IAI Advisory Council
James Burnett is an American songwriter and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Burnett Music Group, a publishing and production company representing songwriters, composers and producers creating music for recording artists, film and television. Burnett Music has created and developed songs for television shows, such as, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, Beat Shazam with Jamie Foxx, The Masked Singer, American Ninja Warrior and Titan Games with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III is a Grammy Award Winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee. Jimmy Jam, in tandem with partner Terry Lewis, has worked alongside some of the most influential artists over the last few decades, including George Michael, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige (to name a few). Jam & Lewis have more Billboard Number Ones than any other songwriting and production team in history. They have produced 16 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, and 26 Billboard R&B No. 1 hits.
Ulla Sjöström is the Founder and Head of School of Musikmakarna (Songwriter’s Academy of Sweden). For the last 20 years, Sjöström and her students have influenced the music industry, writing many of the songs that top the Billboard charts. The Swedish government honored her and Musikmakarna for their vast impact on the Swedish music industry. Pelle Lidell, President and Co-Founder of EKKO Music Rights, named Musikmakarna “The Most Successful Songwriting School in Europe.”
Joey Scott started his career as a child actor on “National Velvet”, “Leave to to Beaver” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” He has produced or executive produced over 600 episodes of prime time television (with several long running series), including 25 prime time network pilots, as well as created and sold four network pilots. He has filmed in worldwide. In recent years, Scott has worked alongside OCS Director of Film Andrew Christopher, to mentor and guide students during their feature film projects.
Kristoffer Polaha is a well-known actor and producer, known for his roles in "Wonder Woman 1984," "Jurassic World: Dominion," "Where Hope Grows," "North Shore," "Life Unexpected," and numerous Hallmark Channel movies. He graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts degree in acting. Before he began working in film and television, he spent much of his early career on stage in professional theatre productions. His acting career spans over 20 years.
Jordyn Palos was named one of “Hollywood’s New Leaders” by Variety in 2015. She founded Persona PR in 2010. It is one of the most dedicated and hands-on independent PR firms in the entertainment industry today. Persona has over 100 clients in the music, branded lifestyle, non-profit, and corporate space. Their client list includes award winning actors, New York Times bestselling authors, experts in the beauty and lifestyle space, comedians, production companies, and a handful of musicians.
Alyssa Lein Smith is Chief of Staff and Media Manager at Quincy Jones Productions. She has production credits on Taking the Stage: Changing America, the dedication concert for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture; Soundtrack of America, and the 5-night opening concert series for The Shed at Hudson Yards. She is a consultant, speech writer, musician, and aerialist. She is public speaker on body positivity and the advancement of females at the executive level.
Ryan O' Quinn is a 23-year veteran of the entertainment industry and president of Damascus Road Productions, a production company dedicated to high quality family entertainment with a positive message. Damascus Road is an industry leader in the faith and family marketplace and has longstanding relationships with the top gatekeepers, influencers and marketing firms. Additionally, Damascus Road and its principals are award-winning filmmakers with a seasoned track record of successful titles.
Rami Yacoub is a Grammy award winning pop music producer and songwriter. He joined Max Martin at Cheiron Studios 20 years ago: his first collaboration was producing "...Baby One More Time" that launched Britney Spears. He has worked with Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, One Direction, P!nk, and Celine Dion. He is a part of Jury for the Denniz Pop Awards in Sweden, a charitable foundation supporting upcoming artists and cancer treatments.
Valentine started at a small radio station in Norwich, CT. in 1986, WICH -1310 AM.
The son of two Irish immigrants John and Sheila, Valentine spent his early days practicing his comedy at the kitchen dinner table. Flash forward...Now he has been a staple in Los Angeles radio for over 27 years including 10 years at KIIS-FM.
Valentine hosts the incredibly popular show "Valentine In The Morning". The show airs live Monday-Friday from 5-10 AM on 104.3 MYfm, is syndicated nationwide and can also be accessed on demand on the iHeart Radio app.
Valentine is married 26 years to his beautiful wife Leilani, and they have one amazing teenage son Colin.
Valentine is a regular reader to patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and helps build houses in poverty-stricken Tijuana, Mexico. Valentine in the Morning is IN the community, raising funds for charities: The American Red Cross, The M.S. Society, The Girls Scouts of America, and the Alzheimer's Association. Ever a supporter of our military, Valentine has also hosted 10 overseas USO shows.
Alan Carter is a television producer, director, editor and screenwriter. Early in his career he worked as a music video editor as well. His first big client was Phil Collins. He began working in television when he edited a David Copperfield Magic Special for CBS in 1993, winning his first two Emmys. Since then, Carter has directed everything from the People’s Choice Awards to the Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is also the director for the hit television show "The Voice."
Nancy Robinson is the director of the Internship Program for the Television Academy Foundation. In this capacity, she oversees the Foundation’s highly rated year-round Program, Alumni engagement, and nationwide college outreach.
Prior to joining the Foundation’s Education department in 1999, Nancy was convention services manager for a large trade association, planning and executing their annual convention and numerous small meetings across the country. She was also an awards consultant with a firm specializing in managing submissions for such companies as the Disney Channel, HBO and Fox. She began her career as the Primetime and Daytime Emmy Awards assistant for the Television Academy.
Nancy is a graduate of the University of California – San Diego with a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts/Media Production and a minor in Sociology. She is an electronic media professional representative on the Board of Directors for the Broadcast Education Association.