Advisory Board

Tom Russo

Tom Russo is an Emmy-Nominated producer and Head of Film and Television for Kelsey Grammer’s grammnet NH Productions. Previously, Russo served in the same position for Laurence Fishburne’s Cinema Gypsy Productions, where he developed Emmy-Award winning comedy, “Black-ish” for ABC. He was also the Senior Vice President, Current Programming, for Paramount Network Television, supervising all broadcast and cable scripted comedy and drama series. Under his watch, Tom oversaw series including “NCIS”, “Frasier” (1993), “Deadwood,” , “Girlfriends” and its spinoff “The Game” (2007). Other producing credits of his include Hulu’s “Light as a Feather,” the Paramount+ revival of “The Game” (2021), and Amazon Prime Video’s “Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip-Hop Comedy.” He currently serves as executive producer of the original series “Frasier” (2023) for Paramount+ premiering Thursday, October 12. He also executive produced the 2022 Lifetime holiday film “The D=12 Days of Christmas Eve” starring Grammer and his daughter Spencer. Russo, a native New Yorker, currently resides in Los Angeles.

Johnathan Malkin

John is a native of Chicago and received his BS in Marketing from Indiana University/Bloomington. After graduation, he entered the advertising industry in Account Management where he worked at the Chicago agencies of Foote, Cone & Belding and then J. Walter Thompson. He began his television career in 1992 at MTV Networks where he was responsible for the distribution of their stable of networks including MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, and a new network called Comedy Central. After a short stint at E! Entertainment Television, he was recruited in 1997 to secure distribution for newly launched network called Fox News Channel where he rose from running their Midwest and Southeast regions to the network’s corporate office in New York as Vice President Affiliate Sales & Marketing. In July of 2005, he was named Vice President Affiliate Marketing and Local Ad Sales where he helped launch the Fox Business Network. In 2009, John joined NFL Network as Vice President Affiliate Distribution where he was responsible for the distribution and marketing of NFL Network and the launch of NFL RedZone. In 2015, John joined Ovation TV the Executive Vice President of Content Distribution and responsible for the distribution of the network’s linear and digital content across all platforms including cable, satellite, telco, and digital. John was named the CableFAX Salesperson of the Year in 2013 and was elected to the CableFAX Sales Hall of Fame in 2018. John is a member of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Deans Council and has established two scholarships at the university in his name to provide financial assistance to minority high school students entering the Kelley School.

PJ Posner

An Emmy, Peabody, Humanitas, Edgar Award, and seven gold records attest to Charles Kipps’ success as an author, screenwriter, and music producer. Among his television credits are Exiled: A Law & Order Movie which launched the Law & Order franchise, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and the 25th Anniversary Columbo special, A Trace of Murder. His film credits include Fat Albert: The Movie as well as independent productions Frame of Mind, Zarra’s Law, and Anatomy of the Tide. He is currently in preproduction with Someday Sometime, a music-driven romantic comedy. Project Dusk, a crime/horror script, has recently been optioned. Kipps is the author of The Conor Bard Mysteries, which chronicle the days and nights of an NYPD Detective, and the Harvey Chatham Novels, a series of political thrillers which center on a CIA psychiatrist who is reluctantly drawn into the world of espionage. Kipps also wrote the nonfiction book Cop Without A Badge, which details the exploits of a confidential informant who worked with federal law enforcement. As a music producer Kipps wrote the only post-Temptations hit for former lead singer David Ruffin, Walk Away From Love, and produced records for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Thelma Houston. Kipps is a professor of screenwriting at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Charles Kipps

Allison Dorenbosch

Leveraging 10+ years of experience as a creative leader, storyteller, and hands-on executive, Allison has overseen the production of many live-action series. While at Disney Channel and Disney XD, Allison functioned as a point executive on both single and multi-camera series. Currently a Producer at Moonbug Entertainment, Allison orchestrates domestic and international shoots, produces tentpole episodes, consumes way too much content, and navigates the ever-evolving digital landscape. Allison also prioritizes the development of meaningful working relationships with talent and crew, in order to help ensure that creative visions come to fruition.

Ryan Ferguson

Ryan J. Ferguson is a seasoned professional serving as the Chief of Staff for the 1st Legislature District of Suffolk County, NY. With a distinguished background, Ryan is a proud graduate of Stony Brook University's School of Journalism, where he honed his exceptional communication skills. His passion for community service blossomed at a young age when he cultivated a deep knowledge of horticulture while working at a local garden center. This expertise propelled him to become the youngest Vocational Supervisor at the esteemed non-profit organization, Family Residences and Essential Enterprises (FREE). Demonstrating remarkable dedication, Ryan partnered with Jim McCann of 1-800 Flowers and their non-profit Smile Farms, successfully raising substantial funds to transform the program into a self-sufficient farm, benefiting communities in need. Building on his diverse experiences, Ryan transitioned to the Suffolk County Department of Social Services, where he excelled in the eligibility and emergency needs units before making a seamless transition to the administration unit. Simultaneously, Ryan showcased his talent as a digital content producer, working with prominent companies and events such as New York Cancer and Blood Specialists and the Hamptons Jewelry Show. Fueled by his unwavering commitment to making a difference, Ryan found his true calling in the Suffolk County Legislature. Now as Chief of Staff, he skillfully manages grants and funding for community events and organizations, ensuring their success and positive impact.

Neena Beber

Most recent TV work includes Television writing for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (co-ep) as well as writing/producing on Strangers, Imposters, and Ballers. Her adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear garnered Emmy and Ace Award nominations. Plays include the Obie-award winning Jump/Cut and one-act Misreadings, published by Concord Theatricals/Samuel French; current work Kate Suspended (The O’Neill Center National Playwrights Conference) and A Mother (slated for Hartford Stage and Baryshnikov Arts Center). Current musicals: Finding Frida (lyricist); As If: Stuck in the 90s (co-book writer); Rutka (book writer). Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Neena holds a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.F.A from N.Y.U.'s Tisch School of the Arts (Paulette Goddard Fellow; Distinguished Alumni Award). An alumna of New Dramatists, Neena has taught at the MFA playwriting program at Columbia University, sits on the Advisory Board of The Orchard Project and mentors for Reel Works.

Cynthia Drivas

Cynthia Drivas is a partnerships and business development executive at Hearst Media Production Group. She is responsible for the development and funding of original, mission driven (E/I) programming for ABC, NBC & CBS and social and streaming platforms. She is the architect and consulting producer of the award-winning, Emmy nominated Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove on CBS as well as consulting producer for Lucky Dog, the #1 pet show on TV. Cynthia has launched new networks and brands at Viacom including Noggin and the N, a new business unit for Clear Channel; and a Disney backed family mobile app. She has activated events such as the Super Bowl and Latin Grammys, and works with foundations, corporate brands and non-profits to increase their social impact and key business results

Andrew Caravella

Andrew Caravella is a marketing and partnerships executive, brand advisor and producer. For more than 20 years across agency, brand and startup environments, he’s utilized smart, creative storytelling and the power of human connection to build brands and connect communities. Andrew made his producing debut in 2023, co-producing the groundbreaking Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio and producing the film, Moment to Moment: The Making of The Violet Hour Studio Cast Recording. He is the former head of marketing and global partnerships at Sprout Social, where he oversaw official relations and joint product development with major platforms including Google, Meta and TikTok. In nearly a decade at Sprout, Andrew set the brand trajectory and built an integrated team, supporting Sprout’s early growth stages through its 2019 IPO and beyond. Andrew proudly serves on the Board of Directors for Point Foundation, the nation’s leading LGBTQ+ scholarship fund, in the Angel Circle of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and is an active citizen, tennis fanatic and increasingly accomplished home cook. He earned a master’s degree from Northwestern University and bachelors degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Andrew lives in New York City.

Sarina Tomel

Sarina is a Leadership/Mindset Coach and HR/Talent Management Consultant. Previously, she had a career as a strategic HR Business Partner for a global pharmaceuticals company. She has been featured in the New York Times, Huffington Post, and Fitness Magazine. She is developing one of her stories as a TV project from her memoir-in-progress. Sarina is an ICF-accredited Coach who earned her BA in Psychology from Long Island University/CW Post Campus and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. She’s a mentor and speaker for Half Hollow Hills School to Business Partnership and a former Crisis Hotline Counselor for Long Island Crisis Center (LICC). When she’s not speaking or coaching leaders, you can find her running and hiking to summits around the world.

Giovanni Borghese

Giovanni Borghese is the owner of Borghese Vineyard and Winery, Long Island’s first and oldest vineyard on the North Fork. Borghese Vineyard is best known for its award winning old-world style wines and farming methods that maintain the integrity of the local North Fork ecosystem. Giovanni is a Philadelphia native who first moved to the North Fork as a teenager in 1999 when his parents ventured into the wine business, founding Borghese Vineyard on the former site of Hargrave Vineyard. Prior to taking over the family business in 2014, Giovanni pursued a career in digital media and as a crewmember on various sailing expeditions, including an invitation to cross the Atlantic Ocean. He is a graduate of Suffolk University and resides on the North Fork.

David Gamberg

David A. Gamberg is a retired School Superintendent. He served for 12 years in Southold UFSD, and as a shared superintendent in Southold and Greenport UFSD (a neighboring district on Long Island in New York) for six of those years. He has served as an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, an Elementary School Principal and a teacher. David has worked in school systems in California and New York, and he is passionate about reimagining education which supports student engagement that is authentic and purposeful. He is currently working with schools to develop Student TV Broadcasting programs and is the founder and Executive Producer of BASH (Broadcast Awards for Senior High), the largest event of its kind in the New York Metro area.

Richard Vanerburgh

Richard W. Vandenburgh - Founder of Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, Former President of Greenport Village Business Improvement District, Former President of The New York State Brewers Association, Local Real Estate Attorney, Father of Two Boys and Devoted Husband. Richard has lived and worked on the North Fork of Long Island for more than 30 years. His wife Ann have been married for more than 30 years, raised their two boys on the North Fork and started a locally vibrant business in downtown Greenport. Richard, who has been a local attorney for 30 years co-founded Greenport Harbor Brewery with his wife and their best friends John & Betsy Liegey.

Kristine Patnugot

Kristine Patnugot is a Manila-born, Detroit-grown writer/producer. Crafted in LA and NY editing rooms, Kristine’s journey shaped an acute awareness of character and story. Her work draws on emotion and focuses on the liminal experience, the in-between, and moments of becoming as pertains to the intersections of ethnicity, race, class and gender. As a creator of the VH1 series TRANSform Me and producer/writer of the documentary, Style Exposed: Born Male, Living Female for the Style Network, Kristine’s work helped open the doors for transgender women of color on mainstream television, with TRANSform Me earning a GLAAD nomination for Outstanding Reality Program. For two decades, she worked in documentary, television, and commercials for HBO, PBS, CBS, A&E, National Geographic, Discovery, and others. Now Detroit based, Kristine continues to pitch and develop ideas and works with local nonprofits producing, writing, and directing PSAs and political ads encouraging civic engagement. She is committed to increasing access for and amplifying the stories of women, immigrant, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. Kristine has a BA in Film and Political Science from the University of Michigan and MA in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University.

North Fork TV Festival Advisory Board