Join an esteemed panel of alumni who hold some of the highest positions in reality television and alternative programming for an insightful panel into the inner workings of some of your favorite reality television shows. Hear from producers and executives behind some of your favorite reality television programs like The Bachelor, The Voice, The Real Housewives, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Vanderpump Rules, The Soup and many more. Space is limited, so be sure to register today!
PANELISTS
Brooke Karzen (CFA ’84) – Executive Vice President of Alternative Programming & Development - Warner Horizon Television
Jason Sarlanis (COM ’05) –
Senior Vice President of Development - TLC
Ryan Pinette (COM ’99) – As Senior Vice President, Production and Operations, Bravo Media & Oxygen Media, Ryan Pinette oversees all aspects related to the production of original series and specials for both networks including the Emmy Award-winning “Top Chef,” the Emmy nominated “Million Dollar Listing ” and “The Real Housewives” franchises as well as Oxygen’s “Strut,” “Last Squad Standing,” and “Unprotected.”
Previously Vice President, Production and Operations, Pinette joined Bravo as supervising producer in 2006, and since then has seen triple-digit growth in the network’s original hours. Throughout his tenure, Pinette has worked on some of the networks’ buzziest hits including the Emmy nominated “Flipping Out” and “Million Dollar Listing New York” as well as all of “The Real Housewives” franchises, “Shahs of Sunset,” “Vanderpump Rules,” “Below Deck,” “Southern Charm,” “Watch What Happens Live,” among many others on which he continues to work.
Prior to joining Bravo, Pinette began his career at Tenth Planet Productions where he worked his way up from Assistant to Line Producer covering such shows as The MTV Movie Awards (1999-2005), Comedy Central's Roasts, ABC's Super Bowl XXXVII Halftime Show, Shelter From The Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast and VH1’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies.
Pinette is originally from Norwood, Massachusetts. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting and Film and is an active member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Kyley Tucker (COM ’07) – Senior Producer – NBC’s “The Voice”
Kyley Tucker is an two-time EMMY Award winning reality television producer based out of Los Angeles, California. She is a Senior Producer on NBC’s critically acclaimed singing competition series The Voice. Prior to The Voice, she worked as a producer on award shows such as The MTV Movie Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and People’s Choice Awards. Kyley began her career in the television industry as an assistant to an executive producer shortly after graduating from BU’s College of Communication as a Film & Television major in 2007.
Moderator - Mark DiCristofaro (CGS ’06, COM ’08, COM '09) is a film and television producer based out of Los Angeles, CA and a member of the Producer’s Guild of America. He is currently Line Producing Viceland’s first-ever scripted series, WHAT WOULD DIPLO DO?, starring James Van Der Beek. Recent TV credits include AMC’s GEEKING OUT, History Channel’s GREAT MINDS WITH DAN HARMON, and Spike’s LIP SYNC BATTLE.
Mark produced the 2015 feature film THE ESCORT, starring Lyndsy Fonseca, Rumor Willis, and Bruce Campbell, which debuted at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival and acquired a North American distribution deal with The Orchard prior to its world premiere. His next feature project, BRAMPTON’S OWN, shoots this spring in Louisiana.
Mark graduated from BU’s College of Communication, and attended the Boston University in Los Angeles Program. Mark was elected to the BU Alumni Council in 2012 and enjoys volunteering with the Boston University Los Angeles Alumni Network.
*Panelists are subject to change
Price: $15, $10 Recent Grads (Classes '06-'16)
Winterfest 2017
This event is presented as part of Winterfest, a series of festive events held over the winter months. This year, we're celebrating Winterfest from coast to coast.
To learn more about Winterfest, and to see the complete lineup of events, visit our website at bu.edu/winterfest.