Team

Jen O'Connell

Co-Founder, Co-CEO

Jennifer O’Connell is an industry leader and tastemaker with 30 years as a network executive, studio executive and executive producer.

In 2023, O’Connell co-founded Velvet Hammer Media with Rebecca Quinn. The company quickly built a strong slate of formats including The Big Bakeover for CW, Empty Nest Refresh, Best Bite Wins for Roku, Age of Attraction and the upcoming Nick Cannon docu-follow for Netflix as well as unannounced projects for Hulu, NBC and Amazon. Velvet Hammer also received a strategic investment from WME’s Nonscripted Content Group and was recognized this year by Realscreen’s Global 100 in the Top 10 Format category.

In 2025, O’Connell took on the additional role of CEO of Pantheon Media Group, part of Endeavor’s Nonscripted Content Group, where she oversees several global labels, including live specialists Done+Dusted, premium documentary specialists Ladywell Films, and true-crime producers Texas Crew Productions, among more.

Previously, Connell was Executive Vice President, Non-Fiction & Live Action Family Originals at HBO Max, where she shaped all the platform’s unscripted and alternative programming. Her bold, unfiltered, award-winning slate spanned premium documentary (The Way Down, What Happened Brittany Murphy?, Class Action Park, Heaven’s Gate and LFG), lifestyle, competition and dating reality hits (Selena + Chef, The Hype, FBoy Island and Legendary) and chart-topping event specials (Friends Reunion, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary and The Fresh Prince Reunion). On the scripted front, O’Connell oversaw live-action series for co-viewing audiences, including the Head of the Class reboot with Executive Producer Bill Lawrence and the critically acclaimed Gordita Chronicles from Zoe Saldana and Eva Longoria, who directed the pilot.

In HBO Max’s first year, O’Connell’s department won Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Programming at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards, receiving the honor again in 2022. That same year, Variety recognized O'Connell as a “Titan” of Unscripted TV in its 2022 Reality Impact Report.

Prior to HBO Max, she was Executive Vice President and Head of Worldwide Alternative Programming at Lionsgate and held senior roles at NBCUniversal, Core Media Group, Shed Media U.S., Disney Channel and the Family Channel. Her long list of projects includes household titles like Selling Sunset (Netflix), The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo), The Biggest Loser (NBC), Who Do You Think You Are? (NBC) and What the Fit with Kevin Hart (YouTube).

Rebecca Quinn

Co-Founder, Co-CEO

Rebecca Quinn is a seasoned professional in the non-fiction industry, having spent over 20 years as a highly regarded producer and most recently as Senior Vice President, Non-Fiction Original Programming for HBO Max. While at the platform, Quinn was responsible for a broad slate of reality programming across various topics and genres geared toward female- skewing, Gen Z, and millennial audiences. Among her many projects were the critically acclaimed underground ballroom dance series Legendary, Selena + Chef, holiday dating series 12 Dates of Christmas, streetwear design competition show The Hype, and the bold and buzzy dating series hit Fboy Island.

Quinn was instrumental in launching The Access Unscripted Program at HBOMax, offering underrepresented producers and directors both the access and opportunity to work at senior-level positions; within one year, nine unscripted series were taking part in the program.

Previously, Rebecca was president of Pulse Creative, under a deal at Lionsgate, where she created and executive produced several pilots and series, including Kicking and Screaming for FOX, Candy Crush for CBS, and Kevin Hart: What the Fit for YouTube. Before Lionsgate, Quinn served as supervising producer on broadcast mega-hits Wipeout, Deal or No Deal, Fear Factor, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Quinn started her career in non-fiction casting, becoming one of the most in-demand casting directors in the industry. She has overseen casting departments for tentpole series at every broadcast network.

Quinn attended Columbia University in New York City, where she was captain of the Division I women's volleyball team.

Nick Alarcon

Senior Vice President

An experienced development executive and seasoned producer, Nick Alarcon serves as senior vice president for Velvet Hammer Media, overseeing its unscripted slate.

Prior to VHM, Alarcon oversaw unscripted development for Pulse Creative under the company’s overall deal with Lionsgate, where he was an integral part of the development and sale of such series as Kicking & Screaming for FOX, Candy Crush for CBS, and three seasons of Kevin Hart: What the Fit for YouTube. Over eight years, he rose at Pulse from development assistant to head of development, and also served as a hands-on producer on various projects in the field and in post-production, with credits ranging from associate producer to co-executive producer. He worked previously in post-production at Bunim/Murray.