Palisades MediaGroup

TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Office Employees	51-100
Total US	51-100

BIOS

Roger Schaffner, Founder & CEO

Palisades MediaGroup was founded by entertainment marketing and media veteran Roger Schaffner. The insight and strategic thinking that Schaffner brings to the planning process was developed over his considerable 13-year career in film distribution and media management. The growth of Palisades’ non-theatrical business over the past decade is a testament to the client focused management style that Roger has created. He has assembled a top notch team of media professionals that continuously delivers rational, innovative and thoughtful plans and executions. Service and responsiveness drive every decision.

Laura Jean Bracken, EVP, COO

Laura manages Palisade’s daily operations, business development and strategy. Laura joined Palisades in May 2010 after managing the San Francisco and Seattle offices of OMD. While at OMD, Laura grew billings by 50% with new business wins including State Farm of California, Callaway Golf Company, Autodesk, drugstore.com, Mattress Firm, McAfee and Sun Power. Laura’s roots are in strategic media planning, starting her career at Saatchi & Saatchi in New York. After a few years in NYC, she transferred to the San Francisco office where she oversaw communications planning for Hewlett-Packard, Barclay’s Global Investors, a slew of dot-coms and packaged goods clients like Procter & Gamble, Kikkoman International and General Mills. Laura won Advertising Age’s “Media Strategist of the Year” award for her global media strategy for HP’s first ever “E-Services” campaign in 18 languages across 35 countries. The campaign resulted in the doubling of HP’s stock price and incremental revenue.

Russell Dean, CFO

Russell Dean has been involved in movie advertising and marketing for over 25 years. Starting with Jeffrey Bacon in the mid-1980’s, Dean was instrumental in the enormous growth of the company that became The Cimarron Group. His field of expertise lay primarily in financial matters, but he was keenly aware of all aspects of creative marketing.

Since 1996, Dean has worked for Palisades Media Group as its Senior VP-Finance/CFO. PMG is recognized as the specialist in entertainment media planning and buying. PMG offers fully-integrated, strategic planning and support in business, film, broadcast, pay-per-view, home video, direct response and the internet. As at Cimarron, Dean has overseen the growth of Palisades Media from a 10-person company in 1996 to a 70-person company billing over $400 million in 2005.

Dean’s education background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College, a Masters of Business Administration Degree from the University of Southern California and a Law Degree from Southwestern University School of Law. Dean passed the California bar in 1998 and the Certified Public Accountants Exam in 2002.

Arthur Chan, SVP, Director of Digital Marketing

Arthur oversees all digital marketing for Palisades. With his team, Arthur has produced award winning campaigns for innovative clients that include MGM/UA, Paramount Vantage, Lexus, Toyota, New Line Cinema, Focus Features, Lionsgate, Miramax, Overture Films, The Weinstein Company, Del Taco, Visit Britain and Helio.

Many innovative campaigns have earned Palisades awards ranging from the W3s to Movie Marketing Key Art Awards. Throughout his career, Arthur has also earned multiple awards and accolades including a Gold Media Lion at Cannes, an Effie, Mediaweek’s Media Plan of the Year and the Media Magazine’s "Best of the Net". In 2005, Arthur was named one of the "Rising Stars" of interactive marketing in OMMA magazine and in 2011 was named by iMedia on their “Top 10 Hottest Digital Marketers” list. As an industry leader in the digital arena, Arthur also sits on Think LA’s Board of Directors and was recently inducted into the Think LA Digital Hall of Fame.

Rhona Dass, SVP, Director of Strategic Planning

Rhona has cultivated her strategic planning expertise working across a diverse portfolio of clients, primarily rooted in the fast-paced, high-demanding world of entertainment. Her experience includes working on Walt Disney Studios Theatrical & Home Entertainment, EMI Records, Nintendo, Lego, Morgan Stanley and fashion/retail marketing at Vogue Magazine. Rhona has a proven track in developing smart, measurable communication plans that deliver on clients’ marketing objectives and span all media platforms - traditional, digital & emerging. She also brings to the table a 360 perspective, having worked in National TV buying and overseeing a Print investment group. She is a hands-on leader who values and fosters a collaborative team atmosphere. When not immersed in media, Rhona loves all things design and fashion.

Bill McOwen, SVP, Director of National Video

Bill joined Palisades from Starcom, Los Angeles where he worked as SVP, Activation Media Director in charge of all national media which included the diverse areas of the Disney account. Previously, Bill served at MPG as EVP, Director of Media Investment and at Arnold Advertising as SVP, Director of National Broadcast where he built Arnold’s first network team to support Volkswagen. Under Bill’s lead, the department grew to over 20 national buyers as Arnold solidified its position as a major national agency. From 1988-1996 he worked at Grey Advertising, Dewitt Media and Chiat/Day – all in New York. Beyond his great, senior level connections with both East and West coast sales organizations, Bill also brings fantastic brand & retail experience, including Hasbro, Kenner, Tonka, Parker Brothers, Sears & Kmart.

Erin Morgan, SVP, Director of Local Audio/Video

Erin runs our Business and Entertainment local broadcast groups, overseeing the successful execution of local broadcast TV and radio schedules for all of Palisades’ clients. Erin has over a decade of experience in local broadcast from agencies such as Starcom, GM Mediaworks and Universal McCann. Prior to joining Palisades, Erin’s experience included work on a wide range of clients and categories. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Home Entertainment, Disney Channel, ABC Domestic Television, E! and Style networks, Radio Disney, Beringer, Wellpoint/Anthem, General Motors, Popeye’s, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Nestle, Subaru, IHOP, Tenet/People’s Health Network, American Airlines, Washington Mutual, and Labatt are among the great brands she has been able to work on. Erin also performs the role of Director of Charities for Palisades and was recently elected to the Board of Directors for Ad Relief of Greater Los Angeles, a non-profit organization helping advertising colleagues in times of life crisis.

Brian O'Donnell, Associate Director of Business Intelligence

With a background in clinical microbiology, Brian has spent the last 8 years applying his scientific method to the advertising industry. He began his career at Kovel/Fuller, a small independent advertising agency in Culver City. Specializing in data visualization, analysis, automation, and direct response management, Brian contributes to new business efforts and amplifying existing clients’ businesses by developing competitive landscape analyses, targeting strategies and providing research. He’s worked on many different clients including Cashcall, Telebrands, Guitar Center, Newegg.com, Mercury Insurance, Del Taco and BevMo.