VR Society

MISSION

The Society’s goal is to accelerate the transformation, innovation and profitability of the Virtual Reality Content, Distribution and Technology Business. Further, the Society promotes and fosters a marketplace of ideas based on thought leadership, sharing of best practices, marketing, consumer research, industry analytics and advocacy.

Stakeholders Include

Staff

Jim Chabin
President

At the request of Hollywood studio stakeholders in 2009, Jim was asked to form the Society to advance the arts and sciences of 3D and other advanced imaging technologies.

Jim has served as President of The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Prime Time Emmys), President of Promax/BDA (The Worldwide Organization of Television Marketing Professionals), Head of Promotions for E! Entertainment Television, Head of West Coast Marketing for the CBS Television Stations, as a sales executive for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles and as President / General Manager of radio stations KISS AM-FM in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. He has served as Vice President of the California Broadcasters Association, as a member of The Prism Awards Board of Directors, as an advisor to the Environmental Media Association, and has lectured at the UCLA and USC Schools of Broadcasting and Film. Chabin has also served as a Corporate Advisor to TIVO during its public offering and to .TV during its development and introduction as an internet domain. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.

In his capacities, over the last seven years, Chabin has logged over one million air miles to host, market, or executive produce more than 100 events in Hollywood, New York, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Athens, Mumbai, London, Moscow and Berlin. In 2005, Chabin led efforts which resulted in being approved by the Chinese government to hold the first Marketing Conference ever for Chinese Television Professionals in (Chengdu), China.

Mark Lieber
Head of VR

Mark has extensive expertise in all facets of the entertainment and tech industry including creating divisions, developing, producing, marketing and distributing content. He’s created and executed countless sales and marketing strategies for all areas within the entertainment industry across all media platforms. Mark is known for his strong entrepreneurial skills and has an impressive track record of generating new revenue as well as increasing revenue within existing divisions. He possesses senior relationships across a multitude of industries including entertainment, digital, tech, branding, consumer products and retailers.

Mark’s experience includes creating and developing content with Howard Stern, Norman Lear, Steve Tisch and many other legends in the entertainment industry. He’s also produced Emmy award winning programming and marketed, produced and distributed numerous successful franchises including “The Simpsons”, assorted Marvel Brands, “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers”, “Barney” and a myriad of others. Mark has created many successful brands and intellectual properties including “BirthdayLand”, which have been acknowledged by The New York Times, Entertainment Tonight, Live With Kelly and Michael and other media outlets. His brands are available in major retailers and have also been optioned by Hollywood studios. He has also been integrally involved with launching cutting edge technologies.

Some of his past positions include, SVP Saban Entertainment, SVP PolyGram TV, President of TV at Film Roman and Managing Director at CBS Radio. He is also a co-owner of Rethink Entertainment and Media, and a co-founder of BirthdayLand.

Nick Urbom
SVP, Marketing & Awards

Nick Urbom is an internationally experienced event and operations executive. In his capacities of producing both domestic and international events, Nick has extensive expertise in quickly assessing a project’s needs and coordinating all deadlines, regardless of limitations. He has executive produced cutting-edge technology events in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Cannes, Brussels, Hollywood, New York, and Chicago. Additionally, he has developed an ongoing educational series for 3D professionals.

Nick has overseen communications and strategy with a global network of producers and companies from over 20 countries and has sourced sponsors, event partners and personnel for multiple events. He has developed strategic partnerships with key industry associations, entertainment and consumer electronics stakeholders, including: The Walt Disney Studios, Sony Corporation of America, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation (DWA), IMAX, Dolby Laboratories, Panasonic Corporation, Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, Producers Guild, Visual Effects Society, BAFTA/LA, Cinematographers Guild and others.

Operationally, Nick has overseen manufacturing, from design to delivery and sourcing of top-tier team members to bring outstanding designs to life on deadline. He has also developed online products, merchandise and distribution channels.

Nick serves on the board of Friends of Lockwood, a nonprofit organization that supports Lockwood Elementary in Los Angeles with needed resources, and community-building.

Irena Cronin
Editorial Director

Irena Cronin is the Editorial Director of VR Society, as well as the President and CEO of SpoutVR, a virtual reality marketing company, and InnovationCMS, a web development company. Irena has spent the last three years first meeting and talking with VR companies who have been developing VR head-mounted displays (HMDs), and then with those who have been developing VR apps and content, with frequent travels between the San Francisco Bay and greater Los Angeles areas. She is the creator and administrator of the largest Virtual Reality closed (non-public) Facebook group, with a focus on up-to-date news and commentary [https://www.facebook.com/groups/Virtual.Realities/]. Irena was previously a Director and Senior Product Manager at Business.com, a B-to-B online search directory. She has management consulting experience and worked several years as an equity research analyst.

Irena has a Joint MBA in Finance/MA in East Asian Area Studies from the University of Southern California and an MS in Information Technology – Management and Systems from New York University. She graduated with a BA from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in Economics (summa cum laude). Irena has near-fluent proficiency in Mandarin, intermediate in Japanese and beginning in Korean.

Lisa Gerber
Director, Board & Corporate Relations

After moving to Los Angeles from Europe in the early 90’s, Lisa worked both on and off camera in TV and film for many years. She was a casting associate on shows for CBS and FOX, a casting director on independent music videos, and coordinated voice talent for such blockbusters as “The Fantastic Four” and “Iron Man”. Also a seasoned writer and comedic performer herself, Lisa developed and taught the “Business of Show Business” program at the Acting Corps in North Hollywood. She cultivated corporate relationships through her consulting work with the Producers Guild, and oversaw board relations as the Executive Director of the Brentwood Homeowner’s Association where she coordinated over fifteen high profile community events. She has her BA from Emerson College and Masters in Education from Pepperdine University.

Patrick Dunn
Chief Financial Officer

Patrick Dunn is a CPA and President of Dunn & Pariser, a firm providing personalized business management, accounting, financial consulting, and taxation services to companies and individuals to meet their financial and business needs. The emphasis of Dunn & Pariser has been with entertainment and professional athletes.

Executive Committee

Wim Buyens
SVP Entertainment & Corporate
Barco
Chairman

Michael DeValue
Director, Advanced Technology, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Vice Chairman, Advanced Imaging

Roy Taylor
Corporate Vice President, Alliances & Content
AMD
Vice Chairman, Virtual Reality (Past Chair)

Tom Cosgrove
Managing Director
Cosgrove Media, LLC
Treasurer

David (Buzz) Hays
General Manager
Lytro Cinema
Secretary

Jim Chabin
President & CEO
Advanced Imaging Society

Pat Dunn
President & CEO
Dunn & Pariser
Chief Financial Officer

Governors

Hanno Basse
CTO
20th Century Fox

Bryan Besser
Co-Founder, Partner, Verve/ Partner, Felix & Paul

John Cassy
Co-Founder & CEO
Factory 42

Rick Champagne
Worldwide Segment Manager, Media & Entertainment
HP

Kevin Conroy
President, Digital and New Platforms
MGM

Joergen Geerds
CEO & Creative Director
Koncept VR

Ron Geller
VP, Worldwide Content Relations
Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

Greg Gewickey
Vice President, Digital Distribution Technologies
Warner Bros.

Rebecca Howard
SVP Emerging Platforms and Partnerships
Discovery Communications

Jonas Hudson
COO/Co-Founder
Cause-Play/360 AdSpots

Marcie Jastrow
SVP, Immersive Media and
Head of Technicolor Experience Center
Technicolor

Csilla Kozma
Head of Content Relations
Nokia

Jim Mainard
Head of Digital Strategy & New Business Development
DreamWorks Animation (DWA)

Will Maurer
VP, VR & VFX
Legend

David McIntyre
SVP, Corporate Strategy,
Standards & Business Development
Xperi

Kelsey Miller
Director, Strategy & Business Development
Universal Pictures

Danilo Moura
Co-Founder
Loot Interactive

Daniel O’Brien
General Manager
HTC Vive

Tony Parisi
Global Head of VR/AR
Unity Technologies

Aaron Parry
EVP/CCO
Deluxe Entertainment Services Group and Stereo D LLC

Marcus Peterzell
Executive Vice-President Entertainment,
Ketchum Sports and Entertainment & Head
of Ketchum Sounds
Ketchum

Guy Primus
Partner
The Virtual Reality Company

Gary Radburn
Director of Workstation Virtualization, Commercial VR and AR
Dell

Rajiv Rainier
VP/GM Global Alliances & Strategy
Sony

Charles “Bud” Robertson
VP, Business Development
StreamTV

Lori H. Schwartz
Managing Partner
StoryTech

Colum Slevin
Head of Experiences (Oculus VR)
Facebook

Brad Spahr
Head of Emerging Technology
Sony Music

Mia Tramz
Managing Editor, LIFE VR /
Senior Multimedia Editor, Time
LIFE VR

Celine Tricart
Owner/CEO
Lucid Dreams Productions

Ravindra Velhal
Global Content Standards Strategist
Intel

Bob Whitehill
Stereoscopic Supervisor
Pixar

International Committee Chairs

John Cassy
Co-Founder & CEO, Factory 42
London, United Kingdom

Percy Fung
CEO & Production Director, Film Magic
Hong Kong

Alan Goldman
Industry Liaison, S3D Centre
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Vancouver, Canada

Ted Sugano
Sr. Solutions Manager (retired), Panasonic Corporation
Tokyo, Japan

Brett Telfer
Head of AR/VR Garage
Auckland, New Zealand

Jacques Verly
3D Guild, Phasya, Image&3D Europe
Ex-Vice-Dean, Université de Liège Belgium
European Union

Charles Wang
Dean of Digital Media, Beijing Film Academy
Beijing, China

Sherry Zhang
Branch Director
Global 3D Media Holding