Our Team
Our Team
Board of Directors
The Riveting River Board of Directors currently consists of three people who have been part of the company since its inception and continue to work with its day-to-day operation. The Board makes every effort to listen to differing opinions and diverse ways of accomplishing the company’s mission.
Roger Margulies
Chair
Jane Stepak
Vice Chair
Edie Malone
Secretary
Advisory Board
These individuals have been instrumental in guiding our new entertainment studio through its development and assisting us as we address the challenges facing any startup. Our gratitude goes out to each and every Riveting River Advisory Board member and the generous time they have provided.
Hilary Taubman-Dye
Nick Montalvo
Peter Wexler
Organization
We maintain a relatively flat structure within Riveting River for efficiency and best give our team members a voice. Our friendships began well before when this company started, and we take pride in being a group that shares in the workload, challenges, and successes. Maintaining an enjoyable work environment that encourages open communication, sharing ideas, and pitching in to help others will always be a hallmark of Riveting River.
Executive
Roger Margulies
Chief Executive Officer
Before taking Riveting River’s helm, Roger was a Creative Director, Art Director, and Marcom Manager for many prominent companies throughout Silicon Valley and across the country. You can find his digital and conventional designs on websites, billboards, magazines, and even a lander on the moon. Seriously! The prominent companies that have relied on his storytelling through graphic imagery include Facebook, Genentech (a division of Roche), Intel, and Philips. As an army brat, he grew up all over the country and overseas before receiving an Architecture degree from the University of Arizona. Roger honed his creative skills as an architect for the US Forest Service in Portland, Oregon, then headed to the San Francisco Bay Area to begin a design career. As an amateur astronomer, he realized a life-long dream when he started working for NASA through the Collaborative, a national communications company. While working in the face-paced world of hi-tech, he helped launch TiVo, the world’s first flat TV and the earliest home cinema. This interest in the entertainment sphere may be why Roger eventually transitioned to the world of TV and films to found and become CEO of the company.
Sara Hamilton
Chief Strategy Officer
Sara is a development executive, producer, and consultant with 25+ years of experience in film and media, marketing and branding, strategy, and business development. She has developed and produced international marketing communication campaigns, corporate and commercial video productions, and narrative and documentary series and features, including the award-winning Time Zero: The Last Year of Polaroid Film, which is in international distribution and on major streaming platforms. In addition to developing and producing films and series, Sara consults with independent filmmakers, studios, businesses, film commissions, organizations, and non-profits to create meaningful and successful partnerships. She is the Chief Strategy Officer and an Executive Producer for multiple series and features in the Riveting River portfolio, an Executive Producer and consultant with the global entertainment financial and packaging firm Filmojy, and the Head of Partnerships and Development for Catalyst Story Institute. Sara is a dedicated advocate for the production industry, serving on the Boards of FilmNorth, the Minnesota Film Alliance, and EntertainMint.
Daniel Margulies
Former Chief Financial Officer
Prior to his passing, Daniel oversaw all finance and budgeting matters and initiatives for Riveting River. His purview also included managing all aspects of stock acquisition and distribution for the team and investors. Prior to joining the Riveting River team, Daniel worked as an account manager for the Collaborative, performing estimating and billing for the West Coast Office (Palo Alto, CA). Before that, Daniel was the Development Director at the Youth Science Institute (Los Gatos, CA) for 11 years, where he was in charge of communications, events, public relations, and similar tasks. Daniel also was an event and project manager at LaunchPad Distribution (San Jose, CA). Daniel also contracted his services as an event manager to the Philips Multimedia Center (Palo Alto, CA), where he oversaw tours, events, press events, and other activities for the public, industry partners, and private entities. Daniel also was a Marketing and Development Director for Bridge to Jobs (Sunnyvale, CA). His early career included ten years as a chief test engineer at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, where he was in charge of the test program for nuclear submarines during major overhauls. Daniel has a B.S., Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Arizona.
Administration
Craig Ching
In-house Counsel
Attorney Craig Ching earned his Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law. He was a member of Law Review and also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Maria-Elena James of the United States District Court, Northern District of California. Craig later served as a research attorney for the Law and Motion Department of the San Mateo Superior Court. Craig has over 13 years of experience representing clients in personal injury disputes, immigration matters, and commercial law. He has also assisted law firms in the areas of administrative law, employment law, business law, products liability, and appeals. Craig currently provides outside general counsel services to both for-profit and non-profit businesses. Craig’s commitment to the business community is extensive. He has worked as a panel attorney for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and has provided pro bono legal services to the Justice and Diversity Center (Community Organization Representation Project). As a consulting attorney with the San Francisco Small Business Development Center, Craig counsels entrepreneurs in growing and protecting their business interests.
Robert Zipser
Entertainment Attorney
Robert has practiced entertainment law for over 25 years. He has worked as an attorney for MGM Pictures, Carolco Pictures Inc.—then the most prominent independent production company in Hollywood, and the leading U.S. law firm Skadden and Stroock. He currently has a private practice in which he represents producers and production companies, writers, authors, actors, publishers, and other entertainment industry professionals. Robert has particular expertise in the field of option agreements for motion picture and television rights to books. He has also served as a legal consultant for prominent media companies such as Playboy Entertainment Group. His articles on entertainment law issues have appeared in Filmmaker Magazine, Los Angeles Lawyer (cover story), and West’s Entertainment, Publishing & The Arts Handbook (an annual anthology of the best media law articles published in that year) among other publications. Robert has taught entertainment law and guest lectured on the negotiation of entertainment law contracts. He has also served on boards of directors of film companies, including Cinergi Pictures Entertainment Inc., founded by the late Hungarian film producer Andrew G. Vajna.
Jane Stepak
Digital Director
Jane oversees the web development activities for Riveting River Entertainment. She comes to our team with 25 years of experience in website development, technical writing, and software engineering. Jane has developed websites using content management systems, including WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Weebly, Squarespace, and Wix. She has particular expertise in understanding the client’s requirements and managing the project budget and schedule. In addition to her exemplary web design and development work, Jane has written numerous technical documents for various projects. In addition, she is frequently asked to provide editing feedback on the website content, key project documents, and other team members’ work products. Before joining the Riveting River team, Jane held positions at various notable firms, including Oracle, TiVo, and the Collaborative. Over the years, Jane has worked for several startups and welcomes the excitement and opportunities at hand as a member of the Riveting River team at this early stage. Jane has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Boston University, and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Edie Malone
Executive Admin
Edie is the gatekeeper for all that goes on behind the management scene at Riveting River. Her Executive Admin skills keep Riveting River functioning smoothly on a day-to-day basis. She is a veteran Contract Administrator who, while at Hyperion and Oracle, served as the go-to person for key Fortune 500 clients. This skill comes in handy with creating, tracking, and accessing the many documents upon which the company operates. Edie’s specialty is client management—keeping them regularly updated, dealing with their concerns, and aiding in contract negotiations. She honed her skills at the Camino Medical Group, helping seniors in their dealings with Medicare and other payment programs by acting as their personal negotiator. After retiring, Edie had successful encore careers as a caregiver and as a postal clerk. Her exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail make her ideal as an Executive Admin. She comes from a family immersed in literature and entertainment and is excited to be involved with the production of original screenplays at Riveting River.
Development
Michael S. Malone
Creative Director
Michael is an author, journalist, and television host—often called “The First Historian of Silicon Valley.” After earning two degrees from Santa Clara University (where he currently teaches), he joined the San Jose Mercury News as the world’s first daily high-tech reporter. There, he was nominated twice for Pulitzer Prizes in investigative reporting. Michael has been a columnist for the New York Times, ABC News, and Forbes. At Forbes, he was editor-in-chief of the nation’s largest circulation technical business magazine, Forbes ASAP. Michael is the author or co-author of nearly twenty-five books of business, history, and biography, notably the best-selling The Virtual Corporation, Bill and Dave, and The Future Arrived Yesterday. The host of four PBS interview series, he was co-producer and writer of the Emmy-nominated PBS primetime miniseries The New Heroes. A founding shareholder of several successful Silicon Valley startups, including eBay, in 2010, Michael was among the first to receive SCU’s Leader’s Legacy Award. For creating the Silicon Valley Comes to Oxford program, now the most significant event for entrepreneurs in Europe, he was named a Distinguished Friend of Oxford and Associate Fellow at Saïd business school. A regular op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Michael has three books slated for publication this year. You can hear Michael on his weekly podcast, The Silicon Insider, where he and co-host Scott Budman (an Emmy, national Iris Award, and two Golden Mike Awards winner) talk about the latest news and controversies in Silicon Valley.
David Jay Lasky
Outreach Manager
David Jay Lasky was born and raised in the New York City Housing Projects in Brooklyn, New York by his single mother Judith Lederman-Lasky. Since the age of 6, he has had a love for entertainment. David dreamed of writing, producing, and directing films that would engage audiences intellectually, emotionally, and visually. The journey began when he was awarded a scholarship from The New York Times to attend the University of Southern California in 1999. It changed his life forever. In May 2003, David graduated from USC with a Bachelor’s degree in Cinema/Television and English Literature. He worked as a reporter for The New York Times under Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Martin Gottlieb and with Bernard Weintraub. David also worked for New York Times editor Dana Canedy, whose film A Journal for Jordan was directed by Denzel Washington and starred Michael B. Jordan, and was released theatrically from Columbia Pictures where David Lasky then interned for Weintraub’s wife Amy Pascal. Lasky produced the film Bread and Butter, which starred Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) and Lauren Lapkus (Jurassic World). David also is a producer for Emmy-winning director Arthur Allan Seidelman’s film Delfino’s Journey that will star Oscar winner Helen Hunt and Dermot Mulroney. David also produced the film Final, which is now available on Amazon. He is currently producing several projects with Golden Globe nominee Joely Fisher and Oscar winner Walter Matthau’s son Charles Matthau.
Ben Thum
Documentary Manager
Ben, who conceived and developed the concept for A Gift for Laughter: Comedy & the Jews, is an award-winning radio and television producer and former KFI Los Angeles talk show host. He produced, wrote, and directed the documentary Alley Cracker: The Story of Handball, about the world’s oldest ball game, which premiered on ESPN. He was the creator and Executive Producer of KQED-TV’s pilot series for The Rick Reynolds Show, a late-night television talk show entry. Ben won the coveted Los Angeles Times Golden Mike award for best radio interview program three years in a row and featuring best-selling authors Maya Angelou, Dalton Trumbo, Harry Shearer, Studs Terkel, and many others. He was a top-rated morning radio personality in Los Angeles and San Francisco for many years and judged the San Francisco Int’l Stand-Up Comedy Festival. Ben has interviewed scores of comedians for his radio programs, including George Carlin, Mort Sahl, and Albert Brooks. Ben’s experience as a stage actor, radio/TV talk show host, and music personality helps drive his freelance work as a veteran voice actor/narrator. As a comedy writer, Ben sees himself as a 6-foot-6-inch version of the Greek god Adonis, with thick dark hair flowing to his shoulders, hair that reminds many people of the Bavarian Black Forest after a particularly heavy Spring downpour.
Michael Feldberg, PhD
Historian & Research Manager
In addition to being the Historian and Research Manager for Riveting River, Michael is executive director of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, an organization devoted to promoting respect for differences in religious belief. From 1991 to 2004, he served as executive director of the American Jewish Historical Society, the nation’s oldest ethnic historical organization, and from 2004 to 2008 was its director of research. He has led teacher training institutes for the National Endowment for the Humanities and served on the faculties of John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY), the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and Boston University. Michael is the author or editor of eight books in American history. His work on anti-Catholic violence in nineteenth-century Philadelphia remains unsurpassed, and his 1980 synthesis of the history of violence in Jacksonian America is in use in classrooms. Michael has curated several exhibitions, including From Haven to Home: 350 Years of American Jewish History, which is currently on a national tour, and two exhibitions on American Jewish chaplains in World War II. He also curated the exhibition on Jewish Life at the U.S. Naval Academy for the Uriah P. Levy Chapel, located on the Academy’s campus in Annapolis, MD. Michael holds a PhD. in history from the University of Rochester and an AB from Cornell University. Michael has received several fellowships and awards, including those from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He lives with his wife, four dogs, and a cat in Middlefield, MA, one of the “hidden hill towns” of the Berkshires.
Production
Kent Johnson
Production Executive
Kent relies on his wealth of industry experience to direct outreach communication for Riveting River. Kent’s first credit was on Dan Curtis’ Curse of the Black Widow (TV Movie). Forward to 2020, and 58 credits later, Kent has a film industry legacy that includes box office hits such as Cliffhanger, The Italian Job, The Expendables, and The Replacement Killers. Kent’s last Property Master credit was in 2013 with Escape Plan. In addition to being a liaison between the company and outside entities (studios, investors, producers, talent, etc.), Kent is working on his own projects with writers Don Morgan and Bill Kingman to develop and produce marketable scripts that appeal to a wide range of movie and television/cable audiences. Temecula, California is home now for Kent. Three hundred organic certified lemon trees, a wife of many years, and five dogs makes up his family.
Kat MacDonald
Production Assistant
Kat MacDonald, has been at the forefront of creative ventures for many years. She started her own successful promotions company in the mid 1990s. Prior to launch, Kat worked in the advertising industry in Seattle. Her projects included media engagements for The Three Tenors, creating web-based stores for the mortgage industry, and writing speeches for Seattle politicians. As the daughter of a military officer, Kat spent her early years in Europe. German is her first language. Traveling, exploring new cultures is still a passion of Kat’s. She earned a degree in International Communications from the University of Washington. Additional achievements include recognition as an instructional systems designer, master gardener, and multi-media artist. Twenty years ago, Kat moved to New Mexico, primarily to escape the omnipresent rain of the PNW. The middle Rio Grande Valley is now home, providing Kat with an impressive backdrop for her sharp-witted short stories of the wild west.
Our Team
Board of Directors
The Riveting River Board of Directors currently consists of three people who have been part of the company since its inception and continue to work with its day-to-day operation. The Board makes every effort to listen to differing opinions and diverse ways of accomplishing the company’s mission.
Advisory Board
These individuals have been instrumental in guiding our new entertainment studio through its development and assisting us as we address the challenges facing any startup. Our gratitude goes out to each and every Riveting River Advisory Board member and the generous time they have provided.
Organization
We maintain a relatively flat structure within Riveting River for efficiency and best give our team members a voice. Our friendships began well before when this company started, and we take pride in being a group that shares in the workload, challenges, and successes. Maintaining an enjoyable work environment that encourages open communication, sharing ideas, and pitching in to help others will always be a hallmark of Riveting River.
Executive
Roger Margulies
Chief Executive Officer
Before taking Riveting River’s helm, Roger was a Creative Director, Art Director, and Marcom Manager for many prominent companies throughout Silicon Valley and across the country. You can find his digital and conventional designs on websites, billboards, magazines, and even a lander on the moon. Seriously! The prominent companies that have relied on his storytelling through graphic imagery include Facebook, Genentech (a division of Roche), Intel, and Philips. As an army brat, he grew up all over the country and overseas before receiving an Architecture degree from the University of Arizona. Roger honed his creative skills as an architect for the US Forest Service in Portland, Oregon, then headed to the San Francisco Bay Area to begin a design career. As an amateur astronomer, he realized a life-long dream when he started working for NASA through the Collaborative, a national communications company. While working in the face-paced world of hi-tech, he helped launch TiVo, the world’s first flat TV and the earliest home cinema. This interest in the entertainment sphere may be why Roger eventually transitioned to the world of TV and films to found and become CEO of the company.
Sara Hamilton
Chief Strategy Officer
Sara is a development executive, producer, and consultant with 25+ years of experience in film and media, marketing and branding, strategy, and business development. She has developed and produced international marketing communication campaigns, corporate and commercial video productions, and narrative and documentary series and features, including the award-winning Time Zero: The Last Year of Polaroid Film, which is in international distribution and on major streaming platforms. In addition to developing and producing films and series, Sara consults with independent filmmakers, studios, businesses, film commissions, organizations, and non-profits to create meaningful and successful partnerships. She is the Chief Strategy Officer and an Executive Producer for multiple series and features in the Riveting River portfolio, an Executive Producer and consultant with the global entertainment financial and packaging firm Filmojy, and the Head of Partnerships and Development for Catalyst Story Institute. Sara is a dedicated advocate for the production industry, serving on the Boards of FilmNorth, the Minnesota Film Alliance, and EntertainMint.
Daniel Margulies
Former Chief Financial Officer
Prior to his passing, Daniel oversaw all finance and budgeting matters and initiatives for Riveting River. His purview also included managing all aspects of stock acquisition and distribution for the team and investors. Prior to joining the Riveting River team, Daniel worked as an account manager for the Collaborative, performing estimating and billing for the West Coast Office (Palo Alto, CA). Before that, Daniel was the Development Director at the Youth Science Institute (Los Gatos, CA) for 11 years, where he was in charge of communications, events, public relations, and similar tasks. Daniel also was an event and project manager at LaunchPad Distribution (San Jose, CA). Daniel also contracted his services as an event manager to the Philips Multimedia Center (Palo Alto, CA), where he oversaw tours, events, press events, and other activities for the public, industry partners, and private entities. Daniel also was a Marketing and Development Director for Bridge to Jobs (Sunnyvale, CA). His early career included ten years as a chief test engineer at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, where he was in charge of the test program for nuclear submarines during major overhauls. Daniel has a B.S., Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Arizona.
Administration
Craig Ching
In-house Counsel
Attorney Craig Ching earned his Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law. He was a member of Law Review and also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Maria-Elena James of the United States District Court, Northern District of California. Craig later served as a research attorney for the Law and Motion Department of the San Mateo Superior Court. Craig has over 13 years of experience representing clients in personal injury disputes, immigration matters, and commercial law. He has also assisted law firms in the areas of administrative law, employment law, business law, products liability, and appeals. Craig currently provides outside general counsel services to both for-profit and non-profit businesses. Craig’s commitment to the business community is extensive. He has worked as a panel attorney for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and has provided pro bono legal services to the Justice and Diversity Center (Community Organization Representation Project). As a consulting attorney with the San Francisco Small Business Development Center, Craig counsels entrepreneurs in growing and protecting their business interests.
Robert Zipser
Entertainment Attorney
Robert has practiced entertainment law for over 25 years. He has worked as an attorney for MGM Pictures, Carolco Pictures Inc.—then the most prominent independent production company in Hollywood, and the leading U.S. law firm Skadden and Stroock. He currently has a private practice in which he represents producers and production companies, writers, authors, actors, publishers, and other entertainment industry professionals. Robert has particular expertise in the field of option agreements for motion picture and television rights to books. He has also served as a legal consultant for prominent media companies such as Playboy Entertainment Group. His articles on entertainment law issues have appeared in Filmmaker Magazine, Los Angeles Lawyer (cover story), and West’s Entertainment, Publishing & The Arts Handbook (an annual anthology of the best media law articles published in that year) among other publications. Robert has taught entertainment law and guest lectured on the negotiation of entertainment law contracts. He has also served on boards of directors of film companies, including Cinergi Pictures Entertainment Inc., founded by the late Hungarian film producer Andrew G. Vajna.
Jane Stepak
Digital Director
Jane oversees the web development activities for Riveting River Entertainment. She comes to our team with 25 years of experience in website development, technical writing, and software engineering. Jane has developed websites using content management systems, including WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Weebly, Squarespace, and Wix. She has particular expertise in understanding the client’s requirements and managing the project budget and schedule. In addition to her exemplary web design and development work, Jane has written numerous technical documents for various projects. In addition, she is frequently asked to provide editing feedback on the website content, key project documents, and other team members’ work products. Before joining the Riveting River team, Jane held positions at various notable firms, including Oracle, TiVo, and the Collaborative. Over the years, Jane has worked for several startups and welcomes the excitement and opportunities at hand as a member of the Riveting River team at this early stage. Jane has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Boston University, and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Edie Malone
Executive Admin
Edie is the gatekeeper for all that goes on behind the management scene at Riveting River. Her Executive Admin skills keep Riveting River functioning smoothly on a day-to-day basis. She is a veteran Contract Administrator who, while at Hyperion and Oracle, served as the go-to person for key Fortune 500 clients. This skill comes in handy with creating, tracking, and accessing the many documents upon which the company operates. Edie’s specialty is client management—keeping them regularly updated, dealing with their concerns, and aiding in contract negotiations. She honed her skills at the Camino Medical Group, helping seniors in their dealings with Medicare and other payment programs by acting as their personal negotiator. After retiring, Edie had successful encore careers as a caregiver and as a postal clerk. Her exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail make her ideal as an Executive Admin. She comes from a family immersed in literature and entertainment and is excited to be involved with the production of original screenplays at Riveting River.
Development
Michael S. Malone
Creative Director
Michael is an author, journalist, and television host—often called “The First Historian of Silicon Valley.” After earning two degrees from Santa Clara University (where he currently teaches), he joined the San Jose Mercury News as the world’s first daily high-tech reporter. There, he was nominated twice for Pulitzer Prizes in investigative reporting. Michael has been a columnist for the New York Times, ABC News, and Forbes. At Forbes, he was editor-in-chief of the nation’s largest circulation technical business magazine, Forbes ASAP. Michael is the author or co-author of nearly twenty-five books of business, history, and biography, notably the best-selling The Virtual Corporation, Bill and Dave, and The Future Arrived Yesterday. The host of four PBS interview series, he was co-producer and writer of the Emmy-nominated PBS primetime miniseries The New Heroes. A founding shareholder of several successful Silicon Valley startups, including eBay, in 2010, Michael was among the first to receive SCU’s Leader’s Legacy Award. For creating the Silicon Valley Comes to Oxford program, now the most significant event for entrepreneurs in Europe, he was named a Distinguished Friend of Oxford and Associate Fellow at Saïd business school. A regular op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Michael has three books slated for publication this year. You can hear Michael on his weekly podcast, The Silicon Insider, where he and co-host Scott Budman (an Emmy, national Iris Award, and two Golden Mike Awards winner) talk about the latest news and controversies in Silicon Valley.
David Jay Lasky
Outreach Manager
David Jay Lasky was born and raised in the New York City Housing Projects in Brooklyn, New York by his single mother Judith Lederman-Lasky. Since the age of 6, he has had a love for entertainment. David dreamed of writing, producing, and directing films that would engage audiences intellectually, emotionally, and visually. The journey began when he was awarded a scholarship from The New York Times to attend the University of Southern California in 1999. It changed his life forever. In May 2003, David graduated from USC with a Bachelor’s degree in Cinema/Television and English Literature. He worked as a reporter for The New York Times under Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Martin Gottlieb and with Bernard Weintraub. David also worked for New York Times editor Dana Canedy, whose film A Journal for Jordan was directed by Denzel Washington and starred Michael B. Jordan, and was released theatrically from Columbia Pictures where David Lasky then interned for Weintraub’s wife Amy Pascal. Lasky produced the film Bread and Butter, which starred Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) and Lauren Lapkus (Jurassic World). David also is a producer for Emmy-winning director Arthur Allan Seidelman’s film Delfino’s Journey that will star Oscar winner Helen Hunt and Dermot Mulroney. David also produced the film Final, which is now available on Amazon. He is currently producing several projects with Golden Globe nominee Joely Fisher and Oscar winner Walter Matthau’s son Charles Matthau.
Ben Thum
Documentary Manager
Ben, who conceived and developed the concept for A Gift for Laughter: Comedy & the Jews, is an award-winning radio and television producer and former KFI Los Angeles talk show host. He produced, wrote, and directed the documentary Alley Cracker: The Story of Handball, about the world’s oldest ball game, which premiered on ESPN. He was the creator and Executive Producer of KQED-TV’s pilot series for The Rick Reynolds Show, a late-night television talk show entry. Ben won the coveted Los Angeles Times Golden Mike award for best radio interview program three years in a row and featuring best-selling authors Maya Angelou, Dalton Trumbo, Harry Shearer, Studs Terkel, and many others. He was a top-rated morning radio personality in Los Angeles and San Francisco for many years and judged the San Francisco Int’l Stand-Up Comedy Festival. Ben has interviewed scores of comedians for his radio programs, including George Carlin, Mort Sahl, and Albert Brooks. Ben’s experience as a stage actor, radio/TV talk show host, and music personality helps drive his freelance work as a veteran voice actor/narrator. As a comedy writer, Ben sees himself as a 6-foot-6-inch version of the Greek god Adonis, with thick dark hair flowing to his shoulders, hair that reminds many people of the Bavarian Black Forest after a particularly heavy Spring downpour.
Michael Feldberg, PhD
Historian & Research Manager
In addition to being the Historian and Research Manager for Riveting River, Michael is executive director of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, an organization devoted to promoting respect for differences in religious belief. From 1991 to 2004, he served as executive director of the American Jewish Historical Society, the nation’s oldest ethnic historical organization, and from 2004 to 2008 was its director of research. He has led teacher training institutes for the National Endowment for the Humanities and served on the faculties of John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY), the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and Boston University. Michael is the author or editor of eight books in American history. His work on anti-Catholic violence in nineteenth-century Philadelphia remains unsurpassed, and his 1980 synthesis of the history of violence in Jacksonian America is in use in classrooms. Michael has curated several exhibitions, including From Haven to Home: 350 Years of American Jewish History, which is currently on a national tour, and two exhibitions on American Jewish chaplains in World War II. He also curated the exhibition on Jewish Life at the U.S. Naval Academy for the Uriah P. Levy Chapel, located on the Academy’s campus in Annapolis, MD. Michael holds a PhD. in history from the University of Rochester and an AB from Cornell University. Michael has received several fellowships and awards, including those from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He lives with his wife, four dogs, and a cat in Middlefield, MA, one of the “hidden hill towns” of the Berkshires.
Production
Kent Johnson
Production Executive
Kent relies on his wealth of industry experience to direct outreach communication for Riveting River. Kent’s first credit was on Dan Curtis’ Curse of the Black Widow (TV Movie). Forward to 2020, and 58 credits later, Kent has a film industry legacy that includes box office hits such as Cliffhanger, The Italian Job, The Expendables, and The Replacement Killers. Kent’s last Property Master credit was in 2013 with Escape Plan. In addition to being a liaison between the company and outside entities (studios, investors, producers, talent, etc.), Kent is working on his own projects with writers Don Morgan and Bill Kingman to develop and produce marketable scripts that appeal to a wide range of movie and television/cable audiences. Temecula, California is home now for Kent. Three hundred organic certified lemon trees, a wife of many years, and five dogs makes up his family.
Kat MacDonald
Production Assistant
Kat MacDonald, has been at the forefront of creative ventures for many years. She started her own successful promotions company in the mid 1990s. Prior to launch, Kat worked in the advertising industry in Seattle. Her projects included media engagements for The Three Tenors, creating web-based stores for the mortgage industry, and writing speeches for Seattle politicians. As the daughter of a military officer, Kat spent her early years in Europe. German is her first language. Traveling, exploring new cultures is still a passion of Kat’s. She earned a degree in International Communications from the University of Washington. Additional achievements include recognition as an instructional systems designer, master gardener, and multi-media artist. Twenty years ago, Kat moved to New Mexico, primarily to escape the omnipresent rain of the PNW. The middle Rio Grande Valley is now home, providing Kat with an impressive backdrop for her sharp-witted short stories of the wild west.