MTV Networks

Beth Matthews is the Executive Vice President & Deputy General Counsel of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. Beth joined MTVN in 1998 and currently manages the MTVN Global Digital and New Media Business and Legal Affairs team which covers a variety of MTVN businesses such as digital distribution, advertising sales, new business development, on-line, wireless, gaming, consumer products, radio, marketing etc. MTVN is a leading creator of programming and content across all media platforms. With more than 137 channels worldwide, MTVN owns and operates the following television programming services & related digital businesses: MTV: Music Television, MTV2, mtvU, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, TV Land, Spike TV, CMT, Noggin, Vh1 Classic, Logo, MTVN International and the Digital Suite. Prior to joining MTVN, Beth was an associate at Chadbourne & Parke in the Intellectual Property and Corporate Groups. Prior to Chadbourne & Parke, she was an associate at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy in the Business Technology Group. Beth received her juris doctor at Emory University School of Law in 1993 and her Bachelor of Arts Honors Program at Purdue University in 1990. She is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and Georgia.

S. Reginald "Reggie" Williams is Senior Vice President, Music Strategy for MTV Networks. In his role, Reggie conceives and executes the overall company strategies and financial models for securing the use of music on MTVN's global TV and digital platforms, including online, wireless and video on demand. In this capacity, Reggie regularly advises senior company executives on music strategy matters and manages a team of 5. In addition to his responsibilities at MTVN, Reggie also pursued his creative interests by producing the 2006 HBO/Cinemax documentary, "Cutting Edge", which depicted a day in the life of a Harlem barber shop. Prior to MTVN, Reggie was the Director of Corporate Development for Vanguarde NeoMedia. Before his tenure at Vanguarde, Reggie founded and was the CEO of nuRules.com, an urban lifestyle web site that featured news, reviews, articles, streaming media, secured digital downloads and e-commerce related to urban culture. Reggie began his career as a corporate lawyer at the New York office of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker. He left Paul, Hastings to practice entertainment law at Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz and Weinstein, prior to founding nuRules.com. Reggie received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1995. Reggie received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1992, where he studied philosophy. Contents and graphics on this site are owned by Ananse Shield Group.

Khadijah Sharif-Drinkard is vice president, senior counsel for MTV Networks, where she specializes in entertainment law. She has committed herself to giving back through the use of one-on-one mentoring as well as conducting self-empowerment seminars. While Khadijah has spent the greater part of her life serving as a motivational speaker here in the United States, she has taken her message of activism around the world. In 1991, she was selected by Mayor David N. Dinkins to serve on his delegation to South Africa and represent the concerns of New York City youth. In 1992, Khadijah was selected from a pool of scholars from across the nation to serve as one of twelve youth ambassadors to Russia, where she studied the socioeconomic, political, and environmental issues that plagued the new democratic regime. In 1995, Khadijah served as a representative for Muslim American women at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. She has been featured as a young political activist on several television programs and has been spotlighted in the New York Times. She lives with her husband and daughter in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Alan Carter has enjoyed a storied career for over 20 years as a writer, reporter, columnist and editor for many of the leading entertainment publications including People, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Most recently, he oversaw the much-lauded redesign of the Television Academy's official website, www.emmys.org. Carter is also co-owner, co-founder and senior editor for www.soapstarworld.com, one of the leading soap sites on the Internet. At the New York Daily News, he wrote about prime-time TV and feature film celebrities. There, he saw a niche no one was writing about daytime TV and he began contributing almost daily newspaper soap updates. At People, Carter had three different two-year tours of duty where he was a reporter, TV Correspondent [covering just about every story on the Today show and many human interest pieces] and fill-in TV critic. As the fill-in critic, his funny and often barb-filled columns got him noticed. Liz Smith wrote: "I love those Alan Carter reviews in 'People' but when he says Designing Women isn't as good as The Golden Girls he is flat out wrong!" Not wanting to be tied to a desk, or NYC, Carter moved to LA to become senior writer for Entertainment Weekly. There he wrote many cover stories [most memorably 'The Men of Melrose Place'] and created 'The Soap Box' a popular feature which ran for nearly three years. For TV Guide, Carter was the Soap Insider for two years. An unabashed soap lover, he's also served as bureau chief for Soap Opera Digest, as well. Before coming to Digest as a full-time editor and senior staffer, he co-wrote the Soap Awards for NBC and Dick Clark productions for four years. Carter was one of the original correspondents on the Warner Brothers Television show 'Extra.' In addition, he is the co-author of a book on the groundbreaking television MTV show 'The Real World.'

Alison received her B.A. in Photojournalism from Boston University College of Communication. She graduated Cum Laude in 1998 after completing research and photography in nine countries. She moved to Los Angeles in 2000 after originating a youth magazine-style television show in San Francisco, and has since worked as an Associate Producer for MTV and National Geographic, among other networks. Alison recently spent six months in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she produced, shot and directed videos for nonprofits. She currently works as Director of Development at Creative Visions, and continues to produce media projects. She is a certified yoga instructor and fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Billy Taylor started his own production company in January of 1999 after working for six years as a staff producer for MTV Networks in New York.

Chrysovalantis Stamelos was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1980. Growing up in a First-Generation American household, he furthered his education at the school of S.I. Newhouse, Syracuse University. With his degree in Television, Radio, and Film, Chrysovalantis moved to New York City, and is now a Production Assistant at MTV Networks. Chrysovalantis is also Co-Founder of Crescent Street Films.

Mark joined the BIGgross/OnPoint team in December of 2003 where he serves as the Broadcast Director. Prior to joining BIGgross, he ran his own successful Film and Video Production Company, Laughing Bird Productions, in Denver where he helped create digital tier cable networks, like Discovery Health and Encore, designed promotional campaigns for clients including the Denver Broncos and Coors. An active writer and director of independent films, Phillips has earned a number of local and regional awards for his work in advertising and production. While working for a local Fox Affiliate as a writer/producer in Florida, Mark won 19 regional Addy Awards, including Best of Show and Best of the Bay for his Radio and Television promotional spots. Later, as Senior Writer/Producer position for :30 Airborne, a national cable ad agency, he won two International Promax Gold Awards and helped create ground-breaking film and video promotions for channels such as Discovery, Request Pay-Per-View, HBO, Showtime, TNT, and TBS. Mark majored in Film at Sherwood Oaks Experimental College before interning with Mitch Jacobson, a regional producer for MTV News.

Paul Amitai is a media artist working in video, sound and installation. His projects have been exhibited at a number of venues, including Scope New York, Art Chicago, St. Louis University Museum of Art, Soap Factory (Minneapolis), Institute of Visual Art (Milwaukee), Milwaukee Art Museum, and Exchange Square (Manchester, UK). Paul is also a musician who performs electronic and improvised music in clubs and galleries around the U.S. In addition to work as a practicing artist, Paul has written on electronic arts and culture for New Art Examiner, Signal to Noise and MTV Online. He has also worked as a curator, organizing film screenings at the Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University and creating the New York Festival of Electronic Composers and Improvisers at the Knitting Factory, New York. Previous to relocating to New York in Fall 2005, Paul was an art lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the City Editor for the Milwaukee edition of The Onion.

Lyricist Elliott Ness is determined to be heard. His hunger and powerful street skills first established him as a tough contender in the battle ciphers of his native Philadelphia. After years of dedication to his craft, the hard work paid off. In 2000 his natural and undeniable flow earned him a position in the too hot for TV group, da Band, assembled by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs for the MTV Making the Band series. As the first member selected, of over 40,000 auditioning, Ness soon became known to the masses. Frequently called the "Captain" by Combs, Ness played an influential role in the success of the group which debuted at number 2 on the Billboard charts. As a cast member of MTV's #1rated television show, Ness grew as an artist and learned lessons essential to survival in the entertainment business and the importance of being a professional. Since the break up of da Band in the spring of 2004, Ness has been busy promoting himself as a solo artist. He has performed in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, Cleveland, Baltimore, Myrtle Beach and more. Highlight performances include Funk Master Flex Celebrity Car Show and the upcoming Power House concert in his hometown. He has completed a children's book for release in 2005, auditioned for his first feature film, and sold over 10,000 copies of his mixtape, Rhyme or Crime Vol. 1: The Leak, which was listed in the September issue of the Source Magazine as the #1 Best of the Best street record. He has been featured in XXL and Mixtape Magazine and will bless the Source Magazine for the second time in the November issue. Ness is in the streets, in the studio and on the radio making sure the world hears and appreciates his music and his voice. With much anticipation his explosive debut album entitled Nessessary is scheduled for a February 2005 release. Ness, now 25, began his music career in 1984, competing in local talent shows and artist showcases. At the age of 12 he began assisting local group, DaBumrush, with performances at local night clubs and several tours, during which time he had the opportunity to appear on Amateur Night at the Apollo in New York. He continued to surround himself with music while he finished school, something his mother insisted on. His persistence and dedication to the music later linked him with producer Black Key who is responsible for hit records for DMX, Jadakiss, Ludacriss, and State Property. Ness was recording with Key just prior to joining the MTV family and continues to do so. Of his many personal and professional goals, Ness has established an entertainment company, Rest Ya Neck Entertainment. He would like to develop his company so that he can produce and manage artists, own small businesses and most importantly, give back to his community through his organization N.E.S.S. Kids (Nutritional and Educational Supportive Shelter).