Celine Parreñas Shimizu is Dean of Theater, Film and Television and Distinguished Professor of Film, Television and Digital Media at University of California, Los Angeles. An acclaimed scholar and filmmaker, she is internationally recognized for her work on race, sexuality, and representation in cinema and media studies. She is the award-winning author of several influential books, including The Movies of Racial Childhoods, The Proximity of Other Skins, and The Hypersexuality of Race. Alongside her academic work, she is also an experimental filmmaker whose projects have screened at more than 50 film festivals worldwide and received multiple awards. In recent years, she received the Mentorship Award from the Association for Asian American Studies and was inducted into the Stanford University Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame. She holds degrees from Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Berkeley.

Han Choi is currently serving as U.S. Content Lead at Vigloo, SpoonLabs' vertical micro-drama platform. Her career spans traditional broadcasting and mobile-first platforms, including roles at CJ ENM, TikTok, and Kakao Entertainment. With experience in international licensing, content localization, webtoon expansion, and K-pop business strategy, she brings a cross-market perspective to vertical storytelling. Based in Los Angeles, she leads Vigloo's English-language production and U.S. growth strategy.

Robin Tang is a media and entertainment executive at COL Group Co., Ltd., one of the leading global companies in the fast-growing vertical drama and microdrama space, including platforms such as FlareFlow. Based in Los Angeles, he focuses on international strategy, partnerships, and the expansion of premium short-form storytelling worldwide. Before joining COL Group, Robin worked across major entertainment and streaming companies including The Walt Disney Company and Hulu, specializing in audience analytics, content strategy, and digital media growth. He is recognized for bridging traditional Hollywood expertise with the emerging vertical storytelling industry and for helping shape the next generation of global short-form entertainment.

DJ Azul is a writer and educator working in the fast-growing vertical storytelling space. Known for credits including Maid for My Nemesis, they bring hands-on insight into cliffhanger structure, romance pacing, and writing for mobile-first audiences.

Ashlin is Head of Development at Shorties Studios, a content studio dedicated to developing, financing, and producing best-in-class vertical series. Prior to producing verticals, Ashlin spent over 7 years at Netflix as a Content Executive in the International Originals department, where she developed and launched over 25 shows across Spain and Latin America.