JENNIFER BUONANTONY

Jennifer is the Owner of PPLA. Her passion is story-telling, which moved her cross-country to Hollywood eight years ago. She is a Syracuse alumni and has worked in production, talent management, and as talent. She puts her extensive experience to use as the main host/reporter for the site. When she is not covering a red carpet or interviewing an industry heavy-hitter, she works as an actor and screenwriter. More on her story at JenniferBuonantony.com.

STEVE MALLORY 

Got his start at the Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles, collaborating with several fellow co-alums since leaving the Sunday Company in 2004.  He co-wrote The Boss with Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone in 2015 and in 2016 was the associate producer on Life of the Party starring McCarthy.

Mallory was also part of the writing team on the Falcone-directed, McCarthy starring hit film, Tammy and was recently on the writing team for Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters starring McCarthy and Kristin Wiig. Mallory also has had script deals with Warner Brother’s television and Comedy Central.

Mallory’s first foray into entertainment was as an actor, working on television shows like “Reno 911,” “The Joe Schmo Show” and “Save Me” as well as roles in Identity Thief, Tammy and The Boss.

Mallory was also the Director of Ideation for Edelman PR, the world’s largest private public relations firm from 2007-2016. 

AVA TRAMER

Currently serves as Story Editor on the upcoming Netflix comedy ATYPICAL. Prior to that, she sold her original spec pilot MY FRIEND 50 to FOX with Will Packer, 50 Cent, and UTV producing. In the feature space, she's currently doing a rewrite for Sony Pictures Animation. Previously, Ava has worked on a number of A-list comedy shows, including ANGIE TRIBECA, PARKS AND RECREATION, ABC's TROPHY WIFE, HELLO LADIES, THE MINDY PROJECT, and THE OFFICE.  Ava attended Harvard, where she did a project on the social patterns of cereal consumption in the dining halls and somehow still managed to graduate.

RAJA COLLINS

CEO / Producer of Global Film Group, is a Southern California native who grew up in the entertainment industry. Raja started as a child actor but found his true calling as a producer. His knowledge and filmmaking experience is represented in his over 40 film and television productions. Led by Raja’s expertise he recently established Global Film Group, a new production company developing high-concept action films, thrillers, and comedies. 

Raja’s recent credits include True Memoirs of an International Assassin with Netflix, starring Kevin James, Andy Garcia and Rob Riggle. And Momentum, starring Olga Kurylenko, James Purefoy and Morgan Freeman. 

KABIR AKHTAR, ACE

Is an Emmy-winning director/editor whose work includes 'The Academy Awards', 'Arrested Development', 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend', 'New Girl', 'Speechless', and 'Unsolved Mysteries'. 
A three-time Emmy nominee, Kabir won the award in 2016 for editing the pilot of 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend', becoming the first person of color to win in the category. The pilot is one of nine he has edited that have gone to series. Kabir is now directing episodes of the show as well. 

He was also nominated for his work as supervising editor on 'Arrested Development', and for editing Billy Crystal's opening film for the 2012 Oscars. Kabir has directed comedy segments of the Academy Awards and the Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as episodes of the half-hour comedy series 'Mumbai Calling', distributed internationally by HBO. 
Kabir recently served a four-year term on the Television Academy's Editors' Peer Group Executive Committee, and a two-year term as Co-Chair of the Asian-American Committee at the DGA. 
 

ALEX HUNTER

Alex was literally raised by his theater teachers (father in Middle School, Mother in High School). Both are very excited to see Alex's love of the Zombie genre amount to something if only to validate his DVD collection (it's blu-ray, mom, get it RIGHT!). After his daughter was born in 2006, he decided to finish his degree in theatrical arts at the University of California, Riverside. To those who say "a theater degree is good for nothing", he would like to say, "you're...you're not wrong...". Alex hopes his daughter will someday inherit his love of the arts, but not his forehead (too late!).

JULIAN DOAN

Julian is a Vietnamese-American director and editor, who's been chasing an impossible dream ever since his parents gave him an ultimatum to become "the next Steven Spielberg". Wanting to honor the struggles of his immigrant parents, Julian spent their money on a B.A. in Film Narrative Production, and has spent the last ten years directing and editing "comedy" films that his parents "don't get". Julian is starting to really consider the whole "doctor" thing.

KALI HAWK

One of Glamour Magazine's "12 Funny Women to Watch", Kali Hawk has appeared in a string of hit films including Bridesmaids, Couples Retreat, Peeples, Get Him to the Greek, and the wildly successful Fox TV comedy New Girl. Currently starring in Cartoon Network's hit series Black Jesus as Mary Magdalene, Hawk returned to the big screen with 3 movies in theaters in 2016 including a starring role opposite Marlon Wayans in Fifty Shades of Black, and the Queen Latifah rom-com The Perfect Match.

MixKnowledgy is a Hollywood panel and mixer event series in LA, NYC, Chicago, London, and Virginia. Co-founded by Erman Baradi and Brandon Waites, their lineups combined have featured over 100 entertainment industry professionals. Most recently, MixKnowledgy has launched its sister company, The Film Empire, a Hollywood mentorship contest.