Bruce Johnson,
President/Chief Executive Officer
Email: bjohnson@porchlight.com
Bruce Johnson is recognized as a prolific creative talent, with numerous producing credits for feature films, television movies, series, specials, and documentaries. A multiple Emmy Award winner, Johnson co-founded PorchLight Entertainment in 1995 with the entire family as its target audience.
From a start-up company in 1995, PorchLight has emerged as one of the world’s leading independent family entertainment companies, distributing a library of more than 1500 episodes of children’s programming and nearly 200 movies. The Company’s divisions include Children’s Programming and Prime Time Entertainment, Worldwide Program Sales, DVD Distribution, Educational Media, Licensing & Merchandising and Digital Media.
Johnson’s recent executive producing credits include Tutenstein, the multiple Emmy-Award winning animated series for Discovery Kids; Animalia, now playing on PBS, CBC, BBC; Secret Saturdays for Cartoon Network; and six best-selling LeapFrog DVDS including A Tad of Christmas Cheer. He also created and executive produced the award winning Adventures from The Book of Virtues. Under Johnson’s leadership, the company has produced nearly 400 episodes of animation and over 40 movies, delivering programming to a wide variety of U.S. networks including PBS, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, Disney Channel, Lifetime, Showtime, HBO, History Channel, Discovery, Animal Planet, Sci Fi Channel and others.
Prior to forming PorchLight, Johnson was Executive Vice President and General Manager of Hanna-Barbera Entertainment Co. He was involved with the development and launch of the Cartoon Networks worldwide for Turner Entertainment, following Turner’s acquisition of Hanna-Barbera in 1991.
Johnson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris, with a B.A. degree in English. In 2002, he was named a Distinguished Graduate of the university. He also received Master's and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University. He’s married, has one child and is an avid weekend tennis player.
William T. Baumann,
President/Chief Operating Officer
Email: wbaumann@porchlight.com
A highly respected executive with over 25 years of broad-based business experience in production, management, finance, marketing and technology for entertainment and broadcasting, Baumann is co-founder of PorchLight and serves as the company's President and Chief Operating Officer.
Baumann is responsible for PorchLight's operating divisions and the Company's business and financial affairs, including assembling the financing and co-production partners required to fund and produce PorchLight's series and movies. Under Baumann's direction, PorchLight has produced and acquired distribution rights to over $500 million of programming, including over 1,500 episodes and 200 movies. He was instrumental in establishing GenMouse, Inc. a PorchLight subsidiary which has developed and operates KidMango.com, a broadband entertainment and educational site for kids 2 to 11, and KidVideos.com, a platform for short videos and “user generated” content created by young filmmakers.
Baumann’s executive producing credits include PorchLight’s animated series including Tutenstein, Jay Jay The Jet Plane, Four Eyes, Secret Saturdays, Adventures from The Book Of Virtues, and several animated movies. He also has Executive Produced over 40 live action movies for numerous domestic networks.
Baumann has extensive experience in corporate management, business mergers, acquisitions and the development of start-up and early stage businesses. Prior to joining PorchLight Entertainment, he was Executive Vice President of Great American Communications Company, responsible for corporate and business development, acquisitions, strategic and tactical planning. Previously, he was senior vice president, Planning and Corporate Development for Taft Broadcasting Company, a NYSE listed diversified broadcasting, cable, entertainment and theme park operator with over $500 million in annual revenues, and during which period the company's shares grew in price from $25 to $157.
Baumann is a graduate of Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts and is a sport enthusiast active in tennis, running and mountain biking.
Ken DuBow,
President, Worldwide Sales
Email: kdubow@porchlight.com
Ken Dubow joined PorchLight Entertainment in May 2007 as President, Worldwide Distribution, with responsibility for licensing the company’s extensive program library to television and home entertainment buyers worldwide. Following DuBow’s arrival at PorchLight, the company announced the establishment of Condor Releasing, a worldwide film and TV distribution division and label for programming which falls outside the family entertainment profile.
Prior to joining PorchLight, DuBow was President of First Look Television, a post he was promoted to after serving as First Look’s Executive Vice President of International.
As well as expanding First Look’s international sales, DuBow oversaw First Look’s expansion into syndication. Prior to coming on board at First Look, DuBow was President and CEO of Modern Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based licensing subsidiary of Swedish media company Modern Times Group MTG AB. At Modern, DuBow spearheaded the sale of over 300 titles to Lionsgate, including DIRTY DANCING, CONAN THE BARBARIAN and DEAD ZONE. Before heading Modern, DuBow was Senior Vice President of Cable Sales at MGM/UA Entertainment. DuBow began his career in executive sales positions after managing film libraries at Paragon Entertainment and Pandora Films.
Jeffery Engelen,
Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Email: jengelen@porchlight.com
Jeffrey Engelen is Vice President, Worldwide Sales, with responsibility for the following territories: the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, Greece, CIS, Beneleux, Germany, France and the Former Yugoslavia. Engelen joined PorchLight in 2004 as Director of International Licensing. In his position with PorchLight, he developed and managed the international licensing agent’s network to sell and market the company’s merchandising, video, wireless and promotional rights. Later he took the added responsibilities of selling and licensing PorchLight programming in various broadcast and video formats in several territories.
Prior to coming to the United States, Engelen served as Sales and Licensing Director for Telescreen Distribution and Licensing, a leading full-service children’s branding company. Based in Hilversum, Holland, Engelen was responsible for the marketing and sales of several key children’s brands and negotiated licensed products and promotions with numerous national and international licensees targeting key product categories.
Engelen holds a Masters Degree in Business Culture, Organization and Management from VU Amsterdam as well as a BA in International Business, English and French from the Higher Institute from Economy and Management in Utrecht, Holland. He is fluent in several languages including English, Dutch, German and French.
Katherine Kaufman,
Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Email: kkaufman@porchlight.com
Katherine Kaufman comes to PorchLight with over a decade of experience in international television distribution with an emphasis in the Spanish and Portuguese speaking- markets. Born and raised in the United States, Katherine has lived in various Spanish-speaking countries and has traveled extensively through Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, she holds a BA in Spanish language from the University of California at Irvine as well as a Certificate in International Business from the University of California at Los Angeles. Katherine has worked for various companies including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation where she developed the Latin American market, more than doubling revenue in that territory. She also worked for Southern Star Sales in Sydney, Australia, First Look Media and Televix Entertainment where she was Vice-President of Sales.
J.D. Beaufils,
Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Email: jdbeaufils@porchlight.com
J.D. Beaufils came to PorchLight as VP Worldwide Sales from Bauer Martinez International (BMI) where he was VP of International Distribution. His sales territory includes France, all of Asia and Eastern Europe, and other territories where he has key relationships. Before joining BMI, Beaufils was Director of Worldwide Sales & Library Licensing for First Look International, (formerly Overseas Filmgroup). During his 3-year tenure in the newly branded company, he expanded his global sales efforts to include preparing projections, estimates and sales reports, as well as served as a consultant within the marketing and film acquisition divisions. Additionally, he set an impressive sales track record of extensive video and television package deals from the company’s library of over 350 titles.
Fluent in English and French, Beaufils holds a BA in English Literature and Linguistics from the University of Minnesota as well as an Associate Degree in Economics from the University of Paris/Sorbonne. He also holds a Baccalaureate in Sciences from Lycee Maurice Ravel, Paris.
Gary Jones,
President, Home Entertainment
Email: gjones@porchlight.com
Gary Jones joined PorchLight Entertainment in June 2007 as President, PorchLight Home Entertainment, with responsibility for overseeing the sales, marketing, distribution and acquisitions of its newly established domestic U.S. DVD label. Following his arrival Jones also established and oversaw the launch of two additional home entertainment labels, PorchLight INSPIRE and Ocean Park Home Entertainment.
Prior to joining PorchLight, Jones was President of New Concorde Home Entertainment, the DVD distribution arm of the legendary producer Roger Corman.
Jones has overseen the sales launch of over 1700 feature films in his career in home entertainment. As well as overseeing New Concorde’s Library of 400 films for home entertainment, Jones was previously senior vice president, home entertainment for Trimark Pictures as well as a ten year stint as senior vice president ,sales for the vast library of Republic Pictures. During his tenure there more than 800 films were released on VHS or DVD. Prior executive positions included Prism Entertainment, a leading independent home entertainment company and Sound Video Unlimited, a major home entertainment distribution company.
Kathy Gilbert,
Director of Sales, Home Entertainment
Email: kgilbert@porchlight.com
Kathy Gilbert started with PorchLight Home Entertainment in January 2008 as Director of Sales, Southern Region. She has over 2 ½ decades of experience in the Home Video business in the U.S. Kathy lives in Mt. Juliet, TN with her husband Jerry. Kathy 's career began by working for various home entertainment distributors such as Commtron, East Texas Distributing and Source Video. She then moved over to the studio side of distribution. She has been with Media Home Entertainment, MGM/UA, New Horizons, Academy Entertainment, Republic Pictures, Wellspring Media and Koch Entertainment. Kathy's current responsibilities involve overseeing all areas of distribution for sell-through and rental in the southern U.S.
Doug Dohmen,
Director of Sales, Home
Email: ddohmen@porchlight.com
Doug Dohmen is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with a B.A. Degree in Broadcast Journalism. Beginning his career in home video, Doug served as the Midwest Regional Sales Manager for Republic Pictures Home Video before assuming the position of Director of Sales. In 1994 Doug joined Hallmark Home Entertainment as the Vice President of Sales. Prior to joining PorchLight Home Entertainment, Doug was the Vice President of Sales for Inkworks, a company specializing in the sales of licensed trading cards.
Peggy Lisberger,
Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs
Email: plisberger@porchlight.com
Peggy is responsible for overseeing all of PorchLight's business and legal matters including feature films, television, acquisitions, international and domestic distribution, trademarks and merchandising and licensing arrangements. Prior to joining PorchLight's executive team in 2001, Peggy served as outside production counsel on four of PorchLight's feature films, as well as general consultant on business and legal affairs.
Prior to that she was Vice President, Corporate Affairs at The Kushner-Locke Company, where she handled the financing arrangements for feature film production, all legal, business and financial affairs for the company's low budget films, and business affairs for the company's domestic & international distribution subsidiary, Kushner-Locke International. She received her B.A. from Tufts University, and received her J.D., cum laude, from Pepperdine School of Law in 1995. She is an active member of the California Bar.
Joe Broido,
Senior Vice President for Filmed Entertainment
Email: jbroido@porchlight.com
Joe Broido is responsible for live action prime time entertainment, including the production of PorchLight's movies. He brings a wealth of experience in the producing arena to PorchLight, as a Producer and Executive Producer of numerous telefilms and miniseries for NBC, CBS, ABC and Lifetime. Broido also has significant experience in international production and co-productions, having functioned in a senior executive capacity for several domestic and international production organizations.
A distinguished producer of numerous prime time movies, Broido has mounted wholly sponsored films for advertisers such as Hallmark Hall of Fame and Bristol-Myers. Additionally, the movies produced under his direction have garnered numerous prestigious awards and nominations including Emmy®, WGA, Peabody, Christopher, Humanitas and Golden Globe awards.
Fred Schaefer,
Senior Vice President, Animation
Email: fschaefer@porchlight.com
Fred Schaefer is responsible for the development, production and international co-production of animated series, specials, and home video features. He was supervising producer on the Emmy Award-winning animated series, Tutenstein for DiscoveryKids and developed and supervised Secret Saturdays for Cartoon Network. He also produced The Night Before Christmas: A Mouse Tale; The Haunted Pumpkin of Sleepy Hollow; and The Christmas Dinosaur, all of which have appeared on Cartoon Network and are available on DVD. He also served as an executive producer of Four Eyes, a 52-episode series for France 3 and others.
Prior to joining PorchLight, Schaefer was a Creative Executive at Walt Disney Television Animation, where he developed animated series (Gargoyles, Aladdin), network and syndicated specials (Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too, The Little Mermaid - Whale of a Tale, A Goof Troop Christmas, Boo To You, Too, Winnie the Pooh) and the theatrical feature, A Goofy Movie. He was also involved in the development of Disney's first-ever direct-to-video movie, Aladdin II - The Return of Jafar, and others including Aladdin and the King of Thieves, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, Pocohantas II: Journey to a New World, and Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin).
Robert Yu,
Vice President, Acquisitions
Email: ryu@porchlight.com
Most recently Yu was the Head of West Coast Operations for Cinemavault Releasing, overseeing all aspects of Development, Production, Acquisitions, and Sales in the Los Angeles office. Prior to Cinemavault, Yu was Vice President at the entertainment law firm Tulchin & Associates, where he supervised the Producer’s representation department.
Robert Yu began his career with Paramount Classics and Alliance Atlantis in marketing and international sales. Mr. Yu was involved in the development and sales of such films as 29 PALMS starring Bill Pullman and Rachael Leigh Cook; Atom Egoyan's ARARAT; Stacy Peralta's DOGTOWN & Z-BOYS; FORMULA 51 starring Samuel L. Jackson; Neil Jordan's THE GOOD THIEF starring Nick Nolte; Denis Villenuve's MAELSTROM; OWNING MAHOWNY starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Minnie Driver; PICTURE CLAIRE starring Juliette Lewis and Gina Gershon; & ZEBRA LOUNGE starring Kristy Swanson and Stephen Baldwin.
At Paramount Classics Mr. Yu worked on such commercial and arthouse films as Sofia Coppola's directorial debut THE VIRGIN SUICIDES starring Kirsten Dunst and Josh Hartnett; Patrice Leconte's GIRL ON THE BRIDGE starring Vanessa Paradis; Sam Raimi's THE GIFT starring Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes, Cate Blanchett, and Greg Kinnear; Kenneth Lonergan's YOU CAN COUNT ON ME starring Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Mathew Broderick; and Istvan Szabo's SUNSHINE starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.
Brenda Bisner,
Vice President, Acquisitions, Children’s Programming
Email: bbisner@porchlight.com
Brenda Bisner is responsible for the acquisition of children’s animated and live action programming for PorchLight’s international distribution division as well as the company’s home entertainment and digital media divisions. Bisner, who joined PorchLight in 2007, began as Director of Acquisitions, Digital Media where she worked closely with PorchLight’s digital media group in the launch of KidVideos.com, a new family-safe website for kids, tweens and teens.
She came to PorchLight from GRB Entertainment where she served as Director of Acquisitions responsible for setting up the company’s first acquisitions department supplying over 150 hours of programming. Prior to GRB, Bisner’s industry experience also includes the acquisition and distribution of animated series and shorts from around the globe with Branscome International, as well as the development and production of scripted and unscripted programming for the Tom Lynch Co. working closely with Tom Lynch, best known as the creator of the “tween genre.” During her time at the Tom Lynch Co. Ms. Bisner produced one of Nickelodeon’s first Kids reality shows.
Vicki Letizia,
Vice President, Live Action Development
Email: vletizia@porchlight.com
Vicki Letizia is responsible for the development of original television programming for PorchLight’s Live Action Division. She rose through the ranks at Showtime Networks and served as Vice President of Creative Affairs, where she supervised the development and production of a number of the network’s award-winning movies including the Peabody Award Winner Strange Justice, Emmy® winner My Louisiana Sky and the WGA nominated Spinning Boris.
Working independently, Vicki was a creative producer on the critically acclaimed remake of The Lion in Winter that starred Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close. This lavish production was nominated for both a Golden Globe® and Emmy® for best TV movie. Prior to joining PorchLight, Vicki was Head of Development for Chesler/Perlmutter Productions. Her experience includes working with such notable directors Arthur Penn, Roger Spottiswoode, Mira Nair, Ernest Dickerson and Stephen Gyllenhaal & writers Steven E. de Souza, Donald Westlake, Ilene Chaiken and Patrick Sheane Duncan.
Shea Fontana,
Manager, Children’s Programming
Email: sfontana@porchlight.com
Shea Fontana manages the development and production of PorchLight’s Children’s Programming department, and is responsible for developing PorchLight’s preschool programming. Ms. Fontana joined PorchLight in 2006 and has been deeply involved in the production of PorchLight’s animated programming slate including THE SECRET SATURDAYS (Cartoon Network), TUTENTSTEIN (Discovery Kids) and LeapFrog’s A TAD OF CHRISTMAS CHEER. She also served as Production Coordinator and ADR voice director on ANIMALIA, the critically acclaimed CGI animated series playing on PBS, CBC and BBC. Ms. Fontana’s industry experience apart from PorchLight includes producing a short film adaptation of the DEAD@17 comic book, writing for SUSHI PACK (CBS), and production work for The Jim Henson Company, where she worked with the innovative Henson digital puppetry animation system.
Denver Alcazar,
Controller
Email: dalcazar@porchlight.com
Denver Alcazar joined Porchlight Entertainment in February 2008 as Controller. Prior to joining Porchlight, he was the Director of Finance & Accounting at Access Integrated Technology, Inc., a public company dealing with digital media technology operating entities such as Hollywood Software, Christie AIX, Access Digital Media and Bigger Picture. Before joining Access IT, Denver was the Director of Finance at Fox Sports International in charge of the financial operation of Fox Sports en Espanol in the US and Latin America.
He spent several years at Fox Family Worldwide Inc. (now ABC Family) as the Director of International Finance. His prior experience also includes working at PriceGrabber.com where he was the Senior Director of Finance and Accounting. Denver holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Accounting and Management.
