Our People

Charles H. Rivkin is Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the leading advocate of the global film, television, and streaming industry. The MPA’s members currently include Disney, Netflix, NBCUniversal, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, Skydance Media, and Sony Pictures.

Drawing on 30 years of experience as a media executive and a leading U.S. diplomat, Rivkin advocates for policies that drive investment in film and television production, protect creative content, and open markets around the world. As chief executive, Rivkin is responsible for the MPA’s iconic movie ratings system, which has served parents and moviegoers since 1968. He also serves as Chairman of the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s largest coalition dedicated to combatting digital piracy.

In recognition of the MPA and ACE’s efforts on content protection, Rivkin received the Spanish National Police Merit Cross with distinction — the highest law enforcement decoration in Spain bestowed on a civilian. In 2025, Rivkin received American Cinematheque’s Power of Cinema Award, on behalf of the MPA, for advancing the significance and social relevance of films in today’s modern culture.

Prior to joining the MPA, Rivkin served for more than seven years at the highest levels of the U.S. government’s diplomatic corps. He was the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs from 2014 to 2017, where he led the bureau responsible for managing international trade negotiations, intellectual property rights protection, and global internet policy, among other major policy issues. While conducting economic diplomacy for the United States, he engaged governments in more than 40 countries and 70 cities around the world.

From 2009 to 2013, Rivkin was the United States Ambassador to France and Monaco. In this role, he guided America’s oldest and one of its largest diplomatic missions, with six constituent posts throughout France, representing more than 50 U.S. government agencies. During his posting, Rivkin was personally awarded the Légion d’honneur with the rank of Commander by the President of France as well as la Grande Médaille de Vermeil de la Ville de Paris by the Mayor of Paris. He was also presented with the U.S. Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award by the Secretary of the Navy.

Before his government service, Rivkin worked in the media and entertainment sector where he served as President and CEO of Jim Henson Company, home to ‘The Muppets’ and other award-winning film and television franchises. He then served as CEO of WildBrain, where he won a BAFTA Award as an Executive Producer of the hit children’s television series ‘Yo Gabba Gabba!’.

Rivkin is a Board member of The American Film Institute and Lead Independent Director of Via Transportation (NYSE: VIA). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the American Academy of Diplomacy. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University, graduating with distinction in political science and international relations. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard University.

Emilie Anthonis is the President and Managing Director of the region encompassing Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for the Motion Picture Association (MPA), responsible for policy, operations, advocacy, and personnel across the territory. She was previously Senior Vice President, Government Affairs MPA EMEA, where she led the policy team and oversaw the EMEA government affairs portfolio and policy agenda. She has 20 years of experience in the audiovisual sector, in both legal and government affairs positions.

Prior to joining the MPA in 2017, Emilie was Director of Legal and Public Affairs at the Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT). Before ACT she served as in-house counsel at Viacom. She began her career as an IP lawyer in a Brussels law firm (Altius) focusing on copyright and media law. She also held a research mandate at the Centre of Intellectual Property Law of the University of Leuven.

Emilie studied law at the Universities of Leuven and Antwerp and received additional Master’s degrees in both European and Intellectual Property law at the University of Brussels.

Michele Austin is the President and Managing Director of the Motion Picture Association – Canada, where she leads government relations, policy development, and advocacy on behalf of the MPA studios and their domestic affiliates. Michele joined the association in 2026.

Michele joins the MPA from Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), one of the country’s largest telecommunications and media companies, where she served as Vice President of Public Affairs, overseeing strategy and engagement in all government jurisdictions and areas of public policy.

Prior to BCE, Michele was Director of Public Policy for the United States and Canada at X (formerly Twitter). From 2018 to 2022, Michele also served as the global financial chair for Twitter Indigenous, an internal employee business group.

For five years starting in 2013, Michele worked as a Senior Advisor at Summa Strategies, a government relations firm. At Summa, she established a technology practice working with clients such as Google, Block, and the Canada Media Fund.

From 2006-2012, Michele served as Chief of Staff in four federal departments—including as the first woman to hold this position at Industry Canada—spanning Industry Canada, Public Works & Government Services, Shared Services Canada and Status of Women. Over her career, Michele has been recognized by the Hill Times as one of Canada’s top 100 lobbyists as well as a “Terrific 25” Parliament Hill staffer.

Michele has served on multiple boards and committees, including the Canadian Telecommunications Association and the Canadian Marketing Association. She appeared as a regular political panelist on CTV’s Power Play from 2010 through 2018.

Michele lives in Ottawa with her family.

Marilyn Gordon began at the Motion Picture Association in 1985. Marilyn is the Executive Vice President & Chair, Advertising Administration, and Vice Chair, Classification and Rating Administration, and is responsible for the review of all advertising and publicity materials created for motion pictures submitted for a rating, prior to their use and distribution to the general public. As EVP, she enforces the advertising standards and is held accountable for a fair review of all materials submitted by member companies and independent distributors. Marilyn’s role necessitates the constant monitoring of current events, trends, and sensitivities, and must be in touch with how consumers will react to advertising in the marketplace, especially as directed to children. As appropriate, she formulates new guidelines, in order to protect both the organization’s constituency and the general public. Marilyn reports directly to the Chairman and CEO, Ambassador Charles Rivkin.

Marilyn joined the MPA as Assistant to the Director of Advertising Administration, and has been promoted many times throughout her MPA tenure. Prior to joining the MPA, Marilyn was Circulation Manager for an educational magazine The American School Board Journal in Chicago, Illinois.

Marilyn attended David Myers University in Ohio and majored in marketing; she currently holds Academy of Motion Picture membership, in the Public Relations Branch.

Kelly McMahon is Executive Vice President and Chair of the Classification and Rating Administration for the Motion Picture Association, a role in which she oversees the industry’s voluntary movie rating system.

She joined the MPA in 2007, and advised the association on a variety of legal matters, both domestically and globally, including corporate governance, privacy, employment law, and contract negotiation. In 2017, she became counsel to CARA and the Advertising Administration, in which she provided guidance about the rating and advertising rules, advised the CARA leadership, and oversaw the Appeals Board process. She was named Deputy Chair of CARA on November 15, 2018 and assumed the role as Chair of CARA on May 6, 2019.

John Mercurio is Executive Vice President, Global Communications, at the Motion Picture Association, where he oversees the global communications, media relations and rapid response, digital media and events practices.

John is a veteran communications strategist and national reporter with a deep background in technology, politics and public affairs. Most recently, he was a leading voice in the global blockchain and AI community, serving as the Chief Communications Officer for the Bitfury Group, a blockchain and AI software company, and the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA). Before joining Bitfury, John served in senior strategic roles at Purple Strategies and Burson-Marsteller, where he led public affairs campaigns and provided senior counsel on crisis communications.

John was Executive Editor of National Journal’s Hotline, where he also wrote a weekly column on U.S. politics. During his time at National Journal, he was a political commentator who appeared frequently on all major TV networks and cable news channels. He also participated in the U.S. State Department’s Public Diplomacy program, through which he spoke to groups about U.S. politics and policy around the world.

John also served as CNN’s political editor, where he managed the network’s reporting on U.S. politics and government and provided on-air analysis for CNN. Earlier in his career, John was a politics reporter with Roll Call, the Washington Times and the Journal Newspapers.

John graduated from Boston University with a degree in journalism. He lives in Washington, DC.

Hunter Paletsas, a senior financial executive with a track record of driving growth and spearheading continuous improvement, joined the Motion Picture Association as Chief Financial Officer in July 2023. In this role, Paletsas draws on his vast experience to advocate for policies that drive investment in film and television production, protect creative content, and open new markets. His strategic mindset, combined with his exceptional financial expertise, positions him as a visionary leader shaping the entertainment industry’s future.

Throughout his career, Hunter has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to developing top-tier talent, fostering an environment of growth and collaboration. His exceptional mentorship skills and focus on challenging teams to reach their full potential have allowed organizations to thrive under his guidance.

Prior to his role at the MPA, Hunter served as CFO to a Los Angeles-headquartered billion-dollar media and technology company engaged in intellectual property rights management and distribution. In that role, Hunter’s strategic financial insights and leadership propelled the company’s success across multiple lines of business, including a record label and music rights manager, specialty finance, independent film distribution, television and online media networks.

Hunter’s financial acumen and strategic prowess were honed during his tenure at Deloitte & Touche LLP (Deloitte), where he served as a trusted advisor to renowned technology, media, and entertainment clients. Notably, he worked closely with industry giants such as Spotify, Google, Disney, Hulu, Microsoft, Sony, and Intel. Hunter’s ability to understand complex problems and develop practical solutions has consistently delivered exceptional results, positioning him as a respected leader and advisor to C-suite executives, board members, and peers.

Hunter is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California, showcasing his deep understanding of financial regulations and practices. Furthermore, he holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI), reflecting his proficiency in driving successful projects and initiatives.

Hunter graduated Cum Laude from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, with minors in Classical Civilization and Central Eastern European Studies. This multidisciplinary educational background enables him to bring a unique perspective when navigating the complex intersections of finance and the entertainment industry.

Hunter resides in Thousand Oaks, CA with his wife and their two children.

Josh Rubin is Senior Vice President of Global Strategy and Chief of Staff. In this role, he leads strategic planning, drives international government and industry engagement for the association, and ensures alignment of priorities across the organization’s global legal, content protection, policy, and communications teams. Rubin serves as a member of the senior management team and reports directly to the Chairman & CEO and Global CFO.

Rubin joined the MPA in February 2025 following nearly a decade of public service. Most recently, as Director for Indo-Pacific Affairs at the National Security Council, he led complex negotiations with officials across Asia and managed execution of the White House’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Before his post at the White House, Rubin was Senior Advisor to Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, where he served as traveling chief of staff during high-stakes diplomatic missions in over 30 countries. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Special Assistant in the Office of Secretary of State John Kerry. Josh has also worked on two presidential transition teams and been a lecturer at Yale University.

Rubin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Affairs from Yale University and a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School.

Carla Sanchez Armas is the President and Managing Director of Latin America for the Motion Picture Association.  Based in Mexico City, she leads and executes the Association’s policy development and advocacy on the industry’s core priorities, including copyright, content protection, market access and production issues throughout the Latin America region, focusing on Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

Having served in various roles in the Mexican government, Sanchez Armas joined the MPA from the office of the Presidency of Mexico, where she most recently served as the Country Brand and International Media Coordinator.  She also served as the General Director of International Media, rising from the Deputy General Director role during which she founded the International Media Monitoring Center and liaised between federal government agencies and the international media corps.  Her additional roles in the Mexican government include running communications for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she designed and implemented the communications strategy for Mexico’s G20 Summit.

In 2008, as a local congresswoman in the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City, Sanchez Armas focused on issues of equity, domestic partnerships and women’s access to a life free of violence.  During that time, she founded the Parliamentary Alliance to Fight Hunger in Latin America with FAO/UN and created and approved the first Food Safety bill ever approved in Mexico.

Sanchez Armas began her career with various roles in the Social Democratic Party of Mexico and worked on behalf of Iniciativa XXI (Initiative XXI) as the Gender Equity Secretary.

A well-respected speaker and writer on topics and issues affecting the region, she holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, where she was a Fellow in the Edward S. Mason Program of Public Policy and Management and was recognized with the Eric Yankah Award for distinguished contributions.  She completed her undergraduate studies at Iberoamericana University in Mexico City, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations.

Karyn A. Temple is Senior Executive Vice President and Global General Counsel for the Motion Picture Association. One of the world’s leading authorities on copyright, Ms. Temple oversees all of the Association’s legal affairs and content protection efforts around the world.

Prior to joining the Motion Picture Association, Ms. Temple served more than eight years in the U.S. Copyright Office, most recently as the Register of Copyrights, where she led the 400-person agency and its eight divisions representing law, policy, international affairs, financial operations, registration practice, public records, and outreach and education. In this role, she testified multiple times before both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate and oversaw the Office’s policy and legal activities among others. 

Prior to leading the U.S. Copyright Office, Ms. Temple headed its Office of Policy and International Affairs, which includes a staff of attorneys focusing on domestic and international copyright law matters. Ms. Temple served on both U.S. delegations for the most recently adopted WIPO treaties (the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances and the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Public Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled). Ms. Temple also served in policy and litigation roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, most recently serving in the Obama Administration as Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General of the United States.

Ms. Temple also has extensive private-sector experience. She previously served as Vice President, Litigation and Legal Affairs for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) where she managed a wide variety of anti-piracy litigation matters on behalf of RIAA member companies. She also spent several years as a litigation associate at the prominent D.C.-based law firm Williams and Connolly LLP. Immediately after law school, Ms. Temple served as a law clerk for The Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Ms. Temple has served in several prominent volunteer positions in the copyright community, including as an elected Trustee for the Copyright Society of the USA, co-chair of the International Chapter of the Copyright Society of the USA, steering committee member of the D.C. Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law Section, and Chair of the Copyright Committee of the D.C. Bar’s IP Law Section.  

Ms. Temple received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, Senior Editor of the Columbia Law Review, and Chairperson of the Columbia Black Law Students’ Association. She received her B.A. in English from the University of Michigan.

Urmila Venugopalan is the President and Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region, where she leads  efforts to expand market access, drive industry growth, and strengthen advocacy across one of the world’s most dynamic markets for film, television, and streaming. A seasoned leader operating at the intersection of business, public policy, and global affairs for the past two decades, she brings a strategic vision that bridges commercial priorities with policy imperatives.

Previously, Urmila served as Executive Vice President of Strategy & Global Operations at the Motion Picture Association (MPA) in Washington, D.C., where she was instrumental in aligning the organization’s U.S. and international teams, streamlining global operations, and enhancing coordination across key divisions.

Before joining the MPA in 2017, she served in the Obama Administration as a Senior Advisor and a member of Secretary John Kerry’s Policy Planning Staff, leading initiatives on economic and business affairs to advance bilateral and regional trade, investment, and development. She further honed her expertise in navigating complex global markets at the Albright Stonebridge Group, advising multinational corporations and international foundations on political and regulatory risks in South Asia and the MENA region. Earlier in her career, she was a senior associate and consultant at IHS Jane’s, specializing in geopolitical risk, defense analysis and market intelligence across the Asia-Pacific region.

With a global perspective shaped by living and working in the U.K., the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia, Urmila brings a deep understanding of international business and policy dynamics. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from McGill University and a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics & Political Science. She is currently based in Tokyo, Japan.

Dani Bacsa is Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief of Content Protection at the Motion Picture Association (MPA). Since joining the organization in 2014, Dani has progressively assumed pivotal roles within the realm of content protection, establishing himself as a cornerstone in the MPA’s efforts to safeguard intellectual property. His responsibilities include the orchestration of the global content protection strategy in collaboration with MPA members and between the association’s branch programs, partner initiatives, and law enforcement agencies worldwide.

In addition to his substantial contributions within the MPA, Dani plays an instrumental role in the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), where he leverages his expertise to support more than 50 media and entertainment companies worldwide in addressing their content protection challenges.

Dani has an extensive academic foundation in Computer Science, Digital Forensics, Information Security, and Management, complementing his professional endeavors. His career trajectory prior to the MPA includes diverse experiences across the financial sector, software and tech, and internet service providers (ISPs), alongside commendable service in the military.

Kathy Bañuelos is the Senior Vice President of State Government Affairs at the Motion Picture Association. With over a decade of experience advocating on behalf of the entertainment industry during a period of significant evolution for producing and distributing creative content, Ms. Bañuelos has amassed a wide breadth of policy expertise, and experience working successfully with broad coalitions on complex policy matters. At the MPA, she oversees all state and local government relations, advocacy, and regulatory functions of the association.

Previously, Ms. Bañuelos served as Vice President of Government Affairs for NBCUniversal, where she was responsible for state and local lobbying on public policy issues impacting the company across the country. In addition to providing legal analysis and policy recommendations, Ms. Bañuelos also engaged with NBCUniversal’s outside trade associations, including the Motion Picture Association, broadcast associations, and various Chambers of Commerce, to advocate for and promote the media and entertainment industries. Prior to joining NBCUniversal, Ms. Bañuelos was a consultant for the California Senate Judiciary Committee, where she provided legal analysis on a wide breadth of state policy issues with an emphasis on First Amendment and other constitutional issues.

Ms. Bañuelos earned her Juris Doctor at Columbia University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Pomona College. She lives in La Verne, California with her two sons, Alejandro and Massimo.

Yulia Dashevsky joined the Motion Picture Association in 1989 as an Advertising Administrator and has been promoted many times throughout her MPA tenure. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President and Deputy Chairwoman, Advertising Administration.

In this role, Yulia oversees staff responsible for approving all audio/visual and printed advertising for theatrical and home video motion picture releases, as well as acting as a liaison between studio publicity departments and public relations agencies to negotiate premiere and screening dates and press events.

Yulia served as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) press credentialing committee for fifteen years.
Yulia attended the University of Houston with a focus on Business Administration and then the California State University, Hayward, where she obtained a BA of Business Ethics and Real Estate Appraisal.

Anissa Brennan is Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Federal Affairs for the Motion Picture Association (MPA). Ms. Brennan works with federal government agencies and Congress to reduce foreign trade barriers and improve the protection of intellectual property in foreign markets for the U.S. motion picture, television programming and home entertainment industries. Ms. Brennan previously served on the International Trade Advisory Committee for Intellectual Property and is MPA’s representative to numerous industry associations including the U.S. Chamber’s Global IP Center, the International Intellectual Property Alliance and the Alliance for Trade Enforcement. She currently serves on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Services.

Prior to joining MPA, she worked in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs as the Department’s expert on trade in services, representing the State Department at World Trade Organization and various free trade agreement negotiations. Her other policy portfolios included government procurement, trade capacity building, cultural diversity, and temporary entry. Brennan entered the State Department as a Presidential Management Fellow from the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). While with ILAB, Brennan focused on the NAFTA’s labor side agreement. She earned her M.A. in International Development with a concentration in Human Rights from the University of Denver and her B.A. from James Madison University.

As President of the MPA’s Trusted Partner Network (TPN), Davies is charged with leading the next stage of the organization’s growth, which includes expanding the program to a more flexible, multi-tiered model to better serve the vendor and content owner communities and align with the rapid changes in the film and television industry, and the introduction of cloud security assessments. She also oversees the creation, publication and ongoing management of MPA’s content security site and cloud best practices, as well as the operations of the assessor accreditation program.

Davies joined TPN from Anuvu (formerly Global Eagle Entertainment), where she served as Senior Vice President, Media & Content. Prior to Anuvu, Davies was Senior Vice President and General Manager of the MediaCore Program at Deluxe Entertainment and has also consulted with the Gerson Lehrman Group as a subject matter expert on the media and entertainment industry. From 2000 through 2015, Davies held various positions at Sony Pictures Entertainment in both London and Los Angeles culminating as Executive Vice President, Business Operations, Worldwide Product Fulfillment. During her tenure at Sony, Davies drove digital transformation and efficiency across all post theatrical windows including the launch of Sony Pictures’ digital supply chain and centralization of localization and media services. She began her career in the 1990s at Tele-Cine Post-Production in London.

Davies, a respected thought leader in the post-production community, serves on various boards including Digital Entertainment Group (DEG), Canon Club, is a current member of BAFTA and serves as a BAFTA Student Film Judge. She is also a dedicated mentor, having participated in the USC Marshall Business School’s Career Advantage Program, San Diego State University’s Mentor Program, and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Leadership Program. Most recently, Davies joined the UC Riverside Advisory Board for the Transformation Leadership program, and she also serves as a USC International Case Competition Judge.

Okke Delfos Visser is the Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel, International where he leads Legal Affairs for the EMEA region and has responsibility for elements of the MPA global content protection strategy. Okke oversees the EMEA legal department and works with a team of counsels globally on international legal and policy issues affecting the MPA. He’s been in legal affairs positions in the audiovisual sector for two decades.

Okke’s previous job experience includes working as the head of legal for organizations like BREIN and in-house counsel at Buma/Stemra in the Netherlands before he joined the MPA in 2009. His career started as an IP lawyer in an Amsterdam law firm, with a focus on copyright and media law.

Okke pursued his legal education at Leiden University for his Bachelor’s degree, followed by a Master’s degree at the University of Amsterdam. He also gained expertise in Patent law and Trademarks at the University of Texas at Austin.

Trevor Fernandes is the Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, of the Asia-Pacific Region for the Motion Picture Association – International (MPA-I) whose global mission is to advance and support the film, television and streaming content industry.

Working directly with local stakeholders, government bodies and regulatory agencies, Trevor is responsible for developing and advocating policy initiatives which advance the MPA studios’ interests in market access and investment while promoting and protecting creators’ rights.

An experienced international studio executive, Trevor has broad commercial, business affairs, and finance expertise including fifteen years in the Asia Pacific region focused on building partnerships with theatrical exhibitors, content distribution and technology providers, and content creators.

Trevor joined the MPA-I after a 16-year career at Twentieth Century Fox International where he was the Vice President of APAC Finance and Business Operations based in Singapore. He was instrumental in Fox’s activities related to the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding for theatrical revenue-share films in China and the subsequent implementation of agreements and audit rights under the MOU. He was also closely involved in resolving disputes over customs duty valuation of film imports in countries such as Indonesia.

Prior to Fox, Trevor spent two years in corporate controllership with The Walt Disney Company. Trevor started his career in public accountancy at EY in Los Angeles. He holds Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Southern California.

Jesse Martin is Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Content Protection and Legal Affairs (Intermediary Programs) for the Motion Picture Association.  In this role, Jesse manages the global intermediary outreach programs focused on disrupting piracy services’ use of legitimate third-party services in their illegal operations.  Jesse works closely with attorneys internally and at the MPA member studios to develop global strategies for combating and disrupting the use of intermediaries by piracy operators, conduct outreach to intermediaries, coordinate voluntary initiatives with intermediaries, manage programs designed to disrupt the use of intermediaries by piracy operations, and develop various escalation strategies when initial voluntary initiatives are not successful.

Prior to joining the MPA, Jesse served as Associate General Counsel and Senior Director, Compliance Solutions for BSA | The Software Alliance in Washington, DC.  Among other responsibilities, she spent more than a decade developing and implementing strategies for end-user enforcement programs throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to protect member companies’ intellectual property through civil, criminal, and administrative legal motions, as well as letter-based actions, to reduce copyright infringement, facilitate compliance, and improve education.  Prior to BSA, Jesse spent five years as a litigation associate at the law firm Troutman Sanders, LLP (now Troutman Pepper).

Jesse received a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law and a B.A. in International Affairs and Spanish from Sweet Briar College.  She resides in Washington, DC with her husband and two young children.

Jason Monagas is Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Operations for the Motion Picture Association, where he oversees all human resources and operations activities globally. Jason serves as a dedicated human resources executive managing organizational development initiatives, change management, employee relations and engagement, compensation and benefits, executive leadership, and operations to support dynamic solutions and an enjoyable workplace.

Prior to joining the MPA in 2013, Jason spent 10 years at Tides Center managing human resources and payroll functions for a large San Francisco-based non-profit incubator. Before Tides Center, Jason served at Calvin Klein, Inc., Hilton Hotels Corporation, and Aon Consulting in New York.

Jason received a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. He originally hails from Louisiana bayou country and enjoys spending time with his family exploring the great outdoors.

Jonathan Powell is Senior Vice President, Strategic Communications, at the Motion Picture Association, where he helps shape the organization’s voice, vision, and messaging to local, national, and regional stakeholders worldwide.

Jonathan is a longtime advisor to top figures in government, leading on speechwriting, public diplomacy, press engagement, social media, and strategic communications for Cabinet secretaries, congressional leaders, mayors, and other key officials in American politics, diplomacy, and foreign policy. He joined the MPA from the Department of State, where he served as a speechwriter for former Secretary John Kerry in the Obama Administration and, most recently, as a senior advisor to Deputy Secretaries of State Wendy Sherman, Richard Verma, and Victoria Nuland.

Previously, Jonathan worked as Director of Speechwriting for Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and held the same role under Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and former Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. He cut his teeth in public service with two Mayors of Los Angeles – Eric Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa; spent time on presidential, congressional, and statewide campaigns; did freelance writing for various CEOs, nonprofits, and political activists; and got his start conducting research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

A native of Los Angeles, Jonathan is a proud graduate of Northwestern University. He lives with his wife and two kids in D.C.

Hap Rigby is Senior Vice President of Federal Government Affairs at the Motion Picture Association. In this role, he focuses primarily on advocating for the MPA member companies’ priorities on technology and media policy before the U.S. Congress and executive branch agencies.

Prior to joining MPA, Hap worked for six years as a senior policy advisor at Wiley LLP, where he advocated before federal policymakers on behalf of television networks, broadband providers, satellite operators, and communications trade associations. Before that, he served in the U.S. Senate for more than a decade, including six years at the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, staffing the Committee on telecommunications, media, and broadband policy and oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.

Hap earned a bachelor’s degree with concentrations in marketing and human resource management from the University of South Carolina. He and his wife reside in Washington, DC, with their son and daughter.

Dan Robbins serves as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel. He is responsible for MPA’s content security working group, global competition and anti-corruption compliance, and legal technology issues. Dan also serves as the regional general counsel for Latin America and is deeply involved in MPA’s work in China.

Dan is a widely recognized antitrust expert. He helped the MPA studios create the joint venture that launched the DVD in 1996 and helped form MovieLabs, an MPA member company R&D joint venture, where he has served as general counsel since 2005.

Since 2007, Dan has been a California gubernatorial appointee to the Uniform Law Commission (ULC), a non-partisan law reform entity that has drafted some of the nation’s most successful laws, such as the Uniform Commercial Code. He has served on the ULC’s board since 2015. In 2016 he was elected to the American Law Institute, a highly respected private law reform entity.

Before joining MPA, Dan worked at the law firms of Graham & James and Pepper Hamilton, where he specialized in antitrust and intellectual property. He earned an economics degree from Vanderbilt University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D. from UCLA.

Josh Rogin is Senior Vice President, Federal Government Affairs with the Motion Picture Association (MPA). He advocates before Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies on behalf of MPA member companies on priorities including intellectual property, copyright, AI, technology, trade, and media issues.

Prior to joining the MPA, Josh spent 20 years on Capitol Hill including over a decade as chief of staff for Rep. Ted Deutch, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Chairman of the Middle East Subcommittee, where he specialized in intellectual property, foreign affairs, and technology issues.

Named to the 2023 Washingtonian Magazine list of 500 Most Influential People Shaping Policy, he previously worked as Vice President, Federal Affairs for the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), where he hosted regular stakeholder discussions on technology issues, including Section 230, privacy, and internet child safety.

Josh earned his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Michigan Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Michigan, where he also ran varsity track and field. He is passionate about mentorship, exercise, writing, his dog Prudence, and watching movies in the theater. He lives in Washington, DC with his family.

Jane Saunders is the Managing Director and Senior Vice President, Rights Management Policy, for the Motion Picture Association. She is an expert in collective and compulsory licensing systems worldwide as well as the functioning and procedures of collective management organizations, with over 23 years of experience in this area. Jane leads the MPA’s Rights Management department and has responsibility for the U.S. and Canadian compulsory retransmission royalty programs of MPA and the Copyright Collective of Canada, as well as for engagement with and outreach to collective management organizations worldwide. She provides policy and tactical advice to the Association’s policy and legal operations around the world on strategies for limiting statutory collective and compulsory licensing regimes. At the same time, she supports MPA Members’ claims to a fair share of the remuneration collected in respect of their works where such regimes are imposed by law.

Prior to joining MPA in 1995, Jane was an attorney in private practice in Washington DC and Atlanta, GA, representing clients in copyright royalty litigation, bankruptcy litigation, and commercial transactional matters.

Jane received a J.D. at Emory University School of Law and a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Dartmouth College. She is fluent in French and Spanish and has working proficiency in German and Italian.

Ben Sheffner is Senior Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Law & Policy, at the Motion Picture Association, where he specializes in copyright, First Amendment, and other legal and policy issues of importance to the MPA’s member studios. With dual appointments in the MPA’s Legal and Government Affairs departments, Ben works closely with attorneys and policy advocates internally and at the MPA’s member studios to formulate and implement strategies to create a favorable environment for the industry to thrive, both economically and creatively. Among his several roles, Ben frequently represents MPA before federal and state government officials and entities; manages the MPA’s amicus brief program; and serves as counsel to the Title Registration Bureau.

Prior to joining the MPA in 2011, Ben held in-house legal positions at NBCUniversal and Twentieth Century Fox, and worked as an associate in the Century City office of O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where he litigated copyright and other cases for major movie studios, television networks, and record labels. In 2008, Ben served as Special Counsel on Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign, where, among other responsibilities, he handled the campaign’s copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property issues. Ben served as a law clerk for the Hon. M. Margaret McKeown on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2000-2001.

Ben serves as an Adviser to the American Law Institute’s Restatement of the Law, Copyright project and has previously held positions as a Trustee of the Copyright Society of the USA as well as the Los Angeles Copyright Society, and as a participant on the Uniform Law Commission committee that drafted a uniform anti-SLAPP statute.

Prior to attending law school, Ben worked as a political reporter in Washington, DC for the Cook Political Report and Roll Call newspaper, where he covered congressional elections, the term limits movement, campaign finance reform, and various other issues related to Congress’ internal politics and administration. Ben received an A.B. from Harvard College and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall).

Steve Vaskov is Senior Vice President, Corporate Counsel for the Motion Picture Association. Steve’s responsibilities include corporate governance and compliance matters globally, overseeing the association’s contracts team, counseling the human resources department on employment matters, and managing the MPA’s trademark portfolio.

Prior to joining the MPA in 2020, Steve was in-house counsel for a sales and marketing consulting firm overseeing litigation, compliance, and intellectual property matters. Before that, Steve had a diverse litigation practice at Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells) handling trial and appellate matters as well as domestic and international arbitrations in a variety of areas of law, including antitrust, complex commercial contracts, and employment.

Steve received his J.D. magna cum laude from American University’s Washington College of Law and his B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He enjoys traveling and playing ice hockey.

Patrick Wolf is Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer at the Motion Picture Association, where he is responsible for worldwide financial planning, reporting, and analysis.

Prior to joining the MPA, Wolf served as Chief Financial Officer for Cinq Music Group, a music distribution, record label, and rights management company. There, he sourced financing and led due diligence efforts for Cinq’s various music catalog acquisitions, with deals ranging from $5 million to $135 million. He also led strategic efforts for Cinq’s treasury, financial reporting, and royalty accounting functions.

Earlier in his career, Patrick worked as a corporate controller for GoDigital Media Group and as a senior auditor for Deloitte & Touche, where he audited financial statements in accordance with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) standards. Wolf is a licensed CPA in California, and graduated from the University of Southern California with Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in accounting.