The Sun Rose West Hollywood, Ground Floor Music Venue
Hear from Stern alumni execs at Maximum Effort, Ryan Reynolds’ production and marketing company, and Cricket Media as they discuss how entertainment, media, and technology are evolving in Los Angeles.
We’ll explore where these industries are headed as AI accelerates changes in how businesses are built and media is created and consumed, examine the day-to-day realities of entrepreneurship, and discuss how to spot new opportunities while the rules are still being rewritten.
Date
Thursday, October 8, 2026
6:00 - 8:00 PM PT
Location
The Sun Rose West Hollywood
Ground Floor Music Venue
8430 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Registration
$15 per person, including light fare and cocktails. Parking is not included but is available at the hotel or at local parking lots nearby.
Registration is now open to alumni from across NYU.
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Timeline
6:00 PM - Doors open
6:30 PM - Panel discussion and Q&A
7:30 PM - Networking reception
Speaker update: Please note that Hillary Bush (MBA ’22), originally scheduled to participate in the panel, will no longer be able to join us.
George Dewey (STERN MBA '04) is the co-founder of the entertainment company Maximum Effort with Ryan Reynolds. He is the marketer behind the Deadpool franchise, Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile campaigns as well as Maximum Effort’s trademark Fastvertising work. He also serves as a producer on films including Deadpool and Wolverine, Free Guy and Spirited and series including Welcome to Wrexham. He began his career as a copywriter at ad agency McCann.
David Kaufmann (STERN MBA '13) is an executive, entrepreneur, and founder of Devonsheer Media. He spent nine years at Major League Baseball leading global media licensing, where he oversaw films including Moneyball and 42 and helped launch ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. Since launching his own banner, he has developed and sold entertainment properties to companies including Amblin, Universal, Sony and Imagine. His current focus is on how emerging technologies are reshaping the creation, distribution, and consumption of sports and entertainment. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern and a BA from the University of Richmond.
Eric Berger (STERN MBA '94) is CEO of Cricket Media and a media and technology executive who has spent more than 20 years building businesses around changes in how people consume and interact with media. He previously founded and served as CEO of Common Sense Networks, where he created Sensical, the award-winning kids streaming platform acquired by Cricket Media. Today, he is leading Cricket’s expansion into streaming, advertising and AI-enabled products for children.
Previously, Berger was Chief Digital Officer and Head of Direct-to-Consumer at Sony Pictures Television. He founded and scaled Sony Crackle, one of the first premium ad-supported streaming networks, and built its original programming studio, producing Emmy-nominated and award-winning series and films with talent including Jerry Seinfeld and Bryan Cranston. He also led Sony’s global direct-to-consumer portfolio, including Funimation, and businesses spanning gaming, digital advertising and emerging platforms. Earlier in his career, Berger was Vice President of Strategic Planning at Time Warner.