent presenter in many of the major industry associations including the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), Society of Television Engineers (STE), Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA).

Brian Gramo, Super League Gaming, Head of Virtualis Studios

Brian Gramo is a producer and director with over 15 years of experience, best known for his expertise in live streaming production. In 2007, he founded theStream.tv, a network of live streaming shows.

Previously, Gramo served in a multitude of roles including showrunner, technical director, director of photography, unit production manager, 1st assistant director, editor, and post production supervisor. He served as producer and director of syndication for SpinMedia Group, producing live multi-camera video content for their wide range of entertainment and music properties. In addition, Gramo has produced major events for celebrities and large-scale brands.

James Grieve, Battle Royale Observer Director

Andrew Lane, FACEIT, Director of Broadcast and Production

Andrew Lane is the director of broadcast and production at FACEIT, a community-focused esports platform and tournament organizer. His key responsibilities include the delivery of the company’s live broadcasts and events; the design strategies for broadcast development and innovation; the global production strategic sourcing; creating new key broadcast partnerships; and management of the company’s international media logistics and operations.

Before starting at FACEIT, Lane worked freelance in the esports industry as a technical director and assisted with the delivery of key productions for clients such as 343 Industries, Jagex, Super Evil Megacorp, and Konami, as well as working with a number of industry-leading tournament organizers. Before this he spent a short time at Atos UK & I working at the BBC.

Since joining FACEIT, Lane has led the delivery of major events such as Rainbow 6 Mexico Major 2021, Rainbow 6 North American League 2020-2021, Flashpoint, The FACEIT London Major 2018, and PUBG Global Summit. Alongside this, he has also produced a number of white label and FACEIT projects, and made key internal developments to the production workflow, logistics pipeline, and personnel operations.

Xavier LaTorre, Blizzard Entertainment, Lead Observer, Call of Duty League

Xavier LaTorre is the lead observer for the Call of Duty League at Activision Blizzard Esports.

LaTorre began his Activision Blizzard career with the Overwatch League. He joined the OWL observing team mid-way through the inaugural season, focusing on the “free camera” look seen throughout each match. He stayed as a member of the team through the end of the 2019 season before transitioning to help launch the Call of Duty League.

In addition to directing the in-game action seen on CDL broadcasts, LaTorre also helps theorize new observing workflows and works alongside multiple teams within Activision Blizzard on the continued improvement of CodCaster, Call of Duty’s in-game observing tool.

David Light, Activision Blizzard Esports, Broadcast Engineer, Solutions

David Light is a broadcast engineer focused on solutions for Activision Blizzard Esports. He joined Blizzard back in 2017 to help build and support Blizzard Arena Los Angeles. Since then, Light has led the design and integration of other studio spaces and flypacks, led the BlizzCon Master Control team, and is currently leading the team that is pushing the boundaries of cloud-based production. He has a passion for how innovation in technology can bring new and more intimate experiences to communities and individuals.

Amber Luther, Populous, Planner, Senior Associate

Amber Luther is an architect and designer with over 18 years of experience in planning, design, and construction of esport and large public assembly projects globally. Her recent experience includes G4 Studios in Burbank, CA; Butler University eSports Facility in Indianapolis, IN; various Nerd Street facilities; New York Islanders Arena; and Climate Pledge Arena, among others. Luther’s passion for the collision of good design, ROI, and experience ensures that these projects get built, provide a unique experience, and provide the flexibility for these businesses to sustain themselves well into the future.

Joseph Lynch, EA, Group Head of Content and Programming

Joseph Lynch is the group head of content and programming for Electronic Arts. Over the past 20 years, his career brought him from NBC to China, WWE, OWN, Time, GoPro, and finally, EA. Lynch is currently responsible for all competitive gaming broadcasts and long-form content. Over the past four years, he has expanded EA’s live and feature content offerings, while expanding in-house production capabilities including the EA Broadcast Center. Prior to joining EA, Lynch brought Access Hollywood to China, managed digital production for WWE, built the live division of Time, and was the executive producer of lifestyle and music at GoPro.

Heather Rosenfeldt, ESL Gaming America, VP, Business Operations

Heather Rosenfeldt is VP of business operations at ESL Gaming America, where she leads the business operations, production, and logistics of the region. ESL, a part of the international digital entertainment group MTG, is the world’s largest independent esports company.

Prior to ESL, Rosenfeldt served as VP of Operations at Violet Grey, a venture-backed luxury beauty content and commerce company based in Los Angeles, where she oversaw the business initiatives and the development of the company’s fulfillment and e-commerce systems and retail operations.

Before joining Violet Grey, Rosenfeldt was vice president of operations and customer experience for NordstromRack.com | HauteLook, responsible for developing technology, process, and systems solutions for e-Commerce, finance, supply chain, merchandising, fulfillment, sales, and IT.

Formerly, Rosenfeldt held similar roles at Palladeo, a construction company that specialized in open store remodels in the retail space and Off Madison Ave, an advertising and PR agency.

Rosenfeldt holds dual undergraduate degrees in communications and Spanish and a master’s degree in management, project management.

Ryan Thompson, Esports Engine, Co-Founder and Chief Production Officer

Ryan Thompson is the co-founder and chief production officer of Esports Engine, a Vindex company. In his role, Thompson oversees the design, production, and execution of the industry’s most iconic events and leagues across Esports Engine’s portfolio of partners, including AAA game publishers, brands, and other key stakeholders, such as Microsoft, Nintendo, Twitch, Activision, and more.

A 15-year veteran of the industry, Thompson is responsible for bringing hundreds of live esports tournaments and broadcasts to life across a multitude of game titles. Prior to founding Esports Engine, Thompson served as director of technical production at Activision Blizzard, where he led esports production for the publisher’s most valuable properties and landmark events, including the Call of Duty World League. As a founding employee at Major League Gaming, Thompson made an early impact in the world of esports production, bringing competitive gaming content to life through proprietary platforms before the likes of Youtube or Twitch existed, as well as on major networks, such as ESPN and HBO.

Peter Wharton, TAG V.S., Director, Corporate Strategy

As director of corporate strategy at TAG V.S., Peter Wharton’s experience includes 20 years of news and live event coverage and engineering at ABC and Fox Networks. He also worked towards the launch of a satellite based CDN at PanAmSat, has 16 years of product development at Miranda (Grass Valley) and BroadStream Solutions, and has developed cloud migration strategy for several broadcasters, networks, and technology vendors. Wharton’s broad experiences in live events, playout, technology development, and cloud enables TAG V.S. to develop new solutions for a constantly changing media landscape.