Robert Weiss

Chief Executive Officer

Rob leads the FanDragon team, overseeing all day-to-day global operations. Known as an entrepreneurial and creative operating executive, Rob has a track record of successfully building and growing companies at the intersection of technology, media, and pop culture. He has spent 20 years leading companies with transformative innovation; managing successful company launches, expansions, rebrands, and turnarounds; and steering companies toward higher profitability and sustainable revenue growth.

Throughout a career spanning Technology, Entertainment, News, and Music, Rob has led companies to aggressively pursue emerging platforms and innovative strategies to monetize their business. He has been recognized for his unique combination of creative, business, and operational acumen; his ability to lead and inspire teams; and his deep knowledge of Gen-Z and digitally-native consumers.

A digital pioneer, Rob has served as CEO and COO of a wide variety of technology and digital media companies including EQAL, PollPals, RockYou, NotMe Solutions, Ricochet, BANG, and Multimedia Platforms. He has seamlessly transitioned between the business, tech, and creative sides of companies—and between startup operations and large companies.

Named by Variety as one of the top leaders in the tech-media business, Rob also served as a senior executive for cable networks including VH1, FX, the arts network Ovation, and the music network FUSE. Earlier in his career, he launched an award-winning, multi-platform production company that produced 2,000 hours of programming for the internet, cable, broadcast, and global markets.

Rob started his career as a journalist, working for print and broadcast news organizations including the LA Times, Newsweek, CNBC, “The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour”, and NBC News. He graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill of Journalism with a B.S. in Journalism. Rob is also a proud tech geek. As a teenager, he coded software that transformed the classic Parker Brothers board games into computer games.

Dragon Superpower: Operating on just 4 hours of sleep.

Steve Machin

Global Director of Ticketing Strategy & Innovation

Steve leads the Ticketing Strategy, Business Intelligence, and Client Services teams at FanDragon. He is a pioneer of the live entertainment and ticketing sectors, bringing decades of ticketing industry expertise to FanDragon. Throughout his career, Steve has focused on projects, solutions, and services that use new technology to enhance how consumers and providers connect through live entertainment.

Following senior corporate roles at both Ticketmaster Europe and Live Nation, Steve has worked in the independent sector as an entrepreneur and co-founder of a number of businesses ranging from data analysis of what was a nascent secondary ticketing sector—to a live event streaming company that brought the category of “Event Cinema” to the mass-market across Europe. 

More recently, Steve has moved towards an infrastructure approach to the ticket sector. To that end, Steve in 2012 successfully applied to the internet regulator, ICANN, to operate a high-integrity domain name registry for the ticketing sector under the .tickets top level domain. Steve has joined FanDragon to bring his deep industry experience to bear on the next phase of ticketing technology being delivered by the blockchain.

When not collaborating with the FanDragon teams in Los Angeles and London, Steve often speaks about ticketing, technology, and live entertainment at conferences worldwide, including the International Live Music Conference where he chairs the New Technology Panel. Steve received his B.S. in Psychology with Honours from The University of Manchester.

Dragon Superpower: Connecting dots no one else can see – and a firm belief that the best way to predict the future is to create it.

Mark Weiss

Chief Business Officer & General Counsel

Mark oversees FanDragon’s Business Development, Finance, Operations, and Legal teams.  He is an internationally acclaimed business and legal executive known for his ability to lead innovative, value-enhancing teams. Throughout his 25-year career, Mark has been a trusted strategic business and legal partner and advisor to C-suite executives and Boards of Directors.

Prior to joining FanDragon, Mark provided senior legal executive services to Cerberus, a global private equity firm, for whom he led and executed global transactions in partnership with the private equity team’s leadership. Previously, Mark spent 18 years at Staples, Inc., where he was the Deputy General Counsel and led the International legal team and the Global M&A legal team. While at Staples, Mark held multiple executive leadership positions and built global business-focused legal teams that served all of the company’s business and functional units and were recognized for exemplary advice and client service. The Financial Times recognized Mark for his innovative approach and global leadership, along with the value he provided to M&A transactions.

Before joining Staples, Mark was a senior associate at Goodwin Procter in Boston, Massachusetts, where he concentrated on public company M&A, venture capital/private equity transactions, and securities law and served as outside general counsel to public and private clients from many industries, with a focus on technology and banking companies. He also was a law clerk for Judge Mark L. Wolf on the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts.

Mark received his B.A. with Honors in economics and history from Amherst College and his J.D. with Honors from the University of Chicago Law School. When Mark isn’t leading teams or providing advice, he is likely with his family, playing sports, or watching his kids or Boston-based sports teams compete.

Dragon Superpower: Knowing what people are really thinking.

Jason Black

Chief of Staff

Jason oversees FanDragon’s Product, Marketing, Project Management, and Human Resource teams. A seasoned entrepreneurial executive, he has brought operational efficiency and thought leadership to a wide variety of pioneering digital/tech start-ups and traditional media companies.  

Jason’s expertise in technology, music, and pop culture spans more than 20 years—from his tenure as CEO of The Goldie Group to his time spent as an executive at a wide variety of tech-media companies including MTV/MTV.com, Mark Burnett Productions, EMI Music Publishing, Ovation, FUSE, and EQAL Media.  

Jason also served as SVP of Development at Banca Studio, an LA-based television production company, and as a Creative Executive at MEC (WPP’s global media agency). Here he oversaw original content creation for brands like Macy’s, for whom he produced a primetime NBC animation special. As a music industry executive, Jason’s experience included Director of A&R for the independent music label, Razor & Tie, and Creative Manager for EMI Music Publishing. 

In addition to overseeing digital and social media strategies and developing websites for celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Elizabeth Banks, Jason has a history of successful collaborations with digital executive teams—ranging from short-term tech initiatives to long-term organizational solutions. Outside of the FanDragon office, Jason spends his time volunteering with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, exploring new restaurants, and sampling a wide variety of live events.

 Dragon Superpower: The ability to pack an infinite number of activities into the perfect “day in LA”—or in any city he’s visiting.

Jim Abel

SVP, Business Development Group

Jim is responsible for leading the team that creates and expands new business and monetization opportunities for FanDragon. A seasoned tech-media executive, Jim brings 15 years of executive sales and corporate development experience to the team. Prior to FanDragon, he served as Vice President of Audience Growth and Senior Director of Corporate Development at RockYou, a Silicon Valley-based media and tech company. While at RockYou, Jim spearheaded strategic partnership and acquisition opportunities and was responsible for identifying, negotiating, and running diligence on multiple deals in parallel. At the height of this growth, he and his team closed and on-boarded thirteen M&A transactions in under two years, and in doing so, took the company to profitability and exponentially scaled revenue. 

Jim takes tremendous pride in his work ethic as well as the integrity with which he conducts both his professional and personal life. A devoted husband and new father, he is an avid lover of sports, travel, and the outdoors. Jim holds a Business/Finance degree from Carnegie Mellon University, where he was also a member of the Tartans Men’s Basketball Team.

Dragon Superpower: Resilience.

Ash Steffy

SVP, Marketing & Brand Strategy

Ash is FanDragon’s marketing and branding expert, leading all global marketing efforts including corporate communications, strategic branding, social media, marketing partnerships, and public relations. A Promax-winning marketing executive, Ash has an extensive track record of building media brands across all media platforms.

Prior to joining FanDragon, Ash served as Vice President of Creative Services at Ovation TV, where he oversaw key initiatives for consumer marketing, advertising sales, affiliate sales, programming and corporate relations. Before Ovation, Ash supervised a wide variety of strategic and creative marketing initiatives as an executive for the Disney-ABC Media Group. Earlier in his career, he worked for the Directors Guild of America and Universal Pictures.

Ash is also a writer, director and producer himself—shaped by creative training at UCLA and Art Center College of Design. Ash enjoys traveling, especially road trips, and is an avid news, TV, and film junkie.

Dragon Superpower: Maintaining calm under pressure.

Lori Ross

Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs

Lori provides expert counsel to all of FanDragon’s legal and business affairs initiatives. Prior to FanDragon, she advised a wide variety of technology and media companies including Hulu, Sony, and Verizon Digital Media along with SaaS providers, manufacturers, and start-ups in various stages of the growth process.   

An experienced commercial and data privacy attorney, Lori has represented clients both in the US and abroad, including acting serving as the Chief Legal Officer of an Irish streaming media company. Lori holds the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) designation in the US and European privacy law—CIPP/US and CIPP/E. She enjoys working with companies to help grow and shape their business. 

Lori is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a BA in Political Science, UCLA Law School, JD and University College, London, where she earned her LLM and was a Bentham Scholar. She speaks French fluently and Spanish passably and loves travel and fly-fishing. Her favorite food is anything with dulce de leche.

Dragon Superpower: Multi-tasking.

Alan Rakov

Head of Business Development & Ticketing Partnerships

Alan is responsible for helping lead the team that creates and expands new business and monetization opportunities for FanDragon. A respected ticketing industry veteran, Alan has more than 20 years of expertise under his belt. He most recently ran Working Bear Productions, which provided revenue and business development services to companies including Ticketmaster—helping industry leaders explore new strategic directions and spearheading fan-driven ticketing innovations that created new revenue streams for artists.

Prior to leading Working Bear Productions, Alan served as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Revenue Officer for Live Nation Entertainment’s US Concerts Division. While at Live Nation, he was instrumental in launching new revenue management products and services including Platinum Tickets, GrouponLive, and the industry’s leading dynamic pricing system, Pricemaster. Earlier in his career, Alan worked with Ticketmaster in several roles, including Vice President of TicketExchange, Ticketmaster’s secondary market solution, and General Manager of Ticketmaster, Northern California and Nevada.

Alan holds an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management at UCLA, an MFA in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music, and a BA in Music from Stanford University. A former professional violinist, Alan currently plays the fiddle in the Jim Bob and the Buzzards Band and counts Vassar Clements, Stephane Grappelli, and Andrew Bird as his violin idols. When not working or playing the fiddle, Alan spends time with his wife and kids.

Dragon Superpower: 20/4 Vision—the ability to see macro paths and micro tasks and execute with effectual enthusiasm.

Kenji Nightingale

Vice President of Finance

Kenji is FanDragon’s lead financial executive. His experience ranges from start-ups to Fortune 10 companies in industries spanning technology, E-commerce, digital advertising, and entertainment.

Prior to FanDragon, Kenji served as the Head of Finance & Accounting at Beautycon Media, managing all financial aspects of the Content Production, Festival, and E-commerce divisions.  Prior to that, he led a team of seasoned financial professionals at Deluxe Entertainment, overseeing the Creative Services FP&A Division which spanned over 30 studios across five different countries. Kenji was also a vital part of DIRECTV, building the financial groundwork for today’s popular DIRECTV NOW OTT platform. He also served as Manager of Strategic Finance and Business Analytics at ad tech start-up OpenX.

Kenji is a double Bruin, earning his MBA in Finance/Strategy as well as his Bachelor’s at UCLA.  In a previous life, he was an engineer at Google, MySpace, and Sony Computer Entertainment. Kenji is bilingual in English and Japanese, and is an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Dragon Superpower: Time travel. Kenji has the uncanny ability to produce accurate long-range forecasts, as if he had seen into the future.

John Marchesini

Vice President of Product

John is responsible for all of FanDragon’s product development and strategy. Prior to joining FanDragon, John held executive leadership roles at CBS Corporation, including Vice President of Product and Engineering for CBS Television Distribution. While at CBS, he relaunched digital and direct-to-consumer products at “Dr. Phil” and “Entertainment Tonight”, growing ETonline.com into the market leader for entertainment news and streaming video.  

John previously served as Director of Product at The Hollywood Reporter and was instrumental in the company’s digital transformation, leading his team to win its first Webby Award for best website. He also co-founded Blockchain Beach, a Santa Monica-based next-generation media and events company covering blockchain technology. Hailing from the birthplace of the blues, John has been in love with live music his entire life. He is also an adventurous traveler and food scout looking to discover the next best restaurant. John holds a dual-degree from Washington University in St. Louis.   

Dragon Superpower: Bringing a fresh perspective.

Thomas Amdemariam

Director of Business Development & Partnerships

Thomas is responsible for driving FanDragon’s business development strategy, helping clients to capitalize on the company’s suite of innovative offerings. With a diverse and entrepreneurial career across the Entertainment, Data, and Legal industries—Thomas brings a unique perspective from each of these fields.

Prior to joining FanDragon, Thomas spent four years as an Artist Manager at New York start-up Maker MGMT, where he forged lucrative paths for emerging musicians, producers, directors, and visual artists. Before Maker MGMT, Thomas was responsible for business development in the New York office of electronic discovery firm Driven, Inc. He began his career in the Washington, D.C. office of law firm Covington & Burling LLP. Throughout his career, Thomas has scouted and cultivated relationships with innovators and has developed an appreciation for the role data can play in facilitating both business decisions and client engagement.

While not in Dragon mode, Thomas serves on advisory boards for music, tech and entertainment projects, including MusicTraveler.com. He also throws a good party from time to time.

Dragon Superpower: Problem Solving & Matchmaking.

Margaret Hinch

Human Resources Consultant

Margaret leads FanDragon’s Human Resources department. A seasoned veteran with over 20 years of experience, Margaret began her human resources career with Employers Group, and has consulted with a wide variety of companies—including Netflix, Carsdirect.com, AEG Worldwide, Easter Seal Society, and Swiss Air.

Prior to forming her own company, Margaret served as VP of Human Resources for five years at MOCEAN, a top entertainment advertising agency in Los Angeles. Previously, she held the position of VP of Human Resources at Ignition, a full-service advertising agency. Margaret has extensive experience building HR departments and practices from the ground up—ranging from diversity-inclusive programs to leadership training programs.

Margaret graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a BS in Business Administration and Management. She loves connecting with nature through gardening, bee-keeping and trail running. 

Dragon Superpower: Curiosity in the people and the world that surrounds us.

Shawn Asuncion

Director of Product

Shawn is responsible for FanDragon’s product operations, development, and innovation. A seasoned product management professional, Shawn has spent six years building tech solutions that scale across mobile and desktop. Prior to FanDragon, he was Director of Product at Hopscotch, where he led a cross-functional team to build mobile apps as well as the platform which powered USA Today Sports Media Group, CBS Sports Colleges, T-mobile Arena, Red Rocks Amphitheater, and other venue and live event clients.

Previous to Hopscotch, Shawn launched an influencer marketing platform creating content for clients including Zipcar and the NBA. He has a strong background in SaaS, affiliate shopping,  mobile rewards, and loyalty programs.  

Born and raised in Hawaii, Shawn moved to the mainland to pursue a career in start-ups, working at companies at the ground level and using his skills to build products that solve problems. He is passionate about using technology to connect people with the experiences they love. When he is not working, Shawn enjoys traveling and trying out new restaurants. 

Dragon Superpower: Being an active listener.

Gillian Raikes

Director of Business Development & Partnerships

Gillian is responsible for building the FanDragon’s partnership and customer pipeline and identifying additional strategic growth initiatives. Prior to joining FanDragon, Gillian was a fellow at Stanford University’s Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative, where she created tools and resources to aid high-net-worth donors in developing philanthropic strategies. She has also previously worked with KPMG East Africa and McKinsey & Company on large-scale public health and food security innovation projects in Kenya. 

Gillian received her degree in Human Biology and African & African-American studies from Stanford University. A recent Los Angeles transplant, when she is not in the office, you can find Gillian exploring everything LA has to offer—from hikes to museums.

Dragon Superpower: Herding. She always makes sure her team is in the right place with the right resources.

Matthew Morgan

Lead Designer

Matthew is FanDragon’s lead Marketing and Product UX/UI designer. With more than 15 years of design experience, Matthew has been working in agencies since graduating high school including senior roles at Saatchi & Saatchi, where he was known to occasionally sleep under his desk. His projects range from Fortune 500 companies such as Disney, where he helped design the company’s theme-park visitor experience, to small start-ups including the contemporary art marketplace app Available Works. 

Matthew is committed to innovating brands and products. His natural entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity helps him understand any startup’s goals. His “anti-signature-style” approach to art direction helps him become truly symbiotic with any brand. In his free time, Matthew enjoys hanging out with friends, taking long walks, and sampling a wide variety of cuisines in the Los Angeles area.

Dragon Superpower: Making incredible potato tacos.

Steven Dodge

Director of Business Development & Partnerships

Steven is responsible for new client acquisition, deal structuring, and overall account sales growth at FanDragon. An experienced Sales and Business Development executive, he has a track record of successfully closing deals, growing revenue, and wearing many hats in fast-paced, early-stage tech and media companies.

Prior to joining FanDragon, Steven served as the Digital Sales Director at Brainjolt. Before that, he spent six years rising through the ranks at Gorilla Nation/Evolve Media, a leading digital publisher, where he developed, managed, and expanded direct relationships with publishers, advertisers, agencies, and advertising networks. Steve began his career by serving for 13 years as an Air Force Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. From there he leveraged his strategic background to launch and build a successful sales career.

While not at the Dragon’s Lair, Steven is adventurous, spending as much time as possible outdoors—camping at Yosemite or Joshua Tree, skiing at Mammoth Mountain, or hiking in Griffith Park.

Dragon Superpower: Focus—the ability to tune out distractions and concentrate on one important project.

Clay Tuffly

Manager of Marketing & Brand Strategy

Clay supports all of FanDragon’s Marketing and Global Branding initiatives. Prior to joining FanDragon, Clay spent several years honing his skills in entertainment and marketing – most recently as a Marketing Strategist at Fox Broadcasting Company. Before that, Clay assisted with servicing A-List clients at Untitled Entertainment, as well as with marketing and promotions at Cumulus Media, a collection of Ventura-based radio stations. He was a contributing journalist to The Culture Trip, and also a Grant Writer for the non-profit company The Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s, whose goal was to promote understanding of Alzheimer’s among youth and young adults by providing opportunities to help those affected by the disease.

Clay graduated from UCLA with a BA in Communication Studies. He grew up in Thousand Oaks and prides himself on being an L.A. native.

Dragon Superpower: A great sense of humor.

Miguel Del Rosario

Coordinator of Business Development

Miguel provides support to all of FanDragon’s Business Development initiatives. Prior to teaming up with his fellow Dragons, Miguel received his BA in Business Economics at the University of California, Irvine. He was the first in his family to receive a college degree.  

Through his previous roles in and out of school, Miguel has consistently proved to be dynamic, tireless, and curious. Whether it was creating programs that give back to disadvantaged communities, supporting the underrepresented student population, or staying close to his Filipino roots and culture—Miguel has made it a personal challenge to be as impactful and involved in his community as possible. 

Though a sports superfan and a former athlete, Miguel’s preferred hobby is laying down on his bed and watching his all-time favorite movie—Titanic.

Dragon Superpower: Teleportation. He always seems to be at two (or more) places at once.

Bella Malak

Coordinator of Marketing & Brand Strategy

Bella provides support to all of FanDragon’s Marketing and Global Branding initiatives. Before becoming a Dragon, Bella pursued her passions in the entertainment industry as an executive assistant at Amyale Productions.

A recent graduate from Azusa Pacific University, Bella double majored with a BFA in Cinematic Arts and Honors Humanities, as well as a minor in screenwriting. During her time as a student, Bella also had the opportunity to study film and literature at Oxford University where she perfected her skills as an academic writer and critical literary analyst. In addition to studying abroad, Bella worked as both a production designer and director of photography on several student films, wrote her first feature-length screenplay, and became a published essayist.

A true Los Angeles native, Bella spends her time working on film sets, writing scripts, exploring Downtown LA, and reading any book she can get her hands on. 

Dragon Superpower: An insanely good memory for names and faces

Tabitha Parker

Executive Assistant

Tabitha lends support to all of FanDragon’s departments including Ticket Strategy, Client Services, and Marketing. A first-generation college student, Tabitha recently graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a BA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and a minor in Computer Information Systems. While at school, she stretched her understanding and appreciation of people by learning the Japanese language, joining ethnic organizations, and serving as Student Body President, which strengthened her skills in communication, strategy, and time management.

Tabitha is originally from Kentucky. She likes to spend her free time painting, crafting, cooking soul food, and trying new activities. Tabitha’s other loves include breakfast—and glitter.

Dragon Superpower: Finding a coupon or discount for literally anything and everything.